Having just concluded a good trade on Ceti-2, both knew an attack was very likely. But when it came, the luck was not on their side. Almost totally crippled, the smallest ship drifted away-toward the galactic rim. And only at the many hours from a supreme patience and a bit of luck they finally got the ship moving. Days later, the duo chanced upon a small yellow star. While not wasting energy, they opted for the third planet, and though Roak tried, it was a bouncy, jolting landing. Realization of being marooned, A0r'y constructed a pulsar signal. This was done only after instilling great fear and respect in the barbaric primitive, then the signal was initiated. Soon aburst under strange, awesome circumstances, and a startled Roak names the infant Aquina. Soon afterward Roak dies from a poisonous bite. Dien has been entrusted by the Ancient Ones to raise, teach, and guard Aquina until she is of age. As centuries pass, Aquina grows and so too from mental and awesome language skills and blossoms into a statuesque ethereal beauty. It is the era of the crude airplane, and the great war that raged in the South is finished. Aquina knows she and Dien are different. Slowly with great care and skill, they enter the primitive native society.