
An ancient warlike race known as the Qornt has resurfaced, landing on a planet claimed by humanity without any trace on the usual sensors. The Qornt issue a chilling ultimatum, demanding the use of the world within days and threatening steel and fire. Their sudden appearance and invisible fleet throw the interstellar diplomatic community into chaos.
The human response is coordinated from a sleek platinum conference room, where Ambassador Nitworth and his advisers argue over policy, resettlement, and the baffling technology that hides the alien armada. Military officers propose a crash project for an undetectable drive, while politicians debate withdrawal, negotiation, or a hard‑line stance. The tension builds as they scramble to devise a plan before the deadline looms.
To buy time, the ambassador dispatches the seasoned diplomat Retief and the uneasy Second Secretary Magnan to the contested world for a first‑hand assessment. Their mission promises a clash of wits, cultural misunderstandings, and the thin line between bravado and catastrophe. Listeners will be drawn into the high‑stakes diplomatic chess game as humanity confronts an enigmatic foe.
Language
en
Duration
~39 minutes (37K 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
2020-02-17
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1925–1993
Best known for the witty Retief stories and the long-running Bolo tales, this American science fiction writer mixed sharp humor with big-idea adventure. His work helped shape military and diplomatic science fiction, and it still feels lively and inventive today.
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