III

III

“Captain Verdana?” the tall frog like gentleman at the front podium asked as Verdana stood before the eighteen men representing the eighteen major star systems in the Galactic Empire.

“Yes?” Captain Verdana returned.

“Your records show you to be the most courageous and adamant soldier in the Armada,” the frog like man continued.   “You have been a the sole survivor of many battles.  You have also been a valiant hero to many.  Your deeds as a soldier and hero are well documented. 

“Also, it is well documented that you have been implicated in many attempts at Piracy and the exploitation of several under-developed worlds.”

There was a silence that Captain Verdana knew was just the calm before the berating began.  He waited, never letting his stern face waver.

“I have asked you here for your help,” the tall frog man said.  “My world is afflicted, and we have found the culprit of our addiction.”

Captain Verdana didn’t need to be told the history of what had come to addict the planet of Todevaal.  It was his crowning achievement, he had remembered.  He found a substance on a small planet that had no contact as of yet with the Empire, that Giq had gone crazy for.  He found that anyone from the planet Todevaal reacted the same.  And the stuff was easy and cheep to obtain.  Captain Verdana had made a fortune in one year.  So much so that he gave up the business since he had made more in one year than he would otherwise have done all his life.  It was perfect.

Only, did this Todevaalian know about Captain Verdana’s involvement?