Starbreaker Chapter Summaries
Chapter 1
Morgan Stormrider -- Adversary and guitarist for the band Crowley's Thoth -- learns from a representative of the London Metropolitan Police that his lover, Christabel Crowley, has been murdered. Though his relationship with Christabel is strained, rage and a desire for vengeance nearly overwhelm Morgan, frightening both his home's AI, Astarte, and himself. After getting a grip on his emotions, Morgan sets out for London to cooperate with the newly begun investigation.
Chapter 2
Saul Rosenbaum, Iris Deschat, and Karen Del Rio run the New York chapter of the Phoenix Council, which watches over governments and other organizations to prevent and punish violations of individual rights. They must decide upon a response to Alexander Liebenthal, who has taken over the city of Boston and killed two Adversaries after a referendum which places his business interests in jeopardy. After lengthy debate, the three agree to send Morgan Stormrider and Catherine Gatto to depose Liebenthal, bring him to New York for trial, and restore order to Boston.
Chapter 3
Morgan buys tickets for a maglev train bound for London, apprehends a purse snatcher, and a woman in black sitting in his compartment. Despite his grief, Morgan finds himself strongly attracted to the stranger, and finds himself unnerved by his sudden lust for her.
Chapter 4
Claire, a self-employeed computer technician and programmer, has her AI Hal search the net for novel pornography while eating her breakfast of coffee and radioactive chicken curry. Her AI, Hal, shows her a pornographic video of Naomi Bradleigh -- the vocalist for Crowley's Thoth and an old friend of Morgan's. Since Claire is also a friend of Morgan's, she traces the source of the video and arranges to have it removed from the net before it can embarrass Naomi.
Chapter 5
Edmund Cohen wakes up with a murderous hangover, and is confronted by Claire. Claire accuses him of spying on Naomi and demands an explanation. Edmund does not remember everything, but he remembers enough to blame a seductive woman in black named Elisabeth, who seduced him at the pub, came home with him, and took advantage of his inebriation to use his computer.