Inferno

Roger McBride Allen

1994

T'was a wet and windy night on the island of Purgatory as the Great and Good of Spacer and Settler society come together for the Governor's Ball. As the storm outside rages against the force screens of the Residence, tensions inside are barely less troubled. Any sizable gathering that included Spacer and Settler would be tense of course, but one that had Simcor Beddle, the New Law robot Prospero and the No Law Robot Caliban in the same room was explosive. Add in the fact that there are no other robots (apart from Donald, Sheriff Kresh's robot) present by request of the Settlers and it's clear to see why the sheriff is worried.

But the first death appears to be a Ranger garroted to death, as he looked outward for danger.

Or was he? The Governor had appeared to be okay on the vid, but when Kresh made his way to the Governor's quarters it was to find him long dead with a hole blasted in his chest.

And that was only the start of Kresh's problems as he tries to deal with a murder investigation, rustbacking and corruption amongst the suppliers of the terraforming equipment.

He found that he had been named Grieg's political heir too, despite, or rather, because of their political differences, so he has to come to terms with political realities as well as undertake the hunt for his predecessor's killer.

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