I was having a spectacularly lousy day prior to reading this. I won't go into details, but I will say that it caused me to callously commit vehicular duckslaughter. I'm feeling much better thatnks to this story. A couple of points:

The discussion of FTL was nice. Good to learn about a new type.

My mp3 player decided to play "Simply Irresistable" During the first breakfast scene when Corwin sat next to Utena. Shuffle play, my bony white ass.

Poor Corwin. I've worn those shoes.

> and the story of the time Zoner inadvertently brought
>down the governments of twelve independent systems with one erroneous
>post to a Usenet newsgroup.

Does this have any basis in reality? If so I've gotta hear this one.

>"Wow," he said, and removed from it a small piece of jewelry,
>a pin or clasp, worked into the intricate and beautiful shape of a
>silver rose.

Ha! I knew it!

Polychrome