You just inherited a one-man star freighter - the SunDog - from an uncle who died under mysterious circumstances. You also inherited the contract he signed to aid in the building of a colony for a religious group. You have three tasks to perform: find the location of the colony; find, buy, and deliver goods needed for its construction; and locate the cryogenically-frozen colonists needed to populate the colony.

In order to accomplish your task, you have to explore different planets and it's cities and travel between several solar systems. You trade goods in the hope of making a profit while space pirates and muggers are a constant threat to your efforts to free yourself from a life in slavery in some godforsaken mines somewhere in space.

Zed, a young miner born into a harsh and oppressive society, unexpectedly inherits a spaceship, the SunDog, along with a significant debt and a high-stakes contract from his late uncle—a man he had never met. His inheritance comes with obligations, including fulfilling a risky transportation deal for the Society of the New Faith, which requires delivering materials and cryogenically frozen settlers to their new colony somewhere on the planet Jondd. Failure would mean returning to a life of endless labor in the glass mines, with his wages permanently seized to repay his uncle’s debts which passed on to Zed by accepting the inheritance.

Zed travels aboard a luxurious ramcruiser to the planet Jondd, where his future will be decided. Accompanying him is Magram, an arrogant and disdainful lawyer from the Rithan system, a species that exploits Zed’s people. Magram constantly belittles Zed, mocking his chances of success and making it clear that the legal firm he represents fully expects him to fail. The firm intends to reclaim the SunDog, either by selling it or profiting from its destruction through insurance claims. Magram reveals that Zed’s uncle was a shrewd and possibly infamous trader, skilled at navigating the dangerous world of interstellar commerce, but that his sudden death remains a mystery.

Upon landing, Zed finally lays eyes on the SunDog. Unlike the sleek, futuristic vessel he had imagined, it is a battle-worn but sturdy ship, its scars bearing witness to past pirate battles and daring escapes. Despite its rough appearance, the ship represents a chance for freedom, and Zed feels a deep connection to the legacy left behind by his uncle.

Magram attempts one last time to dissuade Zed, offering him a way out by giving up the ship and returning to his old life. But for the first time, Zed openly defies him, declaring his full acceptance of the inheritance and the challenges that come with it. Magram, amused but indifferent, leaves him with a final remark: from this moment forward, Zed’s fate is in his own hands.