Broken Glass

Steg de Coeur, his family murdered to further an armed takeover of Homeworld by the House of Aluta, flees to space just ahead of corporate mercenaries and warrants issued for his arrest for treason against the Empire. Adventures follow as his ability to link with computers develops, in emulation of the Acolytes who attend the mysterious Glass Complex of Homeworld. Steg purchases a commission in the Imperial Fleet where he aids in the capture of an alien space ship preying on Imperial shipping lanes. He is court-martialed on trumped-up charges and marooned on Hellfire, a desert planet controlled by the House of Aluta. Steg takes over the computer-based mining equipment and creates havoc, eventually escaping with Milnaret of Fain, a pleasure companion. Duels, deaths, enlistment in Imperial Special Forces, and exploration of ancient portals drives the tension. A deranged and very bitter rival for control of Homeworld attacks Steg with a blaster. Her attack severely injures him as he is about to step through a portal. He disappears and despite a major search by his fellow soldiers, he cannot be found.