When the Galactic Empire began dying, the great psychohist orian Hari Seldon set up the Foundation to preserve human culture & shorten 30,000 yrs. of chaotic barbarism to a mere millennium. Located on a bleak world at the ede of the galaxy, it seemed helpless before the greed of neighboring warlords. But somehow, by science & wit, it had survived & even gained control of a small federation of planets. Yet it was still small. And against it stood the great est power of all--the huge power of the Empire, mighty even in decay. When an ambitious general turned an Imperial fleet toward the Foundation, the only hope lay in the prophecies of Hari Seldon. But even Hari Seldon could not predict the birth & mutant talent of the Mule--one small man w/power greater than a dozen battlefleets. Between big & little, the Foundation seemed doomed.