Blacksword by Andrew J. Offutt

Author:Andrew J. Offutt [Offutt, Andrew J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Short Story
Publisher: Galaxy Publishing
Published: 1959-12-27T05:00:00+00:00

COLONEL McClintock stared. He sagged slowly back in his chair. It objected squeakily. When he finally found his voice, it was scarcely less squeaky than the chair. “And—and—?”

Blacksword leaned back complacently. “And why have I come to you, rather than your superior? Because you and I have had no trouble to date. You can handle this easily. First, you drum Gorham out of TAI.”

The colonel waited a long moment, then prompted Blacksword hopefully. “Second?”

“Second,” came Blacksword’s voice from a billowing cloud of smoke, “since my feelings are hurt and my plan endangered, and since my feelings and my plans come high, you can assuage my deep injury by about half a million dollars.”

Colonel McClintock bounced up in his chair and clamped his hands on the edge of his desk. “Why, that's nothing but black—”

“—sword,” Blacksword cut in. “Careful with your language, Colonel. My feelings might get even more hurt. What’s the name of your superior, by the way?”

McClintock fell back in the chair. “Well, I’ll be damned!”

“You’ll be worse than that if you don’t dig out a checkbook!” Blacksword snapped. “And sign this agreement that the check is bona fide and you won’t try any nonsense such as stopping payment.” He flipped the paper across the desk. “And let’s have no nonsense about the money. I can name you any one of six TAI accounts for six different exigencies, any one of which will never feel a mere half million. Do you need a pen?” There were a few words bandied as to where the co-signed agreement should be kept. Blacksword, of course, limped from Colonel McClintock’s office with both check and agreement. Colonel McClintock left his office shortly after with a sick headache.

Blacksword sent the check, marked deposit only, to the Home World Bank and Trust Co. of Earth, special delivery. He then wrote himself a check to the amount of $500,000 on that bank. This he marked for deposit only and dispatched, regular mail, to the First Planetary Bank of Luna.

He then departed for Troy.

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