The Sterlings settle into a new agricultural town called Tarka. For their safety they use the crystal they stole from Commander Kroll to change their names to the Hardins. Trace Hardin (Sterling) has a lackadaisical attitude towards school, his grades suffer, and he gets a yellow slip - meaning he is drafted into the Zone Troopers. Trace learns that being a Zone Trooper is for life, unless he can figure out some way of escape.

Now living in Centrex City, Trace and Gina participate in a talent contest at school where they play a ""new"" form of music called Rock and Roll. They are seen by an agent scouting new talent who then makes them famous. The religious organization called the C.A.I. (Church of Artificial Intelligence) sees them as rebelious icons and fights to quiet them by contacting Praetor for help. Praetor, not wanting to be bothered by something so insignificant, sends Kroll.

other characters: Thell

After arriving at a province called Metraplex, Gina is mistaken for a returning historical figure called Princess Metra. Seeing that groups of people called Microworkers are used as slave labor by the Macrolites, Gina takes advantage of her status by changing the laws to bing about change; and ultimately gets help from a group of rebelling Microworkers. However, the current leader, called the Prime Manager, does not give up her power willingly.