When Virginia was a little girl, she thought her mother had abandoned her. Years later, she discovers a navigation chart marking her mother's last-known destination, the legendary planet Green Tara. She finally learns the truth-her mother was lost on a science expedition, illegally searching for a planet where colonists could breathe fresh air and drink free water. Virginia and her cousin, Gordy, fly across deep space and their rescue mission works They find Green Tara, a wildlife preserve filled with vibrant birds and an oxygen-rich ocean. But Virginia's mother doesn't recognize Virginia, now a young woman. Worse, security agents of the Triumvirate-unwilling to relinquish control of precious natural resources-track them down and demand surrender.