Shawn Beamish is a young pilot happily working as a freight transporter on Wenlock, a primeval planet undergoing terraforming for future human colonisation. Timid, with few friends, Shawn has followed his scientist parents from one new planet to the next, never settled for long or resident on well-populated 24th century human worlds. Happiest when flying, he has achieved his initial dream of attaining flight approval but has a newer, bigger dream to realise. One fateful day he gets his chance, his one good friend has wangled the opportunity for him. However, it ends up going horribly wrong and Shawn finds himself light years away and potentially the only surviving member of his family. How will the first contact with an alien species develop from its violent start and will Shawn discover his family's fate?