Prophet of ConFree (The Prophet of ConFree) Read Online Free

desk. The other was leaning against the wall, glaring, ruddy-faced, blond hair. He seemed distinctly unhappy.
    "…nothing to be done," the mustache was saying. "You know it. There's nothing you or anybody else can do – except to carry on."
    "Carry on. Right!" The blond almost snarled.
    "Who are you?" Mustache finally noticed me. I was standing before his desk.
    "Uh, I'm a Legion volunteer. Sir." I wasn't going to forget the 'sir' any more.
    Mustache stood up, looking me over. "Oh," he said. "You're Rains. Richard Rains. We were told to expect you."
    "Yes sir."
    Then he did something that caught me off-guard. He stood at attention, and saluted me. It was quite a salute. I was so stunned that I did not know if I was supposed to return the salute or not.
    "Welcome to the ConFree Legion," he said. "The people of ConFree respect your decision and will honor your service." That one I had heard before. "And that's the last time anyone's going to be saluting you for quite awhile. Now, tell me – why did you volunteer?"
    I was ready for that one. "I just want to help," I said.
    "Why? Why do you want to help? It’s dangerous work. You may be killed."
    "I want to do something worthwhile. I want to make something out of my life. I want to serve the people of ConFree."
    "He wants to help," Mustache said to his companion, who was watching me with a scowl. "A volunteer. What do you think?"
    Blondie came over to join us, looking me over carefully. "A volunteer," he repeated. "Do you have any idea what you're doing?"
    "Yes sir. I think so. I just want to help."
    "He wants to help," Blondie said. "Great. Are you ready to bleed for ConFree?"
    "Yes sir."
    "Ready to die for ConFree?"
    "Yes sir. If I must."
    "Look at him," Mustache said. "He's the perfect volunteer. And they just keep coming."
    "Yes," Blondie said. "They just keep coming. Until they're all dead. And we just carry on. No matter what."
    "That's right," Mustache said. "That's exactly right. Volunteer, you will be transported to the Veltros star system for basic training. We'll take you to the spaceport by aircar tomorrow. Meantime, report to the ready room – it's out the door to the right. You keep your civilian clothes for now. We'll show you your quarters later. And don't try to leave the installation. That's a one-way gate you came in. And the past is dead and gone."
    Δ
    The past is dead and gone . I pondered the phrase as I entered the ready room. It was a large lounge, full of airchairs and sofas and tables of various sizes. The walls were decorated with large, darkened d-screens and colorful Legion propaganda posters. It was dead quiet and totally deserted – no, not quite. As I entered, a single youth shot up from a chair and snapped to attention, startling me. I looked around quickly to determine who he was standing at attention for and decided that it was for me, because there was nobody else in the room.
    "Relax," I said. "I'm not an officer, I'm a new volunteer." He was in civilian clothes, I noted. He looked like about fifteen, very slender with long brown hair and big round eyes, but he must have been seventeen because that was the minimum age for Legion recruitments. He appeared greatly relieved to learn I was a fellow volunteer.
    "Oh," he said, "good. I thought you were a trooper because of the haircut."
    I smiled. "No, the haircut came before the enlistment."
    "Really? Here, want some dox? They've got a doxmod – free dox." He hurried over to a wall unit and it popped out a fresh cup of dox. He handed it to me. "Have a seat. You like dox?" He seemed even jumpier than I was. We both settled down in airchairs and he was looking into my eyes intently. He seemed so young he almost looked like a girl.
    "Yes, I love dox," I said, taking a careful sip of the hot foamy brew. "This is great."
    "So they made you get the haircut before enlistment? How long you been in? Man, you really look beat-up. Did they beat up on you? What happened?"
    I smiled. "What happened," I