Years ago, the enormous, enigmatic alien  spacecraft called Rama sailed through our solar system as  mind-boggling proof that life existed -- or  hadexisted -- elsewhere in the  universe. Now, at the dawn of the twenty-third century,  another ship is discovered hurtling toward us. A  crew of Earth's best and brightest minds is  assembled to rendezvous with the massive vessel. They  are armed with everything we know about Raman  technology and culture. But nothing can prepare them  for what they are about to encounter on board  Rama II: cosmic secrets that are  startling, sensational -- and perhaps even  deadly. From the Paperback edition.