Respectfully Mine

Leland Hale is the kind of thief whose legend arrives before he does: brilliant, ruthless, and convinced the universe itself ought to be his. When he turns his attention to Apfahl, a divided backwater world with more political pride than practical importance, the planet's obscure history suddenly becomes a stage for theft, fraud, and humiliation. At the center of the intrigue is a buried time capsule and the possible return of works by R. Philipp Dachboden, Apfahl's celebrated native artist, whose legacy has become a battleground for rival nations. Museum director Dr. Rudolf Mier dreams of glory, while ambitious politician Hinrik Fonshliezen sees opportunity in scandal and prestige. Into their uneasy world steps a polished expert who may be exactly who he claims to be—or a master impostor. As Captain Bradney W. Whitter closes in, Hale manipulates every side, feeding suspicion, stoking regional rivalry, and turning the hunt for a priceless sculpture into a larger con. In the end, the discovery proves to be a fraud, the experts are fooled, and Hale escapes with the winnings, leaving pride, ambition, and revenge exposed as the story's real spoils. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.