A public argument leads to a temporary agreement to humor a small grifting urchin child, who engages Surx and Tova in an attempt to solve their problems.

Afterward, their departure from young Toby's counseling office and the tentative understanding they'd achieved is interrupted by a bizarre teleporting giant insect that attacks the town, them, and Toby. Dispatching the creature tears a rift open to the Astral Sea and releases dozens of Blink Dogs -- and Toby is trapped inside! Tova and Surx spring into action and work together to save him from indignity, terror, and merciless githyanki slavers before the portal collapses, rescuing many blink dogs along the way. Finally, they deal with the circus master responsible for it all.