The story begins on a terraformed Mars, in the year M-445/3031 A.D., in the small seaside city of Bradbury. Otto Fink's best friend Abby Strata awakens him, to take him out for a birthsol breakfast treat at Charlie Tokyo. Their other best friend, Cyd Nova, has already arrived to save their table. They spring their birthsol gift on Otto; a trip to the big city of Nilokeras, to go clubbing at Juventae Fons, the hottest nightclub on Mars. Otto, who has never technically left Bradbury, balks at the idea. Cyd and Abby coax Otto into going, but need him to fly them to Nilokeras in his father's transport, after Cyd admits that he has accidentally wrecked his cruiser, and Abby hasn't any transportation as well. Otto then reveals that his father has taken his transport to help a stranded friend. The trip seems all but scrapped, until Cyd spies a beautiful Hutchinson Deluxe Limited cruiser, that Otto and his father had just finished restoring, parked in Otto and his father's garage. Cyd and Abby suggest borrowing the cruiser for the trip. Otto is adamantly against the idea, because the cruiser belongs to a client of Otto and his father's cruiser repair shop. Being the smooth talker that he is, Cyd convinces Otto into borrowing the cruiser anyway. What happens after that, dramatically changes the lives of all three characters!