The novel opens with a young girl named Ruhannah exploring the wonder-box left behind by the deceased Herr Wilner, whose contents carry ominous traces of the past. Among the objects is a bronze figure of Erlik, symbolizing chaos and destruction, casting a shadow over her innocent curiosity. Her missionary father avoids recounting his experiences in Turkey, yet his silence hints at buried violence and suffering. Meanwhile Jim Neeland lives close to nature, though a quiet unease follows him. This part establishes the presence of the Dark Star as an unseen force guiding lives toward an uncertain fate.
