In a universe where Regen can prolong life and health for centuries, death from anything other than violence or accidents is rare. People work, people play, and peopleget bored. Garrett Caractacus, a terraforming scientist and coddled generals son, is doing all of those things, but the boredom is winning out. He needs a new challenge, something to take him away from the glamour and glitz of the life hes always known. Something different.

Something hard.

A trip to the Fringe world of Pandora, where hell be part of a team of scientists ensuring that the planet is livable for the colonists headed there, sounds like just the thing. The colonists are naturals—people whose bodies reject Regen, who die of everything from an injury to a disease to old age. Ugh, sounds traumatizing. Garrett resolves to stay far away from thembut a young boy named Cody and his father, Jonah, get past the walls around Garrett's heart.

Soon Garrett will have a choice to makereturn to the ease and comfort of a life in the Central System, or stay on Pandora and live, love, and make a family with people he knows wont be with him for long.