The Battle for the Sword of Bale

Drs. Stan and Elsa Mercer learn that the peaceful coexistence of the human and the primitive populations of the Quad Consortium is threatened when Tokal announces his intention to retire as president of the Grand Council. Despite Stan's innate impulse to avoid becoming involved in any sort of political conflict, they felt obliged to return to Bale, the coldest planet in the Consortium, when their friend Tokal asked for their help in keeping the Sword of Bale from getting into the hands of t...