Free Book 3 - Star's End by Glen Cook

did they go? Why? How? And if they did build
Stars’ End,
why?
”
    She shrugged. “They weren’t people, Moyshe. Not our
kind. Don’t judge their motives by ours.”
    “I wouldn’t . . . though some
ideas would seem universal. Just thinking questions out
loud.”
    “The questions are why I wish we had more
scientists.” She switched the viewscreen over to a stern
camera.
Danion
was well into the asteroid’s
interior. “They could be the same creatures that did the
tunneling at Luna Command. But were they really? Is there a
connection between the moon and Three Sky and Stars’ End?
Were we meant to find Stars’ End and Three Sky? Is it all
some kind of big puzzle that we’re supposed to figure out? Is
it a test?”
    “You think they were planning to come back?”
    “Who knows? The questions are all a hundred years old. The
answers haven’t been born. And if we ever do answer any of
them, then right away we’re going to ask three more.
    “Anyway, those old ships are our main reason for being
here. Some we fix up and use. They make good service ships. If they
can be adapted. We scavenge some for materials to build
harvestships. We only buy outside if we have to. Usually the
Freehaulers make our purchases landside, for a commission, and make
delivery to an asteroid at the edge of the nebula. They think
it’s just a way station. They don’t ask questions. Too
many questions is bad for business. They don’t try very hard
to follow us around, either. They’re good people.”
    “Is that a cut?”
    “If you think so.”
    “I suspected the Freehaulers. I know they had something to
do with me and Mouse getting caught. How’s chances of me
getting to look at one of those ships? I know a little about
xeno-archaeology.”
    A girl’s face crossed his mind. Alyce. She had been his
Academy love. She had been a recorder at the alien digs in the
moon. She had taught him a little, and the Bureau had taught him
more.
    Sooner or later, the Bureau touched every base.
    “You’ll have to ask Jarl. I don’t think
he’ll let you, though. We’re going to be awful busy
repairing
Danion.
Plus you’ve got your citizenship classes and your beer
nights with Mouse.”
    “Now don’t start that again. He’s my friend,
and that’s the way it’s going to stay. It don’t
hurt for him and me to play a couple of games of chess once in a
while. You can come keep an eye on us if you think we’re
cooking up a plot against the Greater Seiner Empire,
Lieutenant.”
    She ignored his sarcasm. “I don’t feel like it. I
always . . . ” She stopped before she
began waving the red flag. Their positions were inflexible.
Argument would be pointless. “Moyshe, we’ve got to get
Danion
whipped into shape fast. The fleets are coming in. As soon as
they’re all here we’re leaving for auction and another
crack at Stars’ End.”
    “Stars’ End. Stars’ End. That’s all I
hear anymore. And it’s completely insane. We can’t
stick our necks in that noose again, Amy. Look what it cost last
time. And remember, I was there too. I was outside with the
starfish. I know what that planet can do.”
    “We’ve got to have those weapons, Moyshe. You saw
the casualty reports. You saw the extrapolations. What the sharks
are doing now is going to look pacifistic in ten years. We’re
talking survival, Love. And you’re still thinking power
politics.”
    “You’ll just get yourselves killed.”
    “Either way, then. But we’ll handle Stars’
End. Honest. The fish really do know how to open the way. They
found the key while we were there before.”
    “Huh?” He had not caught a hint from Chub.
“The Sangaree, or
Confederation . . . ”
    “They’d better come toting their guns if they want
to steal it from us, Moyshe. Because they’ll have a hell of a
fight on their hands. There’s a lot of us, honey. And
we’re looking for a fight. People have been pushing us ever
since I can remember. We’re tired of it. Once we get