Ben Smith

“ It was Radik's voice in the helmet phones and Jubil could almost see the heavy face with its fringe of space-black beard. Jubil rested, listening to the cosmic interference in his R-link equipment.
"Jubil! Jubil Marken! Have you changed your mind?"
"Radik—" Jubil formed the words slowly, using his lips only and breathing shallowly. "Piracy suits you, Radik. You are one of the ruthless...."
Jubil could hear Radik's throaty chuckle. "A dead man of honor is still dead, Jubil." ”

“ A normal man would be bitter, perhaps even hysterical in his anger and his fear of death. Yet there was only this peaceful drifting toward the still-invisible asteroid that hung in space above his own head. Jubil closed his eyes, shutting out the phosphorescence of the velvet that was space. ”

“ Kane—one of the legendary figures of the history of astro-navigation. Kane with his Academy background and his proud but personable air had become one of the most talked-of Space captains who had ever lived. Jubil could still, in memory, see Kane, standing spread-kneed on the bridge of the Comet, one of the first; later the Wanderer, the first of the luxury space liners. The Mercury, and the Mercury II, the super-ships that made week-end excursion flights that spanned from galaxy to galaxy. ”