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In a galaxy where the Terran Confederation depends on a rare metal harvested on Fruyling’s World, the planet’s glittering mines hide a dark secret. Though slavery has been outlawed across the stars, the native reptilian population is still bound to the grueling work that fuels the empire’s prosperity, prompting a moral crisis that reverberates through the ruling elite. The story opens with Dr. Haenlingen, a hardened scientist, confronting the uneasy silence that keeps the Confederation’s fragile peace intact.
Her young assistant, Norma Fredericks, becomes an unexpected conduit for questioning the official narrative, as the two women navigate the tension between duty and conscience. As whispers of the true cost of the metal begin to surface, they must decide whether to expose the exploitation or preserve the status quo that underpins civilization. The novel blends sharp social commentary with a tense, fast‑moving plot that asks what price humanity is willing to pay for progress.
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (214K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2016-04-24
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1933–2002
A prolific science fiction writer with a career that stretched across more than 50 years, he was known for fast-moving stories, humor, and a knack for working under several names. He also collaborated with Randall Garrett on the lively "Mark Phillips" novels.
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