Summary

000

In this very short preamble, the reader is thrust into Control's dreams, where he is at the beach, and is at once a part, and separate, from the wind, waves, and seagulls.

001

Control is the newly appointed director of the Southern Reach Facility, whose task it is to study Area X, a place of great manmade ecological disaster. This is a misnomer for the genetic FUBAR that happened decades previously. There was a barrier that prevented the 'residents' of Area X from moving into the greater world, but the barrier has come down. Control is standing with Grace, the former director, now assistant director, to debrief her about Expedition 12 and their only remaining members. Control's real name is John Rodriguez, but he demands that everyone call him Control. Grace, when he informs her of this, tells him that her new name would...