The year is 2384.

Federation is enjoying one of the longest moments of peace and tranquility in the second half of XXIV century. StarFleet is busy sending numerous expeditions devoted to exploration and colonization.

Suddenly, Romulan Empire breaks a decade long period of silence. Top-level negotiations begin. They effect in – among other things – initiation of an exchange programme between StarFleet and Romulan Navy. However, for former opponents lack of trust is hard to overcome. Some of the members of the Federation highest echelons state that Romulans are in fact preparing an all-out war and insist on expanding military budget.

Romulan officer Ke’Vel, son of the prominent member of Imperial Senate, is assigned to USS Horizon, a Galaxy class vessel. Thomas Fletcher, Dominion War veteran is appointed as captain of the Horizon.

Star Fleet gives him a remarkably simple mission – exploration of the Hesper system and its pre-warp civilization. One of the minor skirmishes during the Dominion War took place in that system. But shadows of the past are very deep… and things which lurk in them stand for everything Federation was happy to forget about.