Gilgamesh’s Key Crew are awakened; Holsten emerges among exhausted, disoriented specialists. In a tense briefing, Guyen announces that the ship has reached a system with a distress beacon from a satellite near an apparently Earth-like planet. Renas Vitas urges caution about the too-perfect readings, while Holsten argues it is likely a terraforming project. Guyen assigns tasks for a careful pass and system checks.

Holsten remains at Communications, repeatedly addressing the beacon in formal Imperial C without response. Lain, strained from managing malfunctioning suspension pods and angry colonists, joins him. Together they analyze interference and isolate a second signal.

Lain determines the second transmission is not from the satellite but bouncing off the planet. The content proves to be a series of progressively complex mathematics problems, presented from first principles. Holsten interprets it as an intelligence test apparently aimed planetward, suggesting the satellite is assessing recipients on the surface.

Lain proposes sending the answers. Despite Holsten’s caution about unknown protocols, Guyen orders it. Holsten transmits the solutions; after the light-speed delay, the satellite’s distress beacon abruptly ceases, transforming the situation from passive reception to an active, enigmatic contact and raising urgent questions about who—or what—resides on the planet.