Saturday September 3, 2005
Book 7: Emperor Pius Dei — Part I: Big Schlock, Little Schlock, What Begins With Schlock?
Note: The enormous FleetMind ship sent to brief and equip the press-ganged Tohdfraug fleet is called the Piece Docent. A "Docent" is a guest lecturer or teacher, or a lecturer or tour guide in a museum. This particular Docent is over two million light years from home. An artificial intelligence looking to name his ships such that all their initials are "P.D." might describe that distance as "down the road a piece."

Transcript

Petey: You and your fleet are now in the Andromeda galaxy.

I will be equipping your ships with a new set of Teraport Area Denial systems and with some highly refined gravitic remotes.

Admiral Tebbir: What, stranded here with no supply lines?
Petey: I have a use for people like you. You are like swords.
Admiral Tebbir: But if you break a sword through abuse or neglect, it's useless.
Petey: As a sword, yes. Eventually I'll be needing plowshares.