Book excerpt: Since the death of my fighter my career has taken a new turn. The young humanoid I acquired has opened new profit ventures. His name is Thracian, ‘that which fights’ in Lolobian. As long as he performs and makes money I’m happy. Practicing makes him an expert killer, and he has only to touch a weapon and knows how to use it. Physically he is a terrible foe to stand against. I pity the dumb aliens and low gutter humans we are going up against. Thracian will chop them up and swallow them whole. I estimate his metabolism burns three times the humanoid norm, making him deadly in speed and strength. He is a born killer, capable of dismembering you piece by piece, and yet, he gets mad if you call him a butcher. But, there’s this soft side which might cause problems in the future...