Joel Shaw, a soldier attached to the United Planets Defence Complex, finds himself recalled from holidaying on Venus to begin a new training regimen on Mars. He is one of 100 specially-chosen individuals who are part of a mission so secret even they don't know what it is. One day, he, Mark Seven and Reb Shavron are called from their course work to join the Supreme Commander in a briefing room. There, they finally get their mission orders.