Dark Orbit

In "Dark Orbit" by Carolyn Ives Gilman, a team of scientists explores a newly discovered habitable world, enlisting exoethnologist Sara Callicot to monitor a troubled crewmate, Thora, who carries the weight of a past revolt. Upon their arrival, they encounter a mysterious crystalline planet rich in dark matter, but chaos ensues when a crew member is murdered and Thora goes missing. As she navigates the planet's unique, blind sentient species, Thora must confront her inner challenges and communicate with the natives to save her team, while grappling with the possibility that some phenomena transcend scientific explanation.