President Black Connor and his sadistic new Defense Chief General Alvarado are furious about the influence of the Sparrows in New America and set in motion a plan to destroy all Sustainable Agricultural Communities, forcing the surviving residents to flee to the cities. Through the Sparrow Press, Jude and Zara Kane organize and manage to stay just ahead of the decimation of the SACs, providing "nests" in the cities where Sparrows form communities and their influence spreads rapidly. Sparrows begin to win many local and regional elections, and even elect three Sparrows to the Senate. In a desperate attempt to thwart a threat to his power, President Connor suspends the Senate and Regional Governments, sparking a civil war where the Sparrows, committed to non-violence and democracy, are caught in the middle.