A blue-white globe floated there with deep blue oceans and a scattering of white clouds. Newton was a beautiful world, holding a little over eight million people. He hoped it would still be unharmed when he returned from the Gothan Empire. - Leaning back in his command chair, he thought briefly about the conversation he had had with Profiteer Grantz several weeks before. Kurt and Captain Randson had sat down in a secure briefing room with the Profiteer. On the table was a small bar of gold that Kurt had brought along to ensure that Grantz was cooperative. “More gold,” Grantz said with a slight hint of greed in his voice. “What is it you want this time? I have already agreed to act as one of your crew, until such a time as my contract has been fulfilled.” “Your contract is pretty simple,” Kurt said, as he ran his right hand over the bar of gold, which sat on the table directly in front of him. “What I want to discuss are what we humans call bonuses.” “Bonuses?” Grantz asked with a confused look in his large eyes.
