Cattlemen II by Cattlemen

A long distance scan from a ship operated by the Company’s assassin faction — the Time Knights — picks up a gold flash signal on the simple farming planet Bovinus 294. Sent out to inspect is newly recruited Company Man Conner, who is thrown into an emotional struggle between his Company responsibilities and a longing for the quotidian beauty of the Farmland. Little does the Company know, Cattleman Luke has already found the payload.

With the fence line overrun with viruses and detritus from years of Company neglect, our three Cattlemen first contemplate harvesting the gold’s intrinsic time travel energy to warp back to the original farming planet, Earth I ca. 2146 before the atmosphere became unsuitable for life. But Luke, Sam and Evandroid are forced to leave their beloved Bovinus in a hurry as the Knights (who need gold to fuel their time oscillating gilden liqui-suits) are hot on their tails in pursuit. In the dire moment just before the pre-boarding hull breach, an unexpected ally helps the gang evade the Knights’ clutches.

After a fracas at the Old Dome Cybo-Tavern, Sam, Luke and their android flee with turncoat Conner in tow while disguised as horse-gasoline runners in a techno-flesh trading vessel through local asteroid systems. Hopping from comet caves to the barren gas fields on Planet 3, the four cattlemen continue down the galactic highway, seeking new outposts to stake their underground base of cattleoperations...

Cattlemen is a long distance project between four people telling the tales of two space ranchers and their companions as they travel across the stars.