In the storm-tossed seas of the 23rd century, Professor Asher Benowitz's encounter with a mysterious, amphibious alien sets the stage for an extraordinary tale of cosmic intrigue. Humanity's race for precious asteroid resources collides with an ancient alien civilization hidden beneath the icy crust of Saturn's moon, Enceladus. In a time when the alliances on the planet are on the ropes and the conflict between planets is just at the brink of explosion, the space vessel Icarus's illegal slowboat diplomacy mission may save the world and solve the question of whether life exists elsewhere in the universe.

Asher and the multidisciplinary team of astronauts and diplomats work together to complete the mission. But the concepts of trust, secrets, and survival in each other's company can always be treacherous. Will they be able to negotiate an equilibrium where humanity and this alien civilization move beyond desperate stakes in the solar system? Or will the escalation of the conflict reach a level that endangers the two worlds?