2203. 

A strange craft is approaching the Earth. Marie (from the Survivors cycle) is graduating as a special UN agent. It's three years, I guess, since Return to Aldebaran, where she and Kim became co- main characters. 

So here Marie is recruited to be part of the team that is going to board the ship. The actual boarding is tense. And oh, it's probably wise to let sealed doors stay, you know, sealed? 

Anyway- spoiler alert- two dead humans are found aboard, and they were killed by nanobots. We are also introduced to some old friends as Kim makes her appearance. Kim is making contact with a mantris- those alien creatures that go all the way back to the first Aldebaran book. 

So nice to see iums again. And iummy! 

I love the shot of the iums watching Kim from within the tree. 

Meanwhile the mothership is found near Neptune, and appears to be a worldship. I of course love worldships. 

Kim's interview with the mantris doesn't go very well- it considers humans petty and primitive. A little swipe at religion here, perhaps, which I've noticed before from Leo. 

Anyway Kim shows up to help Marie when they make contact with the mothership. The attempt to make contact with the mothership goes poorly. Kim has to make a decision.

For spoiler reasons, it appears that Kim- and Marie- will need to board the vessel.