
A routine diplomatic briefing turns urgent when a high‑ranking alien council learns that the hostile Soetti are preparing to seize a cluster of modest farming worlds. The corps chooses an unflappable envoy—known for his quick wit and a habit of keeping a cigar handy—to transport a sealed dossier that contains the enemy’s war plan, a daring defensive strategy, and a top‑secret weapon design that could tip the balance of power. With just weeks before the invasion, he must blend in as a harmless traveler while memorizing every detail that could save the vulnerable colonies.
The mission sends him on a cramped, high‑speed hop to the icy frontier, where he’ll have to rely on his improvisational skills and a handful of local mechanics to turn ordinary equipment into a formidable shield. Along the way, he confronts bureaucratic skepticism, tight security patrols, and the ever‑present danger of being caught in the Soetti’s patrols. The opening sets the stage for a tense race against time, where cleverness and courage are the only weapons the envoy truly carries.
Language
en
Duration
~55 minutes (53K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2020-01-04
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1925–1993
Best known for the sharp-witted Retief stories and the influential Bolo tales, this American science fiction writer brought real military and diplomatic experience into fast, imaginative adventures. His work mixed satire, action, and big speculative ideas in a way that helped make him a standout voice in mid-20th-century SF.
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by Keith Laumer

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