Prologue

Parqul-Tuz extended his central eyestalk to take a closer look at the stranger standing before him. Homo sapiens, by the looks of him. An Earthling.

‘You’re a long way from home, human,’ growled Tuz. He shifted his bulky body awkwardly in his air-chair. ‘We don’t get many of your kind in our part of the galaxy. What brings you to Auroxila, I wonder?’

The stranger held Tuz’s suspicious three-eyed glare with his own intelligent gaze.

‘I have been travelling for some time,’ he said quietly.

‘Hmph!’ The Auroxilan gave a sceptical grunt. ‘I’ll bet you have! Another cheating scoundrel on the run, no doubt. So tell me – why should I be tempted to give you work, hmm?’

‘I am strong and do not tire easily,’ replied the man. ‘If you hire me as a labourer, you will get good value for whatever credits you choose to pay me.’

Tuz gave another grunt. But he could see that the man wasn’t boasting. He had met humans before and most were puny. This one looked tough. He wasn’t tall, but he had a powerful, well-toned physique. His head-fur was unlike that of the other men Tuz had encountered, too – it was pure white.

‘I should warn you,’ said Tuz, ‘I pride myself on paying badly. And a decent lifestyle on this Gomm-forsaken planet doesn’t come cheap.’

‘I do not intend to stay,’ replied the man. ‘That is why I seek work. I wish to earn my starship passage as soon as possible.’

‘Heading back home to Earth, hmm?’ probed Tuz.

A wistful look crossed the human’s face.

It was ten years since the man had fled his birth planet. Ten years spent as a fugitive, always moving on, endlessly tormented by the memory of what he had left behind.

But not any more. He was tired of running from the Corporation. Let them do their worst. He would hide no longer.

Parqul-Tuz was impressed with the determination that burned in the human’s eyes as he eventually replied.

‘Yes,’ said the stranger, quietly but firmly. ‘I’m going back . . .’