The Terrestrials takes place in the near future. In this new age, a device exists that allows psyches to meet in a minimal space to have safe, efficient, and anonymous sexual encounters (think Tinder for your brain). That was the beauty of the machine, you could be one of two stars colliding for a moment. Lucy, our protagonist, is a reserved scientist who has recently been left by a long-time lover. To cope, she uses the device to satisfy her longings for temporary lust and affection. One day, while using the device, the server crashes, leaving Lucy stranded in the virtual world with the challenging, cheating Will, who shes just had sex with. Its only then that Lucy relearns intimacy, touch, and connection.