"Maybe. There's plenty of them left. If they could find a way to mate off Homeworld . . . "
"They've always had that, Mouse. Your move." Mouse accepted the pawn trade. "Your uncle Michael was conceived on Prefactlas. And he was no mule. They just need to overcome their prejudices."
Mouse dropped his drink. "Breeding slaves. Why didn't I think of that? I wonder if Beckhart knows?"
"He knows everything. That's his job. Drop him a reminder anyway, if it'll make you feel better."
Mouse snickered wickedly. "For a minute I thought I was unemployed."
"For a while I'd hoped you'd quit. What now?"
"Polly is going to be here next week. Some kind of tour. She's got our kid with her. Maybe we'll skip over to the Fortress and see my brothers."
"You said . . . "
"He didn't destroy it. He just killed everybody. Ben and Homer live there now. Couple of crazy old hermits. They keep the family business rolling. When's Jupp going to get here?"
"Tonight, I hope. What do you think? Should I accept that offer from Ubichi?"
"Resign? Beckhart wouldn't let you. There's a war on, you know."
"Suppose he did?"
"Then walk carefully. Luna Command is watching them. The merc forces are gone. Now they're looking for excuses to break up the company police forces."
"At least the companies are run by honest crooks, not sanctimonious bandits like Admiral Beckhart."
Mouse looked angry. He growled, "We'd better let the game slide. Call me if Jupp turns up." He stalked out of the room.
McClennon turned to stare at the night sky. Mouse conspired in the destruction of an entire Sangaree star system? That was a lot of revenge.
Norbon w'Deeth, are you out there somewhere? Are you polishing your guns, getting ready to come to town? Will the cycle continue round, and never mind the greater, more desperate struggle down toward the galactic core?
"Hate is the worst poison," McClennon muttered. "Mouse, your father was right when he told you to go back to Academy. You should have listened."
About the Author
Glen Cook is the author of dozens of novels of fantasy and science fiction, including The Black Company, The Garret Files, Instrumentalities of the Night, and the Dread Empire series. Cook was born in 1944 in New York City. He attended the Clarion Writers' Workshop in 1970, where he met his wife, Carol. "Unlike most writers, I have not had strange jobs like chicken plucking and swamping out health bars. Only full-time employer I've ever had is General Motors." He currently makes his home in St. Louis, Missouri.
THE END
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Shadowline-The Starfishers Trilogy I
Table of Contents
BOOK ONE: ROPE
One: 3052 AD
Two: 3031 AD
Three: 3052 AD
Four: 2844 AD
Five: 3052 AD
Six: 3007 AD
Seven: 3020 AD
Eight: 3031 AD
Nine: 3031 AD
Ten: 3020 AD
Eleven: 3031 AD
Twelve: 2844 AD
Thirteen: 3052 AD
Fourteen: 3031 AD
Sixteen: 3031 AD
Seventeen: 2844 AD
Eighteen: 3031 AD
Nineteen: 3020 AD
Twenty: 3052 AD
Twenty-One: 3031 AD
Twenty-Two: 2844-2845 AD
Twenty-Three: 3031 AD
Twenty-Four: 2354-3031 AD
Twenty-Five: 3031 AD
Twenty-Six: 2845 AD
Twenty-Seven: 3031 AD
Twenty-Eight: 3052 AD
Twenty-Nine: 2973 AD
Thirty: 2878-3031 AD
Thirty-One: 3031 AD
Thirty-Two: 3052 AD
Thirty-Three: 3031 AD
Thirty-Four: 2853-2880 AD
BOOK TWO: HANGMEN
Thirty-Five: 3052 AD
Thirty-Six: 3031 AD
Thirty-Seven: 3028 AD
Thirty-Eight: 3031 AD
Thirty-Nine: 3028-3031 AD
Forty: 3052 AD
Forty-One: 3031 AD
Forty-Two: 3031 AD
Forty-Three: 3031 AD
Forty-Four: 3031 AD
Forty-Five: 2860-3023 AD
Forty-Six: 3032 AD
Forty-Seven: 3032 AD
Forty-Eight: 3032 AD
Forty-Nine: 3032 AD
Fifty: 3032 AD
Fifty-One: 3023-3032 AD
BOOK THREE: GALLOWS
Fifty-Three: 3052 AD
Fifty-Four: 3032 AD
Fifty-Five: 3032 AD
Fifty-Six: 3032 AD
Fifty-Seven: 3032 AD
Fifty-Eight: 3032 AD
Fifty-Nine: 3032 AD
Sixty: 3052 AD
EPILOGUE: HANGED MAN
Epliogue: 3052 AD
About the Author
Table of Contents
BOOK ONE: ROPE
Two: 3031 AD
Three: 3052 AD
Four: 2844 AD
Five: 3052 AD
Six: 3007 AD
Seven: 3020 AD
Eight: 3031 AD
Nine: 3031 AD
Ten: 3020 AD
Eleven: 3031 AD
Twelve: 2844 AD
Thirteen: 3052 AD
Fourteen: 3031 AD
Fifteen: 3020 AD
Sixteen: 3031 AD
Seventeen: 2844 AD
Eighteen: 3031 AD
Nineteen: 3020 AD
Twenty: 3052 AD
Twenty-One: 3031 AD
Twenty-Two: 2844-2845 AD
Twenty-Three: 3031 AD
Twenty-Four: 2354-3031 AD
Twenty-Five: 3031 AD
Twenty-Six: 2845 AD
Twenty-Seven: 3031 AD
Twenty-Eight: 3052 AD
Thirty: 2878-3031 AD
Thirty-One: 3031 AD
Thirty-Two: 3052 AD
Thirty-Three: 3031 AD
Thirty-Four: 2853-2880 AD
BOOK TWO: HANGMEN
Thirty-Six: 3031 AD
Thirty-Seven: 3028 AD
Thirty-Eight: 3031 AD
Thirty-Nine: 3028-3031 AD
Forty: 3052 AD
Forty-One: 3031 AD
Forty-Two: 3031 AD
Forty-Three: 3031 AD
Forty-Four: 3031 AD
Forty-Five: 2860-3023 AD
Forty-Six: 3032 AD
Forty-Seven: 3032 AD
Forty-Eight: 3032 AD
Forty-Nine: 3032 AD
Fifty: 3032 AD
Fifty-One: 3023-3032 AD
BOOK THREE: GALLOWS
Fifty-Three: 3032 AD
Fifty-Four: 3032 AD
Fifty-Five: 3032 AD
Fifty-Six: 3032 AD
Fifty-Seven: 3032 AD
Fifty-Eight: 3032 AD
Fifty-Nine: 3032 AD
Sixty: 3052 AD
EPILOGUE: HANGED MAN
Epliogue: 3052 AD
About the Author