Tria never, ever goes Outside—that’s where germs are . . . and living, bacteria-breathing humans! She’d much rather stay inside her pod with her best friend, a hologram named Star. But now she doesn’t have a choice. Her mom has disappeared and Tria is in terrible danger and must flee their home to the security of a Back to Basics school. Before Tria tearfully turns her friend off, her mom manages to send Star a message—vital information Tria can retrieve when she’s safe. Except holoprojectors are strictly forbidden at her new school. No technology or modern influences are allowed! Tria has no way to contact Star or find out what her mom needed to tell her. Not to mention she has to put up with Dayla, a mean-spirited girl determined to make Tria’s life even more miserable. Desperate to get hold of a holoprojector, Tria bravely takes on new challenges. But can a girl like Tria succeed in a world where danger lurks around every corner?