In a future where humanity has spread across the stars, Professor Glenn Wilson stands alone in his continued belief in the existence of alien civilizations. Once a celebrated academic, now a ridiculed outsider, Wilson embarks on a desperate expedition to prove his theories and salvage his reputation. To reach a remote moon that may hold the key to his redemption, Wilson charters the North Star, a battered spaceship crewed by former military personnel with a complicated past. Led by the charismatic Captain Harry Sullivan, this odd collection of former military heroes and mercenaries agrees to transport Wilson's team of archaeologists to the edge of explored space. What begins as a routine contract soon spirals into chaos when the North Star receives a distress signal on the return leg of a supply run. As they race to uncover the fate of Wilson's expedition, the crew finds themselves entangled in a millennia-old conflict that threatens not just their lives, but the continued existence of humanity. Author's Note: The use of AI has been limited to proof reading and other basic editorial tasks. The story has not been generated by or significantly modified by Artificial Intelligence.