The mysterious pulsating planet Arachna, which lights up for thirty-five years and then goes dark for a quarter of a millennium, has long drawn humanity’s attention. After all, despite its long time spent in an icy sleep, the planet is inhabited and stands on the threshold of new technological discoveries. Humans vitally need to establish contact with the inhabitants of the new planet, so two entire space fleets send their expeditions to Arachna at once. But each of the teams has diametrically opposite missions and objectives, and everything depends on who reaches the goal first—not only the future of Arachna and its inhabitants, but of all humankind as well.