City of Pearl

On the distant world of Cavanagh's Star, three distinct alien civilizations coexist in a delicate, millennia-old balance. This precarious peace is shattered by the arrival of humanity, referred to by the natives as the 'gethes.' Environmental Hazard Enforcement officer Shan Frankland spearheads a mission to establish a human presence, a journey that severs her from Earth for 150 years. However, their landing doesn't go unnoticed by Aras, the planet's enigmatic and omnipotent guardian. Aras, a constantly evolving entity, has previously eradicated countless alien species and their cities to protect Cavanagh's Star's fragile native life. Now, Shan's team, alongside a pre-existing colony of human fundamentalists, faces the looming threat of similar annihilation. Aras holds a devastating secret concerning the planet's unique biology, a secret that could prove catastrophic if it were to fall into human hands, particularly if the gethes survive the impending conflict their presence has inadvertently ignited.