The man from the past and his dauntless friends face perils both new and familiar! In the distant Ring Planet System, the alien Kasynari and their human allies Xij and Tom venture to the forbidden moon of Portal, hoping to access a space station that may have survived the recent disaster that brought the Kasynari civilization to the brink of destruction. While the they're gone, though, Vasraa is scheming... Back on Earth, the parallel Rulfan learns about his self from this world, while the nefarious Aran Kormak leads postapocalyptic Scottish gangsters in an attack on the Refuge of Knowledge at Loch Lomond. Scarcely have Matt and his friends surmounted this challenge before they must venture to a new parallel world area: a version of Paris ruled by a grotesque king of Taratzes! Finally, Matt and company return to Rhaaka, city of the Dinoroids, bearing sad news...only to find a civil war is breaking out?! And if that weren't enough, an Archivist is meddling with the situation too!