It was not as if the sentient metal creature had much use for it. He felt like a beggar as he was ushered shivering in front of the ambassador. The transparent dome-skull of his Excellency Grinder Longbody sparked with unrestrained curiosity as Dick was ushered into the ambassador’s office. ‘Your possession of the embassy’s pass code would have gained you an audience by itself,’ announced the steamman official, ‘without the ridiculous notion of a Jackelian citizen wanting to claim political asylum with us.’ Dick coughed, still trembling. ‘Belt and braces, your Excellency.’ He reached inside his pocket and removed a slim oblong of semiconductor substrate inlaid with a fine filigree of glowing lines. ‘And by the beard of Zaka of the Cylinders, what would that be?’ ‘A soul board,’ said Dick. ‘I know that, you impertinent softbody,’ snapped the ambassador. ‘Are you a common gravedigger, violating our corpses in the hope of a reward? Which of our people’s cadavers did you violate to steal that soul board?’ ‘It was freely given while its owner was alive,’ said Dick.
What do You think about From The Deep Of The Dark?
