In the farthest reaches of the Milky Way, the destinies of Aster Calyx, a mysterious a government agent, and Halan Kai Nelson, a resolute ex-military man, become inextricably linked when they find themselves unexpectedly trapped together inside one of the many Beacons scattered throughout the cosmos. These Beacons serve as vital lighthouses guiding intergalactic travellers through the dark expanse of space. Each Beacon is manned by a highly trained human and a specialized Artificial Intelligence system.
Aster's arrival at the isolated Beacon where Halan resides sets the stage for a tense battle of wills. Halan, the solitary Beacon-keeper, begins to grapple with uncertainty as he questions whether Aster is a friend or a foe. Her adeptness at concealing her true agenda and motives makes her a formidable enigma, casting doubt on her true intentions and sparking a complex and gripping narrative of trust, deception, and survival in the uncharted territories of space.