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Goss laughed. "Naavon, if that piece of slime had kept his gang in check on the central continent,
we would have enough of our own shuttles."
Naavon grimaced. The central continent had been secure, but Mysor's bully boys had stirred things
up. Sabotage had left all but two of the shuttles from the Sword useless. "Goss, have you heard
anything further from the second company."
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Goss shook his head and returned his gaze to the sensor screen. "My guess is that the resistance
on the central continent isn't organized and isn't directed from here. I think it's simply a
popular response to Mysor's political acumen wait!" Goss adjusted the screen, then looked up and
out through the canopy. "Eighteen degrees to the right, in that valley. I picked up motion
readings, but they're gone now."
Naavon banked the craft to the right. "Let's take a look. We'll come in high first." Naavon guided
the craft down the length of the valley, turned and hovered at the opposite end. "Readings?"
Goss shook his head. "Nothing on motion or electromagnetic fields. Try it low and slow and I'll
look for some heat."
Naavon pushed the wheel forward, into the valley, and leveled the craft a few meters from the
treetops. "Anything?"
Goss studied the screen. "Not yet." Bits and flecks of red appeared on the screen showing the rich
animal life below, but none of the traces were large enough to be men. "Wait... no, the way it
moved off it must have been an animal." Twin red streaks went up the sides of the screen.
"Naavon "
"I see it!"
Goss looked up to see two rockets pulling skyward, lifting a huge net. The craft lurched as Naavon
attempted to avoid the trap, but the bottom of the net held to the jungle floor causing the
rockets to swing over, letting the net fall over the craft. Naavon struggled to land the craft
upright, but it pulled sideways and slammed into a tree, then into a vine-covered rock wall.
Naavon opened his eyes to see the craft on its side, the canopy shattered open and himself staring
into the business end of a beamer. At the other end of the rifle was someone he recognized from
the intelligence
briefings: Oswald Painter. The young fellow grinned. "Well, well, Naavon Dor. Look at you."
In the light of a single torch, Naavon walked around the small cave-prison examining the wall
while Goss played a dreamy melody on his flute. The field officer halted his " search for an
escape route and looked down at his second-in-command sitting cross-legged on the cave floor.
"Seeing that four of our comrades are dead, Goss, wouldn't a serious tune be more appropriate?"
Goss lowered the flute and looked up. "In scale with the universe, Naavon, what-are the deaths of
four mercenaries? Next to the rock that is the plan of the Tenth Quadrant's warlords, we are but
splashes of fluid, a hiss of vapor "
"You twist my words with skill, Goss." Naavon crossed his arms and leaned against the cave wall.
"Very well, old friend, let's hear it."
"Hear what?"
"Whatever it is you've been wanting to say ever since the Sword went into orbit."
Goss shrugged, played a short phrase and stopped halfway through a repeat. "We've been together a
long time, Naavon." He smiled. "If you want, I know you can outtalk me with theories and ideas. I
am a soldier and I do not think in terms of universes, thousand century schemes, not the kinds of
thoughts you have. Am I making sense?"
"Go on."
"Naavon, perhaps we are as you say scraps of dust, too unimportant to bother with. But, I bother
with them, because I am one of those scraps. If I could see and know the entire universe at
once... But, I don't. I see this cave around us; I see you standing there. In battle, I see
enemies bleed, friends die."
Naavon squatted in front of Goss. "We are mercenaries, Goss."
Goss rubbed his chin, then tapped his flute against his knee. "These things I see, Naavon, are the
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important things to me. We are different. You see the destiny of the warlords shaping the
universe; I see Arvan falling someday to an armed force I see this filth, Mysor and Sadiss,
serving the warlords by destroying a way of life..."
"Mercenaries have no sides, Goss, except " "Except the pay voucher, I know. We can have no cause,
Naavon, but I find myself in a strange position. I am in a war where I want... no, where I have to
take sides, and I find myself on the wrong one."
Naavon stood. "Goss, in time this planet won't even exist. How can you lend yourself to this
uncertain, minuscule corner of the present, when before you stretches unlimited future?"
"I will never see it."
"Aah!" Naavon turned his back. "What's the use talking to you?"
"Probably none."
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