'Starman's Quest ' Summary

Rumor has it that already in 2570, i.e. 1,300 years prior to the story time, the Cavour hyperdrive was invented by seclusive scientist James Hudson Cavour, who however vanished after his announcement that he finally achieved success.

As a result, spacefarers have become somewhat separated from Earth and their colonies, typically only stopping for loading, unloading and maintenance overhaul where they live in almost ghetto-like spacemen enclaves, and otherwise living in the segregated community of their ships.

For Alan, this setting feels increasingly constricted. Like his brother 8 years ago (experienced as just 6 weeks on the starship) on the last Earth stop, he leaves the starmen's enclave to explore earth. Being more lucky than his brother back then, he makes contact with a helpful wealthy gambler, Max Hawkes, who helps Alan find his brother and return him back to the ship.

This time, Alan stays on earth -- and subsequently goes on a search for the Cavour hyperdrive.

Finally succeeding in retrieving crucial information and, also thanks to the wealth inherited from Max, building the Cavour hyperdrive, his maiden voyage takes him to his father's spaceship, reuniting with his brother almost 8 years later, now being twins of the same age again due to the effects of the Fitzgerald contraction.