The descendant of refugees from Earth after a cataclysm wiped out the human race, Jade makes the difficult decision to leave the love of her life, Shira, and join an expedition excavating a dig in the southwest desert of what was once the United States. There Jade encounters an injured Teneran named Paris, who belongs to, a race that brought the technology of the time jump to Earth, allowing humans to travel out of the solar system. For a year, Paris has wandered the land seeking Joshua, his human partner, who also ejected from the crashed ship. When Jade unearths a book from library ruins, she learns who Paris and Joshua really are. The story of their love and Paris' dedication to finding his lost beloved makes her question her decision to leave Shira. She has to decide what is more important: to contribute to the historical record of the human race, or return to the woman she loves.