Never Come Midnight

In a future where humanity stretches across the stars, Jan Shortmire stands out as a relic of a bygone era—a 155‑year‑old magnate whose fortunes were built on inventions that reshaped civilization. When he reveals to his lawyer that he has an heir—an impossibly old “son” born under mysterious circumstances—he also announces a daring plan: a voyage to the scarcely visited world of Morethis, a planet whose native species have long been the subject of uneasy colonial policies.

The conversation unfolds in a tense office, hinting at rivalries with other industrial titans and the moral quagmire of exploiting alien life. As Shortmire prepares his will, the listener is drawn into a web of intrigue, where personal legacy collides with the ethical dilemmas of expansion. The story asks whether wealth and age can shield one from the consequences of venturing into territories that humanity has long feared to touch.