The planet Exanville is inhabited by two races: dainty aesthetes Eliants and brutal barbarians Grumdrucks. Only Eliants agreed to contact with humans, but it is not easy to deal with their ancient, arrogant and very individualistic culture which doesn't even have the words "good" and "evil", but only "elegant" (elle) and "not elegant" (gfurku). Frank Handergan tries to understand them, while his bosses have more pragmatic interests. But none of the Earthlings can guess the dark secret which may lead to the ultimate disaster...