Description

Flip Miller is the sort of space‑hardened prospector who can’t help but tumble into trouble, even when a Venusian queen’s cruelty seems to seal his fate. After a near‑fatal drift on a distant asteroid and a wild streak of luck at a Martian poker table, he ends up on a murky swamp world with his old companion Charlie Mead, chasing a dubious map to a priceless xanite vein. The two rough‑necked men set up camp among the reeds, swapping stories over lukewarm “loku” while the swamp’s fog and endless mud test their resolve.

Their quest quickly runs into a tangle of setbacks: a leaking fuel tank, busted radios, and the sudden collapse of the mineral market. Adding to the danger are the ruthless Venusian pirates and a mysterious queen who despises outsiders. With humor, grit, and a dash of interplanetary intrigue, the story follows Flip’s relentless optimism as he battles nature, corporate greed, and his own streak of bad luck in a race against time.

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