Too big, too clumsy, too slow of thought and speech. Diskan Fentress had always known he was too different. And defective. He would never fit in no matter where he was. Or so he believed. Desperate and despondent, Diskan steals a spaceship which crashes on what he believes to be an unknown planet. There he finds kindred. A species of telepathic alien for whom Diskan can act as a key, bringing to life not only their hearts' desire, but, he discovers, his own. But to realize this dream he must first fight against the planet's hostile climate and wildlife, and against death-dealing space pirates.