I select four nearby stars for examination, lock my scanner to them, set up processing sequences to analyze the data. I bring my interpretation circuits to bear on the various matters I wish to consider. I should have some interesting conclusions to communicate to my human superiors, when the time comes.

At peace, I await the arrival of the relief column.

Also by Keith Laumer

Imperium

1. Worlds of the Imperium (1962)

2. The Other Side of Time (1965)

3. Assignment in Nowhere (1968)

4. Zone Yellow (1990)

Retief

1. Envoy to New Worlds (1963)

2. Galactic Diplomat (1965)

3. Retief’s War (1965)

4. Retief and the Warlords (1968)

5. Retief: Ambassador to Space (1969)

6. Retief of the CDT (1971)

7. Retief’s Ransom (1972) (aka Retief and the Pangalactic Pageant of Pulchritude)

8. Retief: Emissary to the Stars (1975)

9. Retief at Large (1978)

10. Retief Unbound (1979)

11. Diplomat at Arms (1982)

12. Retief to the Rescue (1983)

13. The Return of Retief (1984)

14. Retief in the Ruins (1986)

15. Reward for Retief (1989)

Retief and the Rascals (1993)

Retief! (2001)

Gambler’s World (2009)

The Yillian Way (2009)

Lafayette O’Leary

1. The Time Bender (1966)

2. The World Shuffler (1970)

3. The Shape Changer (1973)

4. The Galaxy Builder (1984)

Time Trap

1. Time Trap (1970)

2. Back to the Time Trap (1992)

Bolo

1. Bolo! (2005) (with David Weber)

2. Rogue Bolo (1986)

3. The Compleat Bolo (1990)

4. Bolo Brigade (1997) (with William H Keith)

5. Bolo Rising (1998) (with William H Keith)

6. Bolo Strike (2001) (with William H Keith)

Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade (1976)

Bolos: Their Finest Hour (2010)

Other Novels

A Trace of Memory (1963)

The Great Time Machine Hoax (1964)

A Plague of Demons (1965)

Catastrophe Planet (1966)

Earthblood (1966) (with Rosel George Brown)

The Monitors (1966)

Galactic Odyssey (1967) (aka Spaceman!)

The Day Before Forever (1969)

The Long Twilight (1969)

The Seeds of Gonyl (1969)

The House in November (1970)

Fat Chance (1971) (aka Deadfall)

The Star Treasure (1971)

Dinosaur Beach (1971)

Night of Decisions (1972)

The Infinite Cage (1972)

Night Of Delusions (1972)

The Glory Game (1973)

The Ultimax Man (1978)

The Breaking Earth (1981)

Star Colony (1981)

End as a Hero (1985)

The Stars Must Wait (1990)

Judson’s Eden (1991)

Dedication

This book is dedicated, with affection and respect, to Ben Bova.

Keith Laumer
(1925–1993)

John Keith Laumer was an American science fiction author born in Syracuse, New York. Prior to his career as a writer, Laumer was an officer in the United States Air Force. After war service, he spent a year at the University of Stockholm, and then took two bachelor’s degrees in science and architecture at the University of Illinois. His first story, Greylorn, was published in 1959, but he returned to the Air Force the following year, only becoming a full-time writer in 1965. Laumer was extremely prolific and produced three major series and two minor ones, along with a number of independent novels. After 1973, however, illness meant that he published more sparingly. He died in 1993.