Myrdu is an Avlan, part of a proud warrior race. He has family on Avla, mothers, broodmates, a daughter. But one day he finds that it's all a lie—that Myrdu himself is a lie. Myrdu's lifetime is only one of many in the unfolding memory of Okka, the shapeshifter, Okka, the spy. But Okka's mission on Avla has come to a bitter end, and xir homeworld has fallen. Xe cannot stay on Avla now that xe knows what xe is.

Okka flees to Earth, hoping to buy xemself time, hoping against hope to find some way to save the Mimica homeworld. Okka does not expect to find humans that xe can call family, not in the way that Mimica can be to each other.

Okka does not expect Waverly Kemp.