"The Frontier. A muddle of planets and a half dozen races banding together to eek out a living in the middle of the cosmic soup. Life on the planets is good, from what I've seen. Robots, computers, it's all pretty impressive. But history has always proven it's the haulers what push civilization ahead. Those first roads across the empire, those first boats crossing a big ocean, that first trade route between the moons, tech is only as good as the way to get it there. That's us. That's where we live. The real pioneers."
- Minius Dab, FY 4, from his first published work "Confessions of a Smuggler"
The year is FY 111. Exploration and trade are brisk throughout the Frontier. Spacers ply the lanes between planets, delivering goods both necessary and illicit. An auction for an aging freighter, the FS Antopia, brings seven strangers together. Pooling their money at the last minute, they manage to win the vessel before a new freighter's union can add it to their growing fleet. Now the Frontier is an open sea to them, the small freighter their ticket to freedom, adventure, wealth.... and all the headaches that come with it.
Our cast of heroes are:
Quaroek - Yazirian engineer and reluctant philosopher
Hera - an ex-military Human as tough in business as she is in the pilot's chair
Zathros - a mysterious alien from the fringers of the Frontier, his intentions never clear
S'Hill Shry - an awkward Osakar eager to make friends and earn her way
Jack Ryder - a young lad looking for adventure and secrets to his destiny
Jek Burton - a lovable oaf who's loutish behavior belies his unwavering dedication to his mates
Katelynn - a quiet and capable young woman with aspirations she keeps to herself