Transgate

Owned by the private corporation known as Transgate, the S.S. Asimov orbits the moon Enceladus - ready to establish the first colony on the outskirts of the solar system. Before they can react, an alien ship de cloaks before them. First contact has been made - and it's formidable.

Two years pass. Lead by ship's captain Linda Chen, the crew of the Asimov has made headway. Due to communication issues, all negotiation is made through James Kelman - a linguist recruited from Earth, genetically altered to be able to speak directly with the alien races aboard the mother ship. Their goal: to bargain for a pure energy engine, which will solve the Earth's escalating environmental problems.

But the clock is ticking. Frustrated by Transgate's lack of cooperation, the governments of Earth have sent out a ship to take over negotiations. As matters come to a head, the crew of the Asimov faces the threat of terrorism, pending government intervention, and the fear that the alien's motives may not be quite what they seem...