The Scavengers

"Sometimes a civilization has got to be rescued -- whether it wants to or not!" White borrowed this premise, with permission, from Arthur C. Clarke's classic novelette, 'Rescue Party' (Astounding, May 1946). Captian Spence reflects upon the "knight in shining armour" emotional state of Harrison, a rookie crew member: "The captain had felt that way when he was a new boy. Somehow, the feeling never quite wore off. It came of belonging to an organization dedicated to the job of protecting, assisting, and keeping the noses clean generally of every race in the galaxy that walked, wriggled, or flew and had intelligence." The Force -- take that, George Lucas! -- is a precursor of the altruistic Monitor Corps that runs Sector General.