Excerpt
He took notice of four Dazon heading toward the "nightclub," marveling at the way their three legs seemed to spin forward and take steps. He realized that they weren't actually rotating in front of one another, but the agile, almost serpentine way in which they moved made it appear so. Their diamond torsos connected to their legs in what appeared to be a ball and socket joint. He knew, though, from scanning the physiology pack provided by Hakol, that this was not the case. They merely didn't have a human sized waist. They had no need for it. Their watery evolutionary track had simply led their bodies down a path that emphasized forward thrust through the water rather than rotating left or right. And, in fact, what appeared to be a ball and socket was actually a tightly wound muscle mass that controlled the complex operation of their legs.

"As you are probably aware Dr. King, the Dazon claim that they've been mistreated by certain . . . elements within the industry. This is the third world now where I've had to deal with such complaints, and all have proven to be without merit. The problem seems to be that the races simply don't want to stick with a contract once they sign it. It all sounds wonderful to them at first: new technologies, the curing of diseases they've lived with for centuries, abundant food, and an escape from their world for the lucky few who make themselves wealthy. In the end, though, they always end up squabbling over trivial issues."

King kept his feelings silent on the subject. Controller Danesfield was obviously a company man through and through. His vision of the future extended only as far as his next assignment.