Olivia and her twin sister Viola have been dragged around the Universe for as long as they can remember: their parents, famous xenobiologists, are always in great demand among explorers of other worlds. Only now, having settled in a new colony, they are faced with an alien threat unlike anything seen or described before. And the familiar world of the sisters collapses in an instant. Olivia knows: her only weapon in a colony engulfed in chaos is knowledge of xenobiology and the determination to protect Viola. In addition, a shocking family secret is unexpectedly revealed - in its own way no less terrible than the bloodthirsty monsters around. And they, penetrating into the rich wildlife of this untouched colonial world, begin to quickly adapt. So Olivia will have to adapt too if she wants to survive...