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Boxmaster
by
Jacqueline Lichtenberg
Boxmaster Lyle Odirin takes on an apprentice Boxmaster late in his career, after Pirates have destroyed one of his "boxes". The apprentice, Yran, is a non-human trying to enter the exclusively human Boxmaster's Guild.
In Odirin's ship, they set off on Odirin's regular route, servicing the "boxes" he has emplaced on various planets while Odirin contrives tests and on-the-job training exercises for Yran which reveal a vast cultural gulf between Yran's species and the human Guild rules.
At their first stop, they must descend deep into a mine. The pirates strike at Odirin again, using operatives they have implanted in many unexpected places. Odirin learns that the pirates have more knowledge of the box technology than anyone outside the Guild should have. Yran saves Odirin's life and then salvages the smashed security robot that had been assigned to protect Odirin.
Odirin figures out that Yran is way past the apprentice stage, much older than he looks, more mature than he seems. He recommends Yran for Journeyman status and takes him to acquire his own boxes.
This takes them to the most secure planet, where the Guild expects them to be safe from more pirate attacks while law enforcement catches the criminals.
However, the pirates attack again, having found the planet by an implant they had inserted into Yran's arm while he was unconscious in a hospital. The frightening scope of the pirate organization begins to emerge. Odirin comes to understand their purpose appears to be to crack the Union of Stars alliances along species lines by attacking economic cooperation.
Odiran and Yran meet this new challenge by combining their skills, abilities and knowledge into smooth teamwork. They survive and Yran emerges as a Boxmaster Guild Journeyman.
Their next stop is a water world with underwater domed cities and a few islands. Yran's Journeyman training proceeds without incident -- except here he must face his first press conference. Yran, being the first non-human Journeyman Boxmaster is big news. Security is tight.
Odirin uses the press conference to set himself up as bait for the Pirates -- not a move sanctioned by his Guild superiors.
Odirin's next stop is Korush where the main industry is tourists, sex, gambling, and other pleasures. He is to testify in a civil case. While producing the records for that case, Odirin gets another lead on one of the known pirates.
Yran busts an illegal sex-slave operation and acquires a newborn infant of his own species. Attempts to place the infant with proper authorities fail, and Yran and Odirin take the infant aboard their ship until they can find it a home.
The trail Odirin is following to the pirate who wants to kill him leads to the same planet where Yran finds a potential home for the infant with a ral of his own species named Lii and his two spouses.
The family Yran has chosen takes the infant in and assists Odirin and Yran in destroying the pirates plans. It seems to be a definitive triumph for Odirin, Yran and the infant.
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