The year is 2091. Over much of the last century, the United States had exclusive rights to Kenzo Yagai's Y-energy patents, amassing enormous wealth but also growing complacent as innovators. Finally in 2080, the patents ran out, leading to a 600% increase in the United States' annual trade deficit and a tripling of the national debt as the country struggled to keep up Dole payments to Livers. As a result, Congress passes a major tax package with a steep sliding scale for the largest corporations. At the highest bracket, corporations will be taxed at 92%. Only one corporation meets that threshold: Sanctuary.

At the age of 83, Alice dies of a massive heart attack. Her last words to Leisha are, “Take care of Drew” (321). At Alice's funeral, Kevin tells Leisha that Sanctuary is liquidating most of its assets and buying tangibles like gold and fine art. He also tells her that Sanctuary has moved all of its people off its second space station, the Kagura orbital, and now uses it solely for livestock.

On Sanctuary, Joan interrupts another of Miri's failed neurotransmitter experiments to tell her that Tony is badly hurt after falling down an elevator shaft. A doctor tells Miri that Tony suffered massive damage to his brain stem.