Stittara is no ordinary planet, but the source of anagathics: drugs that have more than doubled the human life span. But the ecological balance that makes anagathics possible is fragile, and freelance consultant Dr. Paulo Verano is sent to make sure it isn’t disrupted. He gets far more than he bargained for, especially the skytubes—gigantic, mysterious airborne organisms, not to mention the hurricane winds, distrustful settlers, and secret agendas that impede his investigation at every turn.