A boy with martian genetics. A government with nefarious secrets. A complex game of power that challenges right and wrong.

For fourteen years Reach has lived with his mother, helping with research projects, attending school, and studying the game of chess by night. Everything is followed to standard regulation and everything is classified - even information about Reach himself -until the day a government official arrives and makes a move on the chess board of Reach's life.

In Nation, the greatest honor is serving on a space mission. Those who come back alive are heroes, if they follow orders. When Reach is chosen, he learns dangerous secrets about himself and the government. As he navigates the complex politics of Nation, Reach relies on his skills for survival. Faced with high stake choices, Reach must decide what he's willing to risk. Will he be successful in forging his own path, or die trying?

In chess, even a pawn can checkmate.