What would you do for love? Was the question posed by Sheri's late mother. Sheri Norbella has everything going for her as an attractive, intelligent, but opinionated young woman of sixteen growing up on Zeslin-A colony. Her life turns upside down when her father decides to relocate to a distant settlement called Thaden- a world inhabited by less sophisticated races. Sheri experinces first hand the prejudice against her people as she's the victim of insults and attacks that become intolerable when she encounters Velsa A'Gora; Thaden's most notorious bully. As the two girls clash a dangerous boy, Jaron Loffay, offers Sheri his protection in exchange for her affections. Not trusting him she refuses, but the feud with Velsa escalates beyond a schoolyard drama just as the dreaded Namosene invade. Thaden evacuates stranding Sheri with Velsa on a desolate planet. Tempted to give into Jaron's desires Sheri must weigh her morals against her will to survive. Despite being marooned she unexpectedly discovers the answer to her mother's riddle while surrounded by cruel strangers on a savage world...