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It has been a year since the events in Lucky Starr and the Oceans of Venus, and in that time a government-funded research project, Project Light, has been set up at the astronomical observatory on Mercury's north pole. The object of Project Light is to conduct research into the newly-discovered science of sub-etheric optics with a view to routing solar energy through hyperspace. The head of Project Light is the leading scientist in sub-etheric optics, Scott Mindes. A series of accidents has plagued Project Light, though, and David "Lucky" Starr and John Bigman Jones have come to investigate. Shortly after meeting Starr and Bigman, Mindes takes them out onto the surface of Mercury and explains that he has seen something on the sunside. He works himself into a frenzy and fires a blaster at Starr, missing. Bigman tackles him, and he is brought unconscious into the observatory dome.
Starr and Bigman meet the main players at the observatory: Mindes' friend Dr. Karl Gardoma, the observatory's physician; Jonathan Urteil, who works for a political opponent of the Council of Science named Senator Swenson; Dr. Lance Peverale, the head of the observatory; and Dr. Hanley Cook, Pevarale's chief assistant, who wants to succeed Peverale. Urteil wants to shut down Project Light, which he insists is a waste of money. He insults Bigman's height, always a bad move, and warns Starr to check his insulation suit for leaks. When Starr and Bigman reach their room, they find that Starr's inso-suit has indeed been tampered with.
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