Sagittarius Whorl

With Helly's covert help, the Frost family firm of Rampart Starcorp has achieved an unprecedented David-versus-Goliath victory in court against rivals Galapharma. A near-catastrophic attack on the Frost home by Galapharma's insane CEO, Alistair Drummond – missing presumed dead –  meant the evidence against Galapharma was overwhelming. Now Rampart owns Galapharma, so Helly owns a quarterstake in one of the biggest companies in the Human Commonwealth. Life should be good...

But Helly still believes there's a dangerous lie behind the Haluk ambassador's smiling declaration of peace and friendship, and with Drummond out of the way he is free to continue his search for evidence of a planned invasion with which to persuade a disbelieving world.

A break in the investigation leads him to Phlegethon, the sleaziest smuggler port in the universe, in search of information from the only man ever to return from the Haluk worlds alive. But the price of this crucial lead will be very high indeed. Discovering too late that no one is who they seem, and trusted friends may be deadly enemies, Helly finds himself alienated and on the run. With time running out, it appears there is nothing he can do to prevent the Haluk invasion of Earth.