ASIN moved from less recent edition
Senior researcher Peri Mallach participates in a long-term, secret program to determine Earth’s readiness for membership in the Consortium of Worlds. However, Mallach has “gone native” and has decided to provide Earth scientists with the practical data to generate power from thermonuclear fusion – a much-needed advancement. Providing the fusion database will hasten Earth’s membership but will completely violate intragalactic law. He creates an over complicated plan to use an Earther laptop DVD burner to copy and smuggle information from the Consortium data-net to Earth - endangering himself, his spouse, and several other loved ones.
The director of the agency responsible for candidate planet research suspects Mallach's intent and vows to stop him by any means. She courts disaster and the complete exposure of the Consortium's research strategy to human scrutiny.
Consortium agents, Mallach's family, Earther citizens and policemen, hospital personnel and an additional looming alien presence all collide as this contemporary Prometheus seeks to make a “gift of fire”.
