The second volume of the epic, humanist fantasy tale set on Aldebaran - the planet where the first human colony in the solar system was founded. Mark and Kim, teenagers whose village was annihilated, have met a woman called Alexia during their escape. She's a biologist and a friend of Driss, who knows too much about the catastrophe - and has shared this knowledge with her. The goverment is very interested and sends soldiers after her. While trying to help her, Mark is captured and imprisoned and it's the mysterious Mr Pad who helps him escape...