In a world driven by steam and power-hungry Industrialists, can one man change the course of history? Edward Rankine, inventor and engineer aboard the battle-cruiser Dominator, has devised an ingenious plan to open the frozen Northwest Passage. Believing he is performing a service for the benefit of mankind, Edward is appalled to discover there is a saboteur in his midst. Working with a crew of 'Jacks and Jills', mechanically enhanced humans sentenced to a life of servitude, Edward is forced to battle on the icebound waters of the northern seas. Not only does Edward have a mutiny on his hands, but he must also find a way to save the passengers aboard the Dominator, possibly abandoning his own noble ambition in the process. Will Edward's plan succeed in the face of adversity, or in failing to clear the Northwest Passage will he stumble upon something greater?