Set in modern day UK, the premise is that humanity, having had no contact with any alien species before, receives a radio message from approaching aliens (‘the Ankor’). They warn Earth that a huge supernova blast is going to hit within a year and this will be an extinction level event. However, it can be averted. The Ankor are prepared to save humanity but every space faring nation will need to send a defined set of materials into orbit from which the Ankor will fashion a shield that will protect Earth from the worst of the incoming gamma ray blast. Humanity has no way of knowing whether the Ankor are telling the truth, but the alien technological superiority is undisputed, and humanity feel they have nothing to lose by cooperating …