In a future where interstellar travel is commonplace, a stevedore foreman at Triton's spaceport, Pitchblend Hardesty, faces an unexpected crisis when a prison break occurs at the nearby Interstellar Penitentiary. The escapee, House Bartock, a desperate killer, is determined to flee to freedom. As Hardesty and his crew scramble to load an all-girl symphony orchestra's equipment onto a spaceship, they realize that Bartock is likely heading for the spaceport to escape. Meanwhile, Bartock, having killed two guards during his escape, is on the run with a stolen guardsman's uniform and false identification. He makes his way to the spaceport, where he plans to hijack a ship. As the symphony girls, led by their chaperone Matilda Moriarity, prepare to leave, Bartock seizes the opportunity to take control of the ship, _Mozart's Lady_, which is set to depart for Mars. As the ship takes off, the authorities realize too late that Bartock has escaped with the girls. They dispatch Johnny Mayhem, a legendary test pilot and trouble-shooter for the Galactic League, to pursue the hijacked ship. Mayhem, who possesses the unique ability to inhabit different bodies, is determined to rescue the girls and apprehend Bartock. The chase leads to Pluto, where Bartock crash-lands the ship. Mayhem, racing against time, must navigate the dangers of Pluto's environment while dealing with the effects of time dilation that slow his perception. As he confronts Bartock, a fierce battle ensues, culminating in Mayhem's injury. Despite the odds, he manages to save one of the girls, Jane Cummings, and escape just in time to avoid his own demise. The narrative explores themes of desperation, survival, and the complexities of identity, as Mayhem grapples with his unique existence and the ticking clock of his borrowed life. Ultimately, he emerges victorious, but the experience leaves him contemplating the nature of freedom and the sacrifices made in the pursuit of justice.
By Stephen Marlowe · First published 1970 · Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure, Space Opera