Iris

IRIS

WILLIAM BARTON and MICHAEL CAPOBIANCO

All of the characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

AVON BOOKS, INC.

1350 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10019

Copyright © 1990 by William Barton and Michael Capobianco

Cover art by Chris Moore

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 89-32501

ISBN: 0-380-73038-3

www.avonbooks.com/eos

All rights reserved, which includes the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever except as provided by the U.S. Copyright Law. For information address Avon Books, Inc.

First Avon Eos Printing: September 1999

AVON EOS TRADEMARK REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. AND IN OTHER COUNTRIES. MARCA REOISTRADA, HECHO EN U.S.A.

Printed in the U.S.A.

WCD 10 98765432

Dedicated to

The Voyager 2 Computer Command Subsystem

Ave atque vale

The Falsehood that exalts we cherish more

Than meaner truths that are a thousand strong.

—pushkin