Cassie Voges has made it back to Earth, but her return has opened a Pandora's Box that will irrevocably change humankind.The world is in the grip of a new pandemic that may be alien in origin. Politicians, researchers, and soldiers grapple with this new reality. If a solution cannot be found, will it herald a new age, or will it be the end of civilization?

Years have passed since Earth encountered its first known interstellar object: Oumuamua. Now an even larger one has been discovered, following the exact same trajectory as its predecessor. Science experts around the world note that this can no longer be passed off as mere coincidence—the new contact must be an artificial construct of some kind. With an ambitious plan to build a spacecraft and attempt a manned landing, a crew is formed. Disgraced astronaut Cassie Voges hopes to get selected for one last chance at redemption. Maverick billionaire Toby Merckx wants to beat his rivals to the extraordinary secrets he believes the object may unlock. And its controversial discoverer, Charles Hudson, seeks to escape his past and be remembered for something better. What they find will change humanity forever.