Accept no substitutes

In the bustling Boston Spaceport, private pilot Ralph Garvey readies his sleek yacht for a daring departure, only to have his launch halted by a surprise customs inspection. The authorities are hunting for violations of the controversial Sexual Morality Act—a law that bans the transport of illegal human‑shaped surrogates—making any breach punishable by decades in a lunar penal colony. As Garvey scrambles to conceal a mysterious, ten‑foot crate hidden in the aft cabin, the pressure mounts and his calm façade begins to crack.

The inspector who steps aboard turns out to be Eddie Starbuck, an old college buddy turned law‑enforcer, whose sudden appearance turns the tense standoff into a nostalgic yet uneasy reunion. Over drinks they reminisce about their reckless university days while Starbuck outlines a recent crackdown on an underground sex‑surrogate operation, hinting that Garvey’s cargo could be the last missing piece. With the inspector’s true purpose unclear, Garvey must decide whether to bluff, fight, or risk the severe consequences of the act.