Derwain sails off to Aist. The dismal science of economics is unknown on Planet Paeon. No one understands why Aist is poor and wastes energy in futile politics. Derwain gets sucked in, at the same time discovering that Earth souls aren't all evil. A more diverse group would be hard to imagine.The goal of his journey? A hundred thousand cash. Or a short year as King of Aist. Or both. Derwain is a big man, and his ambitions are grand.