These short stories fill in the first part of the background of Reinhard von Lohengramm and Siegfried Kircheis before the start of the main Legend of the Galactic Heroes series. In these stories, they journey to a planet of ice and are betrayed by their commanding officer, they investigate a possible murder at their alma mater, Kircheis takes a vacation and gets involved in a plot against an admiral, and finally the major 12-part story of Reinhard at Iserlohn, a battle fortress that protects the Galactic Empire from the Free Planets.