A Matter of Order

"A Matter of Order" by Fox B. Holden is a mid-20th century science fiction story that follows a colony of artists on Ste. Catherine grappling with the meaning of art as they confront a war-torn Earth. Angelo, the Dean of Masters, and his fellow artists, including Tharn and Maler, are visited by Earthmen fleeing a devastating conflict who hope the colony’s artistic skills can create the propaganda necessary to end the war. The story follows the ethical quandaries of getting involved, contemplating order, balance, and humanity's relationship with technology, all set against a backdrop of philosophical debates made more poignant by their visitors' desperate circumstances.