Planetary Director of Earth, Numph is getting old.

Rumor has it that he is a discard from the Central Company Directorate—not for corruption, but just for bumbling incompetence—and has been sent as far away as they could send him. An unimportant post, a rim star in a remote galaxy, a perfect place to send someone and forget him.

Wanting to cut pay and bonuses, purportedly to increase profits for the Intergalactic Mining Company, he turns to Terl, Psychlo security chief, to help ensure that there is no outbreak of mutiny at the mining sites on Earth.