Book Description

ndr Frogmorton is an Earth Mage on long range reconnaissance when he lands a bit too close to a black hole. Angel his sentient ship computer dives into the gravity well in an attempt to slingshot back out and transits to an alternative universe, they arrive in an area adjacent to a deep space trade route which obviously goes somewhere. They set up a forward base on a convenient asteroid and monitor the trade rote. One day while monitoring they observe a vessel acting suspiciously, and eventually identify that it has attacked a vessel as it enters space on the trade route, they assume that this is not appropriate conduct and go to the assistance of the vessel. After taking out the attacker they identify six survivors in the aft compartment, they haul the hulk clear of the vessel and transfer the survivor to provide them with medical aid. Whilst they are providing the aid ndr is able to thought read them to acquire information on their system and its language; which allows Angel to become reasonably conversant with the structure of the language. They also discover that the survivors were captives held hostage on the vessel to ensure it had not been sabotaged. ndr recruits them as base staff and angel contacts the vessel which turns out to be a tube runner carrying passengers in transit from the Faal system to the Clondone system. They inform the captain that they are about to tow the hulk back to their base and will return later to see if he needs further assistance. Once they have and installed their new staff the Faal agree to see if they can do provisional repairs on the vessel and improve the base whilst ndr returns to assist the tube runner. When ndr arrives back he identifies that they need a tow back to their port of origin in Faal system which ndr agrees to provide. When he finally enters Terminus space (the Faal port of origin) he is intercepted by Geet- tem-fin a Faal Mage on patrol guarding the entry point. Angel rapidly establishes contact with Geet-tems inboard sentient and establishes that it is also female personality as is its Bio; Angel and Faal-doe hit it of big time, and patch Geet-tem through to ndr; once it has been established that they are both Mages they agree to mind link and ndr explains the situation to Geet-tem who promptly arranges backup and clears him to tow the Runner in. Once they have reached their rendezvous with the Med ship the Taan (medics) request access to the re.gen to treat persons injured in the attack, ndr accompanied by Geet-tem tow the runner to parking orbit at Terminus Space Port where personal can be evacuated. On the way in they are met by the Ccin pop news vid crews and ndr claims that he is an Earth system salvage operator, the Ccin are suspicious about this but they get away with it. Once the passengers are disembarked ndr and Geet-tem go down to Space Port by Boat leaving Faal doe and Angel in orbit. ndr clears things with Admiral Bel-tam-den the Bel Fleet commander Terminus, and they stay at the Mage centre overnight. The Following day Geet-tem takes ndr to Prime centre to meet the High Mage and Geet-tem is detailed off to brief ndr on Faal System while the High Mage clears things with Faal Prime Council They clear an office and lecture room with the duty Aal (administrator) and then to go through basic readers. By the time they have achieved this it is the end of working day and they retire to their rooms to prepare for evening meal. When it is time Geet-tem collects ndr and they head for the duty bar to join the other Mages at base for evening social and introduce ndr to them when they arrive at the Bar they greet the other mages and Geet-tem orders her usual Fizz-bomb which is her usual drink ndr follows suit without realising that Fizz-bombs are lethal which results in him becoming slightly tipsy before anybody realizes that he is not acquainted with Faal social liquids, to the consternation of Geet-tem, and he is t