Redline the Stars

1993

The Solar Queen had thrown off it's previous ill luck and after a reasonably profitable, but seriously boring mail contract, the crew have to decide what to do next. And what they are to do with the second ship they could not afford to run.

When Rael Cofort turns up wanting to buy the unwanted Space Wrack, the crew realise something unusual is going on - she is sister to one of the richest Free Traders in the space lanes. What they fully understand is her other request - she wants off Trewsworld where she had left her previous employ and requires travel to Canuche which is their destination anyway so they accept her aid as a general hand.

Once on Canuche, the Queen's Cargo Master Jan van Ryke trawls the markets for trade goods that will boost the ship's future prospects. Rael helps out an old friend selling some materials and they are noticed by a local industrialist who has a large cargo he wants shipping off world.

Whilst being feted by the industrialist, the Captain and Rael are shown the docks where the main import is ammonium nitrate which turns out to be a very good bomb. At first, Rael is not believed but an experiment in the industrialist's labs proves... explosive.

Plans are in hand to transfer the off-loading of this substance to safe docks but a fire is soon raging on the docks and moving towards a container ship full of this substance...

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