Jan Brody and her husband Tom's semi-retirement becomes anything but relaxing, when one daily chat with the telepathic Shalaian youth Ablakan is pierced by a psychic scream. Distant astronaut Moohri is now stranded on a desolate planetoid. With all three planets lacking the technology to rescue him, it becomes a race against time to save Moohri from starvation and eventually find a way to return him home. Their own lives are soon at risk, as they inform powerful people on their respective planets of the offworld communication which has been going on under the noses of officialdom. The 'space race' has a grave new meaning when the need is great.