A case of mistaken identity could lead to love for an aloof starship captain and a brilliant if underappreciated mechanic from the sticks-if they can survive the dangerous mission assigned to them. Ginnovi Oshwald just needs someone to give him a chance. He can keep anything running, despite the "spark" his body produces that sometimes wreaks havoc with electronics. Gin gets his chance when Captain Lian Hartford comes to Tallahassee in search of a mechanic. The trouble is, he's looking for Gin's sister. But since he only has a name to go by, Gin tells a little white lie. What could go wrong? Lian loves his ship and his work as a diplomat but has difficulty connecting with others-only partly because of his mixed human and alien heritage. Something about the eccentric mechanic intrigues him, though, and their easy friendship could become more? if they live long enough to broker peace between humanity and a hostile race while pacifying a crew that thinks Gin belongs in prison.