Castomar was the pilot of the Giant-class cargo ship, the Homage. This vessel carried mineral supplies from the Confederate fringe world of Pridewater to Tarsonis. The foremen of Pridewater were allies of the Umojan Protectorate and the Sons of Korhal, and agreed to replace the regular crew with an equal number of Sons of Korhal soldiers as part of an anti-Confederate operaton. Castomar, ignorant of the ship's current mission, was seduced by a rebel pilot, Sela Brock, and rendered drunk at the Starlite-Starbrite bar on Tarsonis. Brock took the opportunity to steal his ship.