Howie Bernsen is a shy, intelligent, solitary boy who lives on an interplanetary merchant ship. Misunderstood, with few or no friends, he spends his days talking to the ship's computer and exploring the ship. His life is changed forever when he stumbles across a strange object in a ventilation duct... and he is thrust into a high stakes game of interstellar political intrigue, where nasty surprises are in store for everyone...