HOME SWEET HOME? The I-401 and her intrepid crew, captained by Chihaya Gunzo, have escaped the trap set for them by the Fleet of Fog outside their home port of Yokosuka. Successfully returning home after two years away should be a triumphant occasion, but there are those who think otherwise. In fact, if they have their way, they will take the I-401—along with her mental model, Iona—away from Gunzo entirely and bring her back under government control. Human politicians aren't the only players with rival factions. The ships of the Fleet of Fog have very different ideas about how to pursue the I-401, and what to do once they've located her. Worse, some are just as interested in Gunzo himself as they are in his ship! Yet all these forces have failed to reckon with Gunzo's determination to control his own destiny, or with Iona's willingness to join him wherever he leads!