Light Years from Paradise: Einstein's Double-take Book

Isolated for their entire three-century history, residents of the planet Al'aama have been shaken by the arrival of visitors from space. Yet some of the natives have been anticipating this event, citing a centuries-old prophecy. Captain Erik Houston and his crew are a First Contact group checking up on colonies at the frontier of civilization. Never certain what to expect, each star traveler is part development specialist, part diplomat, part soldier. Planetary leader Zama Elle and her administration are wary of the strangers. Intrigue on both sides creates further distrust. But a series of unsolved murders causes the locals to turn to the star people for help. Meanwhile, growing political unrest threatens the mercurial Zama's safety. An element of romance adds to the story. Woven into the tale is a paradox based on the time-dilating effect of the star men traveling at close to the speed of light. This allows one crew member to affect the planet and its history in some unexpected ways.