Angel had her life down to a simple formula: Do her work, do her research, and do what was asked of her. She signed up for a mission on the Forerunner that was supposed to be routine with the hope she could make a breakthrough or two along the way. However, when the starship gets pulled onto an unknown planet, even her meticulous planning can't solve their problems. Now she and the crew find themselves trapped with no way to leave, no way to contact home, and under the looming threat of an enemy they don't understand. A young stranger approaches with an offer of help, but he is as dangerous and mysterious as the planet itself. To follow him is to challenge the evil forces which hold this planet in an iron grip. Who is The Defiler? What is The Conclave? Why do the people of this world seem so familiar? The crew of the Forerunner pursue the answers to these questions and more as they explore an alien world and try to find a way home.