In an alternate future, the U.S. and Soviet Union ended the Cold War as uneasy allies under the CoDominion treaty, which established them as the sole great powers of Earth and suppressed anyone else’s scientific advancements. Now, two officers in the CoDominion’s space navy approach Captain Bart Ramsey with the news that the great powers may soon go to war, risking the loss of the navy. The only person who could stop this is Grand Senator Martin Grant, who also is Ramsey’s father-in-law, but who went missing a few weeks ago in the same place that Ramsey’s beloved wife and son disappeared five years prior. The officers propose that the family may still be alive and obscured by a black hole; a phenomenon on which research is limited due to the CoDominion’s suppression, but they found an expert headed for prison who can help guide them. After years spent in mourning, Ramsey immediately volunteers to lead the rescue mission. The crew of Ramsey’s ship, the Daniel Webster, prepares for the launch to the black hole. Marie Ward, the researcher of black holes, comes on board for the mission, but is cagey and limited in her helpfulness due to fear of returning to prison. The ship moves into hyperspace and enters the area near the black hole, but is almost instantly hit by gravity waves that destroy part of the ship. Right afterwards, they receive a message from one of the missing spaceships that tells them to move in their direction for safety. When they get closer to the ships, Ramsey receives a private message of his own from Senator Grant, telling him that his beloved wife Barbara Jean has married the captain of the ship who originally went looking for them. The three other ships are clearly heavily damaged by the gravity waves too. When they get closer, Ramsey waits to see who the other ship will send over, hoping that he’ll see his family again but worried about his wife’s remarriage. She comes to his cabin and they reunite. She had a daughter with the other captain, Jim Harriman, after they lost all hope of rescue three years ago. Ramsey understands her struggle and wonders who she will choose after this ends. After a brief reunion with his son Harold, Ramsey goes to meet with the other captains to figure out their escape. Marie Ward has determined that the only way out is if someone flies a ship into the black hole and the _Daniel Webster _perfectly times its jump to when they impact. Jim Harriman volunteers to fly the ship into the black hole, and although Ramsey protests weakly, he’s secretly relieved that Harriman offered to sacrifice himself. Harriman makes him promise to look after his daughter and Barbara Jean, and they make preparations to leave. As Harriman flies into the black hole, he gives reports as to what he sees, until right before he disappears when he tells Ramsey that Barbara Jean always kept his picture. The _Daniel Webster _jumps to hyperspace and they escape.  On the other side, Marie Ward is elated that her theory worked, but quickly saddened when she realizes that she can’t publish her discoveries under the CoDominion treaty. Senator Grant muses that it may be time for a change in leadership. Ramsey wonders if Barbara Jean will ever fully be his again. And although they were happy to escape, they can’t help but ask, what did Harriman find on the other side of that black hole?