Humanity colonized the star one hundred years ago. Their's is not the only intelligent species on New Gaul. The planet's three intelligent species have an uneasy peace given to them by the "Skins" that allow them to communicate. These skins do more than allow these three disparate species to understand each other's languages; they also force empathy and compassion and deter violence. Rastignac believes that the skins have stopped man's growth and forced an unnatural stagnation on a species that was built for violence. And violence is the only solution.