Casting off and setting a course for the Shackleton Expanse, Captain Romen Corbin and his crew on their brand-new ship are ready to extend a hand of friendship to a potential new ally. As one of Starfleet’s finest diplomats, Corbin feels confident in bringing a renewed sense of hope home, but when the Atlas arrives to make first contact with the Ivalans, Corbin faces an entirely new threat not only to his ship but also to this new civilisation. The Atlas crew is determined to work with the Ivalans to find a peaceful solution and demonstrate just how much the Federation is prepared to assist them in their hour of need, but what has been seen cannot be unseen.