Fool Me Twice

Filidor Vesh is literally bowled over by beautiful Emmlyn Podarke, who knocks him flat, steals his credentials, and dares him to pursue her. Follow her he does, and now in a remote and mostly forgotten corner of Old Earth, Filidor must cope with philosophical pirates, prophet-seeking aliens, light-fingered mummers, and a tiny, bothersome voice in his left ear. Meanwhile, the Archon may or may not have been kidnapped, and on the Podarke family farm, somebody is digging up a mysterious and possibly dangerous artifact...

A FOOLISH COMEUPPANCE

When Filidor awoke, something gray and white was standing on his chest. It clacked a sharp yellow bill and cocked its head to eye him with what he was sure was evil intent. He opened his mouth to say "Get off me!" but all that came out of him was the kind of sound a particularly inarticulate beast might make, accompanied by a rolling belch that reeked of stale liquor. The bird took offense and flapped away.

Filidor closed his eyes, having discovered that light, even the weak light cast by the fading orange sun in this latter age of Old Earth, was not a friend to his present condition.