ON ICY NAXADA, the Shiranu farm in lava tubes under a dormant volcano, avoiding hunter tribe the Sargussi. But the mutually-hostile tribes' world will soon be torn apart by natural forces.

Planetary geologist and astronomer Jordas Krata, part of a team observing an incoming asteroid, becomes telepathically linked with Yado, a Sargussi man, as he cements a relationship with the lovely Shiranu female runaway Soolkah. Jordas enters this precarious balance of nature to rescue both tribes from the destruction about to rain down on them and help resettle them on a safer planet.
But with the social structure of the tribes, the consequence of a shortage of females and all the brothers in each family group being telepathically linked, how can Jordas avoid emotional involvement with Yado and Soolkah? Especially when he and Yado also share the physical senses – including both painful and pleasurable sensations.