Marcu and Hennu set out for Mars, where Marcu is taking up his internship in geology. Their youthful enthusiasm is dampened, however, by the spartan conditions they must endure, and it comes as something of a shock to them to find that not everyone they encounter behaves decently. Eric the anaconda, on the other hand, seemingly oblivious to everything except live prey, finds the conditions amenable enough. The young couple are experiencing growing pains, but with resilience, tenacity, and a little help from both human and artificial beings, they will get through it.