Kim Teng is committed to escorting Earth's last whales to the paradise planet of New Eden. But as Seiiki draws closer to New Eden, Kim must learn to split her role of Caretaker with another, navigate her new relationship with Wren, and deal with the suffocating guilt of having misled her crewmates for so long.

With tensions rising back on Earth, it is even more important for the whales to reach New Eden quickly and safely. But as the contingent comes out of hyperspace, an unexpected computer error sends Seiiki crashing into their new home planet. Which is not the peaceful paradise they expected.

When strange creatures start howling in the night and people begin disappearing from their basecamp, Kim and her friends soon realize that while someone didn't want them to ever arrive at New Eden, someone--or something--else wanted to make sure they did.