The European system of the 22nd century has proclaimed tolerance and freedom as its ideals. However, oppression and poverty prevail instead. The population groans under the iron fist of the dictator Demokrit Magellan. Anna Tanner, a former student of the system, dares to attempt a return to Central Europe from her exile in the North. There, she finds herself on the regime's death list for having publicly opposed the dictator. Posing as a Finnish spy, she settles in a border town to help her friends assist rebels in their escape. Anna is confronted with the dire plight of the people. How can she give them hope? Meanwhile, the resistance is forming, and unrest simmers underground. The shadowy organization known as the "Black Avengers" seeks Anna's attention, aiming for her to lead the rebels to victory as a folk hero.