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Chapters (102)
  1. Cover
  2. DAW BOOKS PROUDLY PRESENTS THE SCIENCE FICTION NOVELS OF W. MICHAEL GEAR:
  3. Dedication
  4. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. 76
  81. 77
  82. 78
  83. 79
  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. 82
  87. 83
  88. 84
  89. 85
  90. 86
  91. 87
  92. 88
  93. 89
  94. 90
  95. 91
  96. 92
  97. 93
  98. 94
  99. 95
  100. 96
  101. EPILOGUE
  102. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“How?” she heard the man in the front row ask under his breath as he gave the woman next to him a bewildered look.

“You’re Corporate,” she told them. “I’m the Supervisor. When you landed, despite the fact half of you were out of contract, you all renewed. You now work for me. I know, it’s not what you’re used to. Back in Solar System, you did as you were told, when you were told, and The Corporation selected and assigned your living quarters, provided food, clothing, entertainment, medical care, and transportation. In PA, you can stay at the Corporate Mine barracks and eat in the cafeteria on a voucher paid by Corporate Mine. Anything else, for example a shirt like the one I’m wearing, quetzal-hide boots, a drink or meal at Inga’s, you will have to pay for. It’s simple math, people. And most of the folks in PA will help you figure it out if you ask them. They’ve been in your shoes, they understand your confusion, and with the possible exception of the casino they won’t cheat you.” She paused. “Questions?”

“What about that casino? The one we weren’t allowed to go to last time. Is that still off limits?” Shinwua asked.

Kalico glanced at Hailwood. The Director had made that decision last time around after she received complaints by some of the women. Hailwood said, “Your decision, Supervisor.”

Kalico studied the people, considered. “I’ve had a checkered relationship with The Jewel and its owner over the years, but we’ve reached a mutual tolerance. The place has just had a change of management, though given the stories, I’m not sure that it’s for the better. I will have a word with the woman in charge, but I warn you: not all of the predators on Donovan are native. You enter that place at your own risk.”

“What’s a casino?” a little brown-haired boy sitting next to tall blond asked.

Kalico gave him a grin. “What’s your name?”

“Felix.” He watched her with sensitive brown eyes.

“Well, Felix, a casino is where people go and guess if they can make more than they lose. But it’s all designed so they lose more than they make.”

“Who’d go there?” the boy wondered.

“My point exactly.”

13

“Now that Dan’s gone, I don’t suppose I could ever offer you enough to leave all this?” Desch Ituri asked. He lay on his back in Allison Chomko’s bed, right arm up to prop his head on the pillow. His short body was half out of the tangle of sheets and pressed against the wall of her room in The Jewel.