It's March 3, 2166, when the Solvanian freighter TE-SORN disappears without a trace near the Nimir system. The vessel was transporting a load of Solva metal to Terra; a material playing an important role in a variety of modern industries. Only the distress signal, which has been sent automatically, indicates a case of abduction. But what precisely happened to the freighter? This question needs to be answered, before the situation within the Galactic Alliance gets out of hand.