Brad Lansky and the Anti-Starc

Summary

These are troubled times. MARA, the mighty blue supergiant of the Torvus Iubar System is dying, as are the other thirteen ambistars that make up the Ambistar Collective. Billions of lives are in peril. What conceivable force could cause the simultaneous death of fourteen ambistars thousands of light-years apart?

Since the peace accord between Giri Null and GAIA three years ago, Torvus has prospered and been relatively stable, save for the remaining rogue Grefim who still plague commercial shipping lanes. Recent weeks in particular have seen a number of GAIA freighters simply disappearing in Torvus. More warships have been dispatched to the area, but the rogue Grefim remain elusive and their prey vanished without a trace.

A warship notifies Brad and Alex of a call for help from an imprisoned teslalite on a planet near MARA. Drawn in by their debt of gratitude to these most mysterious life forms, they decide to assist. From that moment on they’re hurtled into a hectic series of events and discoveries that even challenge the imagination of their new passenger – GAIA’s most expensive AI.

They discover a dangerous new world - one thought to be impossible. Stranger still, they find it to be inextricably connected to the Ambistar Collective. Is there a way to avert the impending crisis? An abandoned alien artifact may hold some desperately-needed answers.

• Track 1 - The Ambistar Collective Problem – Brad and Alex arrive in the Torvus Iubar System at the invitation of Giri Null.


• Track 2 - Planet Calidus – They respond to the plea of a captured Teslalite and soon find themselves on a hot planet, in a sticky situation.


• Track 3 - The Space Desert – The Teslalite takes them to an unknown subway exit. A gas giant with a nasty surprise awaits them at the other end.


• Track 4 - Bleeding Edge – Aleph One tries to convey the enormity, and multi-faceted nature of their discovery.


• Track 5 – Mamai Soliton – For their return mission, GAIA sends them a warship and its most expensive A.I. – Why then does Alex not feel at all grateful?


• Track 6 - The Antibeings – MAMAI makes contact with intelligent beings, but this happy event is overshadowed by the information they provide.


• Track 7 - Costing Run – They watch as a GAIA freighter explodes on the gas giant. Mystified, they spot GAIA’s largest freighter emerge from behind the sun.


• Track 8 - The Artifact – Hoping for some badly-needed answers, they make contact with the artifact. How is this gas giant connected with the Grefim and the fate of the Ambistar Collective?


• Track 9 - Back To The Antiwall – Pinned down by two Grefim, they finally understand the full implications of unfolding events.


• Track 10 - Message From Tess – Saved again – Brad and Alex feel humbled by this most mysterious of life forms.


• Track 11 - Solefuge – All scramble to divert the Costing Run, but why has Solefuge called them to the simdeck?


• Track 12 – Opposite Attraction – Brad examines Solefuge’s motives - Does the end justify the means?


• Track 13 – Contact – A face-to-face meeting with a being made of antimatter is dangerous, but well worth the risk for Brad.