The universe has been explored - and humanity has all but given up on finding other intelligent life.

Then an alien satellite orbiting a distant star sends out as unreadable signal. It is the final programmed gasp of an ancient. Long-dead race? Or the first greeting of an undiscovered life form?

Academy starship captain Priscilla Hutchins and the once-maligned Contact Society are about to learn the answers - to more questions than they could possibly conceive of asking.