He killed 11 million men in the loss of life camps of Pilor IXduring the brief reign of the mad Emperor Justacious. He wiped out 17 million menon Boriga II in a fashion that made the gas ovens of ancient Earth and its own Reichseem compassionate. He wiped out 5 million women and children on New Rhodesia. Hekilled 3,017 men on Cambria III, each in a different way. He created torturedevices that actually Spica VI, which was in revolt against the Republic, would notuse.

No photo, holograph, or videodisc of him is about Walpurgis III known toexist. He has never been fingerprinted. There is no voice or retinaidentification pattern on him in virtually any computer. He does not have any bank account on anyworld, no monetary or property holdings that anyone has had the opportunity to trace.His world of origin is unknown. A lot of men have served him; all but seven aredead, and none of these seven possess ever seen him.

He is a fugitive.

His name is Conrad Bland and he’s, for as soon as, safe.But someone has sent an assassin to look for him-and end him.

Key Detective John Sable is caught between his badgeand his conscience as the two most well-known executioners of all time prepare todo fight in his territory.