Altaïr King was completely bewildered when he woke up to find himself transformed into a golden ear of corn in the Terran palace. It was common knowledge that being a member of the Imperial Guard was a high-risk profession. Especially in this dark and cruel future, the laughter of the evil gods was so piercing, and the claws of the aliens so menacing. Fate was capricious, cruel, and bloody, and he was now clad in radiant gold. He pondered whether he would end up being devoured by warp entities or roasted into popcorn by psionic energy, and then stepped out of his dark underground cell. The Imperial Guard was endangered, but not so easy to kill. Before facing his final fate, he still had a chance to begin his adventure. The burning galaxy was still far away, and the most serious problem this novice Imperial Guard now faced was—he was lost in the palace.