On completion of her training as an agent of the interstellar federation\'s Anthropological Service, Elana is sent to a world whose people may soon destroy their civilization.
This passive role proves intolerable to the young, inexper.
Since not enough is understood about the situation to justify any interference with their evolution, the Service has no power to act; its agents must go as helpless observers, posing as natives, in the hope of gaining knowledge that may help to save other worlds.
On completion of her training as an agent of the interstellar federation\'s Anthropological Service, Elana is sent to a world whose people may soon destroy their civilization