Originally from Wales, Emma and her husband, Owen, live in a space colony on a distant planet. They moved there shortly after getting married. They originally planned to stay there for ten years, after which they were guaranteed a pension.

Emma gives birth to a daughter, Megan, while in space. Megan grows up hearing about the wonders of the Earth: small things, like fishing and the beach, soil and shells. She longs for a home she’s never been to. In the space colony, she cannot experience any of that because of strict quarantine rules that keep the humans from touching any of the planet’s natural features. Emma’s stories sustain her.

Emma’s hope of ever returning to Earth is dashed, however, when one of her friends goes on a return expedition to California and dies because a mysterious bacteria activated in her body upon landing. All of the colonists have the bacteria, so none of them will be able to return. Aggrieved, Emma continues telling Megan stories of Wales. One day, Megan drops dead: in her curiosity, she broke quarantine and licked clean some shells, which much have given her parasites. Owen hopes that, at the very least, his daughter’s death will be beneficial for science. Now, seventeen years after their departure, Emma walks into the sea, wondering if she’ll ever feel anything like what she felt at home again.