Read Online Starship: Mercenary (Starship, Book 3) by Mike Resnick - Free Book Online
Authors: Mike Resnick
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David.
“If I tell people not to get close enough to listen, they’ll keep their distance.”
“It must be nice to own a world,” said Sharon. “Even an artificial all-metal world like this one.”
“It has its compensations,” replied the Duke.
“I’ve noticed,” said Cole.
“It also has its liabilities,” continued the Duke. “For example, this is my casino. I own the profits, but I also have to cover the losses.”
“You’ve been losing?”
“I’m being cheated, I know that. But I don’t know how—and the gentleman who has been cheating me six nights in a row is . . . well ... formidable.”
“Where is he?” asked Cole.
“Over there at the card tables,” said the Duke. “He’s a head or two taller than anyone else.”
“I know him,” said Val, studying the man in question. He stood close to seven feel tall, was well dressed and well muscled, and was carrying two hand weapons that were visible and probably more that weren’t.
“You do?” asked David.
“Well, I know of him, anyway,” she said. “He’s Skullcracker Morrison.”
“I remember him!” said Sharon. “Didn’t he used to be the freehand heavyweight champion of the Antares Sector?”
“Yes, until he got a little excited in the ring one night and killed his opponent, the referee, and three policemen who tried to arrest him.”
“He’s obviously not fighting anymore,” said Sharon. “I wonder what he’s doing for a living?”
“Oh, he’s still cracking skulls,” said Val. “He’s just not doing it in the ring.”
“Muscle for hire?” asked Cole.
“Right.”
“Almost everyone here is carrying some kind of weapon,” noted Cole. “I don’t know what good all his strength and skill can do him.”
“He doesn’t ply his trade here,” said the Duke. “He spends his money here—except that he’s winning my money instead.”
“How do you know he’s cheating?”
“Every game in this casino gives the house a five to ten percent edge—and that one, Khalimesh , gives us twelve percent. I don’t care how good you are or how lucky you are, if you come to the tables six nights in a row, you’ve got to have a losing night.”
“Looks complicated,” observed Cole.
“Seventy-two cards, eight suits, no numbers, all face cards, a dealer and four to six players,” replied the Duke. “I think the Canphorites invented it, but it’s become very popular out here on the Frontier, even with Men.” He paused. “I just wish I knew how he was doing it.”
“Bar him from the casino,” suggested Sharon.
“I value my few remaining human parts too highly,” replied the Duke.
Val stared at the Platinum Duke for a long minute. “If I prove he’s cheating, prove it in front of witnesses, will you give us half of what we recover from him?”
“Absolutely!” said the Duke promptly.
“‘Us’?” said Cole. “If you can spot what he’s doing and make it stick, the money’s yours.”
“I’m probably going to need a little help,” she explained. “If it’s a Teddy R operation, then the spoils should go into the Teddy R ’s coffers.”
“Do you know how he’s cheating?” asked David Copperfield.
“Not yet,” answered Val. “But I’ve been hanging out in joints like this since I arrived on the Frontier fifteen years ago. If he’s cheating, I’ll spot it, all right.” She turned to the Duke. “Give me a couple of hundred Maria Theresa dollars or Far London pounds.” He looked surprised—as much as his metal face could display any reaction. “I can’t see what he’s doing from here,” continued Val. “You can deduct it from what you owe me when I’m done.”
“And if you can’t spot it, the money is forfeit,” said the Duke, handing her the money.
She pushed it back across the table to him. “If you’re going to be that cheap, get someone else to show you how he’s robbing you.”
The Duke sighed and pushed the money across the table again. “When you put it that
“If I tell people not to get close enough to listen, they’ll keep their distance.”
“It must be nice to own a world,” said Sharon. “Even an artificial all-metal world like this one.”
“It has its compensations,” replied the Duke.
“I’ve noticed,” said Cole.
“It also has its liabilities,” continued the Duke. “For example, this is my casino. I own the profits, but I also have to cover the losses.”
“You’ve been losing?”
“I’m being cheated, I know that. But I don’t know how—and the gentleman who has been cheating me six nights in a row is . . . well ... formidable.”
“Where is he?” asked Cole.
“Over there at the card tables,” said the Duke. “He’s a head or two taller than anyone else.”
“I know him,” said Val, studying the man in question. He stood close to seven feel tall, was well dressed and well muscled, and was carrying two hand weapons that were visible and probably more that weren’t.
“You do?” asked David.
“Well, I know of him, anyway,” she said. “He’s Skullcracker Morrison.”
“I remember him!” said Sharon. “Didn’t he used to be the freehand heavyweight champion of the Antares Sector?”
“Yes, until he got a little excited in the ring one night and killed his opponent, the referee, and three policemen who tried to arrest him.”
“He’s obviously not fighting anymore,” said Sharon. “I wonder what he’s doing for a living?”
“Oh, he’s still cracking skulls,” said Val. “He’s just not doing it in the ring.”
“Muscle for hire?” asked Cole.
“Right.”
“Almost everyone here is carrying some kind of weapon,” noted Cole. “I don’t know what good all his strength and skill can do him.”
“He doesn’t ply his trade here,” said the Duke. “He spends his money here—except that he’s winning my money instead.”
“How do you know he’s cheating?”
“Every game in this casino gives the house a five to ten percent edge—and that one, Khalimesh , gives us twelve percent. I don’t care how good you are or how lucky you are, if you come to the tables six nights in a row, you’ve got to have a losing night.”
“Looks complicated,” observed Cole.
“Seventy-two cards, eight suits, no numbers, all face cards, a dealer and four to six players,” replied the Duke. “I think the Canphorites invented it, but it’s become very popular out here on the Frontier, even with Men.” He paused. “I just wish I knew how he was doing it.”
“Bar him from the casino,” suggested Sharon.
“I value my few remaining human parts too highly,” replied the Duke.
Val stared at the Platinum Duke for a long minute. “If I prove he’s cheating, prove it in front of witnesses, will you give us half of what we recover from him?”
“Absolutely!” said the Duke promptly.
“‘Us’?” said Cole. “If you can spot what he’s doing and make it stick, the money’s yours.”
“I’m probably going to need a little help,” she explained. “If it’s a Teddy R operation, then the spoils should go into the Teddy R ’s coffers.”
“Do you know how he’s cheating?” asked David Copperfield.
“Not yet,” answered Val. “But I’ve been hanging out in joints like this since I arrived on the Frontier fifteen years ago. If he’s cheating, I’ll spot it, all right.” She turned to the Duke. “Give me a couple of hundred Maria Theresa dollars or Far London pounds.” He looked surprised—as much as his metal face could display any reaction. “I can’t see what he’s doing from here,” continued Val. “You can deduct it from what you owe me when I’m done.”
“And if you can’t spot it, the money is forfeit,” said the Duke, handing her the money.
She pushed it back across the table to him. “If you’re going to be that cheap, get someone else to show you how he’s robbing you.”
The Duke sighed and pushed the money across the table again. “When you put it that
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