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CHAPTER ONE Peter Michaels stuffed a Boston cream donut into his mouth in three bites, then licked the chocolate icing from his thick fingers on his left hand while his right worked the mouse on a computer. Technically, he wasn’t supposed to have food in the analyst lab, but since he was the only analyst on duty who was going to tell on him.  Besides, he was putting in nine hours today, even though the director had cut back overtime, which meant he was working for free. Free meant he could eat a donut if he felt like it. The day was routine so far, just reviewing a set of digital stills that New Horizon had sent back from a pass around Pluto.  He fed the images into a computer that began a routine of scanning and combining three sets of data to form one picture. Peter took a moment to marvel at the wonder of it. Here he was on earth preparing to look at pictures of the ninth planet in his solar system, a feat achieved in his lifetime....

PLANET 10 - The Dipole Series "You can't create a Army," said Bat. "I can because I have," the giant answered philosophically. "You would be surprised at what price patriotism can be bought." Bat grunted. A sound that could be taken either way. No, he would not be surprised, he wanted to tell the gang lord. He knew how important money was to many people. Hell, the two people who shared a ship with him were more motivated by money than he was. He had more in common with the AI, who considered credit a binary string of digits she could manipulate at will. She didn't need it, because she could create it on demand. Bat didn't have that ability, but he did have zero need for money. Part of his genetic makeup. He didn't need shelter. He could go weeks without food. And he had no shame at being naked. The men who created him in a lab inserted that much. But others weren't so lucky. Or unlucky. Bat reached up...

CHAPTER ONE “You look like shit.” Archie Warren sat up on the thin mattress on the concrete bunk and started through the bars at the man on the other side. “Sgt. Hammer,” he cracked a grin through one side of his face. “Didn’t they tell you not to speak to a superior officer like that?” Hammer grinned back. He was a wide man, from broad shoulders that stretched the seams of his cobbled together uniform to thick thighs that would have looked at home on a football field. “What I hear is you ain’t so superior anymore? What did they bust you to this time? You make it back to butterbars?” Archie shook his head and motioned to the narrow six by eight concrete cage that penned him. “I think I’m looking at home for now,” he said. “At least until the Lick get here.” Hammer turned his broad face and spit on the floor. “Fucking Licks,” he snarled. “You think we got enough to fight without fucking fighting each other.” Archie shrugged. “I think we’re alway...