Bad Memory

Ex‑Vector Commander Jim Channing trades his signing bonus for a slice of the galaxy—a solitary island on the third planet of Phylox Beta. The planet is little more than endless ocean, but the agency delivers a fully equipped house, a fleet of machines, and a thousand tons of strawberry plants to turn the island into a thriving patch. As Channing learns the controls of the autonomous planting rigs, he settles into a routine of sun‑baked fishing and watching his berries grow.

A chance encounter with a galactic trade agent reveals that strawberries are everywhere, but a newly discovered alien race craves a far rarer commodity: upklin seeds. The agent explains the lucrative market and the specific conditions needed to cultivate them, sparking Channing’s imagination about turning his modest venture into a profit‑making enterprise. With only a hundred thousand credits and a whole planet at his disposal, he begins to weigh the risks and rewards of chasing this unexpected opportunity.