Lauderdale President Henry Wade Smith V won the War of Reunification in the Spared Territory's 70th year. Year 72 finds "Harry" bored and antsy. Such is not the case for his lovely wife, Colbert President Catherine Ragland Smith; "Cate" thrives under the peaceful challenges of family and government. Given the ST's dwindling resources and pent up citizenry, Harry assembles a scientific team to explore The Old World. His optimistic goals of discovery, expansion, and prosperity are cast aside after a terrifying force strikes from beyond the Northern Wall. True to form, Harry and Cate embrace the challenge. She assumes all administrative duties freeing him to alter his Old World team's structure and mission. Hurried personnel changes form a streamlined half-platoon of sixteen intrepid Lauderdale warriors tasked to pursue a fierce adversary in a primeval land. Leaving no doubt as to the changed nature of their mission, Harry reactivates a storied callsign for his troop. Slingshot 8 mounts up and rides north. What threats await them among Tennessee's burgeoning forests and decaying structures?