After two women are hanged for forcing a boy into marriage, Aaron Turner, a militia spy and world jumping teleporter, encounters a surly wagon master and learns that after living for a year in the small town of Last Chance that he is finally a fully accepted member of the community. A day later, Aaron learns of past troubles Last Chance has had with Movers. He has a small incident with Haarod Beech, the wagon master. During the incident a part time employee of his General Store, Cathy Bayne, creates a distraction and gives Aaron warning when Beech pulls out something she calls a Talent Stone.
Chapter 3 opens with an introduction to Aaron's home world and Field's Everlasting life Militia. After a man is murdered during a training exercise, we learn of the Militia's plans for the newly discovered world, and we get an idea of just how little Aaron is respected by General Field and the other Militia officers. Part one of chapter four has Aaron once again receiving sword lessons from Sarah Townsend outside of town. Aaon proves inept. The lessons are halted when they see that they are being watched by a pair of savages. After walking back into town, Aaron stops at the inn with Sarah and learns a bit more about when the town was attacked by Movers two years earlier. He discovers that Cathy's parents were killed in that attack, and he hears a bit more about Talent and Talent Stones.
In part 2 of chapter 4, Cathy begins putting her stamp on how the General Store is run. Later, Aaron runs to Cathy's rescue when a stranger attempts a robbery at knife point. The robber escapes. Little money is taken, but there is some damage to the case that contains the rare steel knives Aaron has carried over from his home world into this iron poor one. In chapter 5 Aaron teleports to his home world to report on his progress before a council of independent militias. We learn that both Aaron and Helmet Klein, the other militia member who can teleport, have not been totally truthful when reporting on the new world. We also learn that Helmet plans on building his own empire and that the militia is working on a machine that will allow them to teleport into the new world at will.
Chapter 6 Aaron encounters Mistress Kingsford from the Manor, a large ranch outside of town. He is bullied by her to run her errands. Cathy questions why he allows this then offers to run the supplies out to the manor. Aaron buys the neighboring building, befriends the blacksmith, Jorrin, and later is taught how to dance by Cathy inside the General Store while music plays in the dance hall down the street.
After failing at sword lessons again, Aaron meets his freighter to exchange money and goods. Later, during his first day of formal town militia practice, he is accosted and struck by Steven Knight. Steven expresses jealous outrage because Aaron was watching Sarah Townsend train the townspeople. Angry, Sarah intervenes, explaining that there has never been anything between her and Aaron, but later, after the practice is over, she kisses Aaron's cheek and confesses that she hoped she lied a little.
Haarod Beech expresses an interest in one of Aaron's steel knives while fondling a talent stone in a threatening manner. After the almost excitement is over, Cathy Bayne and Marshall Sarah Townsend reach a silent agreement. Through Missy Bayne, Aaron learns more of the past raid and of the Bayne children's situation. Aaron buys and inn and gets beaten at chess while building greater trust in the town.
Flirting over breakfast, buying furniture, making a fool of himself inside the inn before being assaulted outside the inn, and some personal attention from Missy as she helps clean up the blood.
New business ventures, bras, guns and murder, after getting beat up Aaron keeps discovering that there is more danger within Last Chance than he had previously thought. Aaron bleeds both inside and out.
Aaron learns first hand about talent. He comes clean about his role as a spy and he learns that he is being romanced, which comes as something of a surprise since according to local rules and mores, everybody else knew it.
In Chapter 13 Sarah and Cathy learn to shoot guns. Aaron learns the drawbacks to being courted when Sarah and Cathy double team him. Aaron understands the limits of his Talent a bit better. Steven Knight enters the picture again, and Mayor Golard confronts Aaron with what she knows. Cathy takes over Aaron's new building, and Aaron gets kissed just before teleporting back to his home world. In Chapter 14 we return to Aaron's home world to where Kara Perkins comes home to find her guy messing with another woman. A small discussion ensues on that matter.
In part one of chapter 15, Aaron sneaks out of the Militia compound, makes his way to the big city, and meets up with a taxi driver who takes him to a place where he can exchange his gold coins.
Aaron gets a room, gets beat up, gets rescued, cleans a bathroom stall, and has an inadequately dressed woman pop bubble gum at him. A few other things happen too.
Aaron returns to the Militia compound, tells a few lies, ok, a lot of lies. trades a few insults, ok, a lot of insults, and then returns to Last Chance, carrying a really heavy load. In Last Chance he gets kissed before discovering that Sarah has used his money to land him in yet one more huge stinking pile of manure.
Miss Hawks reappears and creates more headaches for Aaron. Mistress Banks relieves a few headaches, and Sarah shows off that she has a shotgun and knows how to use it, much to the chagrin of a rather unruly crowd. Of course, at that point, Miss Hawks does it again. More headaches, more responsibility. In other words, women are starting to take over his life.
Aaron and Sarah take a trip out to the Manor to visit Miss Hawks. A pleasant time is had by all, well, except for the small matter of a few pleasantries caused by a few failed bank robbers and the ever present Mr. Beech.
In chapter 20 we once again visit our favorite cab driver, Perk, who becomes a tad upset with her boyfriend. In chapter 21 we visit the Jefferson bus stop which is suddenly beset by explosions and falling walls and appearing the appearing bodies of Aaron, Sarah, Miss Hawks, and a certain federal agent named Samual Aybarra. Unfortunately, Aaron also pulled Eric and Melissa and part of Gregory along with him when he transfered back to his home world. Since nobody else is conscious, it is up to Aybarra to handle the emergency, right after Eric and Melissa leave the area after discovering that their talents are very much amplified in very deadly ways.
Injured, captured, and now talent crippled, Aaron finds himself negotiating with the Jefferson government over its desire to use him to gain access to the other world. Meanwhile, Aaron has to figure out how to save himself, Sarah, Miss Hawks, now known as Kit. More information about Talent comes to light, and as usual, the women drive him a little bit crazy
Part one of chapter 23, where Aaron has escaped government control, taking Sarah and Kit with him, but he was unable to transfer to the other world. Now trapped in his apartment with inadequately dressed Sarah and naked Kit, it is time for talk and cold showers and a phone call to a cab driver named Kara Perkins.
Oh Oh, Eric and Melissa are back in the picture, happily murdering people for the sheer joy of using their amplified Talents, much to the chagrin of Aaron and crowd, especially since they are the targets of choice.
Well dang it, how did Aaron end up back in the Militia's hands, once again crippled, and suspected of being a Traitor to boot? Where are the women when he needs them most? Oh yeah, beat up, lost, and maybe dead.