While old Joe Bates and Sabino, Vietnam heroes, built a manufacturing empire, Ivon Bates, a young Ph.D., risks losing it. Facing enemies (Helen McCain and Donato Sabellius) bent on wrenching Bates Pharmaceuticals away from him, Ivon finds his true mettle. But as unalterable tragedy engulfs him, in the end he finds peace and true love through Sabino's gift: the Aleph jewel. Young Bates rejects not only a hostile takeover, but engineers a reverse takeover...