Remember, "Terminal Compromise is copyrighted, and we will vigor- ously pursue violations of that copyright. (Lawyers made us say it again.) If you ABSOLUTELY LOVE "Terminal Compromise," or find that after 50 pages of On-Screen reading, you may want a hard copy for your bookshelf. It is available from bookstores nationwide for $19.95, or from Inter.Pact directly for $19.95 + $3.50 shipping and handling. If you first paid the $ 7 NOVEL-ON-THE-NET SHARE- WARE fee, send in proof and we'll deduct $ 7 from the price of the hard copy edition. ISBN: 0-962-87000-5 Enjoy "Terminal Compromise" and help us make it an easy decision to put more books on the Global Network. Thank you in advance for your attention and your consideration. The Publishers, INTER.PACT Press **************************************************************** Note to the Readers of "Terminal Compromise:" In writing a book like this, it is often difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. That is because the fiction is all too probable, and the facts are unbelievable. Maybe it doesn't matter and they're the same after all. Other than a few well known names and incidents, the events in this book are fictional - to the best of my knowledge. As I wrote this tale, I was endlessly coming upon new methods, new tactics, new ways to wage computer warfare. I found that if this story was to be told, I had to accept the fact that it would always be unfinished. The battle of the computers is one without an end in sight. This story is an attempt to merge the facts as they are with the possibilities. The delineation between fact and fiction is clouded because the fiction of yesterday is the fact, the news, of today. I expect that distinction to become hazier over the next few years. It is that incongruity that spawns a conjectured extrapolation indistinguishable from reality. The construction of the model that gave birth to this tale was the culmination of many years of work, with a fictional narrative being the last thing in my mind. That was an accident necessi- tated by a need to reach the largest possible audience. In fact, a lot of things have surprised me since "Terminal Com- promise" was first published. It seemed that we were able to predict a number of things including Polymorphics, Clipper Chips, non-lethal warfare . . . and you'll recognize a few other prog- nostications we didn't expect to come to pass quite yet. The reader will soon know why. There were many people who have been invaluable in the prepara- tion of this document, but I'll only mention a few. If the reader doesn't want to hear about my friends, please move on to the next chapter. Mary C. Bell. Hi, Mom. Thanks for the flashlight. Lazarus Cuttman. The greatest editor a writer has ever had. He kept me honest.