While hiking in Sierra Mountain range, Mike and Dan encounter a creature intent on their death. In the struggle, Mike stabs the creature with his knife and loses consciousness. Mike wakes to find Linda dressing his wounds and discovers he is hundreds of miles from the place he was attacked. Mike, Linda, Dan, and several others find themselves in an Ardian prison, created by an advanced alien empire on earth. The Ardian Empire has quelled a rebellion and placed war criminals and political prisoners as inmates in this dimensional prison on an underdeveloped planet, Earth. Mike discovers he was attacked by an inmate’s projection intent on bringing him and his friend as food back to its cell. Trapped in the prison, Mike and his companions must find a way out, and in the end, drive the Ardians from Earth. Little do they know how far that fight will take them—far into the Ardian home world.