Humans have reached the stars. There is no evidence any other species survived its own sentience long enough to do the same. Until now, when the Magellanix deep-space scout Accipiter discovers the Artifact, a million-year-old alien construct resting in a dormant volcano on a faraway world. Now, TransGalactic has sent the Carpathia to steal it. Two ships, two rival corporations, and a race only one of them can win. The stakes are greater than they seem. The Artifact is more than just a technological marvel. It holds the key to humanity’s survival, and—perhaps—an understanding of our place in the universe at last.