Eleven years after the colonists settle in to their new home on Mars...Earth ecosystems have grown unstable and a new threat to human survival is brewing. When a foray into the city lands one of Theresa's progeny in quarantine, their guardian on Earth, Dr. Richard Brant, must use this advance warning to fight a growing pandemic. But with communication between Earth and Mars forbidden, reaching Theresa and getting the Progeny to Mars alive may be impossible. The future of Earth, and the AUC Progeny, hang in the balance - as does the continuation of the human race.