When we last saw Adam Reith, he was finishing up a spaceship built with spare parts purchased secretively from the Dirdir. Unfortunately, before he is able to blast off for Earth, Reith is captured by the Pnume and delivered to their underground civilization. Once underground, Reith evades the Pnume, rescues a young woman, and manages to win his way to the surface again. Once he makes his way back to Sivishe, he discovers his spaceship is gone.