Military contractor Brian Gilcrest returns to Hawaii to organize a traditional blessing for a new pedestrian gate on behalf of billionaire Carson Welch, who intends to develop nearby land into a space center. Following a celebrated military career that ended in shadowy deals in Afghanistan, the now disillusioned Gilcrest is tasked with negotiating a deal with the Native Hawaiians and supporting Carson's launch of a privately-funded satellite. Gilcrest's mission is complicated by his former girlfriend Tracy, now married with two children, and his idealistic Air Force liaison, Captain Allison Ng, whose wide-eyed fascination with space reminds him of his own childhood sense of wonder.