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off the end with the cigar cutter on his host s desk. Fuquois stood and walked to Kafard s side. He
proffered a light from a Zippo lighter emblazoned with a crucifix that had been hand crafted by Benvenuto
Cellini.  You are probably an expert assassin, too, no doubt.
 I learned all the skills my masters required of me, Kafard said, then paused to inhale the rich
smoke.
Fuquois took the glint of steel in Kafard s eyes as an affirmative answer and thought that there was
pride behind his guest s smile as the Kakastani exhaled dreamily.
Kafard continued speaking,  This is a fine cigar& I developed a taste for the Havanas during my time
in Moscow. Cigars and sugar were all the Cubans had to offer in return for the billions we poured into that
godforsaken island, and even the lowliest of our functionaries had a humidor of the finest on his desk.
The two men sat in silence and enjoyed the strong tobacco. They sat wreathed in smoke as they sized
each other up. Neither of them was self-conscious as they stared unabashedly at each other. They were
like two card players who were trying to divine their opponent s hand, but unlike a card game, there was
no longer an element of bluff involved here. Each of them sensed that if they played their cards right they
could both come out winners.
Without speaking, Fuquois leaned to his right and opened a drawer in his desk. He removed a
decanter of brandy and gestured. Kafard slowly opened his mouth and let a ring of smoke roll out before
he spoke,  Thank you, but I must decline. As a Muslim, I allow myself only two vices& very strong
Turkish coffee and&  He held up the cigar.
 I thought so, Fuquois replied,  but it s only polite to offer.
It was obvious to Kafard that he was not to join the Swiss Guard, but it was equally apparent that he
was not being rejected. The last question that the cagey Cardinal had asked him left Kafard assured that
Fuquois had something up his sleeve for the former KGB operative. So, in an effort to move things along,
the Kakastani continued with the now clearly defunct issue of the Guard,  So when do I begin my term in
the Guarde Suisse?
Fuquois chuckled.  You know as well as I do that the Guard is out of the question.
Kafard listened to the centuries-old clock ticking on the mantle above the fireplace and savored
another mouthful of smoke.  Then what do you propose?
 I d like to put you on retainer and assign you jobs as they come up. Fuquois smiled and added,  And
you ll do much better than a Guard s pay.
Kafard spat in his palm and held out his hand to Fuquois.  It is a deal then.
Fuquois did not hesitate a nanosecond. He too spat in his palm and slapped it into a clasp with
Kafard s.  Deal!
As soon as Kafard had withdrawn from the Papal secretary s office, Fuquois picked up his ornate
telephone and dialed a number.  Abbot Quiferelli, I think I have the perfect man for that little assignment
we spoke of.
The Abbot did not even bother questioning the Cardinal s judgment in the matter.  Good, the sooner
we get on with this business, the better.
Chapter 13
Pardoe Farms, Delaware
April 14, 2008
Chicken Fingers
Franklin unstrapped the chicken lying on the workbench. It rolled its unrestrained head from one side
to the other, as it blinked its eyes in an effort to focus.  I am PessAr& who are you?
Franklin had rehearsed his reply,  It s me, MurGhoo. He knew he had to convince PessAr if his plan
were to succeed.
 Then why do we inhabit dissimilar bodies?
Franklin sighed in feigned regret.  We crashed upon arrival in this world. It was an emergency
situation& in spite of our code, I was forced to download into a sentient being. If I hadn t taken immediate
action, our entire mission would have been lost. I m not even sure that I was able to totally expunge the
former occupant of this body for I often sense traces of his consciousness& I find that unsettling. But
despite any quirks that might show up in my demeanor because of this, I am still MurGhoo.
 No matter what world we go to MurGhoo, you just make up your own rules. PessAr shrugged in
an un-chicken like way. By inadvertently tapping into PessAr s reservoir of resentment towards
MurGhoo, Franklin had unwittingly circumvented any of PessAr s doubts.
Nonetheless, PessAr had her duty to her fellow travelers, in spite of her distaste for their leader. All
the colonists had signed a compact before the launch from Blithos binding them to a code. Preeminent in
the code was the acceptance of a single leader, MurGhoo.  Then as soon as I can stand, I ll begin erecting a
transfer ray generator to download our brethren. While I was in my crystal, I dreamed up a way to
automate it. Of course, we ll need a large supply of gahootinite, so our next transoccupant should be a
geologist, PessAr suggested,  to find the large deposit that must be close by, for this is presumably where
our automatic guidance system brought us.
Transoccupancy was accomplished by generating a near singularity via a stimulated gahootinite
discharge. In a near singularity, all points within its event horizon become intimately linked with all other
neighboring points. The data encoded in the crystal is drawn into the roiling vortex induced by the
gahootinite beam and transmitted instantly as a burst of information into the host body.
 It is fortuitous that the being whose body I was forced to occupy owns a thriving meat production
business. I intend to impersonate him in order to interface with the natives. That way we can acquire an [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]