Chapter One

                                    

                                              
Les Miller refused to teleport without his hat. As the captain, he had to set an example for the rest of the crew. He rummaged through his suitcase. He'd worn it home from the ship yesterday, so would've put it straight on top.
                          
He glanced at the time projected by his eye lenses. Quarter past seven. It would take fifteen minutes to reach the spaceport on Toronto Island. If he didn't find his hat in the next few minutes, he'd be late.
                          
He moved into the living area. There it was, sitting on the chesterfield. He picked it up and slipped it on his head. Now he looked the part of ship's captain-and it covered his grey hair.

                          
He headed back into the bedroom to close his suitcase. How had his hat ended up on the chesterfield? That's right. He'd tossed it down last night when his brother called just as he'd arrived home.
                          
The door chime sounded. Seriously? He had no time for visitors. Les put the suitcase down and opened the door. The man on the threshold had a forehead dripping with perspiration and sporting a short scar leading up to wild orange hair. The guy's rags had a whiff of smoke about them, and wild bloodshot eyes stared at him.
                          
Great. A homeless crazy had got past the security downstairs.
                          
"Can I help you?"
                          
"Captain Les Miller?" 
                          
What was that accent? South African?
                          
"Yeah?"
                          
"You're on your way to the ship, aren't you? The Jewel of the Stars?"
                          
How did a tramp from the street know his name, let alone the name of his ship? A family of butterflies landed in his gut. Was this guy stalking him? He reached his left hand around the doorway and hovered his index finger over the security button. "Who are you?"
                          
"I'm ... I'm not important. You can't go."
                          
"I can't go where?"
                          
"Into space. On the ship."
                          
"How do you know so much about me?" Les pushed the button. 
                          
"Doesn't matter. Something terrible is going to happen."
                          
"Something terrible is already happening. I'm late for work and I'm being stalked by a crazy man. Now, if you'll excuse me." He picked up his suitcase.
                          
"I'm serious, Captain. There's danger out there. Actually, the danger is coming here, but that's irrelevant." The man clenched his eyes shut, then opened them a second later. "The point is, you'll be better off if you stay here. You might be able to prevent it."
                          
This guy was either insane, or privy to some disturbing information. Les bet on the former. He wasn't abandoning his job based on nothing more than vague predictions of doom. There was still the question of how this caller knew so much about Les. Why choose him as a target?
                          
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
                          
"You will. Don't let that ship leave."
                          
Les put down the suitcase and clenched his fists. "Step away from my door."
                          
Ding. The lift doors behind the crazy man slid open. Two uniformed guards stepped out. 
                          
"Sir, you need to come with us." One of the guards strode towards the door. "Nobody wants to be bothered by you."
                          
The crazy man glanced over his shoulder at the guards. And bolted. The guard by the lift leapt after him down the hallway. Moments later, the guard dragged the intruder back into the lift.
                          
"Don't go into space," the man shouted. "Cancel the flight. Don't let those passengers leave Earth."
                          
The lift doors stole anything else the intruder would have said.