Mankind's role in the universe has changed. Created light years away, the immense ship, XD05, is to return to earth for colonization. Staffed with a skeleton crew and passengers hitching a ride back to the Solar system, they find themselves adrift when a malfunction renders their engines useless. With no one on board skilled enough to fix the problem, they realize they will never be found, forever lost. The youngest passenger is ten-year-old Sally Weiss. She must grow into her adulthood, always knowing her fate is to end up alone.