Think Yourself to Death

Johnny Mayhem is a legend who literally changes skins—he slips into any body like a coat, using it to navigate the galaxy’s most bizarre corners. In this tale he arrives on Ophiuchus IX, a sweltering, dust‑choked world where the only cool refuge is the air‑conditioned headquarters of the Galactic Observer. Clad in the dignified form of an elderly Sirian, Mayhem must adapt to a culture that has evolved in isolation for centuries, its people living in simple loin‑cloths and ancient mystic rites.

Tasked by the Galactic League, Mayhem’s assignment is to uncover why the inhabitants of Ophiuchus IX are turning their own lives into a ritual ending. The planet’s mystics—hundreds of holy men whose minds seem to merge in trance—pose a puzzling threat that could have far‑reaching consequences. As the clock ticks on his borrowed three‑day lifespan, Mayhem must balance his trademark sarcasm with a growing respect for the strange society he’s been thrust into, all while racing to solve a mystery that could decide the fate of an entire world.