The story centers on Jinal Ne' Comarr Jinal (newcommer?) is a young, blonde soldier/warrior in a distant future where the bulk of humanity left Earth for greener pastures. Humanity is at war with an insectoid species called the Qlov, and it appears both the humans and the Qlov are attemtping to take control of Earth. Earth is now a desert but an inhabited one. Some of the inhabitants, like Skinner and Renna, are still as human as Jinal. Other inhabitants are lizard humanoids (Harahashan) like Barasha and his mate, Lur, while a third humanoid species is composed of fungus and called the Mulge.