Life was just about ideal for Howard Rohan. Nor should this be thought surprising, for he was hailed as the greatest actor in the United States and his wife, Miranda, as the most popular actress. On top of this, Comus (Communications U.S., which of course actually ran the nation) gave him a free hand in his work.
But then suddenly life showed itself to be anything but a happy-ending play for Howard: Miranda was faithless to him. In a state of shock, Howard let himself slip to depths of personal dereliction. There seemed every indication this would be his last role, except...
Comus was having its difficulties, too--in particular, rebellion in California against its authority. Not only were there outbreaks of violence, but it was not possible to locate the mainsprings of the revolt. In a last-resort move to regain control of affairs, Comus called upon Howard and his still great acting ability. How could an actor in a play learn what Comus, with its vast resources, could not otherwise learn about the forces behind the rebellion?
