Robert Asprin – Tambu

“Retire to what?” Tambu countered. “My family is dead. My friends are dead. There’s nothing for me outside of the fleet.”

“That’s pretty definite,” the reporter acknowledged. “What about the future? What do you see ahead for you and the fleet? A continuance of the status quo?”

“Nothing is forever, Mr. Erickson. The only certain thing in the universe is change. The specifics are anybody’s guess. The Defense Alliance is growing larger every year. They may eventually feel they are strong enough to attempt a direct confrontation. I think it would be stupid of them to try it, but they’ve come a long way doing things I thought were stupid. Then again, they may simply crowd us out of the starlanes.”

“You seem unconcerned about either possibility.”

Tambu laughed. “If you want my real prediction of the future, I fully expect to slip on a bar of soap and crack my head open in the shower. I’ve led far too exciting a life to be able to expect anything but an anticlimactic death. But whatever happens in the future, I am the fleet. If I die, the fleet dies with me, and vice versa. I’ll leave it to the Fates to work out the details.”

“A fitting epitaph,” Erickson smiled. “Well, while I could sit here for days talking with you, I’ve got to admit I have more than enough material for my article.”

“Very well, Mr. Erickson. It has been a rare pleasure talking with you these last few hours. Can you remember the way back to the docking bay where your ship is, or shall I call for a guide?”

“I can remember the way. Just give me a moment to gather my things.”