Two Teams And Two Supernovas

As with Nicholas van Rijn's trade pioneer crew, a Coordination Service field team mixes species in order to avoid human beings getting on each other's nerves and to incorporate different perspectives.

The trade pioneer crew goes to Merseia to safeguard its population from the effects of a nearby supernova whereas Trevelyan and Smokesmith arrive on Good Luck after its population has already been destroyed by radiation from a nearby supernova.

The purpose of the trade pioneer crew is to make profits for the Solar Spice & Liquors Company whereas the purpose of the Coordination Service is to prevent exploitation. However, the trade pioneer crew leader, David Falkayn, sees so much exploitation that he decides to take measures against it. Trevelyan judges that the intact buildings on Good Luck should be preserved for study, not utilized as a ready made colony.