In the far distant future mankind has travelled far amongst the stars, colonising a galaxy wide network of planets.

When a massive supernova renders interstellar travel impossible and blacks out all interplanetary communications, the youngest colonies on the furthermost reaches of space are cut off and begin to back slide into more primitive states.

Centuries later, the survey vessel Audacious hopes to reestablish contact with one such world, now ruled by a brutal theocracy.