▁on ▁a ▁ste alth ▁ra id ▁on ▁a ▁Kan dem i rian ▁out post . ▁ ▁The ▁ra id ▁is ▁a ▁dis aster , ▁and ▁they ▁are ▁captured ▁by ▁Kan dem iri ans . ▁ ▁Inter rog ated ▁by ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁Kan dem i rian ▁forces , ▁T ark am at , ▁D onn an ▁is ▁told ▁that ▁if ▁he ▁ref uses ▁to ▁re - create ▁the ▁technology ▁for ▁Kan dem ir , ▁his ▁crew ▁will ▁die ▁hor rib ly , ▁one ▁by ▁one . ▁ ▁He ▁has ▁no ▁choice ▁but ▁to ▁comp ly . ▁ ▁The ▁crew ▁of ▁the ▁Europa ▁travel ▁far ▁beyond ▁the ▁boundaries ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁cluster ▁to ▁one ▁with ▁a ▁v ibr ant ▁capital ist ▁economy . ▁ ▁At ▁Sig rid ▁Hol men ' s ▁suggestion , ▁they ▁set ▁themselves ▁up ▁as ▁" T er ran ▁Trad ers ▁Inc ." ▁and ▁proceed ▁to ▁am ass ▁wealth , ▁hoping ▁to ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁buy ▁or ▁char ter ▁ships ▁to ▁search ▁for ▁surv iv ors ▁of ▁Earth . ▁ ▁Sig rid ▁is ▁kid n apped ▁by ▁represent atives ▁of ▁a ▁rival ▁tr ader ▁culture , ▁the ▁F ors i , ▁who ▁res emble ▁heavy set ▁g nom es . ▁ ▁The ▁F ors i ▁want ▁to ▁take ▁her ▁away ▁to ▁study , ▁determined ▁to ▁discover ▁why ▁" T er ran ▁Trad ers ▁Inc ." ▁is ▁able ▁to ▁be ▁so ▁successful . ▁ ▁She ▁is ▁in ▁the ▁process ▁of ▁attempting ▁escape ▁from ▁them ▁when ▁Alex andra ▁V uk ov ic