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“Now—what’s for breakfast?”


2
Sheratan, Prefecture IV
20 October 3134

Knight-Errant Robert Goldberg saw his first political advertisement on Sheratan within minutes of his
arrival at the main planetary DropPort. The display on the wall outside the DropPort’s vehicle rental
office saidFOUNDER ’S MOVEMENT—KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE! in glowing orange letters
that practically jumped off the poster.
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After that, elections and electioneering were everywhere he looked. The streets of the city were gaudy
with neon-and-laser billboards, and tri-vid ads flashed and rotated atop newsstands and information
kiosks. The displays said things likePEACE AND SECURITY in bright green, superimposed on images
of a bucolic, tranquil countryside and bustling, unworried cities. The images were accompanied by
voice-overs between the musical numbers that played over the audio system in the vehicle Robert had
rented at the DropPort: “In these troubled times, mutual trust and fellowship are more important than
ever. When you vote, reach out—”

The music eventually segued into the midday newscast. Still listening, Robert left the city, heading for the
country estate where Paladin Otto Mandela was staying during his sojourn here. The estate belonged to
one of the local bigwigs—a veteran of Stone’s Revenants from the old days, now turned prosperous
gentleman farmer—who had graciously made it available for Mandela’s use.

Robert’s journey took him out into the open countryside, where a lightly traveled winding road took him
through acres of rolling green pastureland dotted with sheep and dairy cattle. He spared some attention
for the newsreader of the hour, a woman with a pleasant voice. The title “Knight of the Sphere” sounded
glamorous, but the reality was sometimes less impressive. Functioning as part of the Exarch’s private
courier service was only one of the not-so-exciting tasks involved.

The newsreader said, “And it’s time for the top planetary news of the hour. With election day close at
hand, voter unrest continues in urban areas. In Pittston, supporters of local Founder’s Movement
candidate Ella Geraldo broke up a rally for Prosperous Unity opponent Dan Harwicke with taunts and
heckling. When Harwicke attempted to address the crowd, estimated at some three hundred, he was
drowned out by shouts of “Appeaser!” and “Clan-Lover!” and “No More Sellouts!”

“Interviewed later on this station, Harwicke said only that he was disappointed that some of his fellow
Sheratanites could not tell the difference between independent traders like Clan Sea Fox, with whom he
freely admits to having done mutually profitable—and legal—business in the past, and violent and
territorially ambitious groups such as the Jade Falcons and the Steel Wolves. Meanwhile, in—”

The news went on, a depressing tally of political meetings disrupted by one local faction and election
headquarters vandalized by another and riots instigated in the streets of depressed neighborhoods by a
third. The first planetwide elections since the dramatic collapse of the HPG network had signaled the end