After the collapse of galactic civilization, the computer named Center still functioned and launched electronic copies of itself and its human agent, Raj, to the thousands of worlds still waiting for the light of civilization to dawn. On Hafardine, civilization had fallen further than most. That men came from the stars was not even a rumour of memory in Adrian Gellert's day. A philosopher and Student of the Grove, Adrian's greatest desire was a life of contemplation in the service of wisdom. Until the day he touched the holy relic that contained the discarnate minds of Center and Raj Whitehall ...From that day on his life became one of action, from the law-courts of the Empire of Vanbret to the pirate cities of the Archipelago, on battlefields bloodier than any he'd learned of in history - where the prize at stake was the future of humanity.