However, Pericles had threaded this maze many times before, and knew both men and mal who worked within the bowels of Imperial Government.
So it was that they eventually found themselves in the offices of Sim-sem Alround, subminister for Unincorporated Imperial Territories.
Physically, Alround wasn’t quite that. But he did have a comfortable bureaucratic belly, a rectangular face framed by long bushy sideburns and curly red hair tinged with white. He wore the current fashion, a monocle. For all that, and his dry occupation, he proved charming and affable.
A small stream ran through his office, filled with trout and tadpoles and cattails. Casperdan reclined on
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WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE . ..
a long couch made to resemble solid granite. Pericles preferred to stand.
“You want to buy some land, then?” queried Alround after drinks and pleasantries had been exchanged.
“My associate will give you the details,” Casperdan informed him. Alround shifted his attention from human to horse without a pause. Naturally he’d assumed …
“Yes sir?”
“We wish to purchase a planet,” said Pericles. “A small planet… not very important.”
Alround waited. Visitors interested in small transactions didn’t get in to see the subminister himself.
“Just one?”
“One will be quite sufficient.”
Alround depressed a switch on his desk. A red light flashed on, indicated that all details of the conversation to follow were now being taken down for the Imperial records.
“Purpose of purchase?”
“Development.”
“Name of world?”
“Earth.”