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Updated: June 22, 2025
Vann Shatrak summoned a robot to furnish him with a cold beer and another cigar. Erskyll was drumming an impatient devil's tattoo with his fingernails on the gold-encrusted table in front of him. Lanze Degbrend began interpolating sarcastic comments. And finally, Pyairr Ravney, who came from Lugaluru, reverted to the idiom of his planet's favorite sport: "Come on, come on; turn out the bull!
To make sure that the announcement carried conviction, the presumedly glad tidings were accompanied by the Imperial Space Navy, at present represented by Commodore Vann Shatrak and a seven ship battle-line unit, and two thousand Imperial Landing-Troops.
His air-reconn tells him that that's the lot of them. I have an officer of one of the parties that participated. You ought to hear what he has to say, sir." "Well, good!" Vann Shatrak whooshed out his breath. "I don't mind admitting, I was a little on edge about that." "Wait till you hear what Lieutenant Carmath has to say." Morvill seemed to be strangling a laugh. "Ready for him, Commodore?"
He was getting coffee; he gulped it at once. "It was very smart work, Commodore. I never saw a landing operation go so smoothly." "Too smooth," Shatrak said. "I don't trust it." He looked suspiciously up at the row of viewscreens. "It was absolutely unnecessary!" That was young Obray, Count Erskyll, seated on the commodore's left.
The officer did not know where the rifle ammunition was stored." Shatrak swore. The second lieutenant nodded. "Exactly my comment when he told me, sir. But this place is beautifully kept up. Lawns all mowed, trees neatly pruned, everything policed up like inspection morning. And there is a headquarters office building here adequate for an army division...." "How about the armament, Lieutenant?"
I would further recommend that Commodore Shatrak be placed in command of it, with suitable promotion, which he has long ago earned." Erskyll was surprised that he was not himself returning to Odin on the destroyer, and evidently disturbed. He mentioned it during pre-dinner cocktails that evening.
Shatrak asked. "Masterly things," Degbrend replied. "I was only down there since noon, but from what I could find out, that consists of feasting, making love to each other's wives, being entertained by slave performers, and feuding for social precedence like wealthy old ladies on Odin." "You got this from the slaves? How did you get them to talk, Lanze?"
Not as long as I'm here. And when we go back to Odin, I'll see to it that Vann Shatrak understands that." "Oh, no. The Commonwealth of Aditya will do that," Degbrend said. "Chmidd and Hozhet and Yakoop Zhannar and Zhorzh Khouzhik and the rest of them, that is. He wants it done legitimately and legally.
Commodore Shatrak, see to it that Colonel Ravney has them in the Convocation Chamber, and that preparations in the room are made, so that we may address them in the dignity befitting representatives of his Imperial Majesty." He turned to the Adityan slaves. "That is all. You have permission to go." They watched the delegation back out, with the honor-guard following.
When the doors had closed behind them, Shatrak ran his hand over his bald head and laughed. "Shaved heads, every one of them. That's probably why they thought I was your slave. Bet those gorgets are servile badges, too." He touched the Knight's Star of the Order of the Empire at his throat. "Probably thought that was what this was. We would have to draw something like this!"
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