We find Kaylan now in full charge of Athena, with the way home seemly cut off. Now in a totally alien space, they must find help to get home, and as we can expect from Ken, it never going to be the simple. The AI is growing, and making changes to the ship without the knowledge of the crew, but she needs help as well. Zack is the one she turns too for that help, and explains that she has been making upgrades to the ship and systems.
Kaylan, must get the crew to work together to sort out a way home and to do this she looks to the planets and moons in the system they have come to. She find that there is two different aliens, which appear to be at war with each other, but it is not one it appears. The Boxans and the Xiiginns, the Boxans demand that they leave the Star System, but they find that the Xiiginns have captured on of their own and Kaylan will not leave until she is free, but this will put them all in danger.