• Do not use terrain-following on the surface.
• Land only at the starport.
• Only reactionless thrusters and contra-grav permitted.
• Berthing fees are unusually high.

There is, however, evidence that deep valleys on the surface of Pimane contain both atmosphere and life, although the surface plains are star-baked vacuum.  While there have been proposals to set up several small scientific research laboratories to investigate this, so far funding and offworld interest have been insufficient.  The most accepted hypothesis holds that the world originally held an atmosphere and supported life, but a cataclysmic collision with a rogue world stripped off Pimane's atmosphere several million years ago.

Reports of these airpockets are only as valid as the unproven reports of local explorers, who seem more interested in local notoriety than scientific accuracy.  Anyway, exploration is very hazardous; local technology is hazardous enough, and the single city of Hope's End is far from the deep canyons that break up the surface of the planet.  Add to that almost-invisible pools of fine dust, some deep enough to swallow a starship, and incentive to stay home is very high.

Not that staying home is very attractive.  Hope's End is a dismal community, with few facilities for the traveller.  The so-called Starport is nothing more than a concrete pad raised ten meters above the surrounding plain, kept mostly free of dust.  Reactionless drives are compulsory to avoid stirring up any dust around the area.

It is recommended that you bring all supplies with you.  Off-planet goods are prohibitively expensive, and local food is all too obviously derived exclusively from the algae which replenishes the atmosphere, along with a local fungus to provide texture.

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