Now, tell me truthfully: Doesn't "Hardesty B. Grover" sound like the name of a corrupt mayor from some obscure little Southern municipality… you know, one where sentencing to year-long service on a chain gang is, in their minds, an entirely legitimate consequence of jaywalking?

Well, I shudder to say that I didn't just conjure that rather pretentious nomenclature for The Reckoning. He's really out there, people... but, I must admit, little resembles his namesake—except, perhaps, as relates to subtlety of intellect. He's responsible for our next drabble, and with it acquires the distinction of being the first person to write a Liberty story upon which my name doesn't appear as author.

Insofar as I can see, you shouldn't miss me at all.

"Queen’s Pawn Takes King"

By Hardesty B. Grover

“Pawn takes pawn… on piss ant!”

“That’s ‘en passant,’” Mantovanni gently corrected.

And, he noted, a brilliancy.

In two weeks, Gabi had gone from, “What’s that?” regarding the traditional chessboard in the ready room to respectable parries of his attacks—downplayed though they were. This time, however, her move both surprised him…

…and gained a winning position.

Either she was the greatest prodigy since Capablanca, or….

Mantovanni swiveled and glimpsed the ghost image of a chessboard on the now blank comm panel.

“So… Ignatius isn’t your only ally, eh?”

Gabi simply giggled, and ran to tell Mommy of her victory.