Seriously wounded, Richard ran from his pursuer and managed to make it to the local spaceport. The only shuttle there belonged to the giant trader, Starlight, and he had information they needed.

Aboard, he was hustled into their hospital where the doctor saved his life.

Things were looking good. He thought he was finally safe.

But life, no matter where you are, is not always safe, especially if your assailants have not given up on killing you ? and there are bad people even in a fine community like Starlight's.

Al Philipson was born somewhere around 1995 or later in the fevered imagination of a nerdish geek and sometimes technical writer who wants to remain anonymous when he writes fiction (including his tax return). Being a private person, he was afraid that his adoring fans (all three of them) would mob him both publicly and privately once his books caught on.

Unlike his nerdy creator, Philipson suffers from none of the weaknesses of "ordinary" humans. His body puts Mr. Universe to shame. He can bench press a Kenworth, he's more intelligent than Einstein, and knock-down-gorgeous women find him irresistible.