Time travel was never like this—tied to the motions of the stars, a short cut across the galaxy, and—if you're a rare Dive pilot—a chance to be a hero. Clio Finn is one of these, a space pilot on the run from a dystopian and graying Earth toward the only future she ever wanted: the stars. Problem is, she's on the razor edge of burnout. Next stop: a labor camp in dictatorial America.

Clio might be in it for escape, for adventure, but there's also that hero thing. Her mission: to retrieve viable biota to reseed the Earth. Now, a long way from home, she's found the jackpot, a lush paradise, with plant life so vital, its seeds could give Earth a second chance, or—as her enemies believe—seal its destruction. But she's determined to bring her payload home. It's Clio Finn's last Dive. It's Earth's last chance.