The survivors of the disaster that destroyed the planet Rel have relocated to Earth. Raptors and foxes have taken up residence with human volunteers all over the world to help them integrate. The aliens want to help in whatever ways they can, but human society places so many restrictions on them. Meanwhile, Deka, Kylac, and Sonjaa try to teach their human hosts what the people of the contacted universe value. Humanity is an isolated species, and it has much to learn if it wants to leave Earth and join the greater community of alien civilizations, but this wealthy family has other priorities. The disaster left everyone scarred. Sonjaa keeps having waking dreams of killing people. Kylac has willingly given up his ability to open portals to other planets. Now Deka must deal with an entity from outside the universe. An entity who has taken personal interest in them and is haunting the house like a ghost until they give it what it wants.