[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.I suppose that makes me an archconservative throwback to the days of the democracies on Earth;Bozhe knows they didn't work.I've struggled to earn the respect and love of my future subjects.""And you've got it," Yvette interrupted."I saw what those people were like today.You're the mostpopular man on the planet.""Maybe up until today.But I know those people, Eve.As soon as word of the kriss reaches them they'llfall into line.Thev've always lived their lives that way, and it would take a supernova to budge them.Idon't want to force them to be slaves under my rule; I've never been so desperate for power that I'd doanything to keep it.Let my brother have it, if it will make him happy.I have something better for mylife-you."Yvette blushed and looked down at her feet."If it's any consolation," she said, "I'm second in line to beDuchess of DesPlaines, right behind my brother Robert.""Eve, I wouldn't care if you were a peasant starving in a hovel.You'll always be the empress of myheart." He sat down again beside her and rested a hand on hers.They embraced and kissed for a long,heart stopping moment, and Yvette felt her love for this gallant and truly noble man renewed a dozenfold.But, once they broke from their embrace again, the ever practical side of her nature asserted itself."What will you do now?" she asked.Pias stood up and walked to the window."Well, it's not as though my life is over," he said."Soon I'll bestarting a new career with a new bride.I'm going into exile because of them, so I'm hardly about to throwthem away now.You and the Service will be my life; between the two of you, I expect to be too busy toeven think of anything else.I'll probably have forgotten all about Newforest after a couple of years."But as he gazed out the window at the darkness that covered this hemisphere of the planet he once hadbeen prepared to rule, Yvette could feel the deep sense of loss that was threatening to overwhelm him.Standing, she walked over to him and slipped her arms around his waist.I'll have to spend the rest of my life making up for the loss I've caused him, she knew.I only hope it'll beenough. Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlOriginally, Pias and Yvette had planned to stay on Newforest for six days, and had return reservationson a ship that would take them back to Earth just in time for the Princess's wedding.But this new turn ofevents left them little reason for staying the additional few days; indeed, an oppressive feeling wasbuilding up within them, and the sooner they were off this world the sooner that feeling would go away.Newforest was an out-of-the-way planet, and was not visited as frequently as most others.Fortunatelyfor Pias and Yvette, however, a chartered passenger ship carrying a group of nobles to Earth for thefestivities had developed a minor malfunction nearby, and had stopped on Newforest to have the damagerepaired.Yvette learned from calling the spaceport that they would be able to cash in their previoustickets and purchase space on this vessel.The Bavol manor house seemed almost deserted as they left.Carrying their own bags down the hallwaysthey met not another living soul; the house's occupants were going far out of their way to avoid anycontact with them.Pias wanted very much to stop by his father's room and say goodbye, even though heknew the old man would never acknowledge it; but he knew that it would only deepen the pain for boththe duke and himself, and so he forbore doing it.Outside, a copter was waiting for them, with Yuri to pilot it.The old servant said not a word as he flewthem to the spaceport but, as the young couple stepped out, Yuri said, "Goodbye, Pias." The two menembraced tearfully and kissed one another; then Yuri got back into the copter and flew away.Word of the kriss had traveled quickly; everyone at the spaceport seemed aware of it.Yvette could seethat Pias had been right; whereas yesterday he had been greeted with smiles and enthusiasm, todaypeople turned their heads to avoid seeing him.Yvette had to speak to the ticket clerk; no one wouldadmit that Pias was even there.Pias accepted their behavior stoically, but Yvette could guess just howdeeply he was hurt.Pias stayed in his cabin until the ship, the Querida, lifted off the surface of Newforest.Then, with theeasing of the heavy gravity, his own cares seemed to ease as well.He emerged from his cabin full of hisold gaiety and charm."I'm no longer weighted down by responsibilities as the marquis of Newforest," he explained to a startledand delighted-Yvette."From now on, I shall be the same carefree, gallant gambler you first met, with arose in my hatband and a cape around my shoulders.I'll keep the name Pias Bavol, though-I'm damned ifI'll let them take that away from me, too." Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlThey quickly introduced themselves to the rest of the passengers on the cruise.Virtually all the otherswere nobles from the farthest reaches of Sector Twenty-Two, traveling to Earth for the express purposeof seeing the Princess marry her consort.None of them had ever been to Earth before, and the prospectso excited them that they paid little heed to the social distance that ordinarily would have existed betweenthemselves and these two commoners, as they supposed Pias and Yvette to be.All that mattered wasthat they were going to Earth to see the imperial wedding at Bloodstar Hall.Pias soon had charmed everyone on board-especially the ladies-with his gallant behavior andentertaining tales.True to the persona he was portraying, he organized an impromptu casino to help whileaway the time on the long flight back to Earth.In every way, he made himself into the ideal shipboardcompanion.The Querida made three more scheduled stops for passengers, which lengthened the journeyconsiderably.The ship was nine days out from Newforest when, quite abruptly, alarms began soundingthroughout the vessel.Pias was in the gravity-controlled lounge, dealing a hand of five-in-the-hole, whenthe confusion began.Other people jumped up from the table, sudden panic on their faces."What is it?"shrieked one countess."Have we hit something?""Relax, comrades," Pias said, pushing his hat back slightly on his head."We're in subspace, which is asempty as a drunkard's bottle.There's nothing for us to hit, except maybe another ship, and the oddsagainst that are astronomical.Maybe the captain's just scheduled some sort of drill for us.We have asaying on Newforest: `The wise man worries not about the Devil's shadow.' At least wait until we knowmore about what's happening before you start to panic." It was only a few moments later, though, thateveryone had real cause for worry.Captain Bacardi's voice.suddenly blared over the loudspeakersystem, announcing, "All passengers must return to their quarters immediately and lock themselves in untilfurther notice.Our ship has been approached by a vessel that refuses to identify itself.Until furtherdetermination has been made, we must assume that it is a pirate vessel and take appropriate actions.Wewill be leaving subspace in five minutes [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.I suppose that makes me an archconservative throwback to the days of the democracies on Earth;Bozhe knows they didn't work.I've struggled to earn the respect and love of my future subjects.""And you've got it," Yvette interrupted."I saw what those people were like today.You're the mostpopular man on the planet.""Maybe up until today.But I know those people, Eve.As soon as word of the kriss reaches them they'llfall into line.Thev've always lived their lives that way, and it would take a supernova to budge them.Idon't want to force them to be slaves under my rule; I've never been so desperate for power that I'd doanything to keep it.Let my brother have it, if it will make him happy.I have something better for mylife-you."Yvette blushed and looked down at her feet."If it's any consolation," she said, "I'm second in line to beDuchess of DesPlaines, right behind my brother Robert.""Eve, I wouldn't care if you were a peasant starving in a hovel.You'll always be the empress of myheart." He sat down again beside her and rested a hand on hers.They embraced and kissed for a long,heart stopping moment, and Yvette felt her love for this gallant and truly noble man renewed a dozenfold.But, once they broke from their embrace again, the ever practical side of her nature asserted itself."What will you do now?" she asked.Pias stood up and walked to the window."Well, it's not as though my life is over," he said."Soon I'll bestarting a new career with a new bride.I'm going into exile because of them, so I'm hardly about to throwthem away now.You and the Service will be my life; between the two of you, I expect to be too busy toeven think of anything else.I'll probably have forgotten all about Newforest after a couple of years."But as he gazed out the window at the darkness that covered this hemisphere of the planet he once hadbeen prepared to rule, Yvette could feel the deep sense of loss that was threatening to overwhelm him.Standing, she walked over to him and slipped her arms around his waist.I'll have to spend the rest of my life making up for the loss I've caused him, she knew.I only hope it'll beenough. Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlOriginally, Pias and Yvette had planned to stay on Newforest for six days, and had return reservationson a ship that would take them back to Earth just in time for the Princess's wedding.But this new turn ofevents left them little reason for staying the additional few days; indeed, an oppressive feeling wasbuilding up within them, and the sooner they were off this world the sooner that feeling would go away.Newforest was an out-of-the-way planet, and was not visited as frequently as most others.Fortunatelyfor Pias and Yvette, however, a chartered passenger ship carrying a group of nobles to Earth for thefestivities had developed a minor malfunction nearby, and had stopped on Newforest to have the damagerepaired.Yvette learned from calling the spaceport that they would be able to cash in their previoustickets and purchase space on this vessel.The Bavol manor house seemed almost deserted as they left.Carrying their own bags down the hallwaysthey met not another living soul; the house's occupants were going far out of their way to avoid anycontact with them.Pias wanted very much to stop by his father's room and say goodbye, even though heknew the old man would never acknowledge it; but he knew that it would only deepen the pain for boththe duke and himself, and so he forbore doing it.Outside, a copter was waiting for them, with Yuri to pilot it.The old servant said not a word as he flewthem to the spaceport but, as the young couple stepped out, Yuri said, "Goodbye, Pias." The two menembraced tearfully and kissed one another; then Yuri got back into the copter and flew away.Word of the kriss had traveled quickly; everyone at the spaceport seemed aware of it.Yvette could seethat Pias had been right; whereas yesterday he had been greeted with smiles and enthusiasm, todaypeople turned their heads to avoid seeing him.Yvette had to speak to the ticket clerk; no one wouldadmit that Pias was even there.Pias accepted their behavior stoically, but Yvette could guess just howdeeply he was hurt.Pias stayed in his cabin until the ship, the Querida, lifted off the surface of Newforest.Then, with theeasing of the heavy gravity, his own cares seemed to ease as well.He emerged from his cabin full of hisold gaiety and charm."I'm no longer weighted down by responsibilities as the marquis of Newforest," he explained to a startledand delighted-Yvette."From now on, I shall be the same carefree, gallant gambler you first met, with arose in my hatband and a cape around my shoulders.I'll keep the name Pias Bavol, though-I'm damned ifI'll let them take that away from me, too." Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlThey quickly introduced themselves to the rest of the passengers on the cruise.Virtually all the otherswere nobles from the farthest reaches of Sector Twenty-Two, traveling to Earth for the express purposeof seeing the Princess marry her consort.None of them had ever been to Earth before, and the prospectso excited them that they paid little heed to the social distance that ordinarily would have existed betweenthemselves and these two commoners, as they supposed Pias and Yvette to be.All that mattered wasthat they were going to Earth to see the imperial wedding at Bloodstar Hall.Pias soon had charmed everyone on board-especially the ladies-with his gallant behavior andentertaining tales.True to the persona he was portraying, he organized an impromptu casino to help whileaway the time on the long flight back to Earth.In every way, he made himself into the ideal shipboardcompanion.The Querida made three more scheduled stops for passengers, which lengthened the journeyconsiderably.The ship was nine days out from Newforest when, quite abruptly, alarms began soundingthroughout the vessel.Pias was in the gravity-controlled lounge, dealing a hand of five-in-the-hole, whenthe confusion began.Other people jumped up from the table, sudden panic on their faces."What is it?"shrieked one countess."Have we hit something?""Relax, comrades," Pias said, pushing his hat back slightly on his head."We're in subspace, which is asempty as a drunkard's bottle.There's nothing for us to hit, except maybe another ship, and the oddsagainst that are astronomical.Maybe the captain's just scheduled some sort of drill for us.We have asaying on Newforest: `The wise man worries not about the Devil's shadow.' At least wait until we knowmore about what's happening before you start to panic." It was only a few moments later, though, thateveryone had real cause for worry.Captain Bacardi's voice.suddenly blared over the loudspeakersystem, announcing, "All passengers must return to their quarters immediately and lock themselves in untilfurther notice.Our ship has been approached by a vessel that refuses to identify itself.Until furtherdetermination has been made, we must assume that it is a pirate vessel and take appropriate actions.Wewill be leaving subspace in five minutes [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]