Flame is uneasy that the Stranger's presence might mean they're all doomed. Zora tries to calm down Faygar but all are not entirely convinced that the Stranger poses no threat. Omar and Kwarli look for a way to escape their Privileged cell. Leanne and Erin find a small machine, which comes to life and seems to pursue them into the Ant camp.

Zora moves the Barbs to the Ants' camp. Some Ants aren't too happy to have new neighbors. Flame instructs the invincible Shadow to fight Sky in hand to hand combat, so everyone can witness Sky's real weaknesses. Kwarli discovers an old contraption in the Ant camp which he believes was once called a bicycle, and Erin is intrigued by the notion that it could be a descendent of an ancient machine.

Representatives of the mysterious Bird tribe arrive at the Privileged complex to meet with Harmony and uneasiness arises when their leader claims that the birds always "take whatever they want." Dan and Erin plan to journey to the forbidden zone to see if they can obtain more information and interpret the true meaning of Faygar's prophecies.

The morning after his fight with Flame, Sky awakens in a cave and finds some artifacts and ancient etchings in the stone, including one of a teardrop that he recognizes. Meanwhile, Flame, furious that Sky beat him, wallows in misery. Faygar decides to visit Zora. Dan joins the Barb tribe.

Zora is alarmed that discipline within the tribe is in decline when she wakes to find the camp deserted and members of the tribe lazily fast asleep in bed. As a punishment she forces everyone to work without breakfast. Sky discovers that the Discard's attitude towards him has changed after a rumor that he's descended from Zoot. The Ants and Barbs continue building their defenses.

Sky, Faygar and Gwyn continue their work with the Discards while remaining prisoners at the Privileged stronghold. In the Ant camp tensions rise as Cass and Omar are unhappy about sharing the camp with the Barbs. Erin falls in love with Kwarli's bike and causes havoc as he struggles to learn how to use it.

After escaping the Discard camp, Sky and Dan journey back to the Ant camp and discover the Stranger watching them. They pursue the Stranger and find all the items he has stolen from the Ant camp. The Ants and Barbs decide to release Flame. But under strict conditions. Some consider that it is a truly unwise course of action.

Now in control of the Privileged tribe, the Harmony panics when she discovers she has a spot. That is not the perfection she demands in everyone, let alone herself. Sky and Dan arrive back at the Ant camp with the Stranger as a prisoner and return all of the items he stole. Faygar is concerned about the prophecies and prays for guidance, as the Stranger begins to make ominous patterns with grain.

Flame is optimistic but clearly uneasy in reality as he replaces Shadow as an opponent for hand to hand combat with Sky. In the Ant camp Zora spearheads a plan for new defenses for the camp. But her bossiness isn't going down well with many of the Ant tribe. And Dan believes Gwyn has been captured by the Warps.

A storm is approaching. Sky and Faygar journey to the cave to investigate Sky's discovery but Faygar doesn't like what she finds. Gwyn files her first spy report to Shadow. Leanne and Sal attempt to bake bread. And Erin wishes he didn't try to get out of the daily chores as his fascination and fear of the machines and forbidden zone is forever present.