Despite some utterly absurd diversions (chase scene! horror scene! shoot-out scene!), this is a quality science-fiction narrative, suggesting the answers we seek in the stars are actually found within

macte nova virtute, puer, sic itur ad astra, dis genite et geniture deos.

• Publius Vergilius Maro; Aeneis (29-19 BC)

N = R∗ · fp · ne · fl · fi · fc · L

where:

N = The number of civilisations in the Milky Way whose electromagnetic emissions are detectable (i.e. which are on our current past light cone).

R∗ = The average rate of the formation of stars.... read the rest.