In the fictional town of Neptune, California, student Veronica Mars progresses from high school to college while moonlighting as a private investigator under the tutelage of her detective father.

On its last leg homeward, from Pearl Harbour (Hawaii) to San Diego, the USS Constellation hosts a jolly 'tiger cruise' for USNavy, Marines and USNAF relatives, mainly minors ('Navy brats'). Attitudes and emotions vary from simple joy to open frustration, the worst brat being XO commander Gary Dolan's daughter Maddie, who wants him to refuse a promotion to command for a shore job. Then the news of the WCC terror crisis changes everything, as the crew is recalled to war footing.

Two issues threaten a mother and her son: One, she has Alzheimer's and, two, he's not her son.