The secret is out, barely. Humans are not alone in the galaxy. It's filled with intelligent life. At the moment only five people know. The question is what do they do about it. Mike and Kim encountered the aliens, and the merciless AC network nodes that control their civilization. What chance does Earth have against a galaxy-spanning network with countless worlds? What chance does a galaxy-spanning network have against the first intelligent life capable of destroying it? They're going to make sure those questions never get asked. Helen, Spencer, and Tonya missed out on the encounter but have their own questions. Helen wants to know why a fully sentient galaxy is a deadly threat. Tonya needs alien tech to understand time. Spencer just wants to get off this rock and see the galaxy. Maff, the only alien in a sea of humanity, has a different idea. She's going to sell a world.