Jack Holloway works alone for reasons he doesnxt care to talk about One hundred seventy-eight light-years from ZaraCorpxs head office on Earth hundreds of miles from their headquarters on-planet Jack is content as an independent contractor prospecting and surveying at his own paceThen in the wake of an accidental cliff collapse Jack discovers a seam of unimaginably valuable jewels to which he manages to lay legal claim just as ZaraCorp cancels their contract with him Briefly in the catbird seat Jack pressures ZaraCorp into recognizing his claim and cuts them in as partners to help extract the wealthBut therexs another wrinkle to ZaraCorpxs relationship with the planet Zarathustra Their entire legal right to exploit the verdant Earthlike planet is based on being able to certify to the authorities on Earth that Zarathustra is home to no sentient speciesThen a small furry bipedxtrusting appealing and ridiculously cutexshows up at Jackxs outback home followed by its family As it dawns on Jack that despite their stature these are people he begins to suspect that ZaraCorpxs claim to a planetxs worth of wealth is flimsy indeedxand that ZaraCorp may stop at nothing to eliminate the xCfuzzysxD before their existence becomes more widely known.
