A couple years after the events of Area Zero, Penny has found herself becoming smitten with recently graduated Nemona, who has gradually become a dear friend - and someone she finds herself pining after. But Nemona's battle-hungry tendencies keep getting under Penny's skin, and she doesn't know how to confront or resolve them -- but perhaps Cassiopeia does. Meanwhile, Nemona finds herself questioning what she ought to be doing with her post-Academy life, how to manage her obsessions and attention-span, and why she's become so comfortable around Penny despite their differences. She also tries to work out how to leverage her personal desires against familial expectations and resignations.