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Outies

Page 1

by Pournelle, J. R.




  Contents

  About this Book

  About the Author

  Other Books in the Mote Universe

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Cast of Characters

  Imperial Autonetics Majority Shareholders

  Other Humans

  Citizens of the Second Empire of Man

  Saint George, New Utah, and environs

  Saint George True Church Militant Security Zone

  Bonneville and The Barrens, New Utah

  Other Moties

  Other Species

  Chronology (Standard Years)

  Prologue

  Chapter 1: Visitation Rights

  Chapter 2: Accrual Methods

  Chapter 3: Sanctum, Sanctus, Sancta

  Chapter 4: Fairserv

  Chapter 5: Knowledge Management

  Chapter 6: Hostile Takeover

  Chapter 7: Forty Thieves

  Chapter 8: The Gathering

  Chapter 9: Angels in Heaven

  Chapter 10: Verbal Contracts

  Chapter 11: Communications Update

  Chapter 12: Paternity Suit

  Chapter 13: Tortious Intervention

  Chapter 14: A Sharp Correction

  Chapter 15: Final Accounting

  Chapter 16: Chairman of the Board

  Chapter 17: Intellectual Property

  Chapter 18: Opportunity Investment

  Chapter 19: Formal Accession

  Epilogue

  Appendix

  Map of Inhabited Areas of New Utah

  True Church of Mormon Organization

  Mormonism

  Church of Him

  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (“LDS Church”)

  Reformed Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (“LDS Sixers”)

  True Church of Mormon (“True Church” OR “TC”)

  True Church Militant (“TCM”)

  Catechism of The Great Weep

  His Gatherings

  His Numbers

  His Tenets

  His Creed

  The Gathering Hymn (Common Notation)

  Mesolimeran Tables of Measure

  "Three-Hand,” or “Cattle” Accounting

  Land Accounting

  Commodity Accounting

  Asymmetry, Chimerism, and Hermaphroditism in New Utah Swenson’s Apes

  Introduction

  The Planet of the Apes

  Zebras, Mules, and Truth Stranger than Fiction

  The War Between the Sexes

  Where Have All the Flowers Gone?

  Conclusion

  Acknowledgements

  Back Cover

  About This Book

  Since first contact with the alien Mote civilization, expansion of the Second Empire of Man has slowed. The Fleet’s attention has become consumed with blocking Motie access to human space—and holding that thin line now depends upon a shaky alliance with the horrifically prolific, technologically brilliant, three-armed Moties themselves. Under the terms of Horace Bury’s will, human and Motie shareholders have also assumed joint control of industrial giant Imperial Autonetics. Still, the Empire decides the fate of worlds. Those already in possession of space-worthy craft may join as Classified systems, and enjoy the benefits of access to new technology, trading rights, and Fleet protection. Those less advanced may be parceled out as colonial concessions. Outworlds that refuse to join risk conquest by zealous commanders intent on preserving the hard-won peace at any cost. Worlds boasting great riches are targeted for quick accession. Those presenting any danger are targeted for quick destruction. Yet, though their very planets depend on guessing the right questions, and delivering the right answers, in the remote backwaters of Imperial space, few of these details are known to the Outies themselves. Set in the first chaotic year following Horace Bury’s death, this gripping sequel to King David’s Spaceship, The Mote in God’s Eye, and The Gripping Hand introduces Asach Quinn, a human character as enigmatic as the alien Moties, and shifts point of view from the vast race across the stars, to the role played in that race by one small rancher, on a world already deemed irrelevant…

  About the Author

  Dr. J.R. Pournelle is an archaeologist and anthropologist best known for reconstructing landscapes surrounding ancient cities. A Research Fellow at the University of South Carolina’s School of The Environment, and past Mesopotamian Fellow of the American School of Oriental Research, her work in Turkey, Iraq, and the Caucasus has been featured in The New York Times and on The Discovery Channel. In a former life, she received numerous decorations for service as a United States Army intelligence officer and arms control negotiator, and performed reconstruction work in Iraq as a civilian.

  Outies

  Other books in the Mote Universe

  Pocket Books by J.E. Pournelle

  King David’s Spaceship

  Pocket Books by Larry Niven and J.E. Pournelle

  The Mote in God’s Eye

  The Gripping Hand

  Outies

  J. R. Pournelle

  New Brookland Press

  West Columbia, SC 29169

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2010 Jennifer R. Pournelle. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the United States of America.

  First electronic edition 2010.

  Characters, locations, and events featured in King David’s Spaceship are Copyright © 1980 Jerry Pournelle, used by permission.

  Characters, locations, and events featured in The Mote in God’s Eye are Copyright © 1974 Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, used by permission.

  Characters, locations, and events featured in The Gripping Hand are Copyright © 1993 Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, used by permission.

  Musical score for “The Gathering Hymn” Copyright © 2009 J. Daniel Jenkins, used by permission.

  Illustrations © 2010 Jennifer R. Pournelle.

  For my father.

  It’s his world, we just try our best to live in it…

  Cast of Characters

  Imperial Autonetics Majority Shareholders

  Sir Kevin Renner

  Owner and pilot, Sinbad; five percent plus one share.

  Robert Peele Bury

  Oldest grandson of Horace Bury, twenty percent less one share.

  Ali Baba

  Mediator, fifteen percent.

  Eudoxus

  Mediator, representative, Medina Traders, fifteen percent.

  Omar

  Mediator, representative, East India Company, ten percent.

  Victoria

  Mediator, representative, Crimean Tartars, 2.5 percent.

  Other Humans

  Citizens of the Second Empire of Man

  Amari Selkirk Alidade Clarke Hathaway (Asach) Quinn

  Analyst and Advisor.

  Sandra (Sally) Liddel Leonovna Fowler, Lady Blaine,

  Co-Director, the Blaine Institute, New Caledonia.

  Roderick Harold, Lord Blaine,

  Earl of Acrux, Co-Director, the Blaine Institute, New Caledonia.

  Commissioner (Dr.) Anthony Horvath,

  Minister of Science, Sparta.

  HG

  Horvath’s delegate and representative on New Utah.

  Colchis Barthes

  Curator of American Collections, Imperial Library, Sparta. Information delegate to New Utah.

  Sir Lawrence Jackson

  Governor, Maxroy’s Purchase.

  Saint George, New Utah, and Environs

  Zia (Umm Hugo) Azhad

  Procurement Agen
t, Orcutt Land and Mining.

  Ollie (Abu Hugo) Azhad

  Chief of Security, Orcutt Land and Mining, Zia’s husband.

  Hugo Azhad

  Son of Zia and Ollie.

  Deela Azhad

  Daughter of Zia and Ollie.

  Marul

  Zia’s niece.

  Lady Lillith Van Zandt

  Margravine Batavia, Entrepreneur.

  Harlan Clegg

  Security Contractor.

  Aloysius Geery

  Dean, Zion University College of Technical Science, Engineering, and Urban Planning.

  Saint George True Church Militant Security Zone

  Captain Jeri Legrange

  Zone Operations Security Officer.

  Sergeant Sheila Thompson

  Medic, Zone Operations Support Company.

  Private Swanson

  Legrange’s driver, Zone Operations Support Company.

  Private Theo Parker

  Zone Operations Support Company.

  Major Johannes Trippe

  Executive Officer, TCM Saints (“Mormon”) Battalion.

  Linda Libiziewsky

  Zone Operations Administrator.

  Bonneville and The Barrens, New Utah

  Collier (Collie) Orcutt

  Rancher.

  Laurel Courter

  Rancher, Orcutt’s niece.

  Michael Van Zandt

  Opal meerschaum broker, Lillith Van Zandt’s son.

  Nejme Silelyan

  Major Domo to Michael Van Zandt.

  Lena Silelyan

  Nejme’s daughter.

  Mena Silelyan

  Nejme’s wife.

  John David Swenson

  New Utah Founder’s Era surveyor, provisioner and naturalist.

  Other Moties

  John

  Farmer. Agricultural concession-holder.

  Longshanks

  Runners. Post-Watchers in the employ of Farmer John.

  Leica

  Runners. Offspring of Longshanks.

  Sargon

  Master. Procurator, Northern Protectorate, Mesolimeris.

  Lagash

  Keeper, Northern Protectorate, Mesolimeris.

  Enheduanna

  Master, Side Captain, House of Sargon.

  Alhacen

  Miner.

  Lord Cornwallis

  Master, East India Group. Associate Master of Inner Base Six; presumptive parent of Ali Baba.

  Other Species

  Agamemnon

  A horse.

  Chronology (Standard Years)

  Events preceding the opening of this story…

  2450

  Jasper Murcheson explores region beyond the Coal Sack.

  2452

  In New Caledonia system, domed colonies established on New Scotland and New Ireland, following terraforming.

  2456

  Maxroy’s Purchase settled by dissident Mormons.

  Domes removed, New Scotland and New Ireland colonies.

  2552

  Mountain Mover asteroid mining registered, Purchase system.

  2553

  100,000+ transportees settled on Maxroy’s Purchase.

  2567

  Temple of the True Church moved to Glacier Valley, Maxroy’s Purchase. True Church colony sent to New Utah. Founder’s Report to the Elders of Maxroy’s Purchase filed.

  2600

  Imperial Navy Initial Assessment Report (IAR), New Utah, filed.

  2603

  Secession Wars begin. New Scotland loyalist; New Ireland secessionist. Maxroy’s Purchase and New Utah are distant and largely neutral.

  2640

  First Empire collapses.

  2800

  Interstellar trade collapses in Trans-Coal Sack sector.

  2820

  In absence of Imperial contact, Loyalist New Scotland continues prosecution of war against “Rebel” New Ireland. Coherent light from the Mote reaches New Caledonia.

  2862

  “Motie” civilization on Mote Prime launches a solar sail-guided probe into human space, using a laser cannon. Coherent light from the Mote reaches New Caledonia.

  2867

  City churches, Maxroy’s Purchase destroyed. Temple of the True Church proclaimed Governing Church of Maxroy’s Purchase. Swenson’s Ape paper authored.

  2868

  Alderson tramlines collapse between Purchase system and New Utah.

  2870

  Secession Wars end. New Ireland defeated.

  2882

  Howard Grote Littlemead founds Church of Him on New Scotland.

  2902

  Coherent light from Mote ends abruptly. Howard Grote Littlemead “hastened to meet his God.” Under intense persecution, many Himmists flee to New Ireland.

  2903

  Leaonidas IV of Sparta proclaims the Second Empire of Man.

  2908

  His Mission dispatched from New Ireland to Maxroy’s Purchase. Expands rapidly among “false” Church remnants.

  2963

  Hannefin Mines registered, Pitchfork City, Maxroy’s Purchase. True Church begins secret, periodic shipments of selenium supplements and fertilizer to New Utah, in exchange for opal meerschaum.

  2964

  His Mission to Heaven dispatched from Maxroy’s Purchase to New Utah.

  2967

  Imperial contact with New Caledonia re-established. INSS Terrible bombards Derry, ending New Ireland secession. New Scotland designated sector capital.

  2984

  General Metals registered, Pitchfork City, Maxroy’s Purchase.

  2986

  New Ireland designated sector Naval shore leave destination.

  3005

  Union Planetoids registered, Maxroy’s Purchase.

  3007

  Maxroy’s Purchase joins Empire of Man.

  3013

  Prince Samual’s World discovered by units of Imperial Navy. Events of King David’s Spaceship begin.

  3016

  New Chicago Revolt. Events of The Mote in God’s Eye begin.

  3017

  First contact: Motie light sail reaches human space. MacArthur dispatched to investigate Mote System. Mote Blockade Treaty concluded with representatives from Mote Prime, preventing Motie exit from Mote Space.

  3026

  Tanner Metals registered, Pitchfork City, Maxroy’s Purchase.

  3035

  Sir Lawrence Jackson, Governor, Maxroy’s Purchase, dispatches Bury-owned ship to New Utah to invite Empire membership. The New Utah True Church refuses.

  3047

  Events of The Gripping Hand begin. The “Motie scare” on Maxroy’s Purchase. Renner investigation reveals True Church use of a periodic tramline from Maxroy’s Purchase to New Utah. Collapse of The Curdle opens a second Alderson point from the Mote system into Imperial space.

  3048

  Motie Medina Trader Alliance concludes and polices the Second Mote Blockade Treaty in exchange for exclusive trading rights with the Empire. Motie access to Empire Space prohibited without infection with contraceptive C-L parasite.

  Horace Bury bequeaths bulk of Imperial Autonetics voting stock to a combination of his own and Alliance families.

  3049

  Second Jackson Expedition to New Utah planned. Events of Outies begin.

  Prologue

  Nauvoo Vision, en route to Saint George, New Utah, 3035

  Ship’s time, it was well past midnight. Reuben Fox padded silently through the empty corridor. The Delegation all slept like exhausted children, thanks to a generous dollop of melatonin in their evening nightcaps. “It’s a Mormon Tea,” he’d said, passing around the steaming cups, “No caffeine. Help you sleep like babies before we descend tomorrow.”

 

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