Year 2380. Humanity has mastered rejuvenation technology and learned to live forever. The Interstellar Commonwealth already brings together more than 600 planets inhabited by people and connected by a network of faster-than-light routes called wormholes. However, in this seemingly perfect future world something incredible happens unexpectedly: two neighboring stars, located a thousand light-years away from the Commonwealth, suddenly disappear. Scientists conclude that some technologically advanced civilization has constructed a gigantic shell around each of the two star systems. But for what purpose? Is it an attempt to protect themselves from an external threat—or, on the contrary, is it necessary to isolate a cunning enemy? To find the truth, the spacecraft “Second Chance” heads to the vanished stars. But what if everything is actually more complicated and dangerous than it seems? And will its power be enough to shut the lid of Pandora’s box?