Carl Obermeier, a cadet at the Time Corps Academy, discovers he has been admitted to his second year on Conditional status. This is due to his high “emotional liability.” He is advised to mediate and study the precepts and disciplines of the Corps. But on his first day back, his class is shown an example of Temporal Crime committed by the Time Pirates, enemy of the Ordered Society, and he is smitten by the pirate Armand’s beauty. Troubled, Carl remains true to the Corps when he is kidnapped by the pirates and meets Armand face to face.<br><br>Armand lives a free and easy life with the pirates ... until he sees Carl, and realizes the cadet has fallen for him.<br><br>As the pirates deprogram Carl from the rigid tenets of the Ordered Society, the two men fall in love. But a pirate’s life is never safe, and when Armand fails to return from an Action against the OS Marines, Carl steps up to save him. Unfortunately the men are caught on either side of the Time War. Can they find their way out?

Renegades from the Time War

“It will be easier now,” Armand said quietly.


The soldier said nothing, made no motion, but his eyes were peaceful. Armand stroked his cheek gently. The man was already withdrawn into a state of acceptance.


“Yes,” Armand said. “It will be easier now.” He turned away, then turned back, frowning. “I’m sorry,” he said, “that I can’t interfere. It’s not possible.”


After this, he got out his field control unit, and walked back toward the center of the incursion field.


“Now,” Enzo said. “Tell me? What about that was rape, exactly?”


“Oh!” Carl said, his face heating slightly. “It wasn’t. I’m sorry.” He frowned. “You know, I think the Academy misrepresented that deliberately.”


“Of course they did!” Enzo was suddenly angry. “You think truth is a part of what they do? Don’t you realize they’re all about control? ‘Order and Good Government’—my ass! It’s fascism pure and simple.”


Chapter 19