A Matter of Taste

A seasoned interstellar claims adjuster arrives on the frigid fourth world of Sunder’s Pride, where the air is poisonous and the wind howls through alien ice‑trees. Dressed only in his own skin, he meets Expedition Manager Obadiah Jones, who pleads for immediate military aid against an unseen threat. The two men quickly discover that the planet’s native beings possess a frightening mastery of mind control, turning the human crew into helpless prey.

As the adjuster evaluates the financial stakes of the expedition’s exclusive trading charter, he must balance the insurer’s bottom line against the mounting casualties. With a ticking clock and a looming deadline before the next “regular interval” of loss, he explores whether clever negotiation can replace a costly naval intervention. The story builds a tense, atmospheric clash of corporate policy, alien mystery, and survival on a world where even the snow seems alive.