The Players

Everett Cole was an American writer of science fiction short stories and a professional soldier. He fought at Omaha Beach during World War II and worked as a signal maintenance and property officer at Fort Douglas, Utah, retiring in 1960.

This story, which many consider his best, is an intriguing sci-fi tale. Could an entire civilization be merely pawns in an elaborate game? Undercover galactic agents suspect someone is tampering with the culture on a medieval planet and decide to find out who and stop them. They set out to trap the players, but first, they have to find them and avoid becoming losing pieces in the game!