Homeland

The wavering lights of Olympic Avenue rippled across the surging azure seawater. The aroma of cinnamon and roasted meat wafted through the air, while the beer in the taverns and the swaying skirts of the girls drew thunderous cheers from Imperial sailors who had just earned a brief shore leave.

There were many street vendors selling local specialties, but in truth, they were merely a hodgepodge of culinary traditions brought from the colonists' many homelands, with ingredients largely sourced locally.

As for a true Chiron III specialty, it was probably a thick soup made from Zukar Giant Eel. The eel was cut into chunks and stewed, then seasoned with chopped parsley, spices, and Skoller milk before flour was added to thicken it. It was an exceptionally delicious dish.

"You should try some too, Jimmy." At that moment, Augustus was sampling this local delicacy on Olympic Avenue.

Among the local colonists, the shrewd people from the Imperial world of Hermes quickly sniffed out a business opportunity among the sailors. They realized that the sailors' bulging pockets were stuffed with credits they had had nowhere to spend during their long lives aboard Fleets. Before long, residents from other worlds followed their example.

For a time, the colonists were no longer afraid of war coming, because these Imperial soldiers gave them confidence.

"...Another cup." The eel chowder came in biodegradable paper cups. With Raynor's appetite, he had drained it in a few gulps before he could even make out the flavor. Still, the soup's greatest advantage was its price: one Imperial credit bought eight cups.

In the Outer Colonies far from the core worlds, credits remained the most important currency in circulation, without exception in any Imperial colony.

In the Chiron III colony, credits were practically worth their weight in gold, because the