On Stassia, Imperial investigator Zeck Tambell is assigned to investigate a young guy named Reye Sedaya who is a little too lucky at betting on "ringers" tournaments. He and partner Valon Rizz run into trouble in the form of crime Madame Aalia Duu-lang, who seems to be working with Sedaya. Zeck learns Aalia offered Sedaya a job, but could not figure out what Sedaya was doing either. It literally seems to be just great luck. Zeck realizes it could be more than luck - Sedaya could be Force-sensitive. Either way, Aalia is using him to get into the business of fraud. After a race proves her criminal acts, they finally arrest Aalia after four years of hunting, but Sedaya's gotten away.