Kaiku

In 2154, Mileena Carter (Mile) is a cadet in the Earth Sciences Force investigating Needles, a newly discovered planet. An alien race, the Keeki, happened upon Needles, and offered a joint expedition with Earth. The Keeki are a race derived from a bird-like species, and the universal translator spews out their words in a haiku-like structure, which Mile has named KAIKU.
But when Mile, and the expedition, start discovering artifacts, pyramids, puzzles (nonograms), new planets, and more, they realize another force is driving their actions.
Will Mile be able to concentrate on the expedition, and ignore her attraction to a Keeki cadet named Tyne Tone, while unraveling the motivations of the Similo named Rawa?
Kaiku is the first book of a riveting science fiction trilogy that will keep you guessing until the end.