Byrr, Fext, and Cammo spacefold into an asteroid field, are nearly crushed by rapidly growing Yik crystals, flee their infected freighter and certain death in a tiny escape craft built for one, and find temporary refuge on Rotgut Station. There they stumble on one tiny ray of hope for survival, a peculiar little renegade "splice" called Boomer, and learn that they never really left their true enemies behind.