In the Himar, Zoltan travels on an airship, in search of his father, Cambio Herbir. He witnesses some Titanians sending a giant bug-like vehicle up the cliff face, and investigates … then spies a black avian launching from the cliff. He hopes against hope that it's his father, but discovers that the other flier is a Korv – Kensington, to be exact. The two exchange tales, and head further "inland" to investigate, finding much metal wreckage strewn across crater-marked rust-colored sand and rock. They are attacked by someone hiding in a ravine, and find themselves caught between the ravine and a charge of airborne soldiers. Sidestepping the battle, they move back in to gather up one of the fallen warriors, and carry him back to his camp.

There, Zoltan communicates with General Reeka of the camp, and puts together some very strange facts … reasoning that these people aren't really from this world after all. The avian soldiers seem to not be aware of the Himar at all, so Zoltan and Kensington take an Eeee guard to the edge of the plateau, and SHOW him. The Eeee reacts strongly to the sight of the green expanse … and the giant mechanized bug that the Titanians are still bringing up the cliff! The guard hastens back to his camp, while the two black avians continue their searching.

They encounter and question a couple of Korv looters, and bypass a metal fortress. At last, they reach a deep, wide pit, which Kensington enters, in search of water. He finds it, and also several strangely sliced trees at the bottom, as well as greenery that would seem more in place in Himar than this strange rocky red desert. He also finds a house set up in the trees, and calls Zoltan down to investigate. The house bears the name of Cambio Herbir … but just inside the door is solid rock. Zoltan and Kensington are left to ponder as the fate of Herbir, in the face of such strange happenings.