Retief of the Red-Tape Mountain

By Keith Laumer

Retief knew the importance of sealed orders—and the need to keep them that way! Keith Laumer was a best selling author who was nominated for both the Hugo and Nebula Awards. Before becoming a science fiction writer Laumer was an officer in the United States Air Force and a diplomat in the Foreign Service, adding a note of realism to many of his stories. One of science fiction’s true luminaries

• Language: English
• Publisher: Start Publishing LLC
• Release date: Oct 9, 2020
• ISBN: 9781649740410

Keith Laumer

John Keith Laumer (June 9, 1925 – January 23, 1993) was an American science fiction author. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, he was an officer in the United States Air Force and a diplomat in the United States Foreign Service. His older brother March Laumer was also a writer, known for his adult reinterpretations of the Land of Oz (also mentioned in Laumer's The Other Side of Time). Frank Laumer, their youngest brother, is a historian and writer.

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Retief of the Red-Tape Mountain

by Keith Laumer

Start Publishing LLC

Copyright © 2020 by Start Publishing LLC

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

First Start Publishing eBook edition.

Start Publishing is a registered trademark of Start Publishing LLC

Manufactured in the United States of America

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ISBN 978-1-64974-041-0

Retief knew the importance of sealed orders—and the need to keep them that way!

It’s true, Consul Passwyn said, I requested assignment as principal officer at a small post. But I had in mind one of those charming resort worlds, with only an occasional visa problem, or perhaps a distressed spaceman or two a year. Instead, I’m zoo-keeper to these confounded settlers. And not for one world, mind you, but eight! He stared glumly at Vice-Consul Retief.

Still, Retief said, it gives an opportunity to travel—

Travel! the consul barked. I hate travel. Here in this backwater system particularly— He paused, blinked at Retief and cleared his throat. Not that a bit of travel isn’t an excellent thing for a junior officer. Marvelous experience.

He turned to the wall-screen and pressed a button. A system triagram appeared: eight luminous green dots arranged around a larger disk representing the primary. He picked up a pointer, indicating the innermost planet.

"The situation on Adobe is nearing crisis. The confounded settlers—a mere handful of them—have managed, as usual, to stir up trouble with an intelligent indigenous life form, the