On 4 December 1872, the brigantine Mary Celeste was found drifting abandoned in the Atlantic, with the captain’s log and crew’s personal effects still on board. The cargo was intact, but the captain, his family, and the crew of seven were gone.

When humans first landed on Argilus on 24 June 2083, they found towns, cities, and alien technology, but no people. Doors were unlocked, meals were unfinished, and machinery was still operating. Earth Central classified the planet Restricted and placed it under quarantine.

Three science teams set up outposts at Bosh’s Tunnels, Symphony Harbor, and Rainbow Landing. Because of electromagnetic interference, surface teams could not contact Earth directly, and later the expedition mothership Tarquin vanished from radar. Scientists then began disappearing from the bases.

Four months later, the supply ship Angel arrived for follow-up contact, but no one answered from the planetary bases. After Angel’s main systems failed, Sam Mainey and Hannah Grant had to abandon ship in life-pods before receiving the classified 902 mission briefing.