Robert Heinlein Award winner Michael Flynn presents a breathtaking space opera written in the best traditions of the genre! Amos January, captain of the cargo starship New Angeles, due to an unfortunate breakdown, is forced to land his ship on a desert planet somewhere on outskirts of the galaxy. Ore is needed for repairs, and the crew members actively begin to mine it, but they find something completely different. A mysterious artifact that looks like a sandstone block raises many questions and disputes. Is this just an unusual alien object or a powerful weapon that can destroy humanity? Nicknamed the Dancer for its ability to miraculously change shape, this mysterious artifact becomes a real stumbling block. Too many are trying to take possession of it at any cost...