Rockabye, Grady

On the swamp‑covered world of Pru'ut, a lone Terran named James Grady steps off the cargo ship into six inches of sticky mud, greeted by the curious eyes of the native Kya. This hot, rain‑soaked planet is a bustling hub for exotic drug plants, each as valuable as uranium, and the locals cling tightly to a labyrinth of customs that can turn a simple misstep into a diplomatic crisis. Grady, a seasoned wanderer with a past in the Mutiny—a brief but fierce rebellion—finds himself hired by the Mallor Lines to navigate both the market and the cultural minefield.

Choosing to stay, Grady learns to live by the Kya’s rules, adopting new names and respecting intricate taboos that govern everything from conversation to trade. As he adapts to the planet’s endless August‑like season and its thriving fern forests, he discovers that survival here depends as much on understanding alien etiquette as on mastering the lucrative, yet perilous, drug trade.