About the Book
In the time of the Terran Renaissance it is difficult to realize that a mere half century ago the Sphere of the Terran Concordiat was pressed from all sides by non-humans, chief among them the implacable Groaci. May those dark days never cloud the skies of Terra again!
To this end let us praise the famous men who held back the eternal darkness for their generations: Ambassador Grossblunder, who only lost half a sector during his entire carrer: Ambassador Wroxwrath, who would spend the Fleet up to the last ship rather the yield to a point of etiquette; the redoubtable Flushbottom, who would yield only to threats of force.
Come, let us praise them all! All except for one: the rascal, the ignorer of niceties in the face of provocation, that... individualist, Jame Retief. Him we will never praise, even though some say he did save us all.
