In 1976, petty criminal Brooklyn Lamontagne chose military service on the moon instead of going to prison for being an accessory to murder. When the fifteen-year Cold War between Earth and an unknown alien species known as the First begins to simmer, Brooklyn sacrifices his life to save the people on a dying Earth. Miraculously, he came back to life in a changed world.

Now it's been eight years, and while Brooklyn has no recollection of saving the world, he's been paying for it ever since. The conquered Earth governments don't trust him and the average civilian can't seem to make up their mind on him, but everyone agrees that Brooklyn should stay in space. He's scrabbling to cover his bills with junk-food deliveries to Venus and transporting honeymooners to Tycho on his old spaceship, the Victory.

While Brooklyn drifts in space, on Earth, tensions are rising. The United Nations is working hard to evacuate the Earth by the deadline set by the First, who are now recognised as the planet's true owners. There's a mysterious virus going around, one that's rendered at least half the population of the planet infertile. And worse: the relationship between the USA and the USSR is deteriorating as each nation sets their sights on Mars.

When an old friend asks for a ride to the red planet, Brooklyn finds himself embroiled in a solar system's worth of espionage, backroom alliances, ancient treasures and secret plots, while encountering a navigation system that just wants love…