Many writers of science fiction, who have not given the matter much thought, assume that a man of intelligence from one planet would meet a cordial and sympathetic welcome on another world.
Eighteen men and two women in the closed world of a space ship for five months can only spell tension and trouble-but in this case, the atmosphere was literally poisoned.
The Solar Queen and her crew have the trading rights to the wealthy planet Sargol, but to take advantage of them and see any return on their investment they must fight the Reptilian Gorp, negotiate with the cat-like Salariki, and find a cure for the sleeping sickness that has caused the Solar Queen to be called a plague ship and which has other ships looking to destroy them on sight.
We know that as soon as interplanetary travel is possible, expeditions from the Earth will be ranging the length and breadth of the solar system searching out the thousands of wonders that are to be discovered.