Previously published as The Progress of Mankind by Raymund Eich.

One man can make-or break-Earth's iron grip on its galactic colonies: Stone Chalmers. Spy. Assassin. Earth's top operative.

On the newly-rediscovered colony world of Freeland, an Earth operative is murdered. Stone's mission: journey through an artificial wormhole to the planet. Find the perpetrators. And terminate them.

Going undercover, with a cover persona overlaid on his mind and genetic markers tweaked inside his cells, Stone expects an easy mission.

But on encountering shadowy, powerful men and dangerous women, Stone discovers more than a plot that killed a fellow operative. A conspiracy plans a powerful blow against Earth's control of the planet.

A blow that will kill tens of thousands of colonists.

A blow supported by treacherous forces inside the government of Earth.

Join Stone on a distant planet in a headlong race against the clock in this, the first adventure in his complete four-novel series.

"[A] thriller-style science fiction tale that's a quick and fun read.... A good start to a promising series." - Sfreader.com