Terton was a lengthman of the Circumfence, assigned to the 45th Length. One night, he found that the Luggage had been caught in his part of the Circumfence, which resulted in the destruction of his hut. Terton survived by clinging to the wreckage of the hut, then was rescued by a salvage fleet. After developing hydrophobia to a large degree, he hijacked a lens and escaped Krull. After several adventures he made his way to the Great Nef, which he considered to be uncomfortably damp.