, ▁she ▁adopt s ▁the ▁identity ▁of ▁Ellen ▁T roy ▁and ▁becomes ▁an ▁inspect or ▁for ▁the ▁Space ▁Gu ild . ▁ ▁On ▁her ▁first ▁assignment ▁as ▁an ▁Ins pect or , ▁Spart a ▁is ▁sent ▁to ▁Port ▁H esper us , ▁the ▁space ▁station ▁orbit ing ▁Ven us , ▁to ▁investigate ▁the ▁sab ot age ▁of ▁the ▁Star ▁Queen , ▁an ▁old ▁fre ighter . ▁While ▁there , ▁she ▁enc oun ters ▁Bla ke ▁Red field , ▁a ▁young ▁ant ique ▁books ▁expert ▁who ▁may ▁hold ▁the ▁key ▁to ▁her ▁missing ▁mem ories . ▁ ▁Volume ▁ 2 ▁– ▁Ma el st rom ▁( first ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁short ▁story ▁" M ael st rom ▁II ") ▁After ▁taking ▁a ▁break ▁on ▁Port ▁H esper us , ▁Spart a ▁is ▁sent ▁to ▁Ven us ▁proper ▁to ▁rescue ▁a ▁team ▁of ▁scient ists ▁who ▁have ▁become ▁tra pped ▁there . ▁Her ▁successful ▁rescue ▁leads ▁to ▁the ▁recovery ▁of ▁an ▁artifact ▁that ▁may ▁prove ▁the ▁existence ▁of ▁extr ater rest rial ▁life . ▁After wards , ▁she ▁is ▁sent ▁to ▁L una ▁to ▁investigate ▁the ▁attempted ▁sab ot age ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁magnetic ▁s ling shot . ▁ ▁Meanwhile , ▁seeking ▁to ▁help ▁Spart a ▁learn ▁more ▁about ▁her ▁past , ▁Bla ke ▁goes ▁under cover ▁in ▁Paris , ▁in fil tr ating ▁the ▁Ath anas ian ▁Society , ▁a ▁supposed ▁char ity ▁that ▁provides ▁shelter ▁and ▁other ▁services ▁to ▁hom