Blake Walker, on his first solo mission as an Apt Wardsman, picks up Marfy to take her back to Vroom, succeeding in spite of someone having sabotaged his crosstime shuttle.

In its twentieth century, the postcolonial Nation of New Britain and the Toltec Empire are engaged in cold war with each other across the Mississippi River, although intra-American trade does occur between the feuding powers.

Varlt, Walker, Marfy, Pague Lo Sige, and several other agents disguise themselves as a team of licensed traders and make their way to the trade town of Xomatl.

Using components salvaged from the ruined communications system, Lo Sige builds a device that will amplify the telepathic signals that he and the Rogan twins transmit and, he hopes, will send them to alternate timetracks.

The device succeeds in attracting a rescuer, who takes the four strandees to a world where other wardsmen have come with their shuttles to avoid being captured by forces loyal to Saur To'Kekrops, the would-be dictator of Vroom.