Misericordia

Well, I can commiserate with the Prophet. Her life was utterly devoid of any warmth. Basically everyone left her, shunned her for her whole life. Animals included.

Of course had she spared the Mouse as a child, she would have lived a much better life, there would have been at least the Mouse who would have loved her. And maybe the Iceman would be on her side, too. And, this would definitely not had brought the Iceman's wrath on her, and PB might have wanted to live and lived, after all. It's incredible how just one slip in a time could have rendered the whole universe unlivable for her.

Overall this is a really good book with clipped witty dialogues and quite a bit of kitchy western-styled space action. Read in the course of one evening.

(c)
It was a time of giants.

“They get younger and dumber every week,” he said, turning the dead man onto his back with a foot. “No problem, friends,” he announced, raising his voice. “Just our weekly visitor from wherever.”

“You know, one of these days someone's going to come out here who knows what you look like,” said the man in black. “What are you going to do then?”
“Duck, I suppose,” replied the Iceman.

“And you are not a normal man?”
The Anointed One opened his mouth. “Between my teeth is the space.” He pointed to his ear. “On my left ear is the mole, on my right shoulder is the birthmark. I was born on the fourth day of the fourth month, and the sun was hidden by the moon. There can be no doubt that I am the Anointed One.”

“If she was so infallible,” scoffed Gibbs, “how did the Iceman manage to kill her?”
“I don't think he did,” answered Lomax thoughtfully. “I think she just got tired of fighting—like me.”

Lomax sighed. “Mr. Gibbs, you've created every enemy you've ever had.”

“You can't walk out of here!”
“Certainly I can,” said Lomax. “Somewhere out there, on a world you've never heard of, there's a grave that's marked only with a rag doll. It doesn't mean a damned thing to you, not any more, but I'm going to deliver a headstone to it.”

“You'll be back,” said Gibbs confidently. “Carlos always came back, and so will you.”
“You have enemies, Mr. Gibbs,” said Lomax. “You'd better hope I don't come back.”