Sunday November 20, 2016
Book 16: Big, Dumb Objects — Part IV

Transcript

ANTOSSA: This orbit will be fine for selling service and repair to the scavengers.

MURTUAGH: Steady work is good. There's an old Earth aphorism: "Don't dig for gold. Sell shovels."

ANTOSSA: Your cut of "shovel sales" won't be very large.

MURTAUGH: Large enough to remind you of your crimes, and small enough that you won't be tempted to revolt.

PETEY: Hello. Am I interrupting?

MURTAUGH: Always.

What do you need?

PETEY: I wish to buy a piece of the City of Beskin-Sashik.

MURTAUGH: I own it, but I promised not to cut it into pieces.

PETEY: This piece is already detached. You see, per the laws of the Penipotent Dominion, the City of Beskin-Sashik includes the world they discovered, Uli-Oa.

Those laws say that Uli-Oa now belongs to you.

I should buy it before smashing it into scrap, and giving it away.

MURTAUGH: What's the going rate for priceless, planet-sized artifacts?

PETEY: A Plenipotent Dominion coupon book.

There are some really good deals in there. Worth two planets, easy.