How do you fight a pandemic? With information. - "What I opine about 'First Contact' is immaterial." [Leans head to one side] "My data on the communications most widely accepted as 'First Contact' is varied. There are few certainties; it occurred, Integration Day is intergalactically acknowledged as the fourth of July. Do you not posses such general knowledge?" [Walks away] Officer O'Connor, Earth-Golgo'tha Unit 3 signed off. - - This is a story that takes place in a universe where Earth is a part of the Golgo'tha Alliance, a federation of hundreds of planets united by one objective: bringing an end to the viral threat of the sporadic galaxy-wide pandemic known as the urcnu. All G.A. Officers on Earth swear to that primary mission but it is those in the Earth-Golgo'tha Unit who specifically train to uphold it. It is due to that specialization that spacies are apart; it is being separate that allows them to remain impartial enough to be a decisive force. Spacie is a profession in which sentimentality is not encouraged. - Please note that while the seven books of this series come together as a unit they may be read as standalones. Also note that in this volume Rand appears —as a part of this series he has his own side story titled Temptation.