Stephen Marlowe

“ Incidentally, cancel all my insurance policies. And I quit the company, effective immediately. I'm staying here on Halcyon.
I wasn't pulling your leg, Hermie. You remember I told you a slice of flesh was taken from my rump at the stockade. That's how the Halcyonians have developed their reincarnation process. They've learned a way to duplicate an individual artificially using a sample of his hereditary genes from the slice of flesh. Every Halcyonian has his slice on file of course. The new embryo is then grown rapidly, in a matter of a few days. ”

“ Naturally, there are some atheistic pacifists on Halcyon who would like to see war abolished and more people live out their current incarnations, but this dangerous minority is constantly hunted down. ”

“ Subdivision Three Stockade
Halcyon
Dear Boss:
Lieutenant Major Roggo Furl informs me that I'm permitted to write you an uncensored letter. Boss, I'm in the dregs of despair. Please take good care of Joanie.
It's cold here in the stockade. The food stinks. The other prisoners are all Halcyonian military deserters. Get me out of here! ”

“ Luk." I then turned down the translator to soft obsequious. "I assure you, that's not the way Terran Insurance operates. We didn't know you were here."
"That's quite all right," Lar Luk told me. "You can have the whole planet for all I care."
"Are you going back to Fomalhaut?" I asked hopefully.
"Goodness, no. I had my savings shipped here to Halcyon and started a munitions plant. I'm making a fortune."
I next asked Lar Luk (translator on shocked voice) about his Company Loyalty. He said, "That's a lot of (CENSORED BY MY TRANSLATOR) ! When in Rome, heh-heh...." ”

“ Unfortunately, half of Rmpldecroidesanspertxkle was wiped out yesterday in an air-raid. I'm lucky I came through it with a whole skin. I went through the hospitals and first aid stations to canvas what was left of the population. They're just not buying. They can't—or refuse to—grasp the meaning of life insurance. The following conversation is typical:
ME: But in a devastating war like this, you need protection. Most other insurance companies wouldn't issue policies under the circumstances. You can consider it an interstellar public service by Terran Insurance. ”

“ Someday you're going to retire to a farm somewhere in the good rich land around Rmpldecroidesanspertxkle. You'll raise chickens—" which the translator translated to the Halcyonian equivalent, of course "—and bounce your little grandchildren on your knee. And then, way off in the dim future, General, years and years from now after you've lived a rich, full life, you're going to succumb to natural causes. ”

“ Lar Luk and I figured it's about time heavy industry came to Rmpldecroidesanspertxkle. We're opening a new munitions factory here, which suits the Halcyonians fine. Most of them are in favor of war because they'd like to better their position in life and might do it next time around on the new incarnation. ”

“ It's a small town, population under two thousand, without an important war industry. You'd think it would be safe from air-raids, but it's not. As I told you when I first reached Halcyon, they have no real reason for war. War is like a game with them. Their best bombers are sent out after hospital ships, I understand. 'Tennyrate, tomorrow I'm going to try my luck here in Rmpldecroidesanspertxkle.
Meanwhile, I have something of interest to report. Remember that guy I mentioned, Lar Luk, the insurance salesman from Fomalhaut? ”