 Enterprise is en route to Terra Nova, a planet twenty light years from Earth. Over 70 years ago Terra Nova was chosen to experiment with colonization outside Earth s solar system and a ship was sent on a nine year journey. The new colony was a success, but when Earth announced 200 more colonists were to be sent, Terra Nova angrily refused. After a while all contact was lost and the crew of Enterprise is anxious to find out what happened. But all they find on the planet s surface is a deserted town and quite some radiation. Then Reed sees an alien flee into a cavern. Archer decides to follow him.