The Five Gold Bands — Jack Vance

Earth lacked the secret of the interstellar space drive. So when it turned out that the galaxy was chock full of wealthy planets and haughty aliens who had the star drive, it made our native world a backward place indeed.

Paddy Blackthorn was an adventurous sort who wasn't going to stand for this. So he set off to steal the secret of interstellar flight from the powerful Shauls who nabbed him and dumped him off on a barren planet as punishment.

Yet it was there that Paddy acquired five golden bands that contained in code the very data the Shauls had sought to conceal.

Paddy had to keep on the run with the bands until they could be deciphered ... and thereby touched off the greatest manhunt in galactic history!

It's Jack Vance, Hugo-winning author, at his colorful and inventive best.