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Better to Beg Forgiveness

THEY WERE THE
TOUGHEST, DEADLIEST
MERCENARIES IN THAT PART
OF THE GALAXY...
AND THEY'D BEEN DOUBLE-CROSSED!

Celadon, a poor nation on a poor planet, engaged in civil war and a haven for every type of villainy in space, is ripe for cleanup. The military could pacify it handily, but it would take a statesman to fix it.

But statesmen have ethics, which politicians and megacorps find inconvenient. Celadon's President Bishwanath compounded the sin by being astute, ambitious and capable. Something had to be done, because a working nation isn't much use for pork and graft.

When the word comes down to replace him, the politicians move on with a new plan, reallocating resources, and finding a more pliable president to put in place.

There are three problems with this solution. Bishwanath does not want to be replaced. His mercenary bodyguards are more loyal than the politicians. And if they're not on contract—there are no rules.

Cover Art by Kurt Miller

ORDER Hardcover

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

First printing, November 2007

Distributed by Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
 Williamson, Michael Z.
Better to beg forgiveness— / Michael Z. Williamson.
p. cm.
"A Baen Books original"—T.p. verso.
ISBN-13: 978-1-4165-5508-7
ISBN-10: 1-4165-5508-0
1. Civil war—Fiction. 2. Political fiction. I. Title.
 
PS3623.I573B48 2007
813'.6—dc22
2007027930

Pages by Joy Freeman (www.pagesbyjoy.com)
Printed in the United States of America

ISBN-13: 978-1-4165-5508-7
ISBN-10: 1-4165-5508-0

Copyright© 2007 by Michael Z. Williamson

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.

A Baen Books Original
Baen publishing Enterprises
P.O. Box 1403
Riverdale, NY 10471
https://www.baen.com

Electronic version by WebWrights
http://www.webscription.net

For Ron and Vicki

Who weren't sure I knew what I was doing,
but gave me the benefit of the doubt . . . 
and a long time to prove it.

 

Baen Books by Michael Z. Williamson

Freehold
The Weapon
Better to Beg Forgiveness . . . 

The Hero (with John Ringo)

 

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