A small remnant of the Human race now reside on the small holding planet of Transit. They share it with friendly Dorv, fearsome Faur and belligerent Untertrall - all similar remnants of once-great races. Worse, humankind is divided, and their kin in the west now march on them to wage total war, guided by a malevolent off-world entity. The planet's overseers, the aloof Servants, watch from afar but do little to intervene. The fate of all on Transit seems in the hands of a mysterious young monk, a Lord's son of curious origin, a part-Faur maiden and a mutated giant.