In a distant world of towering mountains and isolated valleys, Shallah struggles to overcome her fear of heights. She yearns to bond with one of the huge, intelligent birds so they can fly over vast areas of the Crystal World, carrying greatly needed supplies and information from village to village.

Then one day she encounters Zoey, an arrival from another world where the environment is collapsing under the weight of intense pollution. They become friends and soon discover a massive outlaw spaceship in a cavern recently blasted from solid rock. A computer report reveals the pirates' plans to loot the planet of its resources and kidnap and sell the human population for profit.

Shallah and Zoey are plunged into a race to stop the attacks. But help is a long journey away and time is short. Will they succeed, or will this thriving, peaceful civilization vanish from the face of the universe?