Publisher's Synopsis
In the sequel to Target'd, this novel follows the crew of the crippled star cruiser Target six months after the initial disaster which had killed the majority of the 200 crewmembers aboard, leaving the survivors with only limited power and ineffectual defense mechanisms. With only minimal ability to grow plants in a makeshift hydroponics unit, their food supply consists of nothing more than nutritional tablets discovered aboard in an undelivered supply consignment for colonists on a distant planet. Originally determining these tablets would last the few remaining survivors for decades, Captain Terry discovers the cartons had been mislabeled, meaning there were only enough tablets to last months, not years. Now faced a critical timetable for raising their own food from the few seeds scrounged from "vending machines" which survived Encounter, they face starvation when the seedlings fail to thrive. Captain Terry makes the determination to sacrifice a quantity of the tablets to fertilize the plants, plunging crew morale to a new low where the threat of mutiny becomes a very real danger. Helen Fitzgerald, a communications specialist and fiancé to Captain Joshua Terry, begins receiving psychic impressions from space and believes whatever alien has contacted her will come to their rescue. Unable to substantiate this by any tangible proof, she and Joshua become estranged and tension mounts as the decisions he makes run contrary to her own beliefs. Events substantiate Helen's mysterious transmissions when the alien ship she expects actually approaches. When those inside the small craft refuse to communicate, Terry is forced to cross over to the ship and on Helen's instructions, manages to get inside. Originally believing the vessel to be abandoned or operating on auto-pilot, he summons Helen to investigate. She, alone, discovers the sole inhabitant, an innocent and youthful-appearing boy-man called Star Bright. The bond between them is instant and all-consuming, raising immediate doubts about her loyalty and commitment to her fellow crewmembers. Plagued by jealousy and a natural suspicion that Star Bright is not what he seems, Terry quickly realizes the advanced art of the alien's hydroponics system could be adapted for use on Target. The issue then becomes, will Star Bright - with Helen's urging - help them, or will she fear such assistance would compromise Star Bright's own safety and urge him to leave without providing critical assisstance, thus condemning those aboard Target to starvation.
