OCR Text |
Show XIII "A Scoundrel and someone else's riches are soon partners." -remark muttered by Merchant Gundarholt after making the acquaintance of his son's new friend, Hoqqam. And to speak of the scoundrel Hoqqam, we must speak, perforce of the SixthSleeper, painful as that may be. "Another ship, in faith?" exclaimed Isaac from his wheelchair. "You jest, surely fair sir!" It had been more than forty TwelveMonths since the good Isaac had brought his flock to BauerWorlde and the plan had been to send but the five ships from Earth. Yet BauerWorlde of a sudden had a sixth one newly landed on the other side of the Tartars, and that was passing strange. Who could be aboard it? Merchants? Techs? Managers? Doctors? The question was answered by the official standing before Isaac in the old man's Council sanctum. "Convicts, Doctor Needlesmith," said the man heavily; for full sorry he was to deliver the news. A contingent of guards had left the villainous two hundred-rapists, murders, inveterate thieves-with provisions and equipment to make their own way on the easternmost edge of the BauerWorlde continent. The guards had also left them with heads full of terror regarding the soaring mountain range dividing the continent down the middle and the guards' grudging best wishes on starting a new life. 107 |