Two short stories set in the Liaden Universe. The first story is The Beggar King, set on Liad and about the young Daav yos' Phelium's early training to be Delm. The second is Necessary Evils, explore the time and space before Clan Korval, when the universe was degenerating into chaos, and individuals faced evil in many guises, including bioenginnered human-plant hybrids, slavery and of course greed.