Although his body was swapped to help him adapt to new environments, Dmitri is one of a handful of humans associated with an intergalactic space travel program. Sly, the leader of the organization, monitored him under cover for years to see whether he had the skills he was looking for and reached out to him through radio signals.

Eager to help out (and to study extraterrestrial life so closely), Dmitri embarks on a six-month trip to decide whether he wants to join. Sly appreciates Dmitri and wants him to be his successor... but while Dmitri appreciates the recognition, the thought of it makes him nervous and he does everything in his power to put it off.