Robert Asprin – Tambu

“That’s correct. And believe me, the decision was every bit as hard as it sounds. You see, I like being Tambu. That’s one thing that was not mentioned in that conversation. There is something giddy and addictive about having a roomful of powerful people hanging on your every word, waiting for your commands or pronouncements.”

“And, of course, there’s always the detail of having the power of life and death over a vast number of people,” the reporter added.

“Unfortunately, yes. It’s at once appealing and horrifying. I feel it speaks highly of me that I could have seriously planned to give it up.”

“I assume you changed your mind again after the mood passed.” Erickson smiled.

“It was more than a mood. And it wasn’t the lure of power that made me change my plans.”

“Did Ramona talk you out of it, then?”

“No, she didn’t even try.”

“Then the captains must have raised sufficient protest-“

“Mr. Erickson,” Tambu interrupted, “I think you fail to realize the strength of my will. Once my mind was made up, no person or group of people could have changed it. When the yearly meeting was convened, I had every intention of carrying out my plan.”

“Yet you are still obviously in command of the fleet. When you made your announcement, something must have happened to change your plans.”

“As a matter of fact,” Tambu reminisced softly, “the subject never came up.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Tambu watched silently as the captains gathered for the yearly meeting. For nearly an hour now he had been sitting in front of his viewscreen, watching and listening.