When mankind reaches far out into the universe to find other life forms it may first find machines. A string of planets on the outer edges of the Milky Way contain the mechanical workers of an ancient alien civilization. Calvin, an exploratory rover coupled with, Nutshell, his landing ship, are sent to discover what all these machines are still doing–now that they've been abandoned by their alien owners. First contact comes not by hand of man, but by metal of machine.

Series Overview: This is the first installment in a robot-themed series which tells the story exclusively through the eyes of machines. The works are interconnected but can stand on their own.