Joe is having a small problem: Everything around him is vanishing, almost right before his eyes. Fortunately, one of his co-workers is there to explain to him what's happening—and to help him escape the effects of a drug called Flower 411 that is being administered to the entire population without their knowledge. The result is Joe's journey through various levels of reality and control until he manages to attain some level of comfort with the world—and reality—around him.

When four new stars suddenly appear in the night sky, mainstream science does what mainstream science has always done: It denies the evidence that doesn't fit the theory. So why then is it that a private space administration is rounding up the best and brightest for a manned mission to Mars?