The planet Largess was first mentioned as a throwaway reference in Bloodhype. In other Flinx novels, we learn that the natives resemble seals. Now, we finally visit the planet, which has a pre-steam culture. It seems that the Commonwealth has an outpost on the planet, but is strictly limiting the use of technology in the presence of the natives, while gently guiding them in the direction of a planet-wide government as a prerequisite to more open trade. And there's somebody there who is exposing the natives to technology they're not ready for, smuggling Largessian products off-planet, and actively seeing to block social progress. And he's also involved in a high profile kidnapping.
Who you gonna call? Flinx, of course. Flinx's old friend, Sylzenzuzex, now a high official in the United Church, pays him a visit on his newly adopted homeworld of Cachalot, and asks for his help, and so begins a story in which Flinx finds himself on a planet where ordinary conversation is downright operatic in nature, and where his empathic talent only works on the natives if they're not talking. And meanwhile, a Qwarm assassin appears to be hot on his trail.
Who you gonna call? Flinx, of course. Flinx's old friend, Sylzenzuzex, now a high official in the United Church, pays him a visit on his newly adopted homeworld of Cachalot, and asks for his help, and so begins a story in which Flinx finds himself on a planet where ordinary conversation is downright operatic in nature, and where his empathic talent only works on the natives if they're not talking. And meanwhile, a Qwarm assassin appears to be hot on his trail.
It turns out that even though Flinx had been a Qwarm target in the past, this time Flinx and the assassin are both after the same target, who turns out to be a former Qwarm himself. And the crippled and xenophobic local leader who'd ordered the kidnapping turns out to be psychosomatic: Flinx manages to use his talent to cure him of both his disabilities and his rabid xenophobia.