Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
FIRST PROLOGUE - Signs
CHAPTER ONE - The Music of the Spheres
CHAPTER TWO - Vocation
CHAPTER THREE - Audience
PART ONE - Original Sins
CHAPTER FOUR - Stigmata
CHAPTER FIVE - Pilgrimage
CHAPTER SIX - Geas
CHAPTER SEVEN - Tithes
CHAPTER EIGHT - Mysteries
CHAPTER NINE - Initiations
CHAPTER TEN - Heresies
CHAPTER ELEVEN - Acolyte
CHAPTER TWELVE - Portents
CHAPTER THIRTEEN - Communion
CHAPTER FOURTEEN - Limbo
CHAPTER FIFTEEN - Divine Intervention
CHAPTER SIXTEEN - Exodus
PART TWO - Burnt Offerings
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - Sectarianism
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - Purgatory
CHAPTER NINETEEN - Faith of Our Fathers
CHAPTER TWENTY - Service
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - Fallen Angel
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - Jihad
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE - Revelation
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR - Confession
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE - Apocrypha
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX - Relic
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN - Resurrection
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT - Harbinger
PART THREE - Prodigal Son
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE - Test of Faith
CHAPTER THIRTY - Seraphim
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE - Good Samaritans
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO - Descent
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE - Hubris
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR - My Brother’s Keeper
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE - Mixed Blessings
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX - Hallowed Ground
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN - Zealots
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT - Destiny
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE - Götterdämmerung
FIRST EPILOGUE - Last Rites
CHAPTER FORTY - Mysterious Ways
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE - Visions
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO - Conversions
APPENDIX - Alphabetical Listing of Sources
“SO, NICKOLAI, HOW DO YOU FEEL WORKING WITH A BUNCH OF HUMANS?”
“Mosasa isn’t human.”
“Yeah, you mentioned that, didn’t you? Mind expounding on that little tidbit?”
Nickolai pondered his options for a moment. The fact he carried a rather large secret with him made him reluctant, but Kugara was the only other member of the team he would feel comfortable having as an “ally.” He also thought she had a point that they both needed one. This mission was going to take them far outside the grip of the BMU, the only law recognized by their nominal comrades. And would he want to trust his life to humans like Wahid or Parvi, or even Fitzpatrick?
Nickolai finished his pitcher and told Kugara what he could about Mosasa. “Our employer,” Nickolai said, “doesn’t just work with AIs. He doesn’t own them.”
“Meaning?”
“He is them.”
Kugara lowered her mug. The glass hit the table with a slightly liquid squeak. A similar sound seemed to come from her throat. After a moment she said, “Shit.”
“Tjaele Mosasa is a construct controlled by a salvaged Race AI device. The ‘man’ who briefed us is no more real than my right arm. . . .”
Other fine DAW science fiction and fantasy from S. ANDREW SWANN
Science Fiction:
THE HOSTILE TAKEOVER TRILOGY:
PROFITEER (#1)
PARTISAN (#2)
REVOLUTIONARY (#3)
THE MOREAU NOVELS:
MOREAU OMNIBUS (#1-3)
FEARFUL SYMMETRIES (#4)
Fantasy:
THE DWARVES OF WHISKEY ISLAND
THE DRAGONS OF THE CUYAHOGA
*
BROKEN CRESCENT
*
GOD’S DICE
Fiction:
ZIMMERMAN’S ALGORITHM
Copyright © 2009 by Steven Swiniarski.
All Rights Reserved.
DAW Book Collectors No. 1468.
DAW Books are distributed by Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
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First Printing March 2009
eISBN : 978-1-101-01694-7
http://us.penguingroup.com
This is for Michelle,
for putting up with all my crap.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Bakunin
Father Francis Xavier Mallory—Roman Catholic Priest and veteran of the Occisis Marines.
Nickolai Rajasthan—Exiled scion of the House of Rajasthan. Descendant of genetically engineered tigers.
Vijayanagara Parvi—Mercenary pilot from Rubai.
Tjaele Mosasa—Proprietor of Mosasa Salvage, owner of the Eclipse.
Jusuf Wahid—Mercenary from Davado Poli.
Julia Kugara—Mercenary from Dakota. Descendant of genetically engineered humans. Former member of the DPS (Dakota Planetary Security).
Eclipse
“Bill”—Paralian expert in physics.
Dr. Sharon Dörner—Xenobiologist from Acheron.
Dr. Samson Brody—Cultural anthropologist from Bulawayo.
Dr. Leon Pak—Linguist from Terra.
Rebecca Tsoravitch—Data analyst from Jokul.
Earth
Cardinal Jacob Anderson—Bishop of Ostia, Dean of the College of Cardinals, Vatican Secretary of State.
Yousef Al-Hamadi—Eridani Caliphate Minister-at-Large in Charge of External Relations.
Khamsin
Admiral Muhammad Hussein al Khamsiti—Commander of the Prophet’s Voice and battlegroup.
Admiral Naji Bitar—Commander of the Prophet’s Sword and battlegroup.
Salmagundi
Flynn Jorgenson—Forestry surveyor.
Alexander Shane—Senior member of the Grand Triad.
FIRST PROLOGUE
Signs
The no-mind not-thinks no-thoughts about no-things.