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considering it to be a pain in the tail. Which, of course, it was.
* * *
Also, at this time, the "exploratory tunnel" was approaching Duke Tendi's land, ahead of schedule. For
secrecy, Dol had kept the same six-worker team constantly at the small tunneler, sending food, water,
and instructions to them on the same specially designed truck that delivered the metal coils. They were
paid triple time for this arduous duty, but they complained constantly anyway. The only possible security
leak was the truck driver, a trusted old sergeant who had been with Duke Dennon for many
regenerations.
* * *
Kren held another party at the end of the summer, and two more in the fall and early winter. His theory
was that there's never enough unless there's too much.
* * *
Bronki and Dol had each managed to make enough money on their gambling to buy more stock than
Duke Dennon had in the corporation, despite all of the stock he had received for his machinery, for the
use of his army, and the stock he had taken in place of his payment for his military protection.
This stopped Dennon from being made a member of the board of directors, which made Kren
uncomfortable. The duke was too important to offend.
He phoned the duke and explained that his two fellow board members had gotten into a stock fight so
severe that Kren had had to buy more stock himself, just to maintain his majority.
"Your Grace, would you like me to enlarge the board of directors to four, so you can have a seat, too?"
"Now, why would I want a thing like that, Kren? I am only interested in war, and in my army. I thought
that I'd made that clear to you. Everything else is a nuisance! As far as I can see, the three of you are
handling this commercial venture just fine. If I become unhappy with your management, you will certainly
be the first to know of it. At that point, I will expect you to take such actions as are required to make me
happy again. Until then, I don't want to be bothered."
"Yes, Your Grace."
Kren decided not to tell Bronki or Dol about this conversation. And the corporation could always use
the money that they had effectively donated.
* * *
The new school year started, and Kren changed the white belt of a freshman to the yellow belt of a
sophomore, even though most of the classes he took were for freshmen. At least, he was no longer
confined to remedial classes.
With the director's permission, Kren dropped the javelin tennis games, and only won at one of his other
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three major sports once every three to five weeks or so. However, he trained in one of the other three
dozen collegiate sports for typically three weeks each, and when he had become sufficiently proficient at
the sport, he was brought in at the last moment as an "emergency replacement." He invariably won the
gold, whenever he competed in a new sport, and then he never repeated the performance.
This meant that most of the gamblers on the planet never had a chance to bet on him, and the odds were
fairly high, often a dozen to one. They were that low because the smallIn Crowd was now in a position
to bet fabulous sums. The money rolled in, and Kren gouged his bookie twice more during the year,
forcing her to buy more stock that never paid any dividends.
* * *
By winter, the exploratory tunnel had been finished, the corrosive gasses had been released to give the
tunnel an ancient-looking patina, and enough time had passed for these deadly gasses to react with the
tunnel walls and be safe.
When the tired group of small tunneler workers finally came home, Kren made a point of being there to
greet them and the sergeant who drove them their supplies.
Dol, along with Bronki, who of course had figured out what they were up to, encouraged Kren to kill
these soldier-workers for security reasons, but Kren had decided that one of his major long-term goals
was to increase the planetary population. Unnecessary killing was therefore to be avoided.
Also, the duke was very attached to his soldiers, and Kren thought that killing some of them might offend
His Grace.
Kren told the workers, "I wanted to personally thank you for the long and arduous job that you have
done for my corporation. I have your pay envelopes here, three times what it would normally be, and in
cash money, so that you won't have trouble with the income tax goons. We carefully examined the dirt
you sent out, and since you are interested, yes, you did find some very valuable mineral deposits.
However, these deposits are such that the corporation won't be in a position to exploit them for many
years. It is therefore vitally important that word of this does not get out, ever! Some have suggested that
the most expedient course would be to kill all of you immediately, but you know that I am a soldier
myself. Know thatI know of the honor and the integrity of Duke Dennon's warriors! However, you all
have doubtless heard of my prowess as a warrior, and I promise you that if any word of what we have
done does leak out, I will find all of you, and I will kill you."
The soldiers looked at each other apprehensively.
Kren continued, "That's the down side. There's an up side, and it too is a secret. I have a bonus for you.
This coming Saturday, I will win at the pole-vaulting competition at the University of Dren, even though
I'm not presently listed as being entered in it. If you bet on me, you will make a lot of money."
"This is a sweet deal," the old sergeant said. "Triple pay and a tip on a bet that will make us at least a
dozen times more than that! You guys ain't been watching the news lately, but Kren's wins really has
been paying that much! And all we got to do is keep our stupid mouths shut!"
"Yes sir," the senior corporal said. "But what if he loses?"
"Soldier, if I lose, I will personally reimburse all of your losses three fold," Kren said.
"Then we are your silent but obedient servants, sir!" the corporal said.
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* * *
Without Kren's knowledge, Bronki and Dol had visited the duke two days before. They had told him
very privately about Kren's intentions of releasing the tunnelers, and that they both felt that it was an
unnecessary breach of security.
Duke Dennon thanked them, and said that he would think on it, but warned them that they should remain [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]