The mission was supposed to be simple: find a world capable of sustaining life, establish a treaty, and secure a future for the Terran colonies. For Paul Meillard and his joint Space Navy-Colonial Office expedition, the planet Svantovit seemed like the ultimate prize: a lush, Earth-like paradise ripe for the making.
But the inhabitants of Svantovit are not like us.
As the contact team attempts to bridge the gap between species, they encounter a barrier far more profound than mere vocabulary. Through the eyes of linguists, psychologists, and marines, Naudsonce explores the terrifying realization that communication isn’t just about meaning; it’s about perception. When the expedition discovers that the natives don’t hear sound, but rather feel it as a physical, tactile sensation, the mission shifts from diplomacy to a desperate struggle for survival.