Chapter 1Stretching out on the coastalsandsunder the two bright, yellow suns of Beta Five, I was thinkingagainof retirement. I extended my arm and reached for my beach drink.Astrid, on a large red towel, dozed off beside me. The green waveslapped softly at the shore, as if caressing the earth. The BetaFiveoceans are green instead of blue like the oceans of Earth, but thesky is remarkably similar. More of a windy climate than my nativeFlorida and, even though I was sweating, the planet had much lesshumidity than the Sunshine State.
I wiped the beads off my face and thenspied a man wearing the burgundy uniform with the white trim ofMorganthal Enterprises walking at a brisk pace. He left the smallwooden walkway and stepped onto the beach. His large boots plungedahalf-inch into the sand. He w
