that she can't hold her admiration for my virtues in check."
The Octopus stared at him. "I've heard that you turn down as many assignments as you accept."
"More."
"Why?" asked the Octopus. "I've got the only fleet you have to worry about."
"For our first half-year as mercenaries, I had a fleet of one," answered Cole.
"So you did," said the Octopus. "I seem to remember hearing that you couldn't cut it as pirates, so you went into the soldier-for-hire business."
"I don't think I'd have worded it quite that way," said Cole ironically. "But, in essence . . ."
"So why have you turned down any assignments at all since you started putting together a fleet?" persisted the Octopus.
"We'll help anyone with a legitimate grievance," said Cole. Suddenly he smiled. "What we won't do is help someone who wants to become another Octopus."
"I think if I were you I'd reevaluate my priorities," said the Octopus. "An ethical mercenary doesn't figure to last much longer out here than an ethical pirate."
"I'll take it under advisement."
The Octopus stared at him for a long minute. "Captain Cole, it has been a pleasure to finally meet you. This interview is over." He reached out and shook Cole's hand again. "I hope we never meet in battle, but I cannot work with a moral man."
"We have nothing further to discuss?" said Cole.
"That's right."
"Good. Then I'll have that drink."
They got to their feet and walked to the kitchenette, which doubled as a bar.
"Should I pour one for Cleopatra, too?"
"Might as well," said Cole. "If you don't, she'll just take the bottle from you."
"Damned right!" Val chimed in.
"It's a pity," said the Octopus, pouring three Antarean brandies. "We could have been great friends."
"You show me why you're better for the worlds you control than the men who want to pay me to drive you away, and we can still be friends," said Cole.
"So you have had an offer?"
"Almost. I decided not to listen to it until we were closer to equal strength."
Val took her glass. "Anything for him ?" she asked, jerking a thumb in her opposite number's direction.
"He doesn't drink," said the Octopus.
"Does he talk?"
"He used to. Then one day he was arrested and talked to the wrong people. When he got out his friends made sure it never happened again and he emigrated out to the Frontier." The Octopus shrugged. "That was a long time ago, and of course we all have to learn to live with the consequences of our actions."
"Even you?" she asked.
"Even me," the Octopus assured her. "Though in my case, I expect to be able to put those consequences off for another half century, and with any luck at all I'll be dead by then.
"Another optimist," muttered Cole.
They finished their drinks, Val had a refill, and then it was time to leave.
"It's been interesting," said Cole.
"That it has," agreed the Octopus. "You have many qualities, Captain Cole. I think under other circumstances we could have been wonderful allies."
"If we actually merged our fleets," replied Cole, "there's no one left out here to be allies against"
Which just proved that Wilson Cole was as fallible as anyone else.
David Copperfield scurried into the mess hall, where Cole was nursing a beer.
"Any word from Forrice yet?" asked the little alien.
"David, it's only been four days. I gave him and Jacillios a week. Now go away and let me drink my beer in peace."
"But we may be going into combat soon," said Copperfield, "and we need our First Officer." He learned forward intently. "I've got the details."
"Take some antacid," said Cole. "Maybe they'll go away."
"This is very unbecoming of you, Steerforth," said Copperfield. "You were never this flippant when we were schoolmates."
Cole sighed deeply. "David, we were never schoolmates. I grew up on Pollux IV and Lord knows where the hell you grew up."
"We were schoolmates!" insisted Copperfield. "You must never lose touch with history!"
"I think you're losing touch with reality," said Cole wryly. "Okay, David, what
The Octopus stared at him. "I've heard that you turn down as many assignments as you accept."
"More."
"Why?" asked the Octopus. "I've got the only fleet you have to worry about."
"For our first half-year as mercenaries, I had a fleet of one," answered Cole.
"So you did," said the Octopus. "I seem to remember hearing that you couldn't cut it as pirates, so you went into the soldier-for-hire business."
"I don't think I'd have worded it quite that way," said Cole ironically. "But, in essence . . ."
"So why have you turned down any assignments at all since you started putting together a fleet?" persisted the Octopus.
"We'll help anyone with a legitimate grievance," said Cole. Suddenly he smiled. "What we won't do is help someone who wants to become another Octopus."
"I think if I were you I'd reevaluate my priorities," said the Octopus. "An ethical mercenary doesn't figure to last much longer out here than an ethical pirate."
"I'll take it under advisement."
The Octopus stared at him for a long minute. "Captain Cole, it has been a pleasure to finally meet you. This interview is over." He reached out and shook Cole's hand again. "I hope we never meet in battle, but I cannot work with a moral man."
"We have nothing further to discuss?" said Cole.
"That's right."
"Good. Then I'll have that drink."
They got to their feet and walked to the kitchenette, which doubled as a bar.
"Should I pour one for Cleopatra, too?"
"Might as well," said Cole. "If you don't, she'll just take the bottle from you."
"Damned right!" Val chimed in.
"It's a pity," said the Octopus, pouring three Antarean brandies. "We could have been great friends."
"You show me why you're better for the worlds you control than the men who want to pay me to drive you away, and we can still be friends," said Cole.
"So you have had an offer?"
"Almost. I decided not to listen to it until we were closer to equal strength."
Val took her glass. "Anything for him ?" she asked, jerking a thumb in her opposite number's direction.
"He doesn't drink," said the Octopus.
"Does he talk?"
"He used to. Then one day he was arrested and talked to the wrong people. When he got out his friends made sure it never happened again and he emigrated out to the Frontier." The Octopus shrugged. "That was a long time ago, and of course we all have to learn to live with the consequences of our actions."
"Even you?" she asked.
"Even me," the Octopus assured her. "Though in my case, I expect to be able to put those consequences off for another half century, and with any luck at all I'll be dead by then.
"Another optimist," muttered Cole.
They finished their drinks, Val had a refill, and then it was time to leave.
"It's been interesting," said Cole.
"That it has," agreed the Octopus. "You have many qualities, Captain Cole. I think under other circumstances we could have been wonderful allies."
"If we actually merged our fleets," replied Cole, "there's no one left out here to be allies against"
Which just proved that Wilson Cole was as fallible as anyone else.
David Copperfield scurried into the mess hall, where Cole was nursing a beer.
"Any word from Forrice yet?" asked the little alien.
"David, it's only been four days. I gave him and Jacillios a week. Now go away and let me drink my beer in peace."
"But we may be going into combat soon," said Copperfield, "and we need our First Officer." He learned forward intently. "I've got the details."
"Take some antacid," said Cole. "Maybe they'll go away."
"This is very unbecoming of you, Steerforth," said Copperfield. "You were never this flippant when we were schoolmates."
Cole sighed deeply. "David, we were never schoolmates. I grew up on Pollux IV and Lord knows where the hell you grew up."
"We were schoolmates!" insisted Copperfield. "You must never lose touch with history!"
"I think you're losing touch with reality," said Cole wryly. "Okay, David, what
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