Fisherman Jim and son Rich, who is on a gap year from an astronomy course at Newcastle University, catch the biggest haul of fish they have ever seen. They are joined by a humanoid, very friendly alien who speaks to them directly into their minds, his name is Ekko. Dressed in gloves, overalls, a balaclava and sunglasses, he helps clean and offload the catch along with Jim's friend and fellow trawler owner, Clive, and his crewmen.

The next day Rich and Ekko go to Newcastle to improve Ekko's disguise and while there happen to rescue a young lady being attacked by two Chinese thugs. The young lady gives Rich one of her father's cards and asks that he please call on the evening, as what was in the briefcase was vitally important to her and her father, who is a Professor in charge of Jodrell Bank. They all meet up that evening in Newcastle and in discussion it evolves that Jim and the Professor have met before, with Jim once saving the Professor's life. The next day, Jim and Ekko help Clive with a normal landing and hatch a plan to get Clive a mammoth catch of fish. The next two days are spent buying a nice SUV for Rich and a truck for Jim. Rich goes to Newcastle to see Joanne and makes plans to go to Jodrell Bank. The next morning Rich sets off and Jim, Clive and Ekko gather round the table for serious discussion. Ekko then states that humans are killing their planet and the main culprits are greed and over-population and he and others like him are here to change things. Jim, Ekko and Rich meet with Professor Peterson and his two guests, Rob Sullivan, the British PM, and Professor Ho, the Chinese deputy PM. Tony, the second in command at Jodrell, meets them at the control room for the Lovell telescope and Ekko gives a demonstration of his abilities. He goes on to tell them all the damage they are doing to their planet, air quality and the ozone layer, pollution of rivers and thus the seas. He refers to the damage to the sea floor, and overfishing of most species. The killing of keystone species on land and in the water, ie most of the wolves in North America and Canada had caused an upsurge in the numbers of mule deer and elk and thus almost destroyed all young trees and bushes. The same devastation is being seen in Africa with the wildebeest.

Ekko advises that to improve the conditions of your world we are going to remove all weapons of war, all leaders in your forces, disband politics, religions, sovereignty and unions, any groups who are bent on war in any connotation will disappear and anyone in illegal drugs, manufacturing or distribution, will be transported to a continent on Ekko's planet to survive without weapons. Ekko explains that there are lots of people to supervise all of this from his home planet, but they are not visible to humans because they have an ability to live in two dimensions. Ekko, Jim and Rich then went outside for a stroll where Ekko said to them that a lot of young people, similar in age to Rich, from every country had been chosen to go to his world to be trained and to have the same abilities given as he himself had.

That evening when they were all together their Professor suggested that it would be their last normal night for some time and they should go out to celebrate. On returning to the Professor's house, Ekko and Rich stood on the porch and another alien, identical to Ekko, appeared to escort Rich on his journey. Goodbyes were said all round and Rich and his new friend disappeared. Ekko then addressed Jim, the Professor and Joanne to say that everything had happened quicker than was planned for a very good reason, namely that two large countries to the east were planning a large event that will be catastrophic to the West. That is not going to be allowed to happen, instead they will be the first to disappear...