Man has established contact with many other beings in the universe, and teleportation has become possible as well. This is brought about by energy governing creatures called the Caliban. A problem arises however: the last of the Caliban will die, and when it does, all those who have ever used the runners (99 percent of the population), will die too. Agent McKie , Saboteur extraordinaire of the Sabotage Department of Earth, has to face the problem.