Spencer Chambers wants to make the solar system his own personal Empire. A trillionaire and industrialist he owns the ships that can carry humanity to freedom and plenty in the untapped riches of the solar system. In return he wants to charge exorbitant prices making it so that he will end up owning every planet and asteroid. Gregory Manning has a different idea. He sees a solar system open to everyone. Only one man's vision for the future of humanity can come true: slavery or freedom. Gregory Manning has an ace up his sleeve--a scientific ace. Empire is a story of political Iintrigue by Clifford Donald Simak an American science fiction writer honored by fans with three Hugo awards and by colleagues with one Nebula award. He was named the third Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 1977.