An alien dictator, Tarant, is planning to invade other time zones and conquer the island. Willoway pretends to agree with him so that he can learn Tarant's secrets. Meanwhile, Liana takes pity on an abused furry creature called the Nefring.

A prison craft from Earth's future crash lands in the area where the travelers are resting, releasing two prisoners, a convicted murderer and a thief, into a community of stranded humanoid aliens that does not comprehend violence or the concept of doors and locks. With a killer on the loose scheming to abscond with an orb that gives the aliens psychokinetic powers, Varian and the others must deal with him and protect the pacifists.