PAWNS OF TOMORROW — Joe Vadalma

Humans Against Feline Aliens in a Galactic War to the Death! Humanity has met its match in the Stygians, carnivores that evolved from feline ancestors, whose society reflects their cat-like ways. Chief among the Stygian warlords is Growlrr, who declares war on the human race as the first step in his plan to rule the entire galaxy. The key to humanity's future is a ragtag group of people, sublimely unaware of their importance, each a pawn of tomorrow, whose actions will determine the outcome of the conflict. These include the frustrated Prince Ron Bo Kan sent on a diplomatic mission doomed to failure; Brad Billiard, an intelligent agent who allow his vices to subvert his mission; Lady Slink, Growlrr's mistress, who has enormous psychic powers including the ability to send her aura anywhere in the galaxy; Princess Shady Lai, who plots against her father, Emperor Mikado, because she believes he is insane to fight the powerful aliens; Bulga Khan, High King of the Perseus Cluster, a pompous power mad dictator; Lucia Malachi, seductive android super spy; Mr. White, android master of disguise; and the mysterious android Aristotle. Soon each will play a key role in a galactic war is fought overtly with vast fleets of star ships, killer nanobots, and world destroying weapons; but also fought covertly with a war of espionage, counterespionage and traitorous plots. But Pawns of Tomorrow is more than a story, it is also a genuine chess game in the form of a science fiction story, in the finest tradition of John Brunner's Squares of the City and Poul Anderson's White Queen's War, and readers can follow the moves of the game through a summary at the start of each chapter and appendices at the end of the book. It all begins when two android spies travel to the planet Paradise to meet Brad Billiard on business, not realizing he is a spy?