Omega

Omega, Jack McDevitt, Ace Books, 2003

Set about 200 years from now, after mankind has begun to explore the galaxy, this novel is about deadly clouds of energy called omegas. Their purpose seesm to be to wipe out any civilization they encounter. The cloud won't reach Earth for another 900 years, so while research continues into what omegas are all about, it's someone else's problem. It becomes an immediate crisis when a survey ship reports that the cloud has turned, and is heading for a previously unexplored system. It just happens to contain a thriving pre-industrial civilization, and the cloud will arrive in a couple of months.

In many years of diligent searching, mankind has found a number of dead civilizations, but only two live ones, neither of which are interested in Contact with anyone. Saving this civilization suddenly becomes Top Priority. An exploration ship already in the area is able to sneak onto the surface, and the personnel plants many audio and video pickups, beaming language and customs to a ship full of linguists in transit. The ship, in bad need of an overhaul, is pressed into service too early, and breaks down before reaching the planet. A supply ship is able to join the exploration ship, and an attempt is made to fool with the planet's weather, hiding the cities under thick clouds. All other attempts to stop the cloud, or alter its course, fail.

For the humans already in orbit, how do they tell the inhabitants that they must immediately flee their cities? Who do they tell? Will their warnings be believed? How do they do it without violating the Noninterference Doctrine?

This story is well done from beginning to end. As usual with McDevitt, it has good characters, and has few, if any, wasted words. It does a fine job of keeping the reader's attention.