A thousand years in the future humanity thrives as the self-proclaimed dominant species of the Orion Arm. Several other intelligent races reside in our corner of the galaxy, but aren't half as motivated to expand and exploit.
Neither is Chuck Marley, who'd rather be watching Lunar Golf at the Quasar Bar. But everyone has to earn a crust, even if you're not qualified to do anything. Luckily for Marley, his old engineering professor has loaned him a small cargo ship. What he'll do with it is anyone's guess. Along for the ride is historian Gaston Dimble, hungry to meet new life and sample new foodstuffs.
But a Zorgon has hijacked their craft - the Anaconda - and diverted it Zorge, a backwater humanity only finds interesting because of red dust: a mind-altering substance that also makes good skin cream. If Marley can deal with this Zorgon, maybe he can ship the dust back to Crete 581d and pay off his debts. Then do some real exploring.