An organization of alien races has passively monitored Earth and human development for thousands of years. But when their probe detects an anomalous gravity reading in the outer solar system, their interest is piqued, and they send a ship to investigate. The anomaly proves worthy of its name, initiating a star-spanning search for the intent of an unknown cosmic actor. Ashley McPherson, after completing her doctorate at MIT, has landed in Boulder to dabble in religious philosophy and work with her former professor as part of his near-Earth asteroid research program. The normally mundane tracking work is anything but when a large asteroid is detected on a collision-course with Earth. Ashley seeks to understand its origins and, in so doing, discovers the universe she lives in is much different and more mysterious than she ever imagined. After an inexplicable series of communications, Ashley and her mate Martin find themselves entwined in a dangerous mission with alien cohorts. They are thrust in the middle of a genocidal invasion and must desperately fight to stay alive. When Ashley reveals the nature of the existential threat, and the peril it poses for Earth, she must decide what path to take to save the Earth and preserve the very order of the universe.