The Great Hydration

Karl Krabbe and Boris Bouche partners explorers interstellar chancers dont care much for the law. They dont care much for anything -- except profit. Their staff bondman nuclear engineer Roncie Northrop doesnt care much about anything either except that hes already tried to abscond from the control of the rapacious and illegally operating pair once. When their exploration ship comes upon the small planet Tenacity they see a good business opportunity. Tenacity is waterless a desert planet. But it had water once and they realize that with some adroit but spectacular geological engineering it can be given its oceans back. That suits the dominant lobster-like Tlixix fine. They are tired of living like aliens in their domed refuges. Of course the numerous intelligent species which have evolved since the great dehydration will perish but so what? As for Roncie whose part in the project is crucial he doesnt like it much but what can he do? Hes only a bondman. Krabbe & Bouche strike a deal and business is business....