Down the Stream of Stars — Jeffrey A. Carver

INTO THE HEART OF THE GALAXY

Willard Ruskin could never have foreseen the outcome when he engineered a supernova to create a gateway into the inner reaches of the galaxy. Ruskin gave his life in that project, but he would not be the last to die in the strange, unmapped channel of space-time known as the Starstream....

Generations later, countless pioneers have braved the risks of star travel to colonize worlds light-years from Earth. Now though, they face a threat: fierce marauders from the uncharted center of the galaxy. So alien are the Throgs that they seem to understand only death and destruction.

Colony-bound aboard starship Charity is one Claudi Melnik, an explorer of uncommon talents. When the Throgs attack, Claudi must face alone the ultimate challenge from beyond space and time. Neither Claudi nor Captain Roald Thornekan could possibly have anticipated the final confrontation with the Throgs nor the quarter in which unexpected friendship was to be found.