The Joint Space Exploration Programme salvages an alien spaceship at Titan to reverse-engineer its FTL drive. Onboard are 33 alien children, asleep in a secure room - with a dead alien of a different species outside.
After revival the children's leader, Ayar, must find out what happened to the five pregnant Zarduthi warriors, including his mother, who were assigned to protect the ship and its children. Where are they? Meanwhile the warriors of clan Bekel went to Declain to defend its inhabitants against the Voth, who enslaved the Kiai, their former allies.
Earth's World President separates the children, has them fostered with JSEP families, and forbids them to communicate or meet. And the Neoluddites terror group will stop at nothing to acquire a pristine planet to colonise.
Against these odds, how can Ayar and his friends find out what happened to their parents?