Lanyon wore out his welcome on both Hobson's Planet and Catonia, the first two planets discovered by Earth, after some harrowing adventures there. He now travels the second planetary system discovered by Earth, hiring himself out to people in need of him. His pocketmailer message to the planets: LANYON, FOR HIRE: WITH RATOR. On Malcosia his rator comes in handy when he confronts Gornish, the Tellurian space pirate and kidnapper. On the planet Guardon he is hired by both sides in a struggle for the soul of a planet. Finally, Lanyon signs on with fellow soldier of fortune, the Malcosian Predamor to resolve a planetary communications disruption emanating from Terbania, the wildest, most desolate planet in the system.