LARP by Andrea Landaker

This story takes place in the far future, where commerce and intrigue between alien and human worlds have become commonplace. This is partly as a result of the humans' contact with aliens called the Tonnin, who are the only civilization to have mastered faster-than-light travel.

New routes of trade have also brought new conflicts, however. The Khetani, an insectoid race who value efficiency and cohesiveness, have attacked the amphibious Aquecians. The Aquecians only have one planet, the watery world of Aquecia, but it is located in a strategic spot for trade between the Khetani and humans. When they wouldn't make room at their spaceport for the number of ships the Khetani requested, the Khetani decided to make room by clearing away some old Aquecian ships and taking control of the spaceport. The Aquecians were shocked at this barbaric behavior, as they pride themselves on their ability to get along and foster peace. The Khetani, on the other hand, can't understand why the Aquecians cared so much about the loss of a few old ships when the spaceport can now be used much more efficiently.

The humans currently enjoy peaceful relations with all the aliens they know of, and are determined not to take sides or get involved in other races' conflicts. Humans are mainly interested in the peaceful trade of ideas, goods, and science, and have their own problems on Earth to worry about.

This story takes place aboard the Tonnin-piloted shuttle “Redshift”, headed from Earth to the Aquecian spaceport now under Khetani control. After several hours in hyperspace, the destination is in sight.

How will the four different races aboard the Redshift resolve their differences?