Survival

In "Survival," the first novel of the Species Imperative series by Julie E. Czerneda, Dr. Mackenzie Connor, a dedicated biologist at the Norcoast Salmon Research Facility, finds her life turned upside down when she encounters Brymn, an alien archaeologist from the Ohryn race. Tasked with unraveling the mysteries of the Chasm, a lifeless region of space, Mac initially resists involvement but is thrust into a perilous interspecies conflict when her colleague is abducted. As she flees with Brymn and Earth agents, Mac must navigate a dangerous new reality where she holds the key to humanity's survival against a potentially catastrophic threat.