In the year 2417 new space time agent Valerian embarks on his first voyage. In the year 912 he meets the irrepressible Laureline. Despite the best of intentions, they find that they have somehow changed the future and there is much to set aright.

After arriving at Central Point, Valerian and Laureline encounter Prince Baral of Aldebaran, who’s on the run from Gork Yodol, an evil tyrant with plans to conquer the galaxy. The partners help the prince escape to his embassy by taking to the sewers, making a dangerous adversary of Gork in the process

The poverty-stricken partners are hired by three members of the strange Shingouz race to track down a “holy vase” on the planet Furbok. It turns out to be a simple task for Valerian and Laureline, but directly afterward, they're plagued by terrible relentless nightmares that are connected to the relic.

Valerian and Laureline join a group of emigrants en route to Peter, a planet known as the “Promised Land”. Unbeknownst to them, however, one of their newfound friends is a spy for Vlago, which seeks to take over Peter, while another has a bomb implanted in her forehead. With friends like these, indeed...

Valerian and Laureline locate a treasure for the rich Zabole, but their client betrays Laureline by leaving her out in space, while Valerian is trapped within Zabole's palace, soon to be married unwillingly to her daughter. Worse, all men who are involved with the women of the Zabole family turn to stone!