The stars have come to Iowa, and the earth will never be the same. With the Nexus up and running, Van and crew become interstellar players in the fight for earth, but their enemies aren't just from out in the black. Sensing massive profits, the scramble to exploit humanity pits Van against his own people—and Yotov, whose plans have finally come to fruition. With political warfare, the Equal Grasp seeks to do what missiles cannot—remove Van from the picture. But he's a lot tougher than that, and Icky's hammer is swinging freely, and the crew are international stars, portrayed as the heroes of a world that reaches beyond the sky—into deepest space and beyond. With one last throw of the dice, Yotov will unleash the hidden reserve of power she's been hiding. If it works, Van will be dead. Or worse. Because Yotov and the Equal Grasp don't just want power. They want control of life itself, and they'll stop at nothing to get it.