Theogony 3: Terra Stands Alone Read Online Free PDF

leave that? ”
    Calvin had seen that the Psiclopes were working to start the first implant shopping and entertainment network. When Calvin had first turned on his implant, there had been selections for Shopping, Entertainment, News, Sports, Education, Military, Search and Tools, but Shopping, Entertainment, News and Sports had been grayed out. When he had asked why that was, he had been told that they weren’t at a ‘civilized’ planet that had access to all of those networks. All of the grayed out selections had become active a couple of weeks ago. When Calvin had asked someone about them, he had been told that the Psiclopes had started a new entertainment network.
    “ You have me confused with Arges, ” said Steropes. “ With more and more of the Terrans getting implants, and no one in the government or military ever going to trust him again, Arges decided to start an information and shopping implant network. He sold a bunch of his heirlooms to build up some capital and bought a run on the Class 2 replicator on the moon. He used his time to make several artificial intelligences that he is using to run the networks. He has both an internet and an implant marketplace that already have more traffic than the Terran Shopping Network. He is hoping to be outselling Amazon by the end of the year. ”
    “ And people are actually coming to him to get the news? ” asked Calvin.
    “ You’d be surprised, ” said Steropes. “ People want to hear what he has to say, regardless of what the topic is. Not only is his news network outperforming CNN, he has people calling all of the time to give him secret information about various programs, both legal and illegal. If he wanted, he could leak more secrets than Wikileaks and Edward Snowden combined. ”
    “ That’s not good, ” said Calvin, who knew that the Psiclopes lived to collect information they could use later. To them, information was the best currency. Calvin would have to say something to whoever ran the world government’s version of the FBI...or maybe the senate...or someone. Arges obviously needed to be reined in. “ Why are you telling me this? ” Calvin finally asked.
    “ I’m telling you because I am not a part of it, ” said Steropes. “ As you know, my wife Parvati believed in doing the right thing. Over the last several months, I have had a lot of time to contemplate the meaning of life, and I believe that she was the one on the right track. I have rededicated my life to following in her footsteps. I want to go because I want to help you. It is the only way to make up for what I have done. If you will let me go, I will give you the benefit of my 5,000 years of galactic experience. I will not hold anything back, nor try to slant things to make you choose one path or another. I give you my word that I will only tell you the truth from now on. ”
    “ The truth, huh? ” asked Calvin. “ That would be pretty refreshing...maybe even enough to let you come with us if we end up going to meet with the Archons. There’s only one problem. ”
    “ How can you trust me? ” asked Steropes.
    “ That’s the one I was thinking of, ” agreed Calvin. “ You’ve lied and skated around the truth so many times, it’s second nature to you. How can I know you will only tell the truth? I’d ask you to swear on it, but I have no idea what is important enough to make it a meaningful vow. ”
    “ I will swear on the soul of Parvati, ” said Steropes. “ Someday I hope to meet her again; the only way I will ever do so is to make all of the wrong things I’ve done right again. ”
    “ OK, ” said Calvin, “ Let’s try this once. Tell me about the Archons. ”
    “ What would you like to know? ” asked Steropes. “ I have been to their home planet once and have interacted with them on several occasions, including twice here on Earth. ”
    “ WHAT?” For the second time, heads turned. Calvin waved them off with another apology. Steropes must really be serious,