Asata is a backwater planet, favored by the less-than-honest sorts that hang around the outer rim of the galaxy. Melech, captain of the Thalassa, is no exception, though he’s scaled back his activities recently. He's on Asata for a quiet few days of rest and relaxation and to get rid of some cargo he doesn't want to be caught with. When Aiolos, a scruffy but attractive Human, falls at his feet, Melech takes it as a sign that his luck is about to turn. Instead, he finds himself naked and penniless, watching Aiolos run off into the night. Melech is sure he‘s seen the last of the engaging thief, until he runs into him again—literally—a few days later, with a proposition Melech is just intrigued enough to consider accepting.
