Greed and avarice often have terrible consequences. When human traders violate the sacred forest belonging to the Tu-Grik-Ng and the alien foliage is brought back to Earth, the results are devastating to both worlds. Introducing these plants unchecked into Earth's fragile environment proves to be ecologically disastrous and on Abahrazha the Tu-Grik-Ng lament the loss of their most sacred forest, the Singingwood. Years later, Tobias meets his fate when his crippled ship goes down on the remote planet, Abahrazha. Searching the remains of the wreckage, Bedukh, the gentle elder of Razha-Giim, locates the dying Tobias and nurtures him back to health. Bedukh's people have chosen isolation since their first disastrous encounter with humanity and Tobias is prevented from returning to his home on Beta-Tau colony. Instead, he is initiated into Grikkian society and learns to live as one of them.