The Best Made Plans

"The Best Made Plans" by Everett B. Cole is a science fiction novel written in the late 1950s. The story revolves around the character Don Michaels, who is navigating life at a school on the alien planet of Khloris. As tensions build due to political turmoil involving terrorism and the legacy of a criminal uncle, Don finds himself entangled in complicated relationships and power plays that could have far-reaching consequences for the realm he lives in. At the start of the novel, Don attends an auditorium call that highlights a recent terrorist incident involving a man named Harle Waern and the turmoil that has engulfed the nation of Oredan. As he reflects on the violence and injustice around him, Don returns to the locker room where he witnesses a bullying incident targeting Pete Waern, Harle's nephew. Taking a stand, Don intervenes, which leads to accusations against him of misreporting the incident under mental influence from Pete. This sets off a chain of events that explores themes of power, legitimacy, and the struggle against authority, as Don tries to assert his autonomy and dig deeper into the political intrigue surrounding him.