A strange signal beckons to the newly arrived humans. As they struggle to make a new home, they send the dreadnought Daedalus to investigate. They believe they are about to engage in first contact with an alien race. What they find may well endanger the colonization effort as well as the future of the human race. Meanwhile, research teams and scouts scour the planet in an effort to ensure the safety of civilian workers. One such group uncovers a shocking discovery, one which might answer many questions about their new home. If they live to tell the tale.