On the resource-rich frontier planet Ricardia, geology specialist Dr. Aris Thorne operates under the iron fist of Axiom Security's contracts, where data is treasure and discovery is strictly controlled. Tasked with surveying a desolate claim bloc, Thorne's methodical work uncovers more than just valuable ores; she finds Anomaly Kilo-Seven, a perplexing geological structure beneath a hydrothermal vent, hinting at secrets far more profound than anything Axiom bargained for. When Axiom designates her potentially monumental finding "low priority" and redirects her focus, Aris realizes that on Ricardia, the most dangerous contracts aren't with the planet, but with the corporation that owns it.
Caught between contractual obligations and scientific integrity, Thorne is pushed to the edge. As Axiom's scrutiny intensifies and whispers of corporate suppression and historical misconduct surface, Aris must navigate a treacherous path of deception, grey zone dealings, and high-stakes confrontations. In a world where information is weaponized and compliance is paramount, can one geologist protect a universe-altering secret and survive the corporate battlefield, or will she become another casualty of the Clausewitz Contracts?