The short story details the emotional journey of an unnamed Ithorian in his final stage of life. He reflects on all the stages of his life and how his perceptions of life changed as he did. The Ithorian had fond memories of his time as a Pupa, when life was exciting and he was filled with much joy. After his first metamorphosis, he became mature and recalled his time on Rimbaux Four and Solax where mating was plentiful and he enjoyed feeding on the refuse of others. The next stage began after an occurrence known as the molt. At this time, the Ithorian underwent physical changes that made his outward appearance less appealing to his species. It was a time of cruelty when even his closest friends rejected him. He then describes the final stage of life he spends wandering the Free Trade Zone