Lt.

Leary, Commanding
Into Harm's Way!
Lieutenant Daniel Leary of the Republic of Cinnabar Navy commands the
corvette Princess Cecile; his friend Signals Officer Adele Mundy has the latest in
spy apparatus and the sill to pro!l the most tightly guarded database" All they
lac are enemies# and fate is about to supply that need in abundance$
A hostage uses the %rincess Cecile to regain his freedom&and his throne$
An ally intrigues !ith enemies of Cinnabar&no!ing the plot can only be
safeguarded by destroying the Princess Cecile$
A pirate chief 'oins in a cutthroat battle !ith a rival&and the Princess Cecile is
a pa!n$
Daniel# Adele# and their crac cre! must battle bureaucrats and traitors# the
!inds of a barren desert and the strains of a voyage never before attempted" (f
they succeed at every stage# their re!ard !ill be the chance to fight another
enemy) one !hich can blo! them and a hundred ships lie theirs to vapor$
DEATH IS ALWAYS AN OPTION
!T DE"EAT CAN NE#E$ E
Action# color and heroics merge !ith the gritty realities of !ar and politics in a
story that never slo!s do!n" (ndeed# ho! could it slo! do!n# !ith
LT. LEA$Y, CO%%ANDIN&'
Cover art by Stephen Hickman
Hard(o)er
*his is a !or of fiction" All the characters and events portrayed in this boo are
fictional# and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental"
+irst printing# ,uly -...
Distributed by Simon / Schuster
0-1. Avenue of the Americas
Ne! 2or# N2 0..-.
%rinted in the 3nited States of America
ISN* +,-./,0.1.0,1
Copyright 4 -... by David Drae
All rights reserved# including the right to reproduce this boo or portions thereof
in any form"
A 5aen 5oos Original
5aen %ublishing 6nterprises
%"O" 5o7 08.1
Riverdale# N2 0.890
http)::!!!"baen"com
*ypeset by ;indhaven %ress
Auburn# N<
6lectronic version by ;eb;rights
http)::!!!"!eb!rights"com
LT. LEARY, COMMANDING
by David Drake
BOOKS IN THIS SERIES:
With the Lightnings
Lt. Leary, Commanding
BAEN BOOKS by DAVID DRAKE
Haer!" S#aer"
The Tank Lords
Caught in the Crossfire
The Butcher's Bill
The Sharp End
I$de%e$de$& N've#" a$d C'##e(&i'$"
The Dragon Lord
Birds of rey
!orth"orld Trilogy
#edliners
Starliner
$ark %%& The $ilitary Dimension
'll the Way to the (allo"s
T)e Be#i"ari*" Serie": +,i&) Eri( -#i$&.
'n )*li+ue 'pproach
%n the ,eart of Darkness
Destiny's Shield
-ortune's Stroke
T)e Ge$era# Serie": +,i&) S.M. S&ir#i$/.
The -orge
The ,ammer
The 'n.il
The Steel
The S"ord
The Chosen
The #eformer
The /ndesired rincess and The Enchanted Bunny
(with L. Sprague de Camp)
Lest Darkness -all and To Bring the Light
(with L. Sprague de Camp)
Enemy of $y Enemy&
Terra !o.a
(with Ben Ohlander)
'rmageddon
(edited with Billie Sue Moiman)
DEDICATION
T' y ,eba"&er, (ybraria$
Kare$ 0iera$,
,)' ,a"$!& &)e 'de# 1'r Ade#e M*$dy,
b*& i/)& )ave bee$ i1
I!d e& )er "''$er.
+O1 ('*r"e, ,e!d )ave &' ,'rk '$ )er %i"&'# ")''&i$/..
ACKNO2LEDGMENTS
! gue one could ay "the uual upect" by thi point.
Mark L. #an $ame and %llyn #ogel took care o& the erie o& computer event. ('id you
know that &ile can become cro(linked on your hard drive) *ell+ at any rate+ they could
on mine.)
'an Breen continue in curmudgeonly e,cellence a my &irt reader. -here could be no
better peron &or inight and cholarhip.
*hen !.m working+ ! take up a lot o& room and am &re/uently le than cheer&ul. !.m
working mot o& the time. My wi&e+ 0o+ tick with me1 ! really appreciate the &act.
A3THOR!S NOTE
!.m uing 2nglih and Metric weight and meaure throughout Lt. Leary+ Commanding+
a ! did in *ith the Lightning. ! wouldn.t bother mentioning thi+ but the deciion eem
to concern ome people. !.m doing it &or the ame reaon that !.m writing the novel in
2nglih intead o& inventing a language &or the character o& &uture millennia to peak.
!.d like to note &or thoe who.re intereted that the order in Chapter $ine are a cloe
paraphrae o& thoe which ent the &rigate 3SS Congre to Hawaii in 4567. Here a
elewhere+ ! pre&er to borrow &rom reality rather than invent it.
'avid 'rake
david(drake.com
*hen the kie are black above them+
and the deck abla8e beneath+
%nd the top(men clear the ra&&le with
their clap(knive in their teeth.
9:udyard ;ipling
Title& Lt. Leary Commanding
'uthor& 'avid 'rake
%SB!& <(=>4(7>5>7(5
Copyright& ? @<<< by 'avid 'rake
u*lisher& Baen Book
L&. Leary, C'a$di$/
Tab#e '1 C'$&e$&"
Lt. Leary+ Commanding
!nto Harm. *ayA
'2%-H !S %L*%BS %$ OC-!O$
B3- '2D2%- C%$ $2#2: B2
L-. L2%:B+ COMM%$'!$E)
!SB$F <(=>4(7>5>7(5
L-. L2%:B+ COMM%$'!$E
by 'avid 'rake
BOO;S !$ -H!S S2:!2SF
B%2$ BOO;S by '%#!' ':%;2
!ndependent $ovel and Collection
-he Beliariu SerieF (with 2ric Dlint)
-he Eeneral SerieF (with S.M. Stirling)
'2'!C%-!O$
%C;$O*L2'EM2$-S
%3-HO:.S $O-2
Lt. Leary+ Commanding
-able o& Content
CH%C-2: O$2
CH%C-2: -*O
CH%C-2: -H:22
CH%C-2: DO3:
CH%C-2: D!#2
CH%C-2: S!G
CH%C-2: S2#2$
CH%C-2: 2!EH-
CH%C-2: $!$2
CH%C-2: -2$
CH%C-2: 2L2#2$
CH%C-2: -*2L#2
CH%C-2: -H!:-22$
CH%C-2: DO3:-22$
CH%C-2: D!D-22$
CH%C-2: S!G-22$
CH%C-2: S2#2$-22$
CH%C-2: 2!EH-22$
CH%C-2: $!$2-22$
CH%C-2: -*2$-B
CH%C-2: -*2$-B(O$2
CH%C-2: -*2$-B(-*O
CH%C-2: -*2$-B(-H:22
CH%C-2: -*2$-B(DO3:
CH%C-2: -*2$-B(D!#2
CH%C-2: -*2$-B(S!G
CH%C-2: -*2$-B(S2#2$
CH%C-2: -*2$-B(2!EH-
CH%C-2: -*2$-B($!$2
CH%C-2: -H!:-B
CH%C-2: -H!:-B(O$2
CH%C-2: -H!:-B(-*O
CH%C-2: -H!:-B(-H:22
2C!LOE32F
G2$OS

CHA4TER ONE
When the skies are *lack a*o.e them,
and the decks a*la0e *eneath,
'nd the top1men clear the raffle "ith
their clasp1kni.es in their teeth.
9:udyard ;ipling

Lieutenant 'aniel Leary rolled hi uncle. wheelchair to the end o& the catwalk and
paued+ ga8ing back at the corvette rincess Cecile netled in the center o& the graving
dock. He turned the wheelchair. "$ow that you.ve inpected her+ 3ncle Stacey+" he aid+
"wouldn.t you agree there. no &iner hip in the :C$)"
-he battlehip 'ristotle in the ne,t bay lowered over themF eventy thouand ton
empty+ with a crew o& two thouand and miile maga8ine u&&icient &or a day(long
engagement. -he eight(inch plama cannon o& the 'ristotle. de&enive battery could not
only divert incoming proHectile but alo devour hip the corvette. i8e in rainbow
cacade o& tripped nuclei.
'aniel wa a obliviou o& the battlehip a he wa o& the wip o& cirru cloud in the
high heaven. Dor him+ the twelve(hundred ton rincess Cecile wa the only hip in
Harbor -hree. He.d commanded her+ a&ter all. Commanded her and &ought her and9by
the grace o& Eod and the bet crew ever to come a captain. way9detroyed an %lliance
cruier o& many time the corvette. trength.
"'idn.t we+ %dele)" 'aniel aid+ &orgetting how little o& hi previou thought had
made it to hi lip. He grinned over hi houlder at the evere(looking woman o& thirty(
one who.d Hoined him and 3ncle Stacey on their e,curion.
%dele Mundy miled in repone9it wa hard not to mile when 'aniel wa &ull o&
happy enthuiam+ a he wa at mot time9but her e,preion gave no ign that he
knew what he wa talking about. Like 'aniel he wore a @nd Cla :C$ dre uni&orm+
gray with black piping. Her collar bore the croed lightning bolt o& a ignal o&&icer+ a
enior warrant rank with pay and allowance e/ual to thoe o& a boun.
%dele. handheld data unit lipped into a &itted pocket on her right thigh. -hat
modi&ication to her uni&orm wa abolutely nontandard and the ort o& thing that would
end an inpecting o&&icer ballitic i& it were noticed.
'aniel didn.t even bother to wince any more. %dele without her data unit would be
like %dele without hand+ peronally mierable and o& no value to the :C$. *herea
with the unit9and with the little pitol+ alo nontandard+ netled in a ide pocket9
neither 'aniel nor Cinnabar ever had a better bulwark.
%dele Mundy wa an :C$ o&&icer by grace o& the :epublic. warrant. By training
and inclination he wa an archival librarian+ a tak he.d per&ormed with kill amounting
to geniu be&ore circumtance re/uired her to accept other dutie. By birth+ he wa a
Mundy o& Chatworth+ one o& the wealthiet and mot politically power&ul houe in the
:epublic be&ore the -hree Circle Conpiracy had &or&eited the money and cot the head
o& every adult Mundy but one.
%dele had been at chool o&& Cinnabar when the cycle o& treaon and procription
played itel& out in blood. 'itance had preerved her li&e1 not her &ortune+ but he wan.t
the ort to whom money meant much one way or the other.
Dor that matter+ 'aniel ometime upected that li&e didn.t mean much to %dele
either1 but duty did+ and cra&tmanhip. 'aniel didn.t try to remake hi &riend.
"She. a trim cra&t+" 3ncle Stacey aid+ aeing the corvette with a mind no le
harp &or being con&ined to a wheelchair(bound body. Commander Stacey Bergen+ the
&inet atrogator o& hi day+ had opened or reurveyed hal& the route in the Sailing
Directions for Ships of the #epu*lic. "!.ve never een a ;otroman(built hip that wan.t
a pretty a anything o& her cla+ though ome o& them ue lighter cantling than !.d
have choen &or anything coming out o& my yard."
-he old man cocked hi head over hi houlder to catch hi nephew. eye with the
implied /uetion.
"-he &rame and hull plating are at :C$ peci&ication+ 3ncle Stacey+" 'aniel aid
/uickly. "-he only problem we.ve had in the converion wa that all the atrogational
e/uipment i calibrated in ;otroman %3 intead o& Sol tandard like u and the
%lliance. Eranted o& coure that the Sissie. a &ighting corvette+ not a dedicated urvey
hip built to accept tree that.d turn a battlehip inide out."
-he rincess Cecile. hull wa a rough cylinder two hundred and thirty &eet long and
&i&ty(&ive &eet wide+ with bluntly rounded end. Here in the graving dock he wa clamped
bow and tern by collar like the chuck o& a gigantic lathe. -hey could rotate her into
any attitude+ o that the antenna that lined her hull in &our row o& i, each could be
e,tended and canted throughout their range o& motion.
-wo twin &our(inch plama cannon provided the corvette. de&enive armament in
turret o&&et toward the tarboard bow and ternward to port. -heir bolt o& charged
particle could de&lect incoming miile by vapori8ing portion o& the proHectile and
converting that ma into lewing thrut. O&&enively+ a practiced crew in the rincess
Cecile could launch her twenty miile in pair at one minute interval. -he crew which
'aniel had brought &rom ;otroma wa trained very well in that and every other apect
o& war.
% a boy+ 'aniel had litened to 3ncle Stacey and the naval &riend who came to
chat with him in the hipyard he ran a&ter retirement. -hey.d talked o& hi&t in the
Matri,+ o& heared antenna+ tor/ued hull1 o& day at a time pent in the glare o& Caimir
radiation+ picking a coure where none wa known be&ore.
!t wa thoe tale+ told by mater atrogator to other mater o& the art+ that had led
'aniel to Hoin the :C$ at age i,teen a&ter the &laming row he.d had with hi &ather+
Corder. -he Leary weren.t a naval &amilyF they were politician+ mover and haker o&
the :epublic+ and never a one o& them had rien higher than Corder Leary+ Speaker
Leary+ himel&.
'aniel laughed+ urpriing %dele and hi uncle both. Erinning apologetically at their
urprie he e,plained+ "! wa Hut thinking that i, year on+ there. no deciion !.m more
glad o& than that ! Hoined the :C$+ but it could be that my reaon &or making that
deciion had more to do with piting my &ather than they did with making a name &or
myel&."
"!.ve never noticed that the reaon people do thing have much connection with how
well or badly matter turn out+" %dele aid. "Dor e,ample+ !.m con&ident that my parent
entered the -hree Circle Conpiracy with the &ull intention o& aving the :epublic &rom
men who couldn.t be truted with power."
She miled. %dele gave the impreion o& being dipaionate about everything
e,cept knowledge+ and then only knowledge in the &orm o& mark on paper or electronic
potential. -hat wan.t true9the paion wa there+ 'aniel knew+ a urely a it wa in
hi own e,ploive outburt9but %dele. analyi would alway be a cold and clean a
the blade o& a calpel.
-hat wa true even at time like thi one+ when %dele wa analy8ing the &actor that
led to the evered head o& every member o& her &amily+ including her ten(year(old iter+
being diplayed &rom Speaker. :ock.
"Bour Lieutenant Mon. a good man+" Stacey aid. "*ho did the yard aign &or a
upervior) %rchbolt+ ! uppoe) Or did they give you Berol)"
"Be+ %rchbolt+" aid 'aniel+ watching member o& the rincess Cecile. crew9the
Siie9clambering over the antenna with tool belt.
Harbor -hree had a regular dockyard ta&&+ but the train o& &itting out the &leet in
anticipation o& &ull(cale war with the %lliance had overtrained their capacity. -here
would have been Hob &or three time the number o& workmen+ and there were no trained
peronnel to hire into the new lot.
One way around the problem wa to ue a veel. own crewmen to per&orm all but
the pecialit yard work. $ormally crew were paid o&& when their hip docked in it
home port1 now+ a third o& the rincess Cecile. crew wa at work re&itting the veel
under the command o& a hip. o&&icer who alo wa kept on &ull pay.
'aniel+ a the corvette. captain+ would normally have been that o&&icer. He.d paed
the poting down to hi &irt lieutenant+ Lt. Mon+ who would otherwie have been trying
to upport hi &amily on hal& pay and no other reource. Mon had been a prioner during
the capture o& the rincess Cecile1 there&ore he had no hare o& the pri8e money which
the $avy O&&ice would eventually adHudge &or the hip.
'aniel had two eighth o& the pri8e money coming to him. -hat would be month or
year in the &uture+ but hi bank wa more than happy to advance him &und againt the
event. 'aniel didn.t have the e,pene o& a wi&e+ and he did have a great peronal interet
in meeting young women who might be impreed by a dahing naval o&&icer. Leaving
the &ull(time dutie to Mon gave both o&&icer what wa bet uited to their
circumtance1 an idyllic ituation o &ar a 'aniel wa concerned.
"% trim hip+" 3ncle Stacey repeated+ "and very well &ound."
!n hi preent tate o& health+ Stacey hadn.t been able to walk the telecoping
antenna and yard+ o now he locked a pair o& naval goggle down over hi eye to ue
their electronic enhancement to view them. -hey determined the poition+ attitude+ and
e,pane o& ail o& charged dielectric &abric which created imbalance in Caimir
radiation and drove the veel through the Matri,.
:aiing the goggle+ the old man looked up at hi nephew again. "%re they going to
give you command again a&ter he. commiioned+ lad)" he aked.
'aniel hrugged. Civilian aumed the anwer wa obviouF o& coure the Hero o&
;otroma would be returned to command. %n :C$ o&&icer+ however+ knew there wa
much more to the /uetion.
"! don.t know+" he aid. "! per&ormed well+ but there.re many killed o&&icer enior
to me."
He miled at a udden thought. "Lieutenant Mon among them."
!t wa a grim Hoke+ o& coure+ becaue Mon would ne.er have a command o& hi
own. He didn.t have the interet o& a enior o&&icer nor the ort o& &amily money that
would allow him to cut a &igure ocially and call attention to hi undoubted abilitie.
*ort o& all+ Mon had bad luckF he.d alway been at the wrong place when there
were pri8e or honor to be won nearby. %nd there he di&&ered &rom 'aniel Leary+ who.d
been ent to ;otroma with no interet and no money+ but whoe good &ortune had
handomely made up &or thoe lack.
"Short o& %dmiral %nton+" %dele aid dryly+ "there. no better(known o&&icer in the
:C$ today. Bou won.t be the wonder o& Cinnabar &orever+ but ! think you till have ome
o& your nine day le&t."
'aniel grinned+ but he aid+ "-hat. not an unmi,ed bleing+ you know+ %dele.
-here.ll be ome who think !.ve carried myel& a little higher ince my return than an
o&&icer o Hunior ought to do. %nd they may be right."
3ncle Stacey nodded+ hi lip pured. "Bou.re young+ 'aniel+ you.re young+ and
they.ll undertand that. But till . . ."
"Bou carried yourel& here with the ame well(Huti&ied con&idence that you howed
on ;otroma+" %dele aid+ raiing her voice lightly. Her word had the preciion o& the
teeth o& a aw cutting timber to the proper &it. "-he reaon we.re not in an %lliance prion
9or dead9i that you never let any o& u doubt that you were going to get u &ree. ! have
&ar too much repect &or the organi8ation o& which !.m now an o&&icer9"
She touched a &ingertip to the rank &lah on her collar with a thin mile.
"9to doubt that thoe in charge can alo ee the merit o& a more e,troverted
peronality than mine when the tak involve leading other into battle."
% plume o& team e,panded &rom a berth hal&way acro the port. -he ground
trembled &or everal econd be&ore the roar o& a hip li&ting o&& reached 'aniel. party
through the air. He lipped hi goggle down to protect hi eye9the optic blocked 3#
completely and &iltered white light to a a&e intenity9and looked toward the event.
!n truth+ 'aniel wa glad to have an e,cue not to repond. He wa com&ortable with
the praie o& hi peer and generally amued by the compliment o& civilian who hadn.t
the leat notion o& what they were talking about. %dele. word were diconcerting+
though. He couldn.t e/uate her cold analyi with the con&ued bumbling he remembered
going through1 to ultimate ucce+ agreed+ but that wa due le to 'aniel. own e&&ort
than to luck and the e,pert aitance which %dele and o many other provided.
-he hip li&ted high enough that it plama motor no longer licked a hroud o&
team &rom the pool on which the veel had &loated. -he plume o& ion &laring &rom the
thruter wa a rainbow beauty over which a long teel cigar continued to li&t. She wa an
%rchaeologit(cla heavy cruier+ an old hip with a greater length(to(beam ratio than
more modern veel o& the type. !& 'aniel had wanted to+ hi goggle would have let him
read the pennant number to identi&y her.
-he plama motor tripped atom and voided them a ion to provide thrut. %ny
reaction ma would do+ but water wa ideal a well a being available generally on
human(habitable world. Cermanent harbor &acilitie were uually on ea or lake which
aborbed the plama roaring &rom the thruter at tellar heat and made re&ueling a matter
o& e,tending a hoe.
*hen the veel wa well above the ur&ace o& the planet+ he would witch to her
High 'rive+ which ued matter(antimatter converion to provide u&&icient inertial
velocity to enter the Matri,. -he High 'rive wa e&&icient but not per&ect. !& e,hauted
into an atmophere+ atom o& antimatter would &lare and eat away the veel itel&.
-he trio let the throb o& the cruier. li&to&& drop back &rom it plateau be&ore any o&
them tried to talk over it. Harbor -hree wa a huge intallation with &re/uent movement+
but the ound o& a heavy hip taking o&& or landing made it impoible to peak in a
normal voice anywhere within the perimeter.
3ncle Stacey took out hi hundred(&lorin touchpiece9part o& an iue truck twenty(
two year be&ore to mark the birth o& Speaker Leary. on 'aniel. He pun it o that the
internal di&&raction grating caught the light.
"Ceople talk about how pretty Cinnabar coin are+" he aid a they watched the
cruier rie. "-here. nothing a lovely a a well(tuned plama motor+ nothing. 3nle
maybe it. the way the univere hine on you a you drop into the Matri,."
"-hat remind me+" %dele aid with a &aint mile. "! need to talk to my banker again.
!t. time to make another dra&t on my pri8e account."
3ncle Stacey norted. "BankerA" he aid. "-he wort rik one o& that lot &ace i that
the wine he order with dinner won.t be properly chilled."
He twited hi head one way+ then the other to look back at %dele1 he politely
tepped out to the ide and nodded to him.
"My brother(in(law interet himel& in banking+" Stacey aid. "-hat. 'aniel.
&ather+ you know. -hough the lad. turned out an honor to hi Bergen blood+ % ay."
Hi tone wan.t uually o harp. 'aniel would have been urpried+ but he knew that
3ncle Stacey wa in Geno to render on behal& o& Bergen and %ociate+ Ship&itter hi
/uarterly account to the company. &inancial backer . . . who wa Corder Leary.
Speaker Leary. &inancial interet were widepread. -he only thing unuual about
hi hare in Bergen and %ociate wa that the involvement wa direct intead o& being
&iltered through one or more holding companie. 'aniel knew hi &ather wan.t a cruel
man+ but he wa e,tremely punctiliou about power relationhip+ epecially when
kinhip wa involved. Bou alway knew where you tood with Corder Leary1 or+ more
preciely+ where at hi &eet you were to kneel.
%n open &our(wheeled Hitney wa leaving the 'ristotle+ probably to pick up 'aniel
and hi party. %ircar weren.t permitted within Harbor -hree &or a&ety reaonF the rik
o& tarhip maneuvering in cloe pro,imity wa great enough without adding aircra&t to
the mi,. Heavy machinery and laborer at hi&t change ued the low(moving overhead
rail ytem circling the whole intallation1 branche led o&& the central line and naked
through ector o& i, to ten bay+ with hunt where carload could wait until re/uired.
-he Hitney carried light cargo and mall group o& people along the roadway
beneath the rail. One had dropped 'aniel and hi party here at 'ock I>+ then whined o&&
to make a delivery to the 'ristotle in 'ock I= be&ore returning. -he driver claimed he
wa carrying urgent medical upplie in the hamper+ but 'aniel trongly upected that
li/uor wa arriving in trade &or ome item o& the battlehip. &urnihing.
-hat wa the way o& the world+ and Lt. 'aniel Leary had no deire to complain. -he
rincess Cecile. &ire control ytem had been converted to :C$ tandard by mean o&
imilar o&&(book tranaction.
% pair o& limouine and a van with the pennon o& the Harbor %dminitrator. o&&ice
pulled up in &ront o& 'ock I>. Bra o& ome ort+ obviouly+ but civilian bra by the
look o& the vehicle. Cerhap a -reaury delegation+ checking on the way the $avy O&&ice
pent it appropriation) -hough they wouldn.t run to limouine+ urely.
"Let. get you a&ely aboard the tram to home+ 3ncle Stacey+" 'aniel aid. "%
horthanded a the :C$ i with the number o& hip going into ervice+ there. a rik that
ome boun.ll natch you up &or a rigger and you.ll be o&&(planet be&ore you can catch
your breath."
3ncle Stacey couldn.t walk thirty &eet unaided any more+ though he eemed more
reigned to hi weakne than 'aniel himel& wa. Some o& 'aniel. earliet memorie
were o& being carried in hi uncle. arm along the yard o& a hip being re&itted+ hopping
&rom par to par over what eemed like cham9and probably were i, &eet or more. !t
had been a good upbringing &or a boy who wa to enter the :C$+ not that anybody had
imagined that at the time.
'aniel puhed the wheelchair down the concrete apron+ glad to be o&& the catwalk
which croed the open dock to the corvette. main hatch. !t wa a teel grating and not
much wider than the chair+ though that didn.t concern either 'aniel or hi uncle.
*hat had concerned 'aniel wa %dele. Hi ignal o&&icer9hi &riend9had many
kill beyond thoe to be e,pected &rom one trained a a librarian+ but a ene o& balance
wa noticeably not one o& thoe.
"LearyA" called one o& the new arrival. "By Eod+ that. 'aniel Leary+ in.t it)"
'aniel turned+ rotating the wheelchair to the ide with one hand. -hat gave 3ncle
Stacey a clear view alo intead o& him trying to look over hi houlder in deperate
iolation.
Mi,ed group o& civilian and enior o&&icer in 4t Cla uni&orm were getting out
o& the limouine+ but the peaker wa the lieutenant in charge o& the detachment o&
rating &rom the van. He wa o& middling height with a &lorid &ace and a &ew e,tra pound
9like 'aniel himel&. 'aniel &ound him hal&(recogni8able but not really &amiliar.
"-om !reland+ Leary+" the &ellow called+ triding down the apron with hi hand out to
clap 'aniel.. "-wo year ahead o& you at the %cademy+ but in South Battalion while
you were in $orth."
Eood Eod+ !reland claiming hi ac/uaintanceA -o the Hunior cadet upperclamen at
the %cademy were generally aloo& tranger+ ometime lavering monter. !reland had
been in the &ormer category+ a vague preence to Cadet 'aniel Leary1 and 'aniel Leary
would have been le than the paving tone o& the Juad to !reland. Suddenly they.d
become &ellow choolmate. . . .
"! heard about your little a&&air on ;otroma+" !reland aid+ ei8ing 'aniel. hand and
pumping it. Behind him the paenger &rom the limouine were dri&ting toward them
with the ort o& meaning&ul aimlene o& goat gra8ing acro a &ield. "*ell handled+ !.ll
tell the worldA -hough you had a bit o& luck come your way+ it eem to me. $ot o)"
"#ery de&initely o+" 'aniel aid+ &eeling hi lip &orm a mile hard enough to cut
gla. "Cermit me to introduce you to a great part o& that luck+ my ignal o&&icer+
Mitre Mundy."
!reland blinked with mild con&uion1 hi little mutache twitched. !& he.d noticed
%dele at all it wa a a ignalman1 a pecialit+ a technician+ a category neceary &or the
proper &unctioning o& the :C$ but which operated on a di&&erent plane &rom
commiioned o&&icer like himel& and 'aniel.
"-hat. Mundy o& Chatworth+ o& coure+" 'aniel added. "'eath mak in the &ront
hall &rom ancetor back to be&ore the Hiatu+ in.t that right+ %dele)"
He wa urpried at the anger which he hoped he covered with hi bantering tone.
!reland had never harmed him at the %cademy+ and i& he wanted to crape ac/uaintance
now with the Hero o& ;otroma+ well+ that wan.t a terrible crime. -hough &lattery had
begun to pall on 'aniel &rom it contant repetition.
!t wa the comment about luck that had tripped a witch in 'aniel. mind. Luck
there.d been in plenty+ and 'aniel Leary would be the &irt to ay that1 but when the
word came &rom a tranger who hadn.t een men die to make that luck a reality . . .
"Those Mundy)" !reland aid. -he name would be &amiliar+ though unle he were
more politically attuned than the :C$ encouraged it Hunior o&&icer to be+ he wouldn.t
remember the name and detail o& the -hree Circle Conpiracy. "%h+ ! eeA"
*hich o& coure he didn.t1 he Hut aw that he.d miHudged the tatu o& Lt. Leary.
companion.
!reland tarted to e,tend hi hand to %dele. Be&ore the geture wa more than a hint+
he croed her arm behind her back and gave him an icily polite nod o& greeting.
"Cleaed to meet you+ Mr. !reland+" he aid. "Bou.re a tour guide &or the Harbor
%dminitrator+ ! gather)"
"!+ ah . . . " !reland aid. He looked over hi houlder. -he mi,ture o& dre uni&orm
and till(more(plendid civilian garb had almot reached him. "Be+ !.m in charge o& the
ecort &or ome o&&icial &rom the Doreign Minitry and their liaion with the $avy
O&&ice. !+ ah . . . they+ that i+ are howing the on o& the Creident o& Strymon around."
-he dignitarie were on them. !reland opened hi mouth again+ perhap to introduce
'aniel to the rank o& dre uni&orm+ but the /uat+ Howly captain in &ront aid+ "*ell+ by
my hope o& a &lagA Commander Bergen+ in.t it) Mr. #aughn+ let me introduce you to the
man who mapped a route to Strymon that cut three week ailing o&& the previou timeA"
3ncle Stacey /uee8ed the arm o& hi chair. 'aniel9and %dele to the other ide+ a
moothly a i& they.d reheared the maneuver9each lid a &orearm under the old man.
hand and li&ted him to hi &eet a oon a he.d tran&erred hi grip.
"Boung *enlow+ in.t it)" Stacey aid with cloe to the old &ullne in hi voice.
"Bou erved under me on the 2ueensland."
"Senior midhipman and &ourth lieutenant a&ter Broker got hi own command on
-uttel. *orld+" agreed *enlow9no longer young+ and a 'aniel knew+ ecretary o& the
:C$. planning council. He drew &orward the lim young man at hi ide. "'elo
#aughn+ allow me to introduce you to Commander Stacey Bergen. Commander Bergen
ha &orgotten more about atrogation than anyone ele in the :C$ ever knewA"
#aughn e,tended hi right hand and hook 3ncle Stacey.+ howing a care &or the
old man. &railty that 'aniel approved with a minucule nod. #aughn wore a everely
tailored uit+ but the cloth &rom which it wa cut &ormed a erie o& chevron which
changed &rom red to gold alternately depending on the angle o& the light. He wa a hard
to &ocu on a the &lare o& a plama e,haut.
%part &rom that he had a handome+ thirty(year(old &ace and an engaging mile.
-hree o& the other civilian wore clothe o& imilar tyle and &lamboyant material1 the
ret+ like the naval o&&icer+ were Cinnabar national.
"!.m honored to meet you+ Commander+" #aughn aid+ peaking 3niveral with a
better Geno accent than 'aniel9who.d been raied on the Leary. country etate o&
Bantry9could.ve managed. "Bou mut have known my &ather. Bour killed e,ploration
truly made the Sack a part o& the greater univere &or the &irt time ince the Hiatu."
"Creident Leland #aughn+" 3ncle Stacey aid. He wa tanding without upport+
now+ gaining trength &rom hi memorie1 though 'aniel and %dele kept cloe to either
ide in cae o& udden weakne. "! at at hi right hand at the ban/uet on our arrival.
Juite clear on the value o& e,ploration &or the trade that make Strymon great. He.
keeping well+ ! hope)"
"My late &ather+ !.m a&raid ! hould have aid+" #aughn aid with a deprecating
rotation o& hi le&t hand. "My uncle+ Callert #aughn+ ucceeded him within a year o& my
arrival on Geno+ and now that Callert too ha paed on+ the preidency i in the hand o&
hi daughter+ Cleyna."
Momentarily #aughn. tone became more ardonic than whimical a he added+
"Dormally+ that i. One aume that a twelve(year(old i largely guided by her tutor+
Driderik $une. ! recall $une &rom when ! lat wa on Strymon+ &i&teen year ago. He
wan.t o& much account . . . then+ at any rate."
-he hardne le&t #aughn. e,preion+ though now that 'aniel had een it once+ he
knew that it remained a part o& the man himel&. 'elo #aughn wa more than a young
&oreigner living high in the &lehpot o& Cinnabar9though he wa probably that a well.
'aniel would be the lat man to ugget that a tate &or li/uor and amiable women
precluded a man &rom taking a eriou attitude toward hi pro&eion.
%nd what "as the pro&eion o& Mr. 'elo #aughn)
Strymon had rien to prominence in the Sack+ it region o& pace+ &ollowing the
thouand(year Hiatu &rom intertellar travel at the end o& mankind. &irt &luh o&
coloni8ation. Strymon had regained link with 2arth itel& more /uickly than mot
world1 but+ a the intricacie o& ailing through the Matri, were laboriouly
redicovered+ the Sack became a backwater.
Cinnabar e,panded it phere o& in&luence and that in&luence hardened into
omething not o very di&&erent &rom an empire1 Strymon tried to compete. -wice the
competition wa military1 the :C$ had cruhed Strymon. &orce both time.
'itance &rom Cinnabar9two month o& travel &or a merchant hip and hal& that
even &or well(&ound naval veel9preerved a degree o& independence &or Strymon+ but
by treaty her navy wa now limited to light cra&t uitable &or uppreing the endemic
piracy o& the three(tar Selma Cluter nearby.
!n halving the travel time between Strymon and Cinnabar+ 3ncle Stacey had done
the #aughn and their ubHect a doubt&ul &avor. Still+ by &orcing Strymon to reali8e
Cinnabar. hegemony+ it no doubt prevented the weaker power &rom wating it ubtance
in a third hopele war. Certainly 'elo #aughn eemed &riendly enough to the man
who.d brought the threat o& an :C$ punitive e,pedition week cloer to hi planet.
"!& it. not preumptuou o& me+ Commander+" #aughn continued+ "may ! ak i& thi
i the 'aniel Leary o& whom we.ve begun to hear o much)"
"Mr. #aughn+" 3ncle Stacey aid+ "may ! preent my nephew+ Lieutenant 'aniel
Leary. He. a credit to the Bergen+ though he doen.t bear our name."
#aughn. handhake wa &irm+ pauing Hut hort o& the preure that would have
meant he.d eriouly tried to cruh 'aniel. hand. 'aniel. eye narrowed lightly.
#aughn wa teting omething more ubtle than trengthF he wa determining whether
'aniel wa "illing to try concluion with a wealthy+ well(connected &oreign noble.
'aniel grinned &aintly. *hen he wa i,teen+ he.d broken with hi &ather in a
houting match that rattled the window o& the Leary townhoue. %&ter that+ neither 'elo
#aughn nor Hell itel& had any terror &or 'aniel. He /uee8ed back till #aughn releaed
hi hand.
"%nd ! believe ! heard you identi&y thi o&&icer a M. Mundy+" #aughn went on+
o&&ering hi hand demurely+ &ingertip only+ to make it clear that he wan.t going to
attempt to bully the lightly built woman. "%llow me to ay how pleaed ! am to ee
member o& two o& the noblet houe in the :epublic tanding together in the uni&orm o&
the :epublic. taunchet de&ene."
-here wa no doubt &rom #aughn. phraing that he knew Speaker Leary had puhed
through the procription which cruhed the -hree Circle Conpiracy and with it the
Mundy o& Chatworth. -hat wan.t knowledge to be e,pected o& a &oreigner.
"'elo+ your chedule &or thi evening . . . " aid one o& hi aide+ a dark(haired man
older than #aughn who.d been &idgeting in the background ever ince the converation
tarted. "!& we.re to inpect the . . . )"
'elo #aughn diplayed the ame imperturbable glo a the throat o& a plama
thruter &reh &rom the hipping crate. Ceople like that eemed to make the &olk around
them worry double(time.
$ow #aughn hrugged eaily. He gave 'aniel and hi companion a "you(know(
how(it(i" grin and aid+ "Be+ -redegar+ !.m not &orgetting that the caterer and the
Earden. repreentative will be coming by &or &inal approval tonight."
:eturning hi attention to 'aniel he went on+ "! wonder+ Lieutenant Leary+ i& you.d
care to guide u through your command here. ! wouldn.t have thought o& impoing+ but
ince you.re preent . . . )"
'aniel wouldn.t claim to be a politician+ but Corder Leary. on couldn.t help but
have learned that no matter i imple when there are human being on both ide o& the
e/uation. !t wa an awarene which had proved ue&ul in hi dealing with women+ alo.
"*hy+ under other circumtance !.d be delighted to how you about the rincess
Cecile+" 'aniel aid with a mile o& regret. "!.m a&raid ! have other commitment+
however."
3ncle Stacey wa trembling with &atigue1 %dele+ thank goodne+ wa eaing him
down into the wheelchair. -he o&&icer in #aughn. own party didn.t look pleaed at the
notion o& being uptaged by a Hunior lieutenant. %nd a a matter o& :C$ regulation+ not to
mention &airne+ the o&&icer commanding the rincess Cecile wa9
"Lieutenant Mon+ the preent captain+ will be more than happy to do the Hob+
though+" 'aniel continued+ geturing toward the corvette. "% &or myel&+ !.m on hal& pay
at the pleaure o& the $avy Board &or now."
#aughn chuckled+ then bowed to put a period to the dicuion. "Cerhap ! can hear
about your adventure at ome other time+ Lieutenant+" he aid+ allowing Captain
*enlow. low movement to eae him toward the catwalk. "!t.ll have to be oon+ though+
!.m ure. -he chie& o& your navy will never permit an o&&icer o& your demontrated
abilitie to remain unemployed &or long."
%dele tarted the wheelchair brikly toward the waiting Hitney1 it looked rather
&orlorn among it larger+ &lahier &ellow. 'aniel glanced over hi houlder a he took the
wheelchair. handle himel& a little &arther down the apron. #aughn wa negotiating the
catwalk with aplomb+ but one o& hi aide and two Doreign Minitry o&&icial had &ro8en
at the edge o& the dock like a trio o& tatue.
"-he poor devil. an e,ile+ ! uppoe+" 3ncle Stacey aid a they neared the Hitney.
"Brought here a a hotage &or hi &ather. good behavior. Strymon in.t a bad the Selma
Cluter ne,t door to it9the Cirate Cluter+ you know9but hi li&e till wouldn.t be worth
a 8inc &lorin i& he tried to go home now."
"He eem a peronable &ellow+" 'aniel o&&ered a he paued &or %dele to open the
door. He might have to hand hi uncle into the vehicle1 meeting the delegation had been
a much o& a train on Stacey a the whole ret o& the outing. "! wonder why he wanted to
ee the rincess Cecile+ though)"
"Mr. #aughn didn.t trike me a a man who. o&ten bored+" %dele aid without
emphai a he walked around to the other ide where he could help i& needed+ "or one
who gather in&ormation without a good reaon. *hich i a good reaon &or me . . ."
3ncle Stacey lurched onto the bench eat without touching the arm %dele crooked
&or him to grip. 'aniel began &olding the wheelchair to et in the roo& cargo rack.
" . . . to learn what ! can about Mr. #aughn+ ! think+" %dele concluded.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER T2O
%
monorail car topped within moment to carry 'aniel and
hi uncle in the direction o& Geno *et+ but %dele Mundy would have thirty minute on
the plat&orm be&ore a car arrived &or her. City Center wan.t a popular detination &or
thoe leaving Harbor -hree by public tranportation. Laborer and hip. crewmen tayed
either in barrack near the port or in tenement ranged on the city. outkirt. Senior
o&&icer+ let alone dignitarie like 'elo #aughn. party+ arrived and le&t the harbor in
peronally owned monorail car i& they even ued the ytem rather than aircar.
-he wait wan.t a hardhip. % oon a her companion had departed on the riing
whine o& an electric motor+ %dele drew out her peronal data unit and tarted to learn
what could be known about 'elo #aughn.
3ntil very recently the only part o& %dele. li&e he would.ve called happy were
thoe he.d pent &inding and organi8ing in&ormation . . . which to be ure wa more time
than he devoted to any other puruit. -he place %dele. body lept had never been o&
much concern to her+ and ince the Crocription he hadn.t had a home outide her head.
% heavy tarhip li&ted &rom the pool in the center o& the harbor+ haking everything
&or mile around a it thouand o& ton roe &rom a plume &irt o& team+ then the &laring
iridecence o& hydrogen ion when the plama motor no longer licked the water.
ur&ace. %dele wa barely conciou o& the event+ adHuting her control wand in the
precie pattern that guided her earch.
-he peronal data unit wa a &eaturele rectangle+ &our inche by ten inche+ and hal&
an inch thick. !t diplay wa holographic+ cued to the &ocu o& the uer. eye. -hough
the unit had a virtual keyboard or could repond to voice command+ %dele pre&erred the
peed and &le,ibility o& the lim wand. She held them at the balance between the thumb
and &irt two &inger o& either hand. %n e,pert in their ue9and %dele wa that i& ever
there wa one9could acce in&ormation almot a &at a her brain could &rame the
/uetion.
Delos 3aughn of Strymon, age t"enty1nine Earth years4 sole offspring of Leland
3aughn, former resident of Strymon. Strymon presidency, a lifetime electi.e office "ith
candidacy and franchise limited to mem*ers of the Shipo"ning class. Shipo"ning class&
a group of originally thirty1se.en, *ut no" e5panded to o.er a hundred, families4
actually o"ning a starship is neither a necessary nor a sufficient criterion for
mem*ership in the Shipo"ning class. . . .
%dele. little unit had a coniderable torage capacity+ but it real value on a
developed world wa to give her acce to other databae. Here on Cinnabar he wa
linked9through the monorail control circuit9to the central record computer in the
$avy O&&ice+ which he ued a her bae unit.
!t had occurred to %dele a he et up the connection on her &irt day back on
Cinnabar that he probably could.ve gotten authori8ation to ue the ytem i& he.d gone
through ome o& the channel available to her. She.d decided it wa impler to circumvent
the electronic barrier to what he wa doing than it would.ve been to plow through
bureaucratic inertia. Beide+ it amued %dele to break rule when he.d pent all her
previou li&e obeying them.
!n the pat month %dele had gained 'aniel Leary &or a &riend and the whole
:epublic o& Cinnabar $avy &or home and &amily. Between them they gave her a
remarkable &eeling o& ecurity.
She grinned a he hi&ted back to another apect o& the problem he.d et herel&.
Delos 3aughn, arri.ed on Cinna*ar a*oard the #CS -ahkent as a guest of the #epu*lic.
. . .
% car topped in &ront o& her with a clatter and /ueal. She ignored it a he had the
arrival o& a party o& laborer on the plat&orm+ hu&&ling heavy boot and talking about a
ball game.
"Hey+ Chie&)" a laborer called.
rimary residence on ,olroyd S+uare, 6enos, "ith secondary residences7
% di&&erent voice bellowed+ "Lady+ ain.t thi one your)"
%dele. mind roe hatteringly &rom depth o& pure knowledge where he pre&erred
to live1 it re&ormed in the preent. %n empty car tood in &ront o& her. -he lighted banner
over the open door read !-B 2$-2:. Di&ty yard down the rail+ lowing a it approached
the plat&orm+ wa the Manine #illage car that would haul home the laborer+ crammed in
a tightly a book in dead torage.
"-hank you+" he called+ towing her data unit in it pocket with the eae o& long
habit and a precie mind. She tepped aboard the car Hut be&ore the door cloed1 touched
the detination plate over the Centacret9the map. clear cover wa meared almot
illegible by the &inger o& previou uer+ o %dele had to peer in doubt be&ore he made
her choice1 and then at back on one o& the pair o& &acing benche a the car rocked into
motion.
She wa alone in a car in which twelve could it and thirty ride in ome degree o&
com&ort. She might have taken out her data unit again+ but he decided to e,perience the
trip intead. She wan.t going to enHoy the ride+ but there were thing he could ue&ully
learn about Geno a&ter her &i&teen year o& e,ile.
Beide+ he wa punihing herel& &or not noticing the car. arrival. She could.ve
pent all a&ternoon there on the plat&orm+ lot in peronal reearche when he had
buine &or other to accomplih. %dele had never been one to hirk her reponibilitie+
but the very degree o& &ocu that made her e&&ective ometime got in the way o& carrying
out ocial obligation.
$ot that thi meeting wa ocial e,cept in the general ene o& being part o& %dele.
involvement in human ociety.
-he car werved and /uealed along the erpentine track erving a ection o& three
dock. -he 'ristotle dominated the whole area+ an outward(curving wall o& teel a
viewed &rom the car. grimy window. 2ven i& %dele craned her neck+ he couldn.t have
een the midpoint where the curve o& the battlehip. cylindrical hull revered.
!n ome place the hip&itter had removed plate+ giving glimpe o& tubing+ vat
machinery+ and once an open pace the i8e o& the Senate Chamber. !t would be daunting
to a civilian and wa impreive even to %dele+ who wa beginning to look at the world
with the eye o& a naval o&&icer.
% warhip wa a community. -he 'ristotle wa a town o& ome i8e+ with a comple,
treet ytem and ritual hared only with imilar town. !t population would be
tando&&ih with tranger+ even tranger who wore the ame uni&orm.
But the ame wa true o& the rincess Cecile depite the corvette. leer volume and
crew. Ceople went to and &rom their bunk and their duty tation in a certain way+ the
ame way every time+ becaue there wa no phyical room &or individualim and in a
crii there would be no time &or con&uion.
Crie were common on a warhip. %ction againt enemy &orce wa rare+ but the
univere wa a contant opponent be&ore which %lliance &leet paled to inigni&icance.
$aval architect crammed a much heavy+ power&ul e/uipment a they could into each
hull. -he machinery wa dangerou even when it worked properly+ and when it
mal&unctioned9which it did a regularly a any other human contrivance9thoe in the
cramped pace nearby had to react preciely i& they and their &ellow were to urvive.
%dele miled+ remembering the time during the voyage &rom ;otroma when a
pacer had lung her down a paageway in 8ero gee or even wrapped her in &le,ible
netting to keep her a&e9and out o& the way. !& %dele put her mind to it+ he could
probably learn the variou call and repone e,pected o& an :C$ pacer. She doubted
that he.d ever be able to tran&er that intellectual knowledge into motor kill+ however.
$or did he need to+ o long a he wa part o& an e,perienced crew who.d take care
o& her. One pacer+ come to the :C$ &rom a &arm on $orth Cape+ had remarked that he
wa clumy a a hog on ice a he natched %dele away &rom the mechanim o& a rotating
gun turret.
%dele knew he amued her &ellow crewmen+ but they didn.t laugh at her. -hey.d all
een the way he danced through the ma8e o& a communication creen1 and the one
who.d een her hoot told the other about that+ too. $o+ they didn.t laugh at O&&icer
Mundy.
-he car bumped and chattered over Hoint in the track. -he vehicle had been teamed
with diin&ectant in the recent pat9the odor clung to the benche. dimpled ur&ace9
but it wa till cratched and grimy.
%dele had never thought about public tranportation in her youth. -he Mundy had
private car to be hooked onto rail+ &or Mitre %dele and the ervant who
accompanied her to the Library o& Celu or wherever ele her tudie took her. Le
wealthy noble ummoned public car. -heir ervant and retainer then emptied ordinary
citi8en out o& the vehicle o that the mater could ride urrounded only by thoe who
owed him allegiance.
'iplaced paenger could wait &or another car to arrive+ irritated but not
particularly angry. -he citi8en o& Cinnabar e,pected their leader to be proud &olk.
However ele would they be able to properly repreent the :epublic to the &olk o& leer
world)
%dele. car Holted ideway onto a hunt erving a rank o& modern apartment block
with brick &acing and wag molded to look like carved limetone. On ;otroma carving
had till been done by hand.
-hree houewive got on+ carrying rolled hopping baket and wearing hat with
long+ o&t brim. One o& them touched the detination plate a they continued a
converation begun on the plat&orm. -he car accelerated lowly up the hunt+ paued &or a
gap in the line o& vehicle now uing the rail+ then groaned a the drive motor e,erted
ma,imum e&&ort to get back into tra&&ic.
-hey ettled into place+ thirty yard behind one car+ thirty yard ahead o& another.
%dele tried to gue where the women came &rom. $ot Cinnabar+ certainly. -hey were
peaking a language that wa neither a Cinnabar dialect nor 3niveral+ and their &luidly
attractive cotume wan.t native to Cinnabar either.
Geno had become a microcom o& the whole Cinnabar empire. %dele could acce a
rental lit &rom the apartment building where the women boarded. She could then match
the &re/uency o& name with thoe o& variou world protected by the :epublic+ giving
her a high probability o& identi&ying the women. planet o& origin.
Or o& coure he could ak them1 and watch their &ace &ree8e+ and wait &or one o&
them to anwer in a voice either dead with &ear or hrill+ trying with anger to cover that
&ear9She's in uniform. Why does she "ant to kno"8 What does it mean) But they would
anwer.
%dele miled &aintly1 at li&e+ at herel&. -hey wouldn.t believe it wa merely
curioity+ uele in&ormation being gathered by a peron to whom nothing had ue
e,cept in&ormation.
Hal& a mile &rom the apartment the car pulled into another hunt. -he ground &loor
o& the nearby building were given over to e,penive hop+ while the window o& the
&loor above were tenciled with buine logo.
-he houewive got o&& and were replaced by a core o& o&&iceworker dreed in
tyle a trati&ied a thoe o& the :C$. -he one enior clerk wore a Hacket with wide &ur
cu&&+ howing that he didn.t need to ue her hand. -he clothe o& her underling grew
brighter with each tep down in tatu1 the trio o& meenger boy chattered together like
warbler in yellow and green and a8ure tawdrine.
-he car taggered into motion again+ luggih with it load though not /uite &ull.
Cloe to the city center the car ran lower than in the uburb+ o they bounced back onto
the main line directly depite the tra&&ic.
% woman at ne,t to %dele+ talking with animation to the companion on her other
ide. -he man tanding in &ront o& them Hoined in the converation+ hi cal& bruhing
%dele. knee a the vehicle wayed.
*hen %dele wa lat on Cinnabar+ he couldn.t have imagined being a part o& thi
cene. LiterallyF he wouldn.t have had the data to viuali8e being Hotled and crowded on
a public conveyance. How matter had changed. . . .
$ot necearily &or the wore. She.d learned many thing through digrace and
poverty that he never would have known in the ordinary coure o& thing. She miled.
%nd he.d gained a &amily and a &riend more trutworthy than thoe at the ape, o& power
9people like her own parent and Corder Leary9would ever know.
-he car groaned to a halt again. -hey.d reached the ditrict ringing the Centacret+
where the leer nobility owned houe and rented ground(&loor pace to e,penive
hop. % group9a gang9o& ervant puhed their way into the car. Several o& them held
the door open a their &ellow chivied thoe already aboard out onto the plat&orm.
-heir garment were gray and bright green in hori8ontal tripe. -hat would make
them -aniard+ a minor houe which hadn.t had a member in the Senate until the lat
century. %ll o& them were in the &ull livery o& underling. Senior ervant like the
maHordomo and hiLher ection head would wear buine uit with only collar &lahe
to announce their a&&iliation.
%dele /uirmed to look out the window at her back. More ervant waited to board+
but no member o& the houe wa preentF thee ser.ants were clearing the car &or their
peronal whim.
% huky youth9they were all young+ not urpriingly9tood /uarely in &ront o&
%dele with two o& hi &ellow at hi elbow. He grinned in an attempt to look threatening+
but there wa a degree o& caution in hi e,preion. %dele wa alone+ but the :C$ wa a
very large organi8ation.
%dele remained eated with her le&t hand in her pocket. "!& you touch me+ cum+" he
aid in a clear voice+ "your mater will anwer &or your preumption on the &ield o&
honorA"
"*hat)" aid the -aniard. He.d e,pected something when the woman didn.t cuttle
away &rom hi advance but not that particular threat+ delivered with uch abolute
conviction in an upper(cla accent.
"%nd while that. happening+" %dele continued+ &eeling the tremble o& barely
controlled rage in her voice+ "a detachment &rom my hip will be leveling -aniard
Houe. -hat won.t concern you+ becaue you.ll have died here a you tand."
-he -aniard glanced to hi &riend9and &ound they.d backed away. He lowered hi
eye and did the ame+ narling at the &ellow ervant who Hotled him when the car rocked
into motion again.
-here wa only one more hunt be&ore the City Center terminu. -he car whirred
pat it without lowing. %dele rode in a clear portion o& a vehicle otherwie crowded1 the
-aniard kept their back to her. Her lip miled+ but her eye were empty and a red rage
&illed her mind. She viuali8ed Boun 2llie *oetHan leading every member o& the
rincess Cecile. crew who wa till on Cinnabar1 with hammer and come(along+ and
very likely a ection o& mat to batter down the door.
-aniardA How dare they)
-he car reached the great roundabout o& Centacret #ale+ paued+ and pulled into a
hunt a the car that had Hut loaded there reentered the main line. % core o& thoe
waiting tried to board be&ore the preent paenger had diembarked+ but the &uriou
-aniard rammed them back like the Het &rom a pillway. *ell(Huti&ied &ear had kept
them &rom trying concluion with the lone warrant o&&icer+ but they were too young to
accept what had happened with philoophical reignation.
%dele &ollowed cloely in the -aniard. wake+ uing the anger he.d engendered to
hield her &rom the wort o& the crowd. bu&&eting. She miled &aintlyF thi wa almot
like having ervant again.
She.d never thought much about the ervant when he wa a girl on Cinnabar.
Between Chatworth MaHor and the townhoue there mut have been a ta&& o& a hundred
or more+ but they had le conciou impact on %dele than her bedroom &urniture did.
Still+ they.d e,ited. 2ven on public tranit %dele would never have been &aced with
anything like thi+ becaue the Mundy retainer ecorting her would have cleared the
-aniard out with the ame ruthle unconcern a they.d have outed dog who.d
omehow gotten into the car.
-aniard block the path o& a Mundy) $ot till the ky &allA
-he ky had &allen on the Mundy1 &allen within day o& when %dele boarded the
packet that carried her to Blythe to continue her education in the %cademic Collection
there. Blythe wa a core world o& the %lliance o& Dree Star+ but what did that matter to
%dele) She wa a librarian+ a member o& that higher aritocracy o& knowledge which
cared nothing &or mere politic.
% it turned out+ politic had mattered a great deal.
-he Speaker. :ock wa a granite outcrop whoe naturally level top had been
improved by the &irt ettler1 it tood at the wet end o& Centacret #ale. %dele edged out
o& the ruck around the tranport terminu and eyed the :ock critically. Di&teen year ago
the head o& her &ather+ her mother+ and her ten(year(old iter+ %gatha+ had hung &rom it
in meh bag to be viewed by all thoe who choe to do o.
-here were many other head a well+ mot o& whom had a little to do with a
conpiracy a %gatha did. %dele herel& would have been there+ ave &or the whim o&
ailing chedule. Colitical realitie don.t care whether their victim &eel uperior to them.
Becaue he.d &ound herel& looking at the :ock with new eye+ %dele paued to
urvey the whole etting &or what wa in a way the &irt time. 2ven be&ore he reached
age ten+ he.d pent more o& her waking hour on the Centacret than he had in the
Mundy townhoue1 but he.d never looked at it the way a tranger would+ taking in it
magni&icence intead o& imply accepting it the way &ihe do the ea through which they
wim.
-he building on the &ive hill &raming the #ale hone with marble+ polihed granite+
and bron8e. -he only e,ception wa the Old Senate Houe which had burned three
centurie be&ore during the Succeion :iot. -he hell o& concrete with brick accent
remained a a relic o& Geno9and Cinnabar9be&ore the Hiatu.
-he preent Senate Houe embraced and towered above the original. -he buine o&
a planet had been conducted in the older building1 the new one erved an empire. %
%dele watched+ builder were working on an additional &ourth &loor in place o& the Senate
:oo& Earden.
Be&ore the Succeion :iot+ the palace o& wealthy &amilie had covered the lope
o& 'obbin Hill and a part o& the 'ivan+ on the outh and outheat margin o& the #ale.
Mot o& thoe tructure+ that o& the Mundy included+ had burned with the Senate Houe.
:ebuilding had taken place at a a&er ditance &rom the #ale+ where political protet
generally took &orm.
$ow+ even the palace urviving &rom the time o& the :iot had been converted to
government ue. -he entire Centacret wa given over to tructure which either carried
out the work o& the :epublic or vaunted the :epublic. power.
%dele made her way through the crowd+ around the tatue and other monument
tudding the #ale like tuck in upholtery. % Huggler per&ormed with burning torche
while an animal reembling a bipedal armadillo paced a circle about him+ holding up a
hat &or donation. % woman with the &lying hair o& a Maenad houted the truth o& her
revelation9amuingly to %dele+ &rom the hade o& a tele commemorating %dmiral
'uclon. 'uclon+ a hero o& the Dirt %lliance *ar+ wa reputedly the mot pro&ane man
ever to wear an :C$ uni&orm.
-he Church o& the :edeeming Spirit tood on Crogre Hill. Student &illed both
bay o& the domed portico heltering the &oot o& the tair erving it+ declaiming under the
eye o& their rival rhetoric pro&eor. % %dele paed between the group+ the girl to her
le&t trilled+ " . . . nor could the :epublic long urviveA" while the boy to the le&t boomed
hoarely+ " . . . nor can the :epublic long urviveA"
%dele wondered whether they.d been et the ame propoition or i& chance had
merely doubled an oratorical commonplace. She wan.t curiou enough to liten &or more1
and anyway+ time wa hort. Brikly he climbed the broad tread. -hey were hewn &rom
hard andtone+ but nonethele the &eet o& a millennium o& paerby had polihed them.
How would the Centacret look to a viitor &rom :odalpa+ ay+ or an even more rural
world like ;errace) *ould he be impreed+ or would it eem the mad chao o& an
overturned ant. net)
-o %dele+ ophiticated and dipaionate but not even now a tranger+ the
Centacret wa the mot ama8ing ight o& her peronal e,perience. !t made her9
unwillingly and amued by her own entimental weakne9proud to be a citi8en o&
Cinnabar.
-he tair mounted the &ace o& Crogre Hill teeply. 2very generation or o+ ome
politician moved to put in an elevator. -he propoal wa alway de&eated on the twin
ground o& tradition and &ear o& de&acing the Centacret. :etainer carried member o&
mot wealthy &amilie+ and citi8en in more moderate circumtance could hire a chair
and two huky laborer to bear it.
%dele. mouth /uirked a wry mile. -he Mundy had courted the popular vote by
walking on their own &eet o long a health permitted them to. Her &ather would have aid
he upported the people a a matter o& principle1 and no doubt he did. But in the end
principle boiled down to peronal power+ a urely &or Luciu Mundy a it did &or Corder
Leary1 and it wa the Mundy whoe aociate9not Luciu himel&+ o& that %dele wa
certain9took %lliance money to &urther their plan.
-he open taircae ended in a terrace eighty &eet above the #ale. Several o& the city
government o&&ice were located here+ their &acade et back enough that they couldn.t be
een &rom below. %n archway encloing more tair 8ig8agged acro the &ace o& the hill+
leading to the nave o& the church and the wing &lanking the main courtyard.
%dele tepped into the tunnel+ ignoring the beggar around the entrance. Church
uher9guard9prevented mendicant &rom climbing &arther into the comple,+ o they
clutered here on the lower parterre. %dele knew what it wa to be poor+ but he wan.t
wealthy now1 and the ympathy &or the poor that the political member o& her &amily had
hown a a matter o& policy had died with them during the Crocription.
2lectroluminecent trip along the a,i o& the tunnel. roo& cat a cool glow over the
interior. Moaic made &rom gla chip+ ometime with &oil backing+ lined the wall.
-he image portrayed the ettlement o& Cinnabar in the third wave o& human e,panion.
-he &irt colonit built with lab o& tabili8ed dirt e,truded by vat machine
carried in the bellie o& &our tarhip. !n the artit. rendering+ bladed tractor crawled
acro a &oreted landcape+ leaving behind them &ield green with human crop.
But the tractor and the &urnace &orming contruction material wore out. Later
building were o& wood+ tone+ and concrete+ becaue Cinnabar. indutry wa incapable
o& repairing the e/uipment which had come &rom 2arth. Cattle imported &or meat and
milk drew the plow.
Becaue the colony wa le than a generation old when the Copulation *ar began+
Cinnabar wan.t dragged into the &ighting a a participant. -he complete collape o&
intertellar tranport threw the planet onto her own weak reource+ but he ecaped the
rain o& redirected ateroid which wreaked cataclymic detruction on the more
developed world92arth herel& &oremot among the victim.
-here were perhap more human alive in the univere today than there had been at
the tart o& the Copulation *ar+ but the mot populou ingle planet had only a &raction
o& the number which had caued the 2arth government to purue a policy o& &orcing it
e,ce on daughter world becaue ending out &urther organi8ed colonie would have
been too e,penive.
-he population o& the &ew remaining habitable portion o& 2arth wa modet. !n a
manner o& peaking+ %dele thought with a cold mile+ 2arth. policy had achieved it
tated obHective.
-he &inal panel at the tunnel. upper end howed the rebirth o& pace travel on
Cinnabar. -o the le&t+ a multitage rocket roe on a plume o& chemical &lame1 to the right+
a tarhip uing redicovered principle pread it ail+ lipping &rom the idereal
univere in a ha8e o& Caimir radiation.
%dele tepped into daylight again. -he church roe be&ore her in polihed plendor1
i& he turned+ he would look out over the length o& Centacret #ale to the notch between
'obbin Hill and the Catle+ with the wetern uburb o& Geno viible a &ar a the eye
could ee.
% tarhip wa riing &rom Harbor -hree. !t wa huge+ though depite wearing the
uni&orm o& the :C$ %dele didn.t pretend to be able to identi&y veel.
She ighed and walked acro the marble paver to the cantilevered gateway o& the
Library o& -homa Celu+ which &illed both level o& the church. wet portico. On the
pediment wa a tatue o& the &ounder9buine agent to Speaker :amey+ the
unchallenged ruler o& the :epublic two centurie in the pat9o&&ering a croll to the
Ceople+ repreented a a woman in &lowing robe.
-he Celu erved a the national collection and wa the greatet library on
Cinnabar. *hen %dele wa nine+ her tutor had told her that the Celu wa the &oremot
repoitory o& knowledge in the human univere. %dele had immediately ued the
reource o& the library to check hi tatement9and learned there were everal
collection on the older world o& the %lliance which could put the Celu to hame.
%dele had immediately ordered the man out o& her ight with a &ury that hocked her
parent and &rightened him9rightly+ becaue at that age he might well have hot him i&
he.d attempted to Huti&y hi &alehood. He.d lied to her out o& patriotim1 error ha no
right to e,itA
-he uher inide the bron8e door nodded warmly to %dele. She blinked in urprie.
"Dandler+ in.t it) Eood to ee you till here."
-he uher tepped out &rom hi kiok o that he could bow properly to her. "Eood to
ee you+ M. Mundy. %ll o& u here at the Celu were a&raid omething had happened to
you during the late unpleaantne."
"$othing worth mentioning+ Dandler+" %dele aid. -hat wa true enough+ in abolute
term9what human activity is really worth mentioning)9and true alo relative to thoe
whoe head had decorated the Speaker. :ock.
She trode on through the cool rotunda+ her tep echoing. !t really wa like coming
home.
Bank o& data conole+ eparated &rom one another by panel o& oundproo&ing
&oam &or modet privacy+ lined the table o& the wing on either ide o& the rotunda. -here
were three hundred and twelve conole1 there had been when %dele lat entered the
Celu+ at any rate+ and it all appeared the ame. Dorty or o were occupied at the
moment.
She walked to the dek acro &rom the entrance+ glancing down at the pavement
teellated in band o& o&t gray and blue. !t hadn.t changed ince the day %dele Mundy
le&t Cinnabar.
She herel& had changed+ though.
Clerk at behind the counter+ working at conole o& their own. % page orted
volume &rom a large table onto a cart+ looking up at the ound o& %dele. &oottep.
-he o&&icial at the dek &lanking the paage to the tack o& hard copy within the
building wa only a &ew year older than %dele1 he.d never met him. Hi eye glanced
&rom the naval uni&orm to her &ace a he approached+ hi e,preion giving nothing
away.
%dele handed him the acce chip intead o& inerting it into the reader herel&. !t
wa the one he.d carried with her to Blythe1 he had no idea whether it would till work.
-he o&&icial glanced at the number engraved on the &lat. Hi eyebrow raied. He et
the chip on hi dek and tood.
"M. %dele Mundy)" he aid+ o&&ering her hi right hand. "!.m Lee ;lop&er+ -hird
%itant %dminitrator. !.ve &ollowed your work at the %cademic Collection. *e.re
honored to have you here."
%dele hook ;lop&er. hand &irmly+ &eeling a little diconcerted. So &ar a he could
tell+ the man wa /uite genuine. Only a guilty concience made her wonder i& he.d been
told to greet her in that &ahion9and i& o+ by whom)
-he word "guilty concience" raied another image in %dele. mindF a boy lurching
backward+ hi duelling pitol &lying &rom hi hand1 hi brain a &luid plah in the air
behind him.
Something o& that image mut have hown in her eye+ becaue ;lop&er traightened
with urprie and with perhap a touch o& &ear. "M. Mundy)" he aid. "!& ! gave o&&ene+
! aure you !9"
"$o+ no+ not at all+" %dele aid+ doing her bet to &orce a mile. She probably looked
a i& he were being cruci&iedA "0ut a touch o& an old pain."
Juite trueF the pain o& remembering the &irt peron he.d killed. $o longer the only
peron+ not by a coniderable number. Oh+ ye+ %dele Mundy had changed9and not even
he wa cynical enough to believe that he.d changed &or the better.
;lop&er returned the chip to her. "Bou have complete acce+ o& coure+ M.
Mundy+" he aid. "!& there. anything ! or the ta&& can do to help+ o& coure let u know."
"-hank you+" he aid a he entered the paage to the tack+ "! certainly will."
;lop&er. enthuiam had to be genuine. !t wa odd to be honored again a a
librarian+ though that wa the pro&eion to which he.d devoted her whole li&e until the
pat &ew month. More recently compliment he.d received were &or her ability to
decrypt coded &ile+ to e,plore and reroute communication pathway9and to &ire a
pitol with a kill unmatched by any o& thoe who had &aced her.
!n another li&e %dele Mundy might have pent her whole e,itence in thi library or
a greater one+ urrounded by knowledge and obliviou o& her lack o& &riend. *ell+
ervice with the :C$ didn.t keep her &rom gaining and organi8ing knowledge. % &or the
other+ he.d now rather die than loe the awarene that 'aniel Leary truted her
implicitly with hi li&e and honor+ becaue they were &riend.
She climbed the lotted teel tair to the &ourth level o& the tack+ then turned le&t
through art hitory . . . phyic and comology . . . engineering. Cage wandered by+
glancing at her with mild interet. $aval uni&orm are never common in the heart o& great
librarie.
%t the end o& the aile were room looking out through the upper colonnade to the
main courtyard o& the church. Cataloguing had the bank to the eat1 the &ive door there
were open+ and the ound o& chatting clerk dri&ted into the collection. On the wet were a
core o& maller room reerved &or cholar viiting the tack.
% pair o& men tood &acing the tack while their eye earched every other direction.
-hey were making a hal&(hearted e&&ort at pretending to be page. % well dre %dele in
a tutu and claim he wa a ballet dancerA
-he older o& the pair nodded to her. She ignored them9he didn.t need a guard.
permiion to do a he pleaed in what had been her econd home9and tapped on the
door with a tencilled =. % poter wa taped over the inide o& the little window.
Berni Sand+ a tocky woman o& i,ty+ dreed in plain but very e,penive good
tate+ opened the thin door. -here wa a econd chair inide along with the partan dek
and worktation+ cramping the cubicle even more than uually would have been the cae.
%dele &elt a urge o& notalgia. She.d pent year cloeted with a tutor in thi cubicle
and the other in the rank+ learning the mot important part o& an educationF ho" to learn.
$ow he wa getting &urther leon1 thi time &rom the head o& the :epublic.
intelligence ervice.
"Bou.re looking &it+ mitre+" Mitre Sand aid+ tepping back and geturing to the
nearer chair. "*a your voyage com&ortable)"
%dele cloed the door and eated herel&+ craping the chair an inch back to give her
knee and thoe o& the older woman more room. "Lieutenant Leary aure me that
almot everyone get ued to the e,perience o& entering the Matri,+" he aid. "! have no
evidence a yet that !.m among that &ortunate maHority. %part &rom that+ ye. -he
rincess Cecile and her crew per&ormed in accordance with the tradition o& the :C$."
She permitted herel& a mile to how that he wan.t trying to ell Mitre Sand on
the virtue o& 'aniel and hi temporary command. $onethele+ what he aid wa
literally true. !no&ar a poible+ everything %dele aid wa the literal truth.
Sand chuckled+ appreciating the ubtlety o& %dele. preentation. She took a conical
ivory container &rom her leeve and poured a doe o& nu&& into the cup between her
clenched thumb and the back o& her le&t hand. She didn.t bother o&&ering what %dele had
re&ued in the pat1 Mitre Sand didn.t wate motion9or anything ele that %dele had
noticed in their hort ac/uaintance.
"*hat do you know about Strymon+ mitre)" Sand aked a he li&ted the nu&&+
blocking her right notril with that inde, &inger.
"! made a curory earch yeterday+ be&ore you called me to thi meeting+" %dele
aid. Her &ace remained calm+ but her brain wa racing to correlate Sand. /uetion with
'elo #aughn. viit to the rincess Cecile. "$ot a great deal."
"-here. rumor on Cleaaunce that Councillor $une i intriguing with the
%lliance+" Sand aid. "$othing &rom Strymon itel&+ though."
She norted the doe o& nu&&+ grimaced+ and nee8ed e,ploively into a lacy
handkerchie& &rom the ame leeve a the nu&&bo,.
"-here. rarely &ewer than a do8en Cinnabar(regitered veel on Strymon at any
time+" %dele aid+ ignoring Sand. ati&ied dabbing at her noe. "Curory earch" in
%dele. terminology wa more incluive than many people. "&ull brie&ing" would be.
"Eenerally twenty or more. *ord would get out."
"Bou.d think o+ wouldn.t you)" Sand aid+ looking up again. Her eye were mottled
brown+ a hard a chip o& agate. "*hat about the rumor on Cleaaunce)"
"-he Di&th Bureau9" Euarantor Corra. peronal ecurity ervice "9pread lie+"
%dele aid. "Bureaucrat lie to make themelve look e&&ective without anyone ele.
encouragement."
"%ll true+ all true+" Sand aid1 her tone didn.t imply agreement. ":egardle+ ! have a
bad &eeling about Strymon."
%dele aid nothing. She hadn.t been aked a /uetion+ and he didn.t re/uire
ampli&ication o& what he.d Hut been told. Mitre Sand had remained in her poition too
long &or her intuition to be a&ely diregarded.
"-he $avy. ent a /uadron to Strymon to how the &lag+" Sand aid. She eyed the
nu&&bo, Hudiciouly+ then et it back within the leeve o& her &rock coat. "-wo detroyer
and an old cruier. -hey le&t Cinnabar a week ago -hurday."
%dele miled &aintly to hear Sand+ an outider &or all her rank and knowledge+ peak
o& what *arrant O&&icer %dele Mundy would have re&erred to a "the :C$." Her mile
&aded. !& the /uadron had already et out+ why had Sand called her to thi meeting)
"-here wa a bit o& a communication &ailure between the $avy O&&ice and my
ta&&+" Sand aid+ anwering %dele. unpoken /uetion. "!t won.t be repeated+ at any rate
not by the ame people1 and it. nothing that can.t be remedied. % &at veel can Hoin the
/uadron en route."
%dele had never met any member o& Sand. organi8ation e,cept the pymater
herel&. %dele couldn.t imagine that Sand peronally controlled all her agent+ but neither
did he have evidence to the contrary.
"!.d like you to be on that veel+" Sand concluded+ raiing her eyebrow minutely to
elicit a repone.
"-he rincess Cecile+ you mean)" %dele aked1 a genuine /uetion becaue he
didn.t care to aume Sand. intention. "3nder Lieutenant Leary)"
"Both would be eminently uitable choice+" Sand aid mildly+ her eye on %dele..
-here wa nothing threatening in Sand. tone or appearance+ but both commanded
repect. "Cruie o& thi ort normally involve hip no longer &it &or &rontline ue+ but a
&oreign(built veel like the rincess Cecile hould &it in admirably."
Sand coughed into her hand without lowering her eye. "Lieutenant Leary would
accept the poting+ you think)"
Daniel "ould turn nude cart"heels do"n $ission Boule.ard if that "ere re+uired to
get the posting. %loud %dele aid+ "! believe he will. !+ ah+ have in the pat &ound working
with Lieutenant Leary to be . . ."
She miled1 humor wa only a part o& the e,preion.
" . . . a much o& a pleaure a the circumtance allowed. %nd ! o& coure would be
pleaed to erve aboard the rincess Cecile."
Sand nodded. "! try to make the live o& agent doing di&&icult Hob a com&ortable a
poible+" he aid. "! want to know whether or not the government o& Strymon i
intriguing with the %lliance. !t. poible that you.ll be able to determine thi without ever
leaving your veel. On the other hand . . ."
She turned her le&t hand palm down. -he ring on her middle &inger wa et with a
blue(and(white phin, cameo which looked e,tremely old.
" . . . the :epublic re/uire an accurate aement o& the ituation+ regardle o& the
rik to thoe gathering the in&ormation."
%dele ran through a mental checklit o& what would be re/uired to carry out the
aignment. -he corvette had a &ull :C$ communication uite which+ coupled to %dele.
own e/uipment+ would ee to the hardware need. Much o& the remaining background
%dele could gather herel& more eaily than by having Sand retail it. One apect+ though
9
"*ill the arrival o& an :C$ /uadron alert the plotter)" he aked. "Cerhap even
precipitate event) !& there i a plot+ o& coure."
"!t houldn.t+" Sand aid. "Strymon i a loyal Cinnabar ally9o long a it. watched.
% naval viit every i, month or o i normal. -he preent one i actually a little overdue
becaue o& the ruh to re&it the &ighting /uadron."
Sand. le&t arm reted on the pad o& the in&ormation conole. *hen the machine wa
witched on it would become a virtual keyboard1 the alternative control wand waited in a
lot at the edge o& the pad. !t wa an old ytem+ though coniderably updated ince
%dele. youth&ul viit to the Celu.
"-hey.ll e,pect Commodore Cettin. /uadron+" Sand continued. "-hey will not+ !
think+ e,pect an in&ormation pecialit o& your abilitie to accompany the ordinary naval
peronnel."
-hat raied another /uetion. -he :C$ had it own channel and hierarchie1 neither
%dele nor Mitre Sand herel& could give 'aniel an order that he would obey. "!+ ah+
aume Lieutenant Leary will receive hi aignment in the normal coure o& buine)"
he aid.
Sand laughed+ riing to her &eet with the help o& her hand againt the dektop. "!.m
a&raid ! rather anticipated your acceptance+" he aid to %dele. "! believe Lieutenant
Leary i getting hi order even a we peak. -hough ! don.t know about9"
She grinned+ the ati&ied e,preion o& a peron who doe good work and know it.
"9Mthe normal coure o& buine.. Still+ the order will be coming &rom an
acknowledged uperior."
Still miling+ he waved %dele to the door ahead o& her.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER THREE
'
aniel Leary at in the Eeneral *aiting :oom o& the $avy
O&&ice+ eyeing the ceiling thirty &eet above him. -he a&ternoon un lanted through the
kylight. !t caught the whorl o& webbing which clung to the corner o& the co&&er and
turned them into o many Heweled accent.
-here were three hundred o&&icer in the waiting room at the moment+ mot o& them
enior to 'aniel. Some talked /uietly1 ome read or pretended to read pro&eional work
or the (a0ette1 mot at with their eye &orward and the grim e,preion o& people who
e,pect to hear the wort and are determined to take it like o&&icer o& the :C$.
'aniel wa reaonably certain that he wa the only peron preent who reali8ed the
web hadn.t been woven by a native Cinnabar pecie9nor -erran pider+ &or that
matter9but rather by the winged nail o& Dloriant. -he &licker o& movement in the
hadow beneath the oppoite row o& benche wa a Juatie Hopper+ thumb(i8ed and
warm(blooded+ patrolling &or dropped crumb on the tile with &an o& hair(&ine &ilament
prouting &rom it &oreleg. -he &aint but rhythmic thumm+ barely audible over the
uurru o& hoe and voice+ wa an amphibian common to all three o& the Halapa Star .
. . and the $avy O&&ice.
Over the centurie the :C$ had touched mot human(inhabited world1 the native
o& thoe world in many cae had touched the :C$ a well. 'aniel miledF 9ou could
"rite a history of Cinna*ar e5pansion *ased on the natural history of the !a.y )ffice.
% wooden railing+ darkened by age and polihed by the thigh o& centurie o&
petitioner+ eparated the waiting area &rom the adminitrative ection o& even civilian.
% Hunior lieutenant who mut be nearly &orty poke urgently to the receiving clerk1 the
latter continued to type on her keyboard. !& he heard the lieutenant. plea+ he gave no
ign o& it.
-he chie& clerk+ wearing a dull green coat and an e,preion o& cold uperiority+
overaw proceeding &rom a dek at the back o& the ection with hi &inger tented be&ore
him. Hi dektop wa a heet o& black opal with neither paper nor a data conole to mar
it polihed per&ection. % mall printer perched on the outer edge+ a i& contemplating
uicide in remore at intruding on o augut a peronage.
-he ta&& wa civilian to undercore the &act it wa outide the authority o& even the
highet(ranking :C$ o&&icer. Several o& thoe waiting &or appointment were &ull
captain1 occaionally there might even be an admiral in the hall. -he deciion about
who paed and when they paed the bar to the o&&ice within would be made without
regard &or how thoe waiting &elt about it.
% printer hummed on a dek1 the clerk there roe and handed the lip o& hard copy to
the annunciator at the podium.
"$umber eventy(threeA" the annunciator bawled.
'aniel. ivroid chit bore number @4N. -here wan.t any precedence+ o& coure. !t wa
Hut a matter o& when the underclerk reponible &or temporary ta&&ing would come to
'aniel. re/uetF i,ty additional peronnel &or twelve hour+ o that he could li&t the
rincess Cecile and wring her out be&ore turning her over to the 'irector o& Dorce a
ready &or aignment.
-he overaged lieutenant arguing with9arguing at9the receiving clerk glanced
down at hi chit in delighted urmie. He tarted &orward+ then paued. %nother
lieutenant+ a trim &emale in a uni&orm a crip a that on a tailor. dummy+ wa already
triding through the gate a&ter handing her chit to the uher.
-he older man looked again at hi own bit o& ivroid+ then hurled it to clack on the
&loor. Other in the waiting room otentatiouly looked toward the wall+ toward the
ceiling. 'aniel watched a pair o& nail wathe a beetle in a himmering arabe/ue o&
death. He alone looking at omething rather than away &rom an embarrament.
-he o&&icer gathered here weren.t a&raid o& what they would be told. -hey were
a&raid that they wouldn.t be told anything+ that they would it on thee hard benche today
and tomorrow and &or all the &uture till they &inally urrendered to depair+ and that the
:C$ would never call them.
"$umber &ourteenA" called the annunciator. "$umber one(hundred(and(&i&ty(&iveA"
'aniel wouldn.t be ignored+ not thi time+ though he might pend the ret o& today
and longer cooling hi heel. Spacer were in hort upplyF there imply weren.t enough
trained peronnel to erve both the merchant &leet and the :C$ on a war &ooting. %
temporary dra&t could be borrowed &rom the hip in port+ however+ to tet a badly needed
corvette.
*hen he.d handed over the rincess Cecile+ 'aniel would return to thi waiting
room to re/uet hi own aignment. -hat might mean a very long wait indeed. 2nlited
peronnel were hard to &ind+ but there were more /uali&ied o&&icer than there were lot
&or them even in the e,panded &leet.
Clace went to people with interetF the upport o& a enior o&&icer either becaue o&
peronal contact or the recommendation o& a civilian whoe wealth or political in&luence
might be o& ue to that enior o&&icer. 'aniel had neither o& thoe thing. He.d
ditinguihed himel& when he &ell into command on ;otroma+ but the wahbuckling
manner o& hi ucce might itel& give paue to an o&&icer conidering "young Leary" &or
an appointment.
-he printer. hum wa too &aint &or thoe beyond the bar to notice+ but all i, o& the
Hunior o&&icial turned lowly and tared at their chie& like rabbit &acing a nake. -heir
motion drew the eye o& the waiting o&&icer+ 'aniel. among them.
-he chie& clerk. printer had e,truded a lip o& hard copy. !t wa a moment be&ore the
&act regitered on the man. He had to tand to lean over the broad+ bare e,pane and pluck
the document &rom the output lot. He read it with dibelie&+ then walked to the
annunciator a all eye in the huge hall &ollowed him.
-he annunciator &illed hi lung+ aware that he had the greatet audience o& hi
career. "$umber two(hundred(and(nineteenA" he called.
(ood (od:
'aniel tood+ knowing that hi @nd Cla uni&orm had u&&ered in guiding and
upporting hi uncle during the tour o& the rincess Cecile. -he trouer had rucked up
lightly and were ticking to the back o& hi thigh1 normally he.d have tugged them
down unobtruively a he walked+ but nowA
He trode &orward+ hi &ace compoed. Corder Leary. on knew what it wa to be on
diplay+ certainly. Carticularly when 'aniel miled+ which wa more o& the time than not+
he looked even younger than hi twenty(two year. -hat didn.t normally diturb him9
indeed+ a number o& women eemed to &ind it intriguing. :ight at the moment+ however+
he wihed he could manage the gravity o& a Hudge.
%nd he alo wihed he.d managed to loe the &i&teen pound he.d worn he wa going
to crub o&& thi long time patA
-he annunciator took chit @4N and dropped it into a drum on the receiving clerk.
dek. He gave 'aniel the lip o& hard copy a the uher raied the gate to pa him
through the bar.
'aniel tepped through immediately+ Hut in cae the uher changed hi mind+ then
paued to read the lip. !t wa headed with hi rank+ erial number+ and re/uet a o&&ered
to the receiving clerk. !n the detination block below wa the legendF

E:O3$' DLOO:+ :OOM 46

'aniel walked acro the adminitrative ection+ pat the dek o& the chie& clerk9
till tanding+ watching 'aniel with the e,preion o& a man who. tumbled over a
diemboweled corpe9and through the door o& polihed hardwood at the back. Only
when he.d cloed that door behind him did he let himel& rela, with a igh o& relie&.
He tugged hi pant leg traight. -he &emale uher tationed in the long hallway
watched him with cool interet.
":oom Dourteen+" 'aniel aid+ geturing with the lip o& hard copy.
"-hat. the Chie&. o&&ice+" the uher aid imperturbably. "%ll the way down+ right to
the end." She nodded.
'aniel acknowledged the in&ormation with a nod o& hi own and trode down the
hallway. -here were i, door to hi right+ all unmarked and cloed1 the eventh had
'!:2C-O: OD C2:SO$$2L tencilled on the &roted gla and wa open. 'aniel
paued+ about to tep into the mall reception room where an aitant communication
o&&icer glanced up &rom behind hi dek9
But thi door wan.t all the way down the hall1 and the numeral above the tencilled
word wa 4<.
'aniel gave the clerk a mile o& apology and continued on. Behind him a group o&
o&&icer entered &rom the reception hall and turned in the oppoite direction+ headed &or
the tair to the upper &loor.
-he uher had aid "the Chie&. o&&ice." 'aniel had aumed "Chie& o& Ceronnel."
He traightened hi back and trode onward+ completely pu88led and more than a little
apprehenive. *ell+ the :C$ e,pected her o&&icer to handle whatever event they
encountered in the coure o& their dutie.
-he remaining door to the right were marked C3:CH%S!$E !+ C3:CH%S!$E !!+
and C3:CH%S!$E !!!. % pair o& civilian came out o& the middle door a 'aniel paed+
calling cheer&ul &arewell to omeone inide. 'aniel paued+ but the taller one bumped
him anyway9and bounced back.
"Oh+ orry+ Lieutenant+ very orryA" the &ellow aid+ patting 'aniel. houlder with a
calloued hand. "!& you.re down at the Harboride -avern thi evening+ come on over and
have a drink on meA"
'aniel grinned and walked on. %pparently omebody. buine with the $avy
O&&ice had gone to hi liking.
:oom 46 &aced the end o& the hallway. -he door9cloed9read CH!2D OD -H2
$%#B BO%:'.
'aniel could hear voice through the gla. He paued again+ completely at a lo+
and then tapped on the door.
"2nter+" omeone called. 'aniel turned the knob and tepped into another waiting
room+ though thi one wa paneled in lutrou black hardwood. -here were three
cuhioned chair &or viitor and+ behind a dek that matched the paneling+ a wholly
colorle middle(aged man.
"%dmiral %nton brought the enemble back a&ter hi capture o& High Meyne+" the
man aid. "-he decor o& the governor. private o&&ice there took hi &ancy."
"%h+" aid 'aniel+ nodding to how that he.d heard what the clerk aid. He o&&ered
the lip in hi hand. "!.m a&raid there. been a mitake. Can you direct me to the correct
o&&ice+ ir)"
-he clerk glanced at 'aniel. routing lip. "-here. no mitake+ Lieutenant Leary+" he
aid. "But i& you.ll have a eat+ pleae) -he admiral i till engaged."
-he door to the inner o&&ice wa open. % captain wearing a 4t Cla uni&orm at on
the viitor. ide o& the dek+ leaning &orward intently. Drom where 'aniel eated himel&+
.ery care&ully not taring into the o&&ice+ %dmiral %nton on the other ide o& the dek
wa merely two neat hand holding a hea& o& document.
"%ll right+ Calovec+ o much &or the e,truion+" the admiral aid. !t wa hi voice
'aniel had heard through the outer door. "$ow+ tell me why you.re recommending
thruter no88le &rom ;odiak Dorge) *hy i ;odiak even being permitted to tender)"
-he hand lapped the paper down on the dektop o& petri&ied wood. %nother
trophy o& the admiral. active ervice)
"! believe they.ve orted out their /uality control problem+ %dmiral+" the captain
aid with a bubbling good humor that didn.t ring true in 'aniel. ear. "!.ve made a
peronal inpection o& their plant+ you know. %nd the /uote wa very attractive+ a you
ee."
-he outer door opened without the &ormality o& a knock. 'aniel turned. % ervant
cloed the door behind himel&. He wa &ar too enior to wear livery+ but at hi throat wa
a cravat in %nton. black(and(maroon color.
"!.m here to collect the admiral+ ;lemch+" the ervant aid. Hi eye &licked over
'aniel the way light glance &rom a mud puddle. "*ill you in&orm him+ or hall !)"
'aniel. mile &ro8e. He could take order without heitation or complaint1 the :C$
wa no place &or anyone who had a problem with hierarchie. But 'aniel didn.t e,pect
ever to meet the house ser.ant he conidered hi uperior in any pecking order.
"Hold them &or now+ Calovec+" the admiral aid+ hoving the paper acro the
&igured tone ur&ace. "!.ll get back to you tomorrow."
"!.ll in&orm the admiral that you.re here+ *hately+" the clerk aid. "-hi i the $avy
O&&ice+ you.ll recall+ not Stamhead S/uare."
Captain Calovec roe and traightened hi document with a penive e,preion. "!.ll
do what ! can to convince them to hold the price+ %dmiral . . . " he aid.
-here might have been more to &ollow+ but %dmiral %nton tood and+ with a hand
on hi elbow+ uhered Calovec to the door. %nton wa a hort man with trim &eature
even now+ but either he.d gained twenty pound ince the lat picture 'aniel had een o&
him or he wore a coret during &ormal appearance.
'aniel Humped to hi &eet+ barely retraining himel& &rom aluting. By tradition born
o& neceity+ no alute were o&&ered within the $avy O&&ice1 otherwie nobody.d be able
to walk down the hallway without topping in the middle o& each tride to e,change
alute.
%nd a heaven and hi %cademy tutor knew+ aluting wan.t a kill 'aniel could
ever claim to have matered.
"Come along+ %dmiral+" *hately aid a oon a %nton appeared. "Bour wi&e ent
me to &etch you. Bou.re an hour late a it i."
%nton looked at 'aniel+ then to ;lemch with a raied eyebrow. Captain Calovec
opened hi mouth to peak+ then changed hi mind and trode out o& the o&&ice+ clicking
the outer door behind him.
"-hi i Lieutenant Leary+ %dmiral+" ;lemch aid.
"%dmiral+ your wi&e ha been waiting at the gallery+" the ervant aid harply.
"-hen he.ll damned well have to wait longer+ won.t he)" the admiral boomed.
"Come on in here+ lad. ! can pare you a minute without all the tatue melting o&& their
tandA"
*ith the e,ception o& the plendid dek+ %nton. inner o&&ice wa relentlely
utilitarian. -he wall were o&&(white with no picture or other decoration+ and the
&urniture wa a partan a that o& Hunior o&&icer. /uarter on a warhip. 'aniel at
becaue %nton directed him to a chair+ but he perched on the edge o& the cuhion.
"%re you married+ Leary)" the admiral aked.
"$o irA" 'aniel aid. Had there been a complaint about9
"'idn.t think oA" %nton aid+ itting in the imilar chair acro the deck. "But
rumor ha it you.ve met your hare o& women. ! that true)"
% number o& poible anwer to the /uetion raced through 'aniel. head. -here
had been complaint. Coming home a the Hero o& ;otroma and with money in hi
pocket9well+ 'aniel had alway been able to meet women looking &or a good time+ and
with hi preent advantage it wa like hooting &ih in a barrel.
"Be+ ir+ that. true+" 'aniel aid. He.d never been any good at lying+ and he wan.t
going to tart now with the Chie& o& the $avy Board.
%nton nodded again. "-hat. a good thing in a young man+" he aid in an approving
tone. "-hat way you won.t have to make a &ool o& yourel& when you get to be my age.
$ow9what do you think about ;odiak thruter no88le)"
'aniel &elt a though he wa being lapped on the back o& the head with &eather
pillow. 2very time he turned+ "hap: and another one hit him &rom behind.
"Sir+ ! don.t have peronal e,perience with ;odiak. product+" he aid+ "but my
uncle+ that. Commander Bergen+ ha topped uing them in hi hipyard. He ay the
internal polih i &ine+ but you have to magna&lu, each one &or weak pot or you can
e,pect to have plama leaking ideway be&ore you.ve got ten hour o& ervice. He ay
he reHected the whole hipment he received lat /uarter."
%nton banged hi &it down. "0ut what ! told Calovec when ! took them o&& the
tender lit lat yearA" he aid. "! don.t mind a purchaing o&&icer making hi &ive percent
on a contract+ but ! will not have a man who line hi pocket by providing my people
with hoddy goodA ;lemch+ take a note o& that."
"! have done o+ %dmiral+" called the little man &rom the outer o&&ice. -he ervant+
*hately+ hi&ted &rom &oot to &oot in the doorway though he didn.t chooe to break in on
%nton again.
"Bou.re here about the corvette+ the rincess Cecile+" %nton aid+ grimacing at the
veel. name. $o Cinnabar veel would.ve been chritened anything like "rincess
Cecile," but %nton wa one o& the old(&ahioned o&&icer who &elt that renaming a hip
changed her luck. "*hat do you think o& her) Bour aement a an :C$ o&&icerA"
"Sir+" aid 'aniel+ "!.d match her againt any veel o& her cla+ regardle o& where
he wa built."
Like everything ele he.d aid ince he entered the o&&ice+ that wa the imple truth.
He didn.t undertand enough about the ituation to gue what %nton wanted to hear1
and when in doubt+ the truth wa alway the bet option.
%nton bellowed a laugh o loud that it trailed o&& into coughing. He lapped hi
dek again and aid+ "% all Cinnabar know+ lad+ you matched her againt a cruier that
wa mile beyond her cla. Oh+ ! know+ you had luck to pull it o&&. ! didn.t make it to thi
o&&ice without knowing what luck wa+ ! aure you. But you had ball enough to try+ and
that. the &irt re/uirement &or a good o&&icer."
"%dmiral+ please . . . " *hately aid. He.d bree8ed in initially with the authority o&
Lady %nton. !& that wan.t u&&icient+ he wa likely to be ground to dut between her and
the admiral.
"Be+ ye+" %nton aid+ riing &rom hi chair again. "! Hut wanted to meet Leary
here. Leary+ ;lemch will take care o& you while ! go pretend ! ee more in a line o&
bron8e tatue than o many bearing gone bad."
He walked 'aniel into the outer o&&ice. *hately already had the door open and wa
hovering by it+ a wraith o& the el&(important &ellow who.d butled in minute be&ore.
'aniel didn.t undertand what had Hut happened9any o& the thing that had Hut
happened9but there didn.t eem to be any advantage in commenting on the &act to Mr.
;lemch. He there&ore aid a the door cloed behind %nton+ "!.m re/ueting a twelve(
hour dra&t o& i,ty rating while ! tet the rincess Cecile be&ore turning her over a ready
&or ervice."
-he &orty Siie9&ormer %ggie &rom the communication veel 'glaia+ aboard to
handle the re&it9were all e,perienced pacer. *ith them a a core+ the corvette would
be able to &unction even i& the ret o& the crew were ten(thumbed landmen . . . which
would very probably be the cae.
;lemch typed at a heet o& boron monocrytal marked with ymbol. 'aniel didn.t
recall eeing a phyical keyboard like that in ervice anywhere within the :C$F the
volume within a warhip wa too hort to dedicate any o& it to ue that could be
accomplihed by hologram. ;lemch. eccentricity would ubtly di/uiet any pacer
who dealt with him+ 'aniel included.
But 'aniel. paion &or natural hitory dipoed him to view the mechanim at
work within and among living entitie. He recogni8ed why the keyboard bothered him9
and grinned broadly. !t wan.t a though anything o minor a that wa going to a&&ect
him in the preent circumtance.
"-he admiral ha paed the rincess Cecile &or ervice+" ;lemch aid a he typed.
"Bou.re to work her up in the coure o& your ervice cruie."
-he printer whirred+ e,truding and clipping o&& a heet o& &limy. ;lemch handed
the document to 'aniel.
"-hi appoint you captain o& the rincess Cecile+" the clerk aid. Hi e,preion
wa per&ectly deadpan+ but it covered a ardonic grin a urely a &leh did hi
cheekbone. "Bou.ll have to pardon the in&ormality+ but the tre o& event prevent me
&rom having it done with the proper eal and ribbon. Bou.re to arrange &or a &ull crew
on long(term recruitment."
He cleared hi throat. "Bour order give you authority to accept volunteer &rom any
:C$ veel on Cinnabar+ whether or not the volunteer. preent commander ac/uiece."
"Eood EodA" 'aniel aid1 the phrae wa getting to be a habit today+ and thi time
he.d blurted it aloud.
He wan.t an unduly boat&ul man+ but he.d brought the 'glaia. crew back &rom a
diater and &illed their pocket with pri8e money. Spacer pre&erred to erve beneath
lucky o&&icer than able one+ though 'aniel hoped the %ggie and everyone they talked
to thought Lt. Leary wa pretty damned able a well. !& he wa allowed to recruit under
thoe term+ he.d get the pick o& the :C$.
By EodA He.d get back the crew that &ought the rincess Cecile on ;otroma+
barring thoe &ew pacer poted to veel which had li&ted during the corvette. re&itA
"%h+" 'aniel aid. "!.m very grate&ul &or thee order+ Mr. ;lemch+ very grate&ul.
But can you tell me what the+ ah+ reaon &or them might be)"
-he clerk looked up coldly. "'o ! care to peculate a to %dmiral %nton. motive+
you mean+ Lieutenant) $o+ ! do not."
'aniel. heel clicked to a brace. "Eood day+ ir+" he aid. "Meeting you ha been an
une,pected pleaure."
He tepped out the door and began to whitle. *hat would %dele ay about thi)

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER -O3R
%
dele at on a bench in the huge &orecourt and took out her
peronal data unit. -he upper court with i, bank o& theater(tyle eating &or a &ew
hundred worhipper wa to her right. Beyond it roe the gilded eighty(&oot image o& the
:edeeming Spirit+ &ramed rather than hielded by a conical roo& upported by column.
-hoe tructure on the very crown o& the hill were the only portion o& the comple,
really given over to religiou ue1 and that only rarely+ when repreentative o& the
Senate and the allied world gave &ormal thank &or the a&ety o& the :epublic.
%dele miled+ hal& in humor. !n another way the whole Centacret wa a religiou
edi&ice+ dedicated to the &aith that Cinnabar wa meant to rule the human gala,y. 'aniel
certainly believed that+ though he.d be embarraed to ay o in thoe blunt word.
%nd %dele Mundy) $o+ he didn.t believe it and he didn.t imagine he ever would.
But not long ago he.d believed in nothing but the certainty he would die+ and today he
wa convinced o& the reality o& human &riendhip a well. Cerhap omeday 'aniel would
manage to convert her9by e,ample1 'aniel wa no proelyti8er9into a Cinnabar
chauvinit a well.
%dele &elt+ a he alway did when walking out o& a library+ that the unlight wa an
intruion. Still+ he hadn.t wanted to call up her meage within the Celu1 not a&ter the
meeting with Mitre Sand. Contact with intelligence peronnel alway made her &eel
both unclean and paranoid+ uncom&ortably aware o& how eaily he could be oberved
within the con&ine o& a building.
%dele wa an intelligence agent herel& now. -hat made her &eel more+ not le+
uncom&ortable. Cerhap the paranoia would prove a urvival trait+ but he wan.t ure he
wanted to live i& he had to worry thi way in order to do o.
Mot o& the meage he.d downloaded were o& no conuming interet9:C$
in&ormation+ updating her tatu1 or even le igni&icant /uerie &rom people who wanted
to ell her thing. %dele had gained a great deal o& attention &rom publication o& the lit o&
thoe entitled to a hare in the proceed o& the rincess Cecile whenever the government
o& the :epublic got around to paying. She &ound it /uite ama8ing that o many people
thought he wanted to buy real etate+ an aircar+ or companionhip.
She permitted herel& another mile. Companionhip o& the ort thoe &olk o&&ered
had never intereted her+ even a a matter o& cienti&ic curioity. 'aniel wa the naturalit+
a&ter all. Mind+ 'aniel. interet in companionhip couldn.t be called cienti&ic+ though the
way he hooked and netted each night. /uarry howed the ame tactical acumen that had
turned the table on the %lliance at ;otroma.
% hort block o& in&ormation wa encrypted. %dele entered the day. key1 even with
the wand+ the hundred and twenty(eight character took ome time.
-he meage wa &rom -overa+ %dele. ervant ino&ar a that intelligent+ highly
trained ociopath could be aid to erve anything e,cept her own will. -overa knew he
wan.t &ully humanF that there were thing which human being &elt that he would never
&eel. Her trategy &or coping with her lack wa to attach herel& to a human who
undertood what he wa+ and who didn.t care.
2very time %dele looked at -overa+ he thought o& the boy he.d killed &i&teen year
be&ore1 and the other. How many more live could %dele Mundy end with a &our(ounce
preure o& her trigger &inger+ be&ore her eye were Hut a empty a thoe o& her ervant)
-he meage wa impleF %dele. bank had called regarding the drawing right he
had etablihed againt the award o& pri8e money &or the rincess Cecile. -hey would
like her to meet with them at her earliet convenience+ giving an addre.
!t wan.t the addre o& the o&&ice where %dele had et up the account+ but that wa
only to be e,pected. !t wa on the north lope o& Crogre Hill+ however1 eaier to walk to
than to take a car.
!t wa alo only to be e,pected that omething wa wrong with her account. *ell+
he.d known poverty be&ore1 he could learn to kip meal again.
She et o&& through the archway beneath the upper court. !t wa unadorned concrete+
the lighting muted but &unctional. -hi paage wan.t meant &or how but merely &or the
ue o& viitor coming &rom the north to the Celu or to o&&ice in the comple,.
%head o& her walked a noble with a mall retinue. % group o& minor bureaucrat
paed &rom the other direction+ one eating the lat o& a roll(up and other carrying part(
&illed mug. -hey were talking about a contruction proHect and peculating on how much
the contractor would pay &or permit approval.
%dele &elt her ene &ocu downF locking &ace in her memory without appear to
tare+ catching intonation and &ree8ing the precie phraing o& the dicuion. She caught
herel& and rubbed the impule9though not the erie o& impreion9&rom her mind.
-he Geno municipal government wan.t paying her to root out gra&t. Still+ %dele
had pent her li&e learning to gather and integrate in&ormation. -he pat month with
'aniel9and Mitre Sand9had led her to conider other &orm o& in&ormation to
remain alive+ but he couldn.t let that get out o& hand i& he were to tay ane.
She grinned. Her anity wa perhap an unwarranted aumption.
-here wa nothing in the call &rom the bank that re/uired encryption. Beide+ i&
omeone did want to know about it+ the original meage had certainly been in clear.
-overa had relayed it in ecure &orm becaue -overa ent all meage to her mitre in
code+ o that data which wa o& crucial importance wouldn.t tand out becaue it alone
wa encrypted.
-overa did everything by plan becaue he lacked the intinct on which normal
human operated mot o& the time. Euarantor Corra. Di&th Bureau had trained her
well . . . and now -overa did a %dele directed her+ Hut a the pitol in %dele. le&t Hacket
pocket would doF no cruple+ no heitation9only action when the trigger i pulled.
%dele tepped out o& the tunnel. She.d checked the addre againt a map re&erence
but hadn.t bothered to call up an image o& the building. !t wa o& &ive torie and+ though
/uite new+ had a pillared &acade which echoed the architecture o& the comple, on the
hill. revere lope.
-he mall bra plate beide the door read SH!CC2:S. %$' M2:CH%$-S.
-:2%S3:B1 it air o& undertated elegance would have been anathema to the populit
pretenion o& %dele. parent. She topped dead when he read it.
%dele hoped he had &ew pretenion+ and he.d lived a an impecuniou member o&
"the common people" &or too long to &ind anything in the concept to be idealitic about.
$onethele+ he.d gone to the Ceople. -rut to et up a drawing account. -hi wan.t her
bank+ and i& omebody thought to play game o& that ort with a Mundy o&
Chatworth . . .
She didn.t &ollow the thought through+ becaue he could thu &ar only viuali8e a
pinkih blur intead o& a real &ace over the barrel o& her duelling pitol.
% doorman bowed politely a he uhered her into the lobby+ an une,pectedly mall
room. % tree with a &an o& broad leave at the top grew &rom an alcove+ lighted by a ha&t
to the roo& high above1 beneath it wa a receptionit at a dek o& age(yellowed ivory.
-he two teller. cage were unoccupied. Cloed door along the back wall gave onto
room which provided greater privacy &or client.
"! wa directed to O&&ice 2+" %dele aid to the receptionit+ wondering i& her &ace
howed the anger he wa trying to uppre till he wa ure o& her &act.
-he receptionit touched an unobtruive button and roe with a mile. "Be+ Mitre
Mundy+" he aid. "*ill you come thi way+ pleae) !t won.t be a moment."
He opened a door into a drawing room appointed in muted good tate. -he only
apparent e,ception wa the dek+ a dene platic e,truion. !n thi conte,t it wa almot
certainly an anti/ue dating &rom the ettlement.
-he door in the oppoite wall opened &or a plumpih+ everely dreed woman o&
%dele. age. -he banker would never pa &or beauti&ul+ but i& he howed more tendency
to mile he might have been pretty. $ot that %dele wa the one to cat tone in that
regard.
"Cleae it down+ mitre+" the banker aid. !ntead o& tepping behind the dek+ he
went to one o& the pair o& chair in &ront o& it.
"-hank you+ !.ll tand+" %dele aid. She.d never met the woman+ but there wa a
tantali8ing &amiliarity to her nonethele. "My account i with the Ceople. -rut. *hy
have you ummoned me here)"
"*e bought your account &rom the Ceople. -rut thi morning+ Mitre Mundy+"
the woman aid. "-he new arrangement are among the thing !.d like to dicu with
you. ! hould begin by aying9"
-hey bought my account) How do you buy9
"9that my name i 'eirdre Leary. ! believe you know my younger brother."
Oh.
%dele remained ti&&ly erect+ ignoring the hand 'aniel. iter o&&ered her. "Mitre
Leary+" he aid+ "! am leaving no". !& you wih any &urther communication with me+ it
hould be through our econd arranging a meeting."
"lease Mitre Mundy+" 'eirdre aid. She didn.t withdraw the outtretched hand.
"Cleae+ thi will be to your bene&it and that o& my brother. On my honor a a LearyA"
%dele remained &ro8en+ trying to undertand the ituation. 'aniel poke o& hi iter
with repect i& not warmth. 'eirdre had &ollowed their &ather into buine and perhap
oon into politic a well. She appeared to be a paragon o& moral virtue beide1 which
'aniel wa the &irt to admit he himel& wa not.
%dele didn.t have enough in&ormation to analy8e what wa going on. She miled like
a ickle+ though the grim humor wa directed at herel& rather than the woman in &ront o&
her. Obviouly+ he needed to gather more in&ormation.
"!.ve known your brother long enough to value the honor o& a Leary+" %dele aid.
She took 'eirdre. hand and hook it1 the banker. grip wa &irm though the &leh o& her
hand wa o&t.
Seating herel& on the o&&ered chair he continued+ "$ow+ i& you can give me an
e,planation o& why !.m here+ Mitre Leary+ !.d be pleaed to hear it."
"Bou.re aware that my &ather and brother parted on very bad term+ !.m ure+"
'eirdre aid+ itting a well. -he chair were ide by ide intead o& &acing+ o that the
two women looked over their houlder at one another. "-hey.ve had no contact ince."
"'aniel. mentioned that+ ye+" %dele aid. !t had &re/uently occurred to her that
tetoterone wa reponible &or more than a &ew o& the world. trouble.
'eirdre. moue uggeted her opinion o& the matter wa much the ame a %dele.
own. "! in&ormed Dather o& my intention+" he aid+ "but ! wouldn.t want you to think that
thi contact wa at hi uggetion+ let alone behet. On the other hand+ he didn.t attempt to
&orbid me either."
"Cerhap you hould tell me preciely what your intention are+" %dele aid+ keeping
her tone emotionle. *hat it appeared to be wa an attempt to get at 'aniel through hi
&riend1 and i& that wa the cae+ %dele wa going to be more angry than he.d ever been
be&ore in her li&e.
"My ole intention+ already e&&ected+" the banker replied in a voice a dry a a &reh
brick+ "i to decreae the dicount on the um you draw &rom twenty percent to even
percent. Seven percent i a better rate than a tranger who walked in o&& the treet might
e,pect+ but we at the SOM trut the government to pay it obligation."
%dele digeted the in&ormation+ what 'eirdre implied a well a the e,plicitly tated.
"-he dicount !.ve been charged by my parent. bank i e,ceive+ then+" he aid.
They must ha.e seen me coming:
"! won.t peak &or the management o& another &irm+" 'eirdre aid with a cold mile
that uggeted he.d be per&ectly willing to do that i& he weren.t ure %dele already
undertood. "!& one o& my ubordinate were to o&&er that contract to a naval o&&icer+
however+ he.d be looking &or another Hob. Outide the banking ector+ becaue !.d
blackball him a well a terminating hi employment."
%dele+ a the only urviving member o& her &amily+ knew very well how ruthle
Speaker Leary wa. !t appeared that hi daughter had inherited ome o& that peronality.
"Be&ore you blame yourel& &or allowing yourel& to be taken advantage o&+
mitre+" 'eirdre continued+ "! hould mention that my brother made an even wore deal
&or hi hare o& the pri8e money. Banking involve a much peciali8ed knowledge a
atrogation or archival reearch do."
"Bou bought 'aniel. account alo+ then)" %dele aid1 hoping againt hope that the
anwer would be "$o+" becaue 'aniel. reaction would be9
"Eood Eod+ noA" 'eirdre aid. "! won.t claim to undertand my brother+ Mitre
Mundy+ but ! can gue how he.d react to that ort o& inter&erence. -he SOM cultivate a
genteel atmophere+ and the preence o& a young naval o&&icer threatening to demolih it
tone by tone wouldn.t &it in with that at all."
%dele choked when an indrawing breath met a Holt o& laughter going the other way.
She.d Hut had an image o& a detachment &rom the rincess Cecile arriving at the
Shipper. and Merchant. -reaury with a,e and pinch bar.
"Be+ ! agree with your aement+ Mitre Leary+" he aid. She tood becaue he
had work to do+ aborbing in&ormation on Strymon. !& the banker had more to ay+ it wa
time to ay it.
'eirdre roe alo. "Since you raie the matter+ however+" he aid+ "it "ould be to
'aniel. &inancial advantage to tran&er hi account to the SOM."
%dele uddenly remembered the &irt time he.d heard the detail o& her iter
%gatha. abue and murder. "! won.t pledge my honor to induce 'aniel to take any action
whatever regarding the Leary &amily+ mitre+" he aid. Her voice wa a thin a
treed piano wire.
"$or would ! e,pect you to+ mitre+" 'eirdre aid+ a little moved by %dele. anger
a granite i by the rain. "But ! am pledging my peronal honor to you that no ill would
reult to my brother a a reult o& any dealing he might have with the SOM."
This "oman has as much stiff1necked pride as a $undy: *hich wa no urprie+
becaue the &amilie had been poured &rom the ame crucible o& Cinnabar politic.
"! noted when ! reviewed your &ile+" 'eirdre aid+ looking o&& at an angle+ "the
irregular way that a portion o& your &amily propertie were retored a&ter the 2dict o&
:econciliation. ! upect there wa colluion between the court and the couin claiming to
be the cloet urviving relative. Such a micarriage o& Hutice could be righted even
now."
%dele miled &aintly and e,tended her hand. "Eood day+ mitre+" he aid. "!
believe that the pat i o&ten better &orgotten+ however !.ll keep that in&ormation on hand
againt later need."
She walked out o& the bank1 beide the building wa a top &or the eat(wet loop o&
a car line. She.d go back to her apartment and &rom that privacy aemble the in&ormation
he.d need. -he &irt weep+ that i+ to enable her to &ocu more accurately &or the ne,t
pa.
She wouldn.t ay anything to 'aniel about her meeting today1 either meeting. !t
would merely make him uncom&ortable to know about Mitre Sand+ and a &or hi iter
9
%dele wan.t going to mention 'eirdre until he herel& had a better notion o& what
to think.
P P P
'aniel Leary at at the civilian dek+ &urnihed when he rented the apartment+ and
witched o&& the phone on which he.d called Lt. Mon. -he view &rom hi window looked
down the hillide over three( and &our(tory apartment houe imilar to hi own. Becaue
mot o& them had roo& garden+ the e&&ect wa more imilar to Bantry+ the Leary country
etate+ than a maHor city.
Hogg came in with a &limy in one hand and a bleak cowl on hi &ace. "Bour new
're *hite aren.t going to be ready inide a week unle ! /uee8e Sadlack harder than
!.ve done o &ar+" he aid. "Have we got a week+ do you &igure)"
Hogg wa hortih+ plumpih+ and balding+ although he wa only in hi &ortie. He
wa neither a gentleman. valet nor the typical naval ervant+ an enlited crewmen who
looked a&ter one o& the o&&icer &or an additional tipend paid &rom the o&&icer. pure.
"% week)" 'aniel repeated. Ordinarily it might take a week or even longer &or
ailing order to make their labyrinthine way through the $avy O&&ice+ but the bru/ue
certainty o& 'aniel. own appointment uggeted there wa nothing ordinary about thi
buine. "$ot a chance+ Hogg. !.ve Hut told Mon to have the Sissie ready &or li&to&& in i,
hour i& poible. !t.ll take two day to gather a crew+ but that. the only delay ! e,pect. !
uppoe !.ll have to make do with my gray."
Hogg had watched over 'aniel while he wa growing up on Bantry. $ure and
tutor had come and gone. Mother wa a gentle preence in the background+ and Corder
Leary made &lying viit &rom the city to dipene command+ punihment+ and
occaional praie be&ore returning to the thing he &ound important.
Hogg wa alway there+ teaching what he knewF about wildli&e and women and
card+ about how to hold your li/uor and when to hold your tongue1 about loyalty and
courage and the hitory o& the Leary o& Bantry. % much a anyone can teach another+
Hogg had taught 'aniel how to be a man.
"$aw+ !.ll Hut lean on the nooty batard a little harder+" Hogg aid+ ounding more
pleaed than not. He wa a countryman who.d learned city way well enough to pro&it by
them9in Hell+ Hogg would probably win all the pitch&ork with the three(card trick9but
who would never loe hi ditate &or trademen with polihed accent. "Bou.ll not be
going out on your &irt permanent command without a dre uni&orm+ Mater 'aniel."
'aniel wondered e,actly what "lean harder" meant in thi conte,t. He decided he
didn.t want to know. He needed 're *hite to replace the et he.d lot on ;otroma9
and he too had &ound Sadlack+ Eentleman. Out&itter+ to be a nooty batard. !& the &ellow
wa going to tailor 4t Cla uni&orm &or o&&icer o& the :C$+ then he could damned
well work the way naval o&&icer didF all the hour the clock had+ until the tak wa
accomplihed.
Hogg went back to hi own room whitling cheer&ully. 'aniel li&ted the handet
again and Humped down the addre rota to %dele. peronal number. He preed S2$'
and waited+ looking out the window at the greenery.
'aniel had a naval command helmet on which he could make call more eaily than
with the civilian intrument which wa now le &amiliar to him. He didn.t becaue o& the
view out the windowF it would be diconcerting to ue the helmet but ee verdure intead
o& a gray(ur&aced bulkhead in &ront o& him.
Hogg returned+ checking the action o& a &olding kinning kni&e. He dropped it into
hi ide pocket.
'aniel. call brought no repone until it cycled automatically to %dele. apartment
phone. -here wa a click o& connection but the creen tayed blank. $aval phone didn.t
wate bandwidth on viual1 Mon had been only a voice when 'aniel poke to him a
moment be&ore. !n the cae o& %dele+ or rather her ervant+ the emptine wa a matter o&
choice.
"Be)" aid -overa+ her voice a &lat a a machine.. !t wan.t a receptionit.
greeting+ but 'aniel wan.t the one to complain. Hogg wa a apt a not to ay+ "%nd
who. thi that. calling+ then)" when he anwered the phone.
"-overa+ pleae let your mitre know that we.ll be getting ailing order very
hortly+" 'aniel aid. "-hat i+ the rincess Cecile will hortly be ailing under my
command. %lo !.d like her help in putting together a crew. She.ll be able to get me real
dicipline record on pacer ! don.t know peronally+ the in&ormation ! won.t learn &rom
their preent captain."
"M. Mundy i out+ Lieutenant+" -overa aid+ "and ! don.t know her whereabout. !.ll
give her your meage a oon a poible."
-he econd o& thoe three part wa almot certainly a lie+ but 'aniel wa e/ually
certain that torture wouldn.t get any more de&inite repone &rom -overa. She wan.t a
ervant who.d uit everybody+ but %dele eemed happy with her. -hat wa good enough
&or 'aniel.
"-hank you+ -overa+" he aid and broke the connection. -he ooner he got o&& the
line+ the ooner -overa would be able to contact her mitre. Beide9and he.d never
ay it to %dele+ not in a million year+ becaue it wa none o& hi buine9the pale
young woman made 'aniel. kin crawl.
"Supper.ll be late+" Hogg aid+ reaching &or the doorknob+ "but &irt thing &irt. !&
you.re a&raid you.ll tarve+ then ! gue you can &ind omewhere they.ll &eed you."
"! dare ay ! can+" 'aniel aid+ wondering what hi &ather. valet would ay i& he.d
heard that e,change. On the other hand+ the valet hadn.t9and wouldn.t9put hi li&e on
the line &or Corder Leary+ and Hogg had done that and more &or the on. 'aniel didn.t
need mincing ubervience1 he did need Hogg.
-he door chimed+ making both men Hump. Hogg glanced at 'aniel. 'aniel nodded+
wondering what to do with hi hand a he alway did at time like thee. Hogg opened
the door &or a ervant in puce livery with &eather along the arm and leg eam and a
ribbon(tied croll in hi hand.
'aniel reali8ed he wa more intereted in the &eather9he.d bet the bird wan.t
native to Cinnabar9than he wa in the document. -he latter+ a&ter all+ would e,plain
itel& momentarily while in all likelihood neither the ervant nor the tailor knew where
the &eather had come &rom. -hey were Hut accent to mot people.
"Lord 'elo #aughn end greeting to Lieutenant the Honorable 'aniel LearyA" the
&ellow aid with an accent more cultured than you.d ordinarily hear at one o& 'eirdre.
urbane oiree. "-he &avor o& a reply i re/ueted."
He handed the croll to Hogg+ then bowed to 'aniel. Hogg bounced the document9
it looked like real parchment9in the palm o& hi le&t hand+ then grinned and drew the
kni&e. He ued the gut(hook on the back o& the blade to pull the ribbon o&&.
"!t ay you.re invited to a party at the %nadyomene *ater Earden tomorrow
a&ternoon &rom two till i,+" Hogg read+ preading the parchment with hi le&t thumb and
&ore&inger o that he could keep the kni&e open &or the ervant to goggle at. "Say you can
bring a guet+ too. !ntereted)"
-hat wa playacting &or the ervant. bene&it1 normally Hogg would merely have
grunted a&ter opening the invitation and toed it to 'aniel. -he poor meenger. &ace
wa nearly the ame hade a hi livery.
'aniel ran through the e/uence o& buine which needed to be done be&ore the
corvette could li&t. He hould have hi portion complete by mid(morning. -he crew
would begin reporting a oon a o&&icer o& the day read the proclamation to their
companie at morning &ormation. %nd it "ould be read+ however little other captain
liked it+ becaue it had been iued in the name o& %dmiral %nton peronally.
Dormer Siie would be enrolled a a matter o& coure. %ny o& the warrant o&&icer
could handle that. -he only /uetion &or 'aniel would be the hand&ul o& poition till
open when all the Siie on Cinnabar had decided whether or not to reHoin1 that wouldn.t
be determined till a&ter i,+ anyway.
"Be+ all right+" 'aniel aid. "My guet and ! would be pleaed to attend."
-he ervant bowed again and backed hurriedly out the doorway open behind him.
Hi eye didn.t leave the point o& the kinning kni&e until he turned to cuttle down the
taircae.
"*ell+ thi ought to be intereting+" 'aniel aid+ rubbing hi hand together. O&
coure he.d take %dele+ who wa &ar too good a &riend &or 'aniel ever to think o& her a a
girl. !t wa the ort o& gathering ure to be tocked with &riendly young thing who loved
a uni&orm. %dele would heer o&& and give him clear running+ while i& he.d brought a real
date he.d &eel honor bound to go home with her.
"!t.ll be &ormal dre+ i what it.ll be+" Hogg aid. "!.ll be back with your white+ but
better not wait up &or me."
Juite apart &rom the women+ 'elo #aughn wa intereting . . . and intereted in
'aniel+ which meant 'aniel had bet learn more about him. Speaker Leary. on didn.t
have to be taught politic that baic.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER -IVE
-
overa wa buying %dele a uit &or the party+ &reeing %dele to
do omething he wa good at inteadF aborb background about 'elo #aughn and the
ituation on Strymon. $ot that he regretted the invitation and 'aniel. aumption that
he would Hoin him. Juite the contraryF there hould be at leat a much to learn at the
party a there wa &rom the databae on Cinnabar.
Her wand twitched. -he blur o& holographic color her data unit proHected in the air
be&ore her &ued+ hi&ted+ and &ued into new image.
On the wall beyond+ a pair o& &eathery &eeler e,tended &rom a crack in the plater.
0udging there wa no rik+ &irt one and then a core o& &lat+ leggy thing raced acro the
wall in the direction o& the kitchenette.
%dele uppoed he could apply the lowered bank dicount to better houing+ but her
tandard had lipped a great deal in the pat &i&teen year. She didn.t need much+ a&ter allF
plain &ood+ baic helter+ and acce to in&ormation. -he latter wa a eaily available
&rom here+ a room in the ervant. /uarter o& a &ormer manion broken up into
apartment+ a it wa in a uite like 'aniel. in a now(&ahionable ditrict. %dele wan.t
going to be entertaining+ a&ter all.
She readF a&ter the Juet8al 'ipute+ ometime called the Second Strymon *ar+
Strymon had accepted the poition o& Driend and %lly to the :epublic. -hat meant in
practice that her navy wa limited to light antipiracy veel+ all e,ternal treatie were
ubHect to approval by the Cinnabar Senate+ and the Senate alo took an interet in any
change o& government.
!t wa a light yoke9Strymon wa too ditant &or tight control to be economically
bene&icial to Cinnabar9but the local cha&ed under it nonethele. -he ruling cla did+
at any rateF Cinnabar had alway &ound oligarchie and autocrat eaier to deal with than
democracie+ o the :epublic hadn.t tried to change the e,iting political ytem.
Someone began creaming in the treet outide %dele. barred window. Either a
"oman or a man *eing gelded, and in this district you couldn't *e sure. . . .
3nder other circumtance %dele would have worried about the ecurity o& her &ew
belonging during the time he wa out o& her room+ but -overa had een to that. -he
&irt day+ %dele returned be&ore -overa got back &rom buine o& her own. She &ound the
corpe o& a man with a wollen purple &ace lying in the doorway+ till holding the
hammer with which he.d mahed the lock. Coion o& one ort or another+ probably ga.
-he econd day -overa wa the earlier home. %dele knew omething mut have
happened &rom the way neighbor looked idelong at her+ angry and very &rightened+ but
he didn.t ak /uetion. !t wa almot chance that he &ound the mortality report and
learned there.d been three o& them+ winging down &rom the roo& to enter through the
window. -he eldet had been &ourteen.
-here were no &urther incident. -hat wa good+ becaue %dele couldn.t convince
herel& that being young and arrogant wa properly a capital crime . . . but neither wa he
willing to be a victim imply becaue he e,ited. -he Mundy had upplied their hare
o& uch victim during the Crocription.
%dele eparated her own action &rom thoe o& -overa and otherF she didn.t ee the
&ace o& thoe boy when he awoke at two in the morning. She had company enough o&
her own at that hour.
She readF a Creident o& Strymon+ Leland #aughn had paid lip ervice toward
recogni8ing Cinnabar hegemony+ but the Senate upected that he had ambition toward
greater independence. !t wa uggeted that the preident end hi on 'elo to Cinnabar
&or hi education. -he word "hotage" wa never ued+ but all partie were clear regarding
the reality o& the ituation. #aughn+ with an :C$ /uadron led by a battlehip in orbit
above hi planet+ per&orce agreed.
-he educational record o& young 'elo wa not a cholar.+ but %dele could tell even
&rom the bare bone o& the core that the potential wa there. 2ducation imply wan.t
#aughn. &irt priority9nor yet hi third+ very likely+ though it wa hard to be ure how
important the partying really wa to him.
*hat were important were &irt+ learning the power tructure o& the :epublic o&
Cinnabar1 and econd+ ingratiating himel& into thoe tructure with the determination o&
a buck puruing a doe. -he o&&icial guiding #aughn around Harbor -hree were highly
placed+ but the peronage who might have directed them to the tak were among the elite
o& the :epublic.
%dele permitted herel& a hal&(mile. Corder Leary appeared in the lit o& thoe
who.d e,changed hopitality with #aughn.
-hree year a&ter 'elo arrived on Cinnabar+ Leland #aughn wa murdered9by
"peron unknown+" but hi hal&(brother+ Callert #aughn+ wa prepared to intantly tep
into the preidency. 'elo+ now eighteen+ had applied to the Senate &or permiion to
return home.
Cermiion wa re&ued. Callert had made a prompt ubmiion to Cinnabar . . . and
had bribed the enatorial envoy ent to ae the ituation+ a &ile provided by Mitre
Sand clearly indicated. Strymon remained a much an ally a he.d ever been1 the
:epublic would gain no advantage &rom tirring matter up. % &or 'elo9he had a
ecure income that would buy him anything he could want e,cept &or the thing he did
wantF paage home.
-he cooler in the kitchenette moaned a the current dropped beneath what it
compreor re/uired+ then picked up again. -hi ditrict wa ubHect to &re/uent power
cut+ and occaionally the tap water lowed to a ruty dribble. !t didn.t concern %dele1
they ued the cooler more to keep vermin &rom the cheee and cracker than to chill &ood
anyway.
Callert #aughn had ruled Strymon until eight month ago+ when riot againt
Cinnabar in&luence had broken out in the capital. Mob killed everal Cinnabar merchant
and burned the building ued by the Cinnabar oberver miion1 the Oberver and her
huband had ecaped on a &reighter leaving the planet hatily+ but the local ta&& had been
maacred.
-hen Callert wa killed9"by a tray bullet" claimed Driderik $une+ the &ormer
head o& the Creidential Euard and now regent on behal& o& Cleyna #aughn+ Callert.
twelve(year(old daughter. -he riot topped a uddenly a i& a witch had been turned
o&&.
'elo #aughn had again petitioned to return home. Hi re/uet wa pending+ but
%dele. ource e,pected another denial. Cleyna had o&&ered reparation and the apologie
o& her government &or damage to Cinnabar interet. -he Senate would probably decide
that letting 'elo return would merely rein&lame a ituation that had Hut returned to
tability.
So long a he lived+ 'elo #aughn would remain a club with which the Senate could
threaten whoever wa in power in StrymonF be good or we.ll end #aughn back to raie a
rebellion againt you. But there wa very little chance that #aughn would ever be
allowed to leave hi gilded cage here on Cinnabar.
%dele ighed+ then muted her diplay and tared at the wall acro the table &rom her.
!t couldn.t really be called blankF ucceive water(tain had le&t pattern in gradation o&
epia on the wallpaper.
She.d met 'elo #aughn the day Mitre Sand ordered her to Strymon. -hat wa
either coincidence9a vanihingly low probability1 or #aughn had penetrated Sand.
organi8ation1 or Sand herel& wa playing a double game.
-here wa no way to tell which wa true. %dele grinned. O& coure+ he could ak
Mitre Sand . . .
-overa had attached an alarm light to the wall above the bed. !t now puled three
time in a deep yellow that wouldn.t dirupt viion at night. Someone wa coming to the
door. %dele turned but didn.t get up. She wa con&ident it wa -overa+ returning with the
clothe &or the party. 2ven o+ %dele kept her le&t hand in her Hacket pocket.
-overa entered with a garment bag over her arm+ aware o& the pitol pointed at her
and mildly amued. She didn.t worry that her mitre would hoot her by accident.
%ctually+ -overa probably didn.t worry about dying at all . . . any more than %dele did.
"-ime to get cleaned up and dre+ mitre+" -overa aid+ hanging the bag on a cord
trung the width o& the room. She.d been carrying a dagger concealed beneath the
garment bag1 he heathed it in a leeve. %nyone who.d tried to natch the bag would
have been urpried+ &or a very brie& time.
"Be+ all right+" %dele aid+ riing and hrugging o&& her Hacket. -he water tap wa at
wait height in the kitchenette+ over a tile drain. !t made an ade/uate hower i& you
/uatted under it.
She.d learned all he could &rom documentary ource. Cerhap the party would give
her ome ue&ul inight.
%loud he aid+ "'elo #aughn in.t Hut a playboy+ o why doe he go to o much
e&&ort to pretend otherwie)"
-overa miled without humor or emotion a he took the garment %dele handed
her. She looked like a menial ervant+ too downtrodden to have a peronality+ let alone
opinion.
%nd that o& coure wa the anwerF becaue he looked harmle+ nobody noticed
-overa until he truck. So when did 'elo #aughn intend to trike)
%nd where would %dele Mundy be when the blow &ell)
P P P
-he ervice area wa a hollow rectangle and all &our wall o& the wine bar were
mirrored. *hen 'aniel heard over the hubbub the call+ "-here you are+ LearyA Eood to
ee youA" he had no idea where the voice wa coming &rom. He looked to hi le&t+ turned
to hi right1 aw hundred o& well(dreed men and women+ in&initely multiplied in
re&lection+ and *e, Bending lid in behind him. He.d come &rom the le&t a&ter all.
!t had to be Bending+ though the goatee and &laring ideburn 'aniel. childhood
&riend now a&&ected had changed hi appearance almot beyond recognition. He hugged
'aniel around the houlder and went on+ "How. the Speaker keeping+ 'aniel) %
plendid man+ plendidA"
'aniel blinked+ wondering i& there wa ome mitake a&ter all. Surely Bending
would know that he and hi &ather were on bad term9or rather+ on no term at all)
"! haven.t een my &ather in i, year and more+ *e,+" 'aniel aid. "Drom what ! ee
on the new+ he. much the ame a alway. But ! don.t have much call to watch the new+
even now that !.m back on Cinnabar."
One o& the three liveried bartender et a drink in a &luted gla in &ront o& Bending
without being aked. He.d obviouly uggeted the location becaue he wa a regular
here.
"-hank you+ -orvaldo+" he aid. He glanced at 'aniel meaning&ully. "%h . . . )"
"On my tab+ waiter+" 'aniel aid+ catching the dri&t /uickly enough. % Hunior
lieutenant. pay wa well beneath whatever Bending mut be making in the Minitry o&
2,ternal %&&air+ but Bending. upkeep mut be e/ually high. Certainly the mauve uit he
wore wa everal time a e,penive a 'aniel. uni&orm.
'aniel wan.t the ort to obHect to buying omeone a drink+ even at the price thi
place charged. He.d called Bending on a whim when he reali8ed they.d have time to meet
be&ore #aughn. party+ but he.d wondered i& he.d be conpicuou in hi 're *hite. !n
&act+ the doorman might not have paed him i& he.d worn anything le pretentiou.
!n Bending. lapel wa a mall ilver pin+ three tyli8ed kni&e&ih leapingF the cret o&
the Leary o& Bantry. Bending. &ather had been a Leary retainer with a pot in the
%griculture department through Speaker Leary. in&luence. -he on had obviouly
&ollowed the ame route to pre&erment and had already done rather better &rom it.
%warene o& the pin made piece click together in 'aniel. mind. "! gather you
called my &ather. o&&ice a&ter ! called you+ *e,)" he aid. "-o ee whether you were
permitted to talk to me+ that i."
Corder Leary. goatee and ideburn &ramed hi thin+ acetic viage to &orm a portrait
o& devilih widom. -he ame tyle made a clown o& the round(&aced Bending.
"*ell+ not permitted+ 'aniel+" Bending aid with a hurt e,preion. "But depite a
&riendhip a cloe a our+ ! couldn.t dihonor my name by acting againt the wihe o&
my patron."
"! know e,actly what you meanA" 'aniel aid+ lapping the bureaucrat on the back
with a broad grin. He did indeed reali8e that the &riend who.d played hide(and(eek with
him in the garden o& the Leary townhoue when he viited hi &ather had become a
poncing little courtier to whom poition wa everything. 'aniel hoped hi mile hid that
knowledge+ but it really didn.t matterF Bending wouldn.t have met 'aniel i& he didn.t
think that wa Speaker Leary. deire. -hat being the cae+ he would have grinned and
obeyed i& 'aniel ordered him to hop around like a gerbil.
*hich le&t the /uetion o& why Dather had approved the meeting+ but that wan.t the
matter that brought 'aniel to thi place. -hey charged a &lorin a gla &or wine that didn.t
hold a bu88 in a cak&ul. "So *e,+" 'aniel aid. "*hat can you tell me about 'elo
#aughn) ! aw him at Harbor -hree yeterday."
"Oh+ he. mad &or warhip+ they tell me+" Bending burbled+ ipping hi own &aintly
violet concoction. "Strymon had /uite a &leet in it day+ you know. But they.re held to a
&ew do8en antipirate &rigate by treaty9and anyway+ he. never going to leave Cinnabar+
no matter how many enator he bribe."
"%h+" 'aniel aid+ nodding to how that he wa litening. He took a ip o& hi wine
and &ound he.d drained the gla. -he tu&& had no more body than ea&oamA "Someone.
pending money to keep him here+ then)"
Bending turned o that he &aced 'aniel directly. Hi right hand wa on the bar1 the
le&t held hi gla at a calculated angle. 3nle 'aniel wa badly mitaken+ he wa
admiring hi poe in the mirror beyond.
"Oh+ there. a certain amount o& that+ ure+ 'aniel+" he aid+ pu&&ing hi chet out
lightly. "Being appointed Oberver on Strymon i known to be /uite a political plum. $o
enator. ever come back poor &rom there+ and the ta&& doe itel& bloody well too+ let me
tell you."
Bending drank+ then li&ted hi gla lightly and appeared to admire the remaining
li/uid a he wirled it. "But that. not the real reaon+ you ee+" he aid. He leaned cloer
to 'aniel and added in a conpiratorial whiper+ "Our 'elo i too bloody harp+ that's the
problem. Better &or the :epublic that he never goe home+ do you ee)"
'aniel &rowned. Claiming to be a babe in the wood o& intertellar relation wa the
right way to draw con&idence out o& a man who obviouly delighted in playing the
learned inider. !t wa alo Eod. truth in thi intance.
"-o tell the truth+ ! don't undertand+ *e,+" he aid. "Surely nobody. concerned that
#aughn would try to claim independence again) *e.ve cruhed Strymon twice+ and that
wa be&ore 3ncle Stacey cut the travel time to a &raction o& what it.d been &or %dmiral
Cerlot. /uadron."
"%h+ that. right+ you.re a navy man+" Bending aid in what eemed to be genuine
urprie. 'aniel would.ve thought a 4t Cla uni&orm made that about a obviou a you
could wih+ but apparently riing member o& the Minitry o& 2,ternal :elation operated
in a phere which didn.t involve uing their own ene. "!t. eay enough to talk about
ending a /uadron heaven know how &ar+ but /uite another thing to pay &or it."
"! can ee that. true+" 'aniel lied. *hat he really aw wa that Bending had no idea
o& what wa involved in manning+ arming+ and e/uipping a &ighting /uadron. Dor that
matter+ Bending probably had no real idea o& what the -reaury had to go through eitherF
thoe were Hut word to how that he wa knowledgeable about government. "But we.d
till end a /uadron+ depite the cot+ and it eem to me that i& #aughn. a mart a he.
well connected here on Cinnabar+ he know we.d break him a ure a we broke hi
predeceor."
Bending drained hi gla and et it on the bar+ looking obviouly uncom&ortable.
'aniel et hi own gla beide the bureaucrat. and ignalled the bartender. Eod knew
how much thi a&ternoon wa going to cot+ but it wa better to go ahead rather than
wate the money already inveted.
"*ell+ the truth i+ 'aniel . . . " Bending aid. He eemed to have unk in &rom hi
poturing &rog manner o& a moment be&ore. "!t. all very well to ay that the :epublic
want it allie to proper9and we do+ o& coure. But under Leland #aughn+ the Strymon
&leet kept down piracy and regional tra&&ic wa almot entirely in Strymon &reighter.
$owaday the pirate get a ubidy &rom hipping &irm+ a tranit ta, you could call it . . .
and Cinnabar &irm have deeper pocket than the local do. More than hal& the trade. in
Cinnabar hull now."
"%h+" aid 'aniel again. He drank in order to hide what otherwie would have been
a diguted e,preion. "! ee. %nd 'elo i o& the ame mettle a hi &ather+ i that it)"
"'elo i twice anything hi &ather dreamed o& being+ we think in the minitry+"
Bending aid+ howing the decency to be a little embarraed. "! know it may not eem
proper to a navy man9" ,e "as right a*out that: "9but it really i the bet option &or
the :epublic."
-or Cinna*ar shippers to lick the *oots of pirates8 !o, % don't think so.
%loud 'aniel aid+ "*hat do you uppoe #aughn wa doing at Harbor -hree
yeterday+ *e,)"
Bending laughed and drained hi own gla. He et it upide down on the bar to
indicate he wa through with hi li/uid lunch.
"! upect it. the reaon a prioner look at the ky+ 'aniel+" he aid. "-o remind
himel& o& what he doen.t have."
He lapped 'aniel on the houlder again and puhed o&& through the crowd.
":emember me to the Speaker+ 'aniel+" he called back.
"-he very ne,t time ! ee himA" 'aniel replied cheer&ully. He looked at the chit the
bartender et between the empty glae and raied an eyebrow+ then rooted through hi
pure &or a ten(&lorin coin.
'nd if % do e.er see -ather, "e'll pro*a*ly ha.e another flaming ro" "hen % tell him
"hat despica*le toadies he has "earing the Leary collar flash.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER SI5
-
he lane &or aircar approaching %nadyomene Earden wa at
&our hundred &eet over the road &or ground tranport+ too low to gain a &ull panorama o&
the ite. $onethele what %dele could ee out the ide window wa impreive enough.
"Eood heaven+ do they have a pike tree)" aid 'aniel+ peering through the window
on the other ide o& the car. He had hi naval goggle down over hi eye either &or
magni&ication or to view the cene in omething other than the normal optical pectrum.
"! believe they do. %dele+ they.ve got a pike tree &rom :ouge and it mut be over a
century oldA However do you uppoe they tranported it)"
% tree with branche &luting up &rom only the lat ten &eet o& a trunk nearly two
hundred &eet tall grew &rom one o& the Earden. core o& arti&icial iland. %dele had
een it a the car &ollowed the curve o& the road below+ though it meant no more to her
than any o& the other type o& vegetation eparated by the narrow waterway.
Still+ with 'aniel. identi&ication o& the imported tree to go by+ it houldn.t be too
hard to anwer the /uetion. Obediently he drew the peronal data unit &rom her pure9
the garment -overa bought her &or the party weren.t &itted to carry it+ and %dele certainly
wan.t going to leave it behind9and et it on her knee.
% pro&eional chau&&eur drove the hired aircar. Hogg at with -overa on the rear(
&acing eat behind the driver. compartment+ looking glum. He.d rented the limouine and
had been looking &orward to driving it himel&+ only to have hi hope dahed when the
&irm checked hi pro&eional credential9Hogg had none9and put in their own driver
a a condition o& the leae.
%dele uppreed a mile let Hogg reali8e what had amued her. He could have
driven the aircar+ true enough+ but %dele would.ve been holding on with both hand+ let
alone e,pecting her data unit to tay on her knee.
"Oh+ heaven+ ! didn.t mean you hould do that+ %dele+" 'aniel aid+ liding hi
goggle onto hi &orehead again. He looked apologetic. "! Hut meant+ well+ the Earden
were only built &ive year ago and ! wa urpried to ee an adult pecimen o& o large a
tree."
"But ! can learn how they tranported it+ 'aniel+" %dele aid. "!.m ure there. a
record+ in the contruction &ile i& nowhere ele. !t probably won.t take more than ten
minute."
'aniel laughed and patted her hand. "! know you could+ %dele+" he aid+ "and at
leiure !.d appreciate you doing that. :ight now we have a party to attend."
He leaned back in hi eat and looked at her appraiingly+ though in the pat &ew
month he mut have een her thouand o& time. "Bou know+ ! keep &orgetting that
you.re alway on+" he aid. "! ought to be ued to that by now."
%dele put the data unit away+ a tri&le awkward becaue he wan.t ued to keeping it
in thi pure. "!.ve been accued o& being overly literal+" he aid dryly. "!t appear to me
that that wouldn.t be a problem i& &ewer people were underprecie."
-he car dropped to ground level to enter a parking lot covered by a mar/uee o&
&rothy platic. Score o& vehicle were already within+ both aircar and ground
tranportation. Many o& the &ormer bore the &lahe o& houe o& importance in the
:epublic1 even the rental car were+ like thi one+ o& a high cla. Other guet wearing
either civilian &inery or dre uni&orm were walking through the eahell(haped
entrance. 2ach wa accompanied by a ervant.
'epite it name and the mar/uee. decor+ the Earden aroe not &rom ea&oam but
&rom channel cut acro a bend o& the Cearl :iver thirty mile &rom Geno. -he coat
had been in ight a the aircar neared the location+ but there wa no actual connection.
%dele thought o& checking a topographical diplay on her data unit+ but a&ter the
buine o& the pike tree he wa vaguely embarraed to take it out again. !ntead he
aid+ "*ouldn.t it have been better to Hoin it to the ea) Surely the developer could a&&ord
coatal &rontage."
'aniel paued in the door Hogg wa holding open &or him and looked urpried.
"*ell+ the alt would kill the vegetation+ %dele+" he aid. He didn.t ound condecending+
Hut pu88led. "Certainly mot native and -erran pecie+ and that o& almot any plant that
come &rom a world that human could live on."
"Oh+" %dele aid+ uppreing an irrational deire to check what 'aniel aid on a
natural(hitory databae. -he chance that he.d be wrong wa beneath computation+ but
he till didn.t in her heart o& heart believe anything he hadn.t looked up &or herel&.
-overa held the door &or her mitre with one hand1 her lim attachQ cae wa in the
other. %dele hadn.t aked what -overa had in the cae+ in part becaue her "ervant" wa
likely to ay+ "2/uipment+" and re&ue to ampli&y the tatement. Barely aloud+ %dele
muttered+ "-hen they really ought to change the name o& the place to omething le
con&uing+ you know."
-hough that wa probably another intance o& her being overly literal.
-he hired car lid o&& in the direction o& long(term parking+ leaving 'aniel. group to
walk through the gateway. -he bree8e &rom it &an wa barely noticeable. %dele
imagined the plume o& dut and &lying debri that Hogg would have raied. He wa
behind her and 'aniel+ o he allowed herel& to mile a broadly a he ever did.
%n unctuou man9hort+ dark+ and topped with a head o& lu,uriou chetnut hair
that certainly hadn.t appeared without the aid o& cience9greeted guet a they entered+
haking their hand with hi right and geturing with hi le&t toward a hallway with a very
prominent ignF

$O *2%CO$S OD %$B SO:- %:2 C2:M!--2'*!-H!$ %$%'BOM2$2
E%:'2$S.CL2%S2 3S2 -H2 S2C3:2 LOC;2:S !$ O3: ':2SS!$E:OOMS -O
S-O:2 #%L3%BL2S 3$-!L BO3: :2-3:$.
-he main entrance beyond the greeter wa &ramed by the cage o& a ophiticated
detector creen. !t could eaily have been concealed within the molded wall covering+
but it very prominence wa part o& the meage. -wo immaculately dreed but burly
attendant tood beide the apparatu.
)f course, %dele thought with a grimace. -he Earden would otherwie be a choice
ite &or duel+ which would drive away the ordinary viitor come to pend the day in a
variety o& e,otic etting.
She ighed and tepped down the hallway to an unoccupied dreing room. 'aniel
made a mall &inger geture to how that he undertood. He waited+ whitling a rigadoon
o&tly while later guet paed by.
%dele cloed the door behind her and e,amined the bank o& locker with thumbprint
latche in the idewall. Only two o& the twenty were cloed+ that i+ in ue.
!t wa very unuual &or people o& the tatu o& #aughn. guet to carry weapon
themelveF they had ervant &or their protection. %dele. parent+ however+ had believed
in an ideal o& e/uality9which meant that a Mundy hould be able to do anything a
ervant could+ only better.
Beide that+ the Mundy. progreive political view meant they might at any time
be challenged to a duel9if the a&&ronted party thought he or he might urvive the
encounter. !n her youth %dele had pent almot a many hour on a virtual target range a
he had with a data unit+ and her kill with a pitol wa comparable to what he could
achieve with her wand.
She took the mall electromagnetic pitol &rom her ide pocket and et it inide a
locker+ which he cloed with her thumb over the plate. !n theory+ at leat+ only her thumb
could releae the latch. She hoped the locker were a ecure a the management claimed+
becaue that gun had been a &riend to her in di&&icult time.
%dele returned to 'aniel and the ervant. She glanced at -overa. attache cae and
raied an eyebrow+ a geture that only omeone with a great deal o& knowledge o& what
-overa wa could interpret.
-overa miled blandly and walked through the detector without incident. Hogg
auntered a&ter her+ hi hand in hi pocket. Hi whitling wa a dicordant echo o& hi
mater..
"-hat. odd+" 'aniel murmured to %dele+ indicating that they.d been thinking along
the ame line.
"!n.t it)" he aid+ taking hi o&&ered arm and tepping though the creen beide him.
%head o& them Hogg and -overa tood back to back+ their hand at their ide+ taking in
their human and material urrounding with per&ectly &eigned nonchalance.
*hen he.d &irt accepted -overa. allegiance+ %dele had wondered how he wa
going to get along with Hogg. !n &act the two . . . "ervant" wa the wrong word1 they
were retainer in the &ull ene o& the term9the two retainer howed mutual repect and
a pirit o& emulation which didn.t pread to direct competition. Open rivalry between
them would have been unpleaant and very brie&F -overa had been born miing a
concience+ and Hogg wa ruthle the way only a countryman can be.
On the other ide o& the detector arch+ the Earden opened out into a broad park with
benche and+ beyond the gra+ a canal. % do8en awning(covered boat+ ranging &rom a
&our(eater to a barge that would hold at leat &orty+ were drawn up along the canal bank.
Score o& guet tood in looe grouping1 the ervant &ormed a emicircle at a ditance
around their better.
% man in ilver(lahed magenta tepped &rom the larget group and waved.
"Lieutenant LearyA" he called. %dele recogni8ed the voice a #aughn.1 the &acial makeup
repeated the moti& o& hi garment and had completely concealed hi identity o &ar a
%dele wa concerned. "Come over here and let me introduce you to a &riend &rom
Strymon be&ore we get under weigh."
Why is he so interested in Daniel8
"! wonder why he. o intereted in me)" 'aniel murmured under hi breath. He
traightened hi houlder and added+ "*ell+ perhap we.ll learn+" a he auntered with
%dele toward their hot.
#aughn claped 'aniel. hand warmly. "Honored to have uch an e,ceptional
member o& the :C$ with u here+ Leary+" he aid. "Eiven the way your career. tarted+ !
e,pect ome day to be telling my grandchildren+ MBe+ darling+ ! knew %dmiral Leary
when he wa merely a dahing young lieutenant.. "
"! didn.t know you even had children+ 'elo+" aid a pare woman o& &orty(odd+ well
dreed in a &ahion much &lahier than Cinnabar tate. *hat he wore wa obviouly a
buine uit+ but intead o& a muted progreion &rom black through ilver gray9like
%dele.9it wa carlet with gold accent up the right ide.
#aughn laughed. -he aide behind him+ the -redegar whom %dele remembered
meeting in the group viiting the rincess Cecile+ cowled a though the ound had
tripped a witch in hi &ace mucle.
"$o+ -hea+" #aughn aid+ "the #aughn bloodline i &ar too valuable to Strymon &or
me to wate it where it wouldn.t be appreciated+ don.t you think) %nd !.ve been away
&rom Strymon &or what ometime eem rather a long while."
He turned to 'aniel+ completely ignoring %dele. Hi attitude didn.t diturb her1 it
wa to be e,pected &rom one o& #aughn. tatu to one o& her own. *hat wa intereting
wa the &act that according to the ame logic+ #aughn hould be ignoring 'aniel a well.
"Lieutenant 'aniel Leary+ the Hero o& ;otroma+" he aid+ "allow me to introduce
Mitre -hea Rane. Mitre Rane wa one o& my &ather. dearet &riend and ha acted
a a &riend to me on Strymon during my abence."
"*hen omeone. a long way away+ 'elo+" -redegar remarked harhly+ "it.
di&&icult to be ure that they are really &riend and not ecretly plotting to trap youA"
"!.m orry that being out o& touch with home &or o long ha o warped your
perception+ -redegar+" Rane aid with a condecending mile. "!n any cae+ !.m not at a
ditance any more+ am !)"
#aughn laughed eaily and put a hand on the houlder o& both hi partian. "Come+
let. board the boat+ hall we) %&ter all+ there. no point in renting the whole Earden i&
we.re going to pend the a&ternoon on the entrance canal. 2pecially when the &ood9and
the drink+ Lieutenant+ ! know you navy men9i inide."
Hi eye caught that o& a man wearing the uni&orm o& the Land Dorce o& the
:epublic. "Colonel)" he aid. "*ould you and your lady care to Hoin me in the lead boat)
-redegar will be driving. He made the arrangement+ o he know where thing are
placed."
"Be+ we.ll top at :akocy !land &or re&rehment+" -redegar aid+ walking toward
the mallet o& the cra&t with a geture to bring thoe cloet with him. "-hen we can
pread ourelve a tate determine."
!n a louder voice directed at the entire gathering he added+ "-here. a barge &or the
ervant. ! thought the ret o& u could chooe our own eating."
'aniel looked at %dele. He getured with a twit o& hi lip toward a cra&t with
gilded eat &or ten. -he end o& a three(eat bench were being claimed by a pair o& blond
women who might have been twin and were certainly e/ually tunning. %dele miled
&aintly and &ollowed 'aniel+ hi&ting her line lightly to block a young Cinnabar aritocrat
who.d been aiming &or the ame place a 'aniel wa9the one between the blonde.
2ven i& thi outing taught them nothing about #aughn. plan+ 'aniel hould have no
reaon to protet the e,penditure o& time.
P P P
Smiling at the girl in turn+ 'aniel aid+ "%re both you ladie &rom around here)"
"Oh no+" aid Shawna+ the one on hi le&t. "!.m &rom *elter Height."
-he boat moved away &rom the canal ide+ rocking in the wake o& the three cra&t
ahead o& them. 2ach veel wa piloted by a member o& #aughn. retinue rather than a
ervant or a pro&eional &rom the Earden. ta&&. -he woman at the control o& thi one
wa in her twentie and not at all bad looking. 3nder other circumtance 'aniel might
have choen a eat in the bow beide her.
"%nd !.m &rom *elter Height too+" aid 2linor+ trying9with ome ucce9to give
the word a ultry air.
*elter Height wa the ditrict o& Geno where 'aniel wa now renting an
apartment. He.d meant+ "%re you &rom o&&(planet)" but in &airne to the girl+ he hadn.t
aid that. Mind+ i& he had+ they might have aked him what a planet wa.
"Bou mut have been a lot o& place ince you.re a navy man+ in.t that o+ 'anny)"
2linor aid+ hi&ting lightly and bringing her knee in contact with 'aniel.. She li&ted her
hand to &rame her hair+ which wirled into a peak like a pale blond meringue.
-he canal curved lowly between wall o& tone covered with a -erran variety o&
mo. 'aniel doubted that many o& the Earden. viitor recogni8ed that the entranceway
wa a diplay in it own right+ but he at leat appreciated the attention to hidden detail.
"*hy+ !.ve een ome o& the univere+ ye+" 'aniel aid with a broad mile to imply
an e,aggeration he would.ve choked be&ore putting into word. !n &act hi two month on
;otroma were the only time he.d pent on a planet beide Cinnabar.
-he boat. power&ul electric drive et up a hum in the &abric o& the hull+ eaily
ditinguihed &rom the lap o& wake &rom the preceding cra&t. -he tiny trolling motor on
the tranom mut be intended to move them between the ilet+ named &or the planet
whoe tranplanted vegetation adorned them.
"-hen tell me the truth+" 2linor aid. Her &riend leaned toward 'aniel &rom the other
ide+ putting the &ingertip o& her le&t hand on hi houlder a i& &or balance. "'o the girl
on Cleaaunce really wear their hair thi way)"
'aniel blinked. "! can truth&ully ay+" he aid truth&ully+ "that ! never aw a woman
on Cleaaunce9" the capital o& the %lliance o& Dree Star+ and a planet 'aniel could only
have viited a a prioner during the pat &ive year o& open war between Cinnabar and
the %lliance "9who wa anywhere near a beauti&ul a you9"
He put hi le&t hand over the &inger on hi houlder. Shawna reponded by
maaging hi trape8iu.
"9or Shawna."
*ell+ a&ter all+ he hadn.t choen thi eat becaue he e,pected brilliant converation
during the trip. %dele+ placed beide Mitre Rane on a bench &orward+ eemed to be
having that. She caught 'aniel. eye pat Rane and gave him a ardonic grin9almot a
i& he could hear the girl.
-he boat lowed+ then turned harply to enter the Earden proper. %round the edge
o& the ilet to the right grew amber tree &rom %lbiru. Sap dripping &rom their hori8ontal
branche down to the ur&ace o& the water had hardened into a curtain o& tranlucent gold.
-here wa a mall dock and a paage through the wall+ but the tree were planted to &orm
a reentrant that creened the ilet. interior even &rom that direction. %n orgy there would
have been only hadow and laughter to thoe elewhere in the Earden.
'aniel laughed+ e,changing pat and &lattery with Shawna and 2linor. Conditioned
re&le, and hi tongue mucle were u&&icient &or the tak+ letting hi eye and brain get
on with cataloguing the minihabitat which the boat crawled pat on the thrut o& the
trolling motor.
He didn.t recogni8e all the original+ though uually one plant or another wa o
ditinctive that he could identi&y the ource planet by that alone. -he carlet ripper &rom
Swetna urpried him until he noticed that each lea& had a mall cut at the bae. -he
motive pine mut have been removed+ e,plaining how a plant which lahed animal.
throat &or &ertili8er could be grown in a pleaure garden. -he &lower. heavenly per&ume
&loated over the water+ topping the girl in mid(entence. -heir &ace took on a rapt+
almot &eral+ look that wa honet in a &ahion no previou e,preion o& their had been.
!n the lead+ #aughn. boat noed up a ramp which wa long enough to berth the
whole miniature &leet. :akocy !let wa e/uipped &or large partie. -here were no
grae on it+ but hort(temmed plant whoe leave were the i8e o& &ive(&lorin piece
covered the ground with o&t reilience. !n the center o& the ilet were re&rigerated
container on erving table. Bower o& larger+ o&t(bodied hrubbery around the
circum&erence heltered couche and eating table.
#aughn hook hand with the colonel who.d accompanied him in the boat+ then
walked over to where 'aniel. veel grounded o&tly. -he aide at the control lowered a
gangplank+ though that eemed carcely neceary &or a cra&t with le than i, inche o&
&reeboard.
"Lieutenant Leary+" he called+ "would you and Mitre Rane care to Hoin me &or a
gla o& wine be&ore we adHourn to individual e,ploration) !.ll pledge my honor a a
Shipowner o& Strymon that your lovely companion will be waiting &or you when we
&inih."
He turned hi mile toward 2linor and Shawna. Shawna made a &ace a though he.d
bitten omething our and aid+ "He doen.t have to give me order+ 'anny. !.d wait &or
you anyway."
"%nd me tooA" aid 2linor+ riing on her tiptoe to ki 'aniel. cheek.
'aniel patted both girl on the houlder and tepped pat them. -he aritocrat who.d
lot out in the race &or eating moved in1 Shawna otentatiouly turned her back and
began talking to 2linor in her normal a&&ected voice.
'aniel pretended to ignore the byplay. He doubted that the girl were pro&eional+
or at leat &ully pro&eional. $o /uetion that they took whatever order #aughn choe to
give them+ however. Cerhap they Hut wanted to tay on the %(lit &or hi partie.
-redegar had turned when #aughn poke to 'aniel. He came over with /uick tep
and aid+ "'elo+ perhap you hould9"
"-redegar+" #aughn aid a though he hadn.t heard the other man peak+ "would you
go organi8e the ervice &or me) Bou know where everything i+ you ee."
-redegar paued with hi mouth open. He cloed it+ took on a blank e,preion+ and
trode o&& ilently.
"-hea+ Lieutenant+ let. go over here+" #aughn aid+ leading the way to a bower
whoe curved couch had room &or &our. -he barge with the ervant wa only now
grounding+ but an aide &rom the econd boat wa already etting a tray with a chilled
bottle and three glae on the hal&(round table &acing the couch.
-hi invitation wan.t pur o& the moment. % dou*t Delos 3aughn does things on the
spur of the moment any more often than my father does, 'aniel thought with a &lah o&
reali8ation.
-he aide poured the wine+ then tepped back and et a creen o& woven &eather
acro the open ide o& the alcove. #aughn handed glae to hi guet+ then took a ip
himel&. "'o you like the vintage+ Lieutenant)" he aked.
'aniel tried hi gla+ remembering Hogg drilling him in company manner and not
lurping it down all at once. !t had a &ruity tate with a tingle underneath. Beide that+ the
color wa a nice blend o& gold and pale rapberry.
"Be+ ! like it well enough+" he aid+ "but !.m not a connoieur+ !.d have to ay. !.d
probably be a well ati&ied with any old thing &rom a Hug a ! would with what i+ !.m
ure+ an e,ceptional wine."
He raied hi gla &or punctuation.
#aughn laughed at the candor. "!t. &rom my own planet+ Strymon+" he aid. "-hea
brought it with her to remind me o& home+ not that there wa any likelihood o& me
&orgetting."
"%re you &amiliar with Strymon+ Lieutenant Leary)" Rane aid+ watching him over
the rim o& her gla. She wore a ring whoe be8el wa two erpent head &acing one
another1 the eye o& one were ruby chip+ the other diamond.
"%&ter we met Mr. #aughn at Harbor -hree+" 'aniel aid+ nodding to hi hot+ "!
went over my 3ncle Stacey. log o& hi viit to Strymon twenty(even year ago. O&
coure+ that wa a long time pat+ and hip. log aren.t heavy on local color."
But 'aniel Leary+ uing the o&&icial log and 3ncle Stacey. annotation+ would be
able to take the rincess Cecile &rom Cinnabar to Strymon with an e&&iciency no other
hip o& her cla could e/ual. Ciloting a hip through the Matri, wa an art. -here.d never
been a greater mater o& it than Commander Bergen+ but hi nephew had enough talent to
gain &ull pro&it &rom hi teaching.
"! haven.t been back to Strymon in many year+" #aughn aid. "% no doubt you
know. Bour &ather i Corder Leary+ the &ormer Speaker o& the Senate+ ! undertand)"
"-hat. correct+ o &ar a it goe+" 'aniel aid. He wan.t preciely angry at being
interrogated under the &ig lea& o& polite converation+ but vicerally he reacted to it a a
challenge. He knew that wa a&&ecting hi choice o& word+ but even o he added+ "Bou
hould be aware+ however+ that over the pat i, year !.ve een no more o& my &ather
than you have o& your."
He drained hi gla. Mitre Rane looked tartled+ but #aughn merely laughed and
o&&ered 'aniel the decanter. "! didn.t have a warm relationhip with my &ather either+
Lieutenant+" he aid. "!t might well have come to a imilar pa i& !.d tayed on
Strymon . . . which o& coure ! did not. %nd ! don.t mean that Leland hould.ve been hot
in the back+ though that. neither here nor there."
"On Strymon . . . " Rane aid. Her eye were like agate+ layered brown and green
and blue. " . . . it. uual &or a young man with political interet to erve in the navy &or a
&ew year &irt a a preparation &or public li&e. ! that the cae here on Cinnabar)"
"!t i not+" 'aniel aid+ a little urpried at hi own vehemence. He et down the
gla he.d Hut re&illed+ a&raid he.d otherwie pill it. -he woman had9innocently+ beyond
/uetion9poken what wa virtually blaphemy to an o&&icer o& the :C$.
He cleared hi throat. "Mitre+ the :C$ i nonpolitical. %bove politic+ i& you will.
-he :C$ de&end the :epublic againt her e,ternal enemie but ha nothing to do with
internal policie."
"! don.t mean to contradict you+ Lieutenant+" #aughn aid+ "but a number o& enator
are &ormer naval o&&icer+ a background they &re/uently mention during debate on naval
appropriation."
"Be+ ir+" 'aniel aid+ nodding &orce&ully+ "ye indeed. But ! think you.ll &ind that
when %dmiral Mark or Cereira o& %madore peak in the Senate+ they.re repreenting the
:C$ a a whole+ not aligning the :C$ with one or another o& the civil &action. % &or
myel&9"
He took a deep breath+ then grinned with a return o& good humor. "Mitre Rane+
my &ather9and ! gather now my iter9are very much a part o& the political
etablihment o& the :epublic. !.m not+ by temperament. !& my &ather and ! hadn.t had
word+ !.d probably be managing Bantry now. 'oing an ade/uate Hob+ !.m ure+ but
pending mot o& my time hunting and &ihing a ! did when ! wa a boy."
%nd meeting girl in the evening1 which wa eay &or the young mater to do on
Bantry+ but not o di&&icult &or an engaging youth in a naval uni&orm either.
"But what !.ve &ound now in the :C$ i not only a career but a li&e+ ir and madam+"
he concluded+ raiing the gla again. "%ny uggetion to the contrary i ill(&ounded."
Smiling to take the ting out o& a tatement o& &aith+ 'aniel drank. He &orgot he wa
in urbane ociety until the &ull content had lid down hi throat1 the enation wa like
peppercorn in ice cream.
"! wouldn.t dream o& doubting the word o& a Leary o& Bantry+" #aughn aid eaily.
"Bou.re a lucky man to have &ound your vocation and been permitted to practice it+
Lieutenant."
'aniel looked at him+ wondering how much o& the tatement wa incere and how
much wa #aughn. attempt to curry ympathy &or hi own plight. He norted more with
irony than humor. % with Speaker Leary+ e.erything #aughn aid wa &or e&&ect. -he
tatement. truth or otherwie came a bad econd in the deciion tree.
"Be+ ir+" 'aniel aid. "! am very lucky. "
He coughed lightly+ to clear hi throat and punctuate the thought. "! wonder+ ir+" he
continued+ "ince we.re anwering /uetion &or one another9"
'aniel had been anwering /uetion &or the Strymon citi8en1 it wa time to remind
them o& that.
"9i& you.d tell me why you were viiting the rincess Cecile yeterday when we
met) She. a lovely hip+ a !.d be the &irt to tell you+ but not one o& the more impreive
ight in Harbor -hree at preent."
"-he rincess Cecile i the corvette Lieutenant Leary captured almot ingle(
handed+" #aughn aid to Mitre Rane. He turned to 'aniel and continued+ "Bou.re
thinking ! hould have been intereted in the battlehip in the ne,t dock+ ! uppoe)
Strymon didn.t have battlehip when ! lived there1 we hadn.t had anything o large in a
generation."
"By treaty+" Rane aid. Her tone wan.t bitter+ but there wa a hint o& omething
harher than reignation in her voice.
"By treaty+ o& coure+" #aughn aid. "% treaty my &ather upported and ! &ully
upport+ becaue it prevent Strymon &rom wating reource by trying to compete where
we cannot compete ucce&ully."
He li&ted the decanter and getured toward 'aniel1 'aniel hook hi head minutely
in re&ual. #aughn poured &or himel& and continued+ watching the parkling li/uid wirl
into the gla+ "Strymon doe have &rigate+ though+ very imilar to your hip. ! think with
thoe &rigate+ properly commanded and upported a they hould be by the government+
we could weep the Sack clear o& pirate a we did under my &ather. 'on.t you)"
He met 'aniel. eye. 'aniel nodded and aid+ "*ell+ ir+ i& the opinion o& a Hunior
lieutenant i o& any importance9ye+ ! think you.re right."
'nd % hope it happens soon+ he thought1 but while 'aniel wa no politician+ he wa
too much hi &ather. on to blurt that while tone ober. *hich he wouldn.t be much
longer i& he didn.t watch himel&.
"! think !.ve monopoli8ed the company o& my hot &or long enough+ ir+" he aid+
o&&ering #aughn hi hand. "Mitre Rane+ a pleaure to meet you. ! hope your tay on
Cinnabar i pro&itable."
-he Strymon aide lid the creen away a oon a 'aniel. hand touched it. He
tepped out o& the bower and aw Hogg waiting &or him with a gla o& omething clear
that wan.t likely to be water. -hat looked even better than Shawna and 2linor+ but by
heaven they were waiting tooA
*hitling a tune he.d learned on Bantry a "-he Darmer. 'aughter+" 'aniel walked
toward the trio. -he ret o& the a&ternoon wa &or pleaure+ or he.d know the reaon why.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER SEVEN
-
he barge noed back up on :akocy !let with the lat load
o& the guet who.d dipered throughout the Earden during the coure o& the party. -he
leave on the hrub and the ilet. ground cover were canted to catch the late a&ternoon
un+ giving the hore a ubtly di&&erent appearance &rom the one 'aniel and hi
companion had le&t two hour be&ore.
Shawna and 2linor preed cloe to 'aniel &rom either ide+ cooing thing that
probably wouldn.t have made ene even i& he.d bothered to liten to them. -he young
noble he.d cut out wa itting under a bower+ drinking traight &rom a bottle and glaring at
'aniel with undiguied hatred. Hi nervou(looking ervant wa cloe by1 a balked
noble wa likely to be a dangerou mater.
9ou're "elcome to them no", *uddy, 'aniel thought. % ha.en't *een so tired out
since % clim*ed ,essian ,ill "hen % "as si5 and then reali0ed % had to get do"n again
*efore nightfall. !n a &ew day thi a&ternoon would be one to remember &ondly. %t the
moment+ 'aniel Hut wanted to be hut o& the girl and to have a chance to leep.
%dele had been itting primly alone in a bower with the peronal data unit deployed
on her lap. She didn.t look out o& place1 &rom her mile+ he wa having at leat a good a
time a anyone ele at the party. *hen the barge tooted twice to announce it return+ he.d
hut down the data unit and walked toward the hore.
-overa wan.t at &irt viible+ but 'aniel uddenly potted her at the erving table
where he could ee the interior o& the bower. Hogg waited where the barge had
grounded+ tanding ti&&ly with hi hand croed behind hi back. He wa probably very
drunk. !t wa hard to imagine a circumtance in which Hogg+ urrounded by &ree li/uor+
wouldn.t become very drunk.
"Eirl+" 'aniel aid+ holding a hand o& each girl and then Hoining them to one another
a he tepped away+ "! have to peak privately with my ervant at once. !.ll never &orget
having met youA"
"Oh+ 'annyA" they aid in dimayed union. -hey.d have claped him again but he
managed to make hi ecape.
%dele reached where Hogg tood at the ame time 'aniel did. "JuickA" 'aniel
whipered. "Come up with a reaon ! can.t ride back with thoe girl."
"Lieutenant Leary+" %dele aid without miing a beat+ "! need your input
immediately to make up the crew lit." She tapped the pure where he.d Hut placed her
data unit.
"#ery good+ Mundy+" 'aniel aid in a imilarly carrying voice. "*e.ll go over it on
the way back."
"Look to me like you had a pretty good time+" Hogg aid+ &licking a hower o& dut
&rom beneath 'aniel. collar. !t glittered in the air+ then vanihed. *hen diturbed+ the
tree o& 0oart prayed great ilver &ountain o& pollen which ublimed in unlight unle it
touched receptive tamen within a &ew moment. 'aniel. collar had hielded a portion
o& the gout looed while the trio thrahed in a glade on 0oart !let.
"Beide which+" Hogg added Hudiciouly+ "you.re miing both epaulette." He
patted the denuded houlder &or emphai.
"%h+" aid 'aniel. He.d almot &orgotten that. "%h+ ye. Shawna wanted one to+ ah+
remember9"
-hough he.d have thought the memorie would be clear enough without a trinket1
heaven knew hi own would be.
"9and o& coure when he aid that+ 2linor too . . . !t Hut eemed impler. %nd !
&igured they could be replaced)"
-he lat entence+ though phraed a a tatement+ wa really a /uetion and not much
hort o& a prayer. 'aniel knew what e&&ort Hogg had gone to o that hi mater would
have a 4t Cla uni&orm+ and now on &irt wearing 'aniel had gone and damaged it.
"%nd o they can+" aid Hogg with the &ormality o& a priet giving abolution. "! will
waylay an admiral thi very night and remove hi epaulette+ young mater."
"$o+ Hogg+" 'aniel aid &irmly. "! peronally will viit Sadlack and buy a pair o&
epaulette. ! regard the tak a proper punihment &or having mutilated my uni&orm in thi
&ahion."
*hich wa true in a way+ but it wa alo a lot eaier than dealing with the
cone/uence i& Hogg hadn.t been Hoking. Hogg had a ene o& humorF a bawdy+ raucou
one that had rubbed o&& on 'aniel. On the other hand+ there wa almot nothing that Hogg
might not do+ epecially i& he wa drunk. -here were many thing that 'aniel wouldn.t
do1 though now that he thought about it+ &orcibly borrowing an admiral. epaulette
probably wan.t beyond the realm o& poibility.
"% you ay+ young mater+" Hogg muttered. "% Hogg would never be able to live
with himel& i& he diobeyed hi mater. order."
"'aniel+" %dele aid to break into Hogg. maundering9and whatever the truth o&
the threat to an admiral+ the notion that Hogg would never diobey 'aniel wa not to be
taken eriouly+ "-overa placed an eavedropping device at #aughn. table. !.ve heard the
converation."
She tapped the data unit in her pure. 'aniel controlled hi re&le, to glance at
-overa. %dele continued+ "'uring the a&ternoon #aughn. agreed with three people here
to rent a new townhoue &or the ne,t year. -hat. three separate townhoue+ giving each
owner the ame tory about wanting larger /uarter. He mut be lying to two o& them+ but
! can.t imagine why he.d do that. He. bound to be caught in a &ew week."
"%hA" aid 'aniel+ becaue %dele. word gave him a vivid recollection o& ome o&
the thing he.d recently been murmuring to Shawna and 2linor. "Only i& he. here+ you
ee."
!t wan.t the ame+ well+ +uite the ame+ becaue 'aniel had ued word like+ " . . .
&or all the time !.m on Cinnabar. . . ." But he knew the girl thought the phrae meant+ "&or
the &uture+" while 'aniel knew he.d be o&&(planet in a week at the latet.
"! think+" he ampli&ied+ "that #aughn e,pect to leave Cinnabar very hortly. ! don.t
know o& any reaon he hould e,pect that . . . but it eem he. con&ident enough that he.
making ure a many mover and haker a poible Mknow. that he. planning to tay."
Euet were moving toward the boat under the gentle urging o& the aide &rom
Strymon. Many were under the weather+ and a &ew were being upported or even carried
by ervantF #aughn. hopitality had been lavih and o& high alcoholic content.
"Lieutenant Leary)" #aughn called. He tood with -redegar beide the &our(eat
cra&t which had led the &lotilla to :akocy !let. "!.d appreciate it i& you and your guet
would ride back with me. !.d like to hear &rom your own lip how you captured the
rincess Cecile."
'aniel hid hi &rown+ but he darted a /uick glance at %dele. She miled thinly9her
back wa to their hot9and aid in a o&t voice+ "Be+ o& coure he. lying+ but we may a
well go along with it."
"'elighted+ ir+" 'aniel aid cheer&ully a he trode over to the nobleman. "%nd !
hould ay at the outet that O&&icer Mundy here had more to do with the ucce o& the
operation than any other peron."
-hey got into the mall veel+ 'aniel and %dele itting behind #aughn and
-redegar repectively. -wo well(dreed Cinnabar noble and a woman whom 'aniel
recogni8ed a a enator. widow had been tanding cloe by. -hey looked vaguely put out
a they moved o&& in earch o& other eating &or the trip back to the entrance.
Mitre Rane had returned to the larger boat which he.d ridden on the way in.
3nlike the trio+ he eemed /uite at eae to be eparated &rom her hot.
"! really would be delighted to hear about your e,ploit+ Lieutenant+" #aughn aid in
an undertone. "%nd your a well+ O&&icer Mundy. But ! have to admit to a mall
ubter&uge9!.ve Hut hort o& promied three o& your &ellow guet that !.d rent a houe
&rom each o& them+ and in truth ! don.t intend to go through with any o& the deal. !& !
were alone with one o& them !.d have to decend to &lat lie+ and i& ! rode in a larger cra&t
with all three together+ my entire impoture would be e,poed."
-redegar reached pat the teering column to touch the Hoytick on the dahboard1
the trolling motor whined and the boat tarted to back away &rom the hore. #aughn put
hi hand over the aide. and aid+ "*ait &or the other to board+ Corneliu. *e.re not in a
hurry+ a&ter all."
-redegar turned to look at #aughn. Hi e,preion wa empty+ hi eye gla8ed in a
taut &ace. He didn.t eem to be taking in the word+ but at lat he glanced down at the
control and li&ted hi hand away.
"%re you all right+ -redegar)" 'aniel aid harply. "Bou don.t look well+ i& you don.t
mind my aying."
)r if you do. -he aide looked a i& he.d been poioned1 that+ or he wa utterly
terri&ied.
"Sun+" -redegar aid. "0ut a touch o& un. !.m all right now."
-he blood had indeed returned to hi cheek+ but a he poke he engaged the motor
again a i& he.d &orgotten the e,change o& a &ew econd earlier. #aughn looked pu88led+
but the other veel were loaded by now o there wa no &urther reaon to delay.
-he boat eaed into the channel. -redegar centered the Hoytick+ then clicked it
upward to end them toward the entrance. !n the clear water beneath+ &ih like trand o&
gilded tinel chooled in the waterweed. -hey reminded 'aniel o& lightning &lahing
among the cloud.
"!& you.ll permit a /uetion+ Mr. #aughn+" %dele aid coolly+ "why did you ugget
you were going to rent a houe i& you didn.t intend to do o)"
"%m ! imply a pathological liar+ you mean+ mitre)" #aughn tranlated with a
laugh. "$o+ or at any rate ! don.t ee it that way. But you ee+ i& my enemie9Driderik
$une and hi &riend &rom the %lliance o& Dree Star9learn that the :epublic i ending
me home+ they.ll try to eliminate me be&ore ! leave. !.m practicing a mild deception to
encourage pie here on Cinnabar to believe that ! e,pect to remain on your planet &or the
&oreeeable &uture."
"!t. not a&e &or you to go back+" -redegar aid. He kept hi &ace traight ahead o
that he didn.t have to meet hi uperior. eye. "Bou trut Rane but he.ll be your death.
'eath+ 'eloA"
"Cinnabar i a wonder&ul planet+ Lieutenant+" #aughn aid+ eeming to have ignored
-redegar. word. "She in.t my planet+ however. !.m looking &orward to returning to a
home ! haven.t een in &i&teen year."
-o the le&t wa an ilet whoe tree eemed wathed in cobweb intead o& having
ordinary &oliage. 'aniel couldn.t place their origin and uddenly regretted not having
made more o& an e,ploration o& the Earden. 2ven though the habitat were elective and
thu arti&icial+ the vegetation and the &ew permitted animal pecie were real o &ar a
they went.
"*hy are you telling 'aniel and me the truth i& you.re lying to other)" %dele aid+
preing the point with a lack o& tact that made 'aniel mile. -hey were very di&&erent
people+ he and %dele+ but they both had a capacity &or directne that tartled other. "Our
ocial uperior+ many would ay."
#aughn miled at her. Hi e,preion wa per&ectly open and natural9and &ale.
'aniel wa convinced o& that+ though he had no more evidence to go on than he did about
the tate o& the univere be&ore time began.
"*ell+ O&&icer Mundy+" he aid. "! don.t believe you.re going to help my enemie+
knowing that you would thereby help the %lliance. %nd i& you.ll &orgive a &oreigner a bit
o& romance9! don.t care to lie to o&&icer o& the Cinnabar &leet. *e on Strymon have had
ample reaon to repect you and the hip you crew."
9ou kno" 'dele's *een listening to your con.ersations, 'aniel reali8ed. 9ou're
telling us a story that fits "hat "e already kno", *ut that doesn't make it true.
"! ee+" %dele aid. "! wih your endeavor well+ Mr. #aughn."
%lbiru !let with it wall o& amber tree wa coming up on the le&t. -redegar had
gone rigid again+ e,cept that he kept ucking hi lower lip in and out over hi teeth. He
kept preing the Hoytick but the trolling motor. throttle wa already &ull(open.
"! Mitre Rane here to make arrangement &or your return+ then)" %dele aked.
'aniel aw her &inger twitch and almot miledF %dele deperately wanted to enter the
data omewhere to make it real to her.
"*ell+ -hea i a &riend+" #aughn aid. "! don.t think ! hould9"
-here wa a &reh hole in the heet o& hardened ap+ a aucer(i8ed window &rom the
interior o& %lbiru !let that hadn.t been there when the party entered. !t could.ve been
caual vandalim+ but that wan.t the &irt e,planation that went through 'aniel. mind.
"*atch outA" 'aniel aid+ pointing to the opening. -he boat wa coming parallel to
it. "-here. a9"
Only hadow howed through the amber curtain+ but metal glinted on the other ide
o& the hole. #aughn wa looking at 'aniel in urprie1 %dele groped in her le&t pocket &or
the pitol he.d been &orced to leave behind. -redegar+ hi &ace et and tear treaming
down hi cheek+ gripped the Hoytick a i& it were hi lat hope o& li&e.
-here wa no time &or thought+ only intinct. 'aniel ei8ed the aide. throat with
both hand+ li&ted him bodily &rom the eat+ and threw him into the crytal water.
-he boat pitched wildly+ but cra&t in the Earden were broad(beamed with the
e,pectation that many paenger would be clumy and no &ew o& them drunk beide.
'aniel tepped into the pilot. eat+ Herked the eparate teering wheel to the le&t+ and
tamped on the &oot throttle which controlled the main motor. -he boat urged toward the
ilet+ the bow li&ting to a thirty(degree angle a the power&ul waterHet tor/ued the veel
around it center o& ma be&ore accelerating it.
"'re you9" #aughn aid+ grabbing 'aniel around the houlder. %dele threw
herel& over the Strymonian. &ace. She wan.t trong enough to break the grip o& a well(
built man+ but uddenly being blind&olded made #aughn Herk away.
-he world e,ploded in heat and the &lah o& a un going nova. *hat wa le&t o& the
boat &lew over on it back+ &linging it three remaining paenger into the canal not &ar
&rom -redegar.
P P P
%ir+ &iercely hot and compreed by a thunderclap to the denity o& ton o& and+
enveloped %dele. She thought he.d let go o& #aughn+ but he couldn.t be ure. She &elt
nothing9not even the pull o& gravity9until he lammed into the canal.
She roe pluttering. -he canal. knee(high water wa clean and weet1 it mut be
&iltered with the ame care that the proprietor howed with every other apect o& the
Earden. 2,cept that occaionally they &ailed to prevent aain &rom bringing heavy
weapon into their emaculated precinct. . . .
-he weight o& the motor held the boat. tern down+ o the remainder o& the platic
hull tuck up in the air. -he dahboard had urvived but the lower portion o& the bow had
been converted into a tench o& rein matri,. Only a &ew tatter o& &ibergla
rein&orcement were till attached to the undamaged mid(hull.
% gray &og hung above the wreckage+ and a &ew wip o& ioni8ed air were diipating
like yeterday. rainbow. % plama bolt+ then+ &rom a weapon concealed behind the wall
o& amber ap. -he light(peed particle liberated their energy on the &irt olid obHect they
encountered. -hey.d detroyed the boat+ but they hadn.t been able to penetrate even the
thin hull when 'aniel li&ted it with the throttle.
'aniel lohed toward the ilet+ taying to the le&t o& a direct line with the gunport.
He hould have looked illy+ unarmed and dreed in a dripping uni&orm. %dele doubted
that he looked illy to the gunmen+ though. % the commendation &or hi activitie on
;otroma had put it+ "-aced "ith a superior enemy, Lt. Leary chose to attack in
accordance "ith the finest traditions of the #epu*lic of Cinna*ar !a.y."
Deeling e,tremely &oolih+ %dele alo tarted toward the ilet+ keeping to the right o&
the opening. !& he.d had her pitol he might have done ome good. So &ar a he could
tell+ thi wa no better than uicide. Still+ he wa acting out o& cold analyi+ not paionF
he knew he.d rather be killed than live to remember that he.d let her only real &riend
die alone.
!t occurred to %dele to wonder what had happened to her pure with the peronal
data unit+ dropped when he tried to get #aughn out o& the way. She hadn.t the leat
notion o& what 'aniel wa doing+ but he knew him well enough to upport him
regardle.
-he boat. hull had re&lected ome o& the bolt. energy back toward the weapon+
eating away a &an o& hardened ap and &racturing the mooth amber wall &or ten &eet in
either direction. % man wearing a poncho o& light(cattering cloth ran pat the enlarged
opening+ holding a handgun. Why didn't % insist on keeping my7
% bow wave wahed %dele to the ide a the barge carrying the ervant urged
between her and 'aniel. She had to plah &orward clumily to keep &rom being puhed
onto her &ace.
-he cra&t had a mall cockpit in the rear. -he aide who.d been at the control
&loundered in the water thirty &eet back while Hogg drove the veel at a lant toward the
ilet. Several o& the ervant had Humped overboard1 all but one o& the remainder had
ducked behind the gunwale.
-he e,ception+ -overa+ tood in the bow. Her le&t arm wa locked at an angle be&ore
her1 acro the crooked elbow reted her right hand holding a pitol.
-he hip lid onto the ilet+ puhing over the amber tree and hattering the hardened
ap. -he louder crah wa the veel. lower hull breaking on the concrete retaining wall.
-hree men wearing camou&lage cape were running acro ground covered with &lower
like a carpet o& tiny &lag. -he aain. primary weapon+ a bipod(mounted plama
cannon+ reted on the ground behind them. -hey couldn.t &ire it again till the white(hot
barrel had cooled &rom the previou dicharge+ and they howed no ign o& planning to
ue the pitol each waved in hi hand.
-overa hot9with a very compact ubmachine gun+ not a pitol+ and how had he
gotten it through the detection creen at the entrance) 'epite the light(cattering
garment and the &act that the boat wa breaking up beneath her+ -overa. &irt burt ent
the mot ditant aain onto hi &ace with hi arm &lapping.
-overa tepped to the ilet Hut be&ore the impact. -he pot upporting the veel.
canopy &le,ed till they cracked+ lamming her in the middle o& the back with the whole
tructure+ &rame and &abric together. She &ell under a pile o& debri.
-he remaining aain reached a ki&& netled onto the hore acro the ilet1 on
that ide+ the branche o& the amber tree hadn.t been pleached together to &orm a
continuou wall. One o& the men ettled behind the control while the other turned+
aiming toward the puruit Hut a 'aniel and %dele /uelched onto the ilet.
-overa. weapon crackled &rom the tangled wreckage. !t electromotive coil
accelerated pellet up the hort barrel at everal time the peed o& ound. -he gunman
&ell backward+ dropping hi pitol. -he driver lumped on hi &ace+ hal& out o& the ki&& a
it roe on the balanced tatic charge induced in the ground and it own hull. -he pilot.
weight dragged the little cra&t into a low circle like a hore guided by a lunge line.
'aniel ran toward the &allen aain. %dele intead waded back into the water. -he
ret o& the &lotilla clogged the channel+ ome veel halting on revered thrut while
other choe to ground on the &ern(covered ilet to the right.
'elo #aughn hunched below the retaining wall where undamaged ap till provided
a curtain &rom ight. -redegar tood in the middle o& the canal+ hi eye wild and hi
mouth open though peechle.
There's my purse. 'epite the violence+ the water remained clear e,cept &or wirl o&
weed and air bubble. -he channel wa concrete colored to give it the appearance o& mud.
%dele raied the pure and took the data unit &rom it. ray "hate.er (ods there
"ere that its seals are as good as they're supposed to *e.
-redegar came to hi ene &rom watching %dele. organi8ed action. He lohed
toward the nearet o& the undamaged boat+ the ten(eater which had brought 'aniel and
%dele into the Earden. Shawna and 2linor tood in the bow+ watching event with
per&ect aplomb while everyone ele on the cra&t lay &lat on the deck.
"Hogg+ don.t let -redegar get awayA" %dele cried. !t wan.t an order. She didn.t have
authority to order 'aniel. ervant to do anything+ a Hogg would be the &irt to tell her i&
provoked.
He wan.t the man to ignore a warning+ though. Hogg turned in the cockpit and
Hudged hi ditance a the aide plahed pat him. -en &eet o& weighted line himmered
&rom Hogg. hand and wrapped around -redegar. arm and throat. -he aide &ell backward
into the water.
%dele tamped ahore again+ clumy &rom the weight o& water trapped in her pant
leg. -he uit -overa picked &or her had gathered cu&&+ a matter that %dele hadn.t paued
to conider when he put the garment on. Clothe were omething he wore a a ocial or
environmental neceity+ not out o& any intrinic interet they had &or her.
!& he had to do it again+ he.d peci&y drain hole at writ and ankle. -hough how
the damned &abric could let water in o eaily and then hold it there like a et o& &luid leg
iron wa beyond her.
%n alarm had been given9many alarm+ Hudging &rom the number o& iren he
could hear at varying ditance. !gnoring them+ ignoring alo the hout and butle o&
people around her+ %dele walked over to the nearet o& the dead men.
-here were three hole in the back o& hi neck+ o cloe together that he could have
covered them with her thumb. -overa wa already there+ going through the man.
pocket. 'aniel had witched o&& the ki&&. power+ bringing it down to the ground again.
He wa earching the other two aain.
%dele took the pitol &rom the dead man. hand and thrut it through her wait ah.
-overa looked at her. "He doen.t have any identi&ication+ but he. carrying a thouand
&lorin."
"-hey.re probably Hut local thug+" %dele aid. She took one o& the peacock(hued
hundred(&lorin coin -overa had &anned on the ground beide the man. pure. "%nyway+
! don.t need identi&ication i& the money. there."
%dele had brought up her peronal data unit a he poke. Her wand &lickered+
entering the coin. erial number into the record o& the Central Bank o& the :epublic.
-he databae wa uppoed to be retricted+ o& coure. Becaue %dele wa uing the
Minitry o& 'e&ene computer &or acce+ he wa probably getting the in&ormation &ater
than one o& the bank director could have done a&ter entering a erie o& code and
paword. 2ven o+ a earch o enormou took ome time.
She looked at the ubmachine gun in -overa. hand. -he barrel wa only &our inche
long and the &ew pound the weapon weighed weren.t enough to tabili8e it when &ired
&ull automatic9%dele would have thought+ barring the evidence o& the corpe be&ore her.
"How did you get that through the creening at the gate)" he demanded.
-overa. e,preion became guarded. "My cae proHect the image o& a data unit and
other ordinary o&&ice e/uipment+" he aid. "-here are way to de&eat it+ but none that
thee ci.ilians would have available."
Care&ully+ her eye never leaving %dele.+ he added+ "!.m orry+ mitre. ! hould
have carried your weapon through the creen with me."
%dele thought about the mindet that wa alway prepared in cae o& an
aaination attempt at an innocent party. She could learn to live that way+ he uppoed+
but it eemed to her that the alternative to li&e wa pre&erable i& uch paranoia were
neceary.
She miled. "$ot at all+ -overa+" he aid. "! think !.m better o&& delegating thoe
concern to you."
% number o& the party guet were tanding around the plama cannon+ dicuing it
in ama8ed tone. -he bolt had hrivelled a broadening wedge o& vegetation &rom beneath
the mu88le to the edge o& the ilet. -he iridium barrel wa no longer glowing+ but any o&
the pectator who decided to touch the metal were going to cook their &leh to the bone.
%dele miled grimly. $ot o very long ago he wouldn.t have had any more
e,perience o& a plama cannon than did any other %cademic Collection ta&& member.
Being caught in the ;otroma rebellion had certainly broadened her hori8on.
%dele. diplay hi&ted into the anwer he.d e,pected. She looked up+ hoping to
catch 'aniel. eye. He held two pitol by the barrel in hi le&t hand and wa talking to a
young man in the beige uni&orm o& the Militia+ the national police. 'epite the &lahing
light and the downdra&t+ %dele hadn.t noticed the Militia aircar landing beide the
aain. ki&&.
'elo #aughn walked up on hore+ urrounded by ervant and everal aide. One o&
the latter had taken o&& her ta&&eta cape and wa toweling #aughn. leg with it. %dele
watched her &or a moment+ blinked+ and went back to the diplay &eeling /ueay. -he
Mundy hadn.t encouraged that ort o& abaement &rom their retainer1 though when he
let herel& remember+ there had been time . . .
She hook herel&. She didn.t want to think about the night her &ather won the race
&or -reaurer o& the :epublic and a do8en women+ wive and daughter o& hi retainer+
had bu&&ed the gilded body o& hi aircar with their long hair. -hat wa what they did &or
him in public. Dor herel&+ he didn.t want anybody to o&&er her honor that he would
never grant to another living peron.
"Bou thereA" #aughn aid. "*hat in heaven are you doing with Corneliu) Let him
go at onceA"
2verybody turned at the hout. Hogg wa holding -redegar upright+ trued by the
neck and9behind hi back9hi writ. %n aide tepped &orward.
"!o, To.era:" %dele houted.
Hogg. hand were occupied with a prioner who wa conciou but nooed too
tightly to be able to tand without help. He kicked the aide /uarely in the crotch+
doubling her up with a cream that a man in a imilar ituation couldn.t have bettered.
!t could have been wore. -overa had turned alo. %dele wan.t abolutely ure that
her hout would.ve been enough to keep the pale woman &rom killing #aughn. aide with
the ame waplike kill that had eliminated the three aain.
"But thi i Corneliu -redegar+" #aughn aid+ no longer peaking with an implicit
threat in hi voice. "He. one o& my oldet aociate. He came into e,ile with me+ &or
Eod. akeA"
"He knew about the ambuh+" 'aniel aid+ walking over and drawing the policeman
with him. -he &ellow. partner wa till in the aircar+ calling &or additional help. %nother
Militia aircar had landed+ but it peronnel were &ending o&& the cruh o& velvet(clad
Earden employee gabbling about the damage to the etting. "!& he didn.t plan it+ then
he wa helping whoever did."
"-redegar wa the paymater+" %dele aid+ drawing everyone. eye &rom 'aniel to
her. -hey were /uite a pair+ dripping wet and muddy beide. "He withdrew i, thouand
&lorin &rom hi account at the 'ivan branch o& Stevenage -rut ten day ago. He mut
have paid the aain the econd hal& o& the money Hut thi morning+ becaue they.re
till carrying it."
"Mitre)" the policeman aid+ glancing at the coin beide the dead man. pure.
"How do you know that)"
%n encloed twelve(place aircar with Militia marking wallowed to a landing at the
edge o& the ilet+ mahing another ection o& the amber wall. 'aniel winced though he
didn.t ay anything. %lmot hal& the care&ully &ormed circuit o& tree had been napped
o&& or uprooted.
%dele viuali8ed a imilar battle9/uite mall+ a battle go9taking place within the
precinct o& the %cademic Collection on Blythe. Her lip tightened. She knew how
'aniel &elt.
"Large coin are all regitered with the central bank+" %dele aid. "2very time they
pa through a bank+ the tranaction i recorded. -he mot recent movement o& thee9"
*ell+ at leat the one he.d checked1 thi wan.t the time to be overprecie.
"9wa to -redegar here in a withdrawal he made peronally."
Colicemen wearing body armor and carrying carbine pilled out o& the van in a
hectoring wave+ puhing through the guet in evident diregard &or military uni&orm and
indicia o& wealth. "*hat. going on here)" aid the o&&icer in charge+ bellowing at the
patrolman tanding between %dele and 'aniel.
-he o&&icer noticed -redegar. -hough hi &ace wa hidden behind the vior+ there
wa no doubt o& the angry e,aperation in hi voice a he napped+ "*hat. thi) *hat
the hell i thi)"
"Sir+ he. a prioner+" the regular patrolman aid+ tanding up to a &acele bully who
wa doubtle alo hi uperior in rank. "He appear to be behind the attack that9"
"Cut him looeA" the o&&icer aid. "Secure him with legal retraint." One o& hi
ubordinate drew a kni&e whoe blade e,tended a the hilt came &ree o& the clip.
-here wa a &licker in the air. -he kni&e hand Herked upward+ bound to the
policeman. houlder by a loop o& the ame weighted cord a had caught and held
-redegar. -he line had two end+ a&ter all.
Hogg grinned with abolutely no humor at all. "*hat the9" the o&&icer repeated+ hi
tone an amalgam o& anger and ama8ement.
'aniel tepped cloe to Hogg+ hi back to the Militia o&&icer. "Hogg+" he aid+
"releae the prioner immediately into the cutody o& the civil authoritieA Bou know how
Speaker Leary will complain i& he ha to ue hi in&luence again to get hi on. ervant
out o& HailA"
'aniel would never have ued hi &ather. name that way &or anything le eriou
than thi incident wa rapidly becoming. !& the o&&icer had acted a he might have tried in
the &ull arrogance o& hi power9
%dele wa again truck by the way -overa vanihed into the background under any
circumtance. Bou would have thought that at leat one member o& the riot /uad would
have noticed the pale blonde holding a ubmachine gun down beide her thigh.
9then anything might have happened.
"Sure+ Mater Leary+" Hogg aid+ releaing -redegar and giving him a gentle puh in
the direction o& the policeman who.d planned to cut him looe. "*hat. twenty piatre
worth o& &ihing line and a couple pebble)"
"! don.t mind you cutting the cord+" 'aniel aid to the o&&icer in an innocently
help&ul tone+ "but do be aware that it. sea &ihing line which we ue in the ocean o&&
Bantry. !t. boron monocrytal+ and the tug o& your man. kni&e blade on a thin trand
would very likely have trangled the prioner i& Hogg hadn.t topped him."
'aniel. intinct made him tep between Hogg and the chance o& lethal danger.
-hat. not how -overa would have aved her colleague. %nd it. not what %dele would
have done either+ i& he.d till had her pitol.
-hree riot policemen began unwrapping -redegar and their &ellow. %&ter a moment+
they all &lipped up their vior.
"! till can.t believe . . ." #aughn aid+ though the way hi voice trailed o&& indicated
that actually he wa indeed beginning to believe. "Corneliu+ you wouldn.t betray me)"
"He wan.t planning to have you killed+ 'elo+" Mitre Rane aid corn&ully.
"Bou.re hi golden gooe9o long a you ignore your heritage and tay here on
CinnabarA -he little wretch planned to kill me and blame it on your niece and $une."
%lmot everybody wa looking at Rane. %dele aw Hogg grin broadly a he glanced
at the prioner he.d Hut urrendered. -redegar. right writ wa now attached to a
policeman. harne by a &le,ible retraint. He took a handkerchie& &rom hi breat pocket
with hi le&t hand and put it to hi mouth.
%t's pro*a*ly the *est result.
"Cadeu+ get thi one into the van+" aid the o&&icer+ raiing hi own hield. Hi
&ace wa urpriingly delicate1 much o& hi apparent bulk mut have been the armor.
"*e.ll hold here till the invetigative /uad arrive+ then9"
-redegar. cheek &luhed bright red. Blood purted &rom hi noe and ear1 hi limb
went lack and he &ell+ all but the arm till tethered to the policeman. harne. -he Militia
o&&icer Humped back+ but blood till plahed hi trouer leg and hi right boot.
"! &igured he.d do that+ o ! kept him tied up+" Hogg aid to the o&&icer in a
converational voice. "!t. a real education to watch a city pro&eional like you work+
Captain."
More iren were approaching. %dele at on the ground and brought up her data unit
again. She didn.t want to wate more time here+ and 'aniel almot certainly had thing he
hould be doing intead o& dicuing with a erie o& o&&iciou bureaucrat a matter that
wa already cloed. -he meage he wa ending to %dmiral %nton. o&&ice might bring
a /uick end to the irritation.
%nd i& it didn.t+ the copy to a ite Mitre Sand ued &or con&idential dipatche
certainly would.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER EIGHT
L
t. 'aniel Leary at at the command conole in the middle o&
the rincess Cecile. bridge. !n ;otroman ervice the conole had been &i,ed &acing the
bow1 now it would rotate I=<

degree in accordance with the mot modern :C$ practice+
o that the captain could watch what wa happening down the a,i o& C Level by
dimming hi holographic diplay to a &i&ty(percent mak.
Caternak+ the chie& engineer9new to the corvette but a man with an e,cellent
record both on paper and in the opinion o& Siie who.d erved under him on other hull
9came up &rom % Level. -he mile he wore on the companionway &aded a he turned
toward the bridge+ &acing 'aniel at lat with an e,preion o& gray concern.
"Captain+" he called acro the butle o& the bridge+ "!.ve a &ull crew and the tore
are catalogued+ but ! don.t vouch &or the /uality o& either till we.ve had time to work up
properly."
"#ery good+ Mr. Caternak+" 'aniel aid. "% it chance+ all but three o& your crew
have erved with me be&ore o ! think ! with honety can vouch &or them to you. % &or
the ealed tore+ we.ll trut the warehoue inpection ytem till we have reaon to doubt
it9and we.ll raie holy Hell i& there is reaon+ right)"
Caternak grinned. "-hey.re a prime lot+ ir+" he aid. "!.m honored you wanted me
aboard to run thing hull(ide. But ! didn.t want to ound+ you know+ too con&ident be&ore
you.d een me in action."
"3ndertood+ Caternak+" 'aniel aid. "! e,pect we.ll both be pleaed with the
relationhip when the Sissie pay o&& the ne,t time."
'aniel. diplay wa running a crew lit+ an e/uipment tatu report+ and a chematic
o& the rincess Cecile which highlighted mechanical change in a red that &aded through
hade o& orange with time. -hi lat howed that a doral airlock had Hut cycled.
-hrough the hologram 'aniel could ee 2llie *oetHan+ timing the return &rom topide o&
a ection o& the port watch wearing rigger. uit.
"LamoeA" the boun bellowed. "Lock that Eoddamned helmet down or you can ee
how you like being derated &or the tourA"
"!.m going to check the alignment o& $umber -hree thruter+ ir+" Caternak aid+
already backing toward the companionway. "*e may have to readHut it a&ter the
hakedown run+ though."
Bett+ the chie& miileer+ wa new to the rincess Cecile alo. He turned &rom the
attack conole and aid+ "% ordered+ ir+ we.re carrying the tube loaded and a &ull
twenty reload. -here. no guarantee hort o& launching them+ o& coure+ but !.d bet my
li&e that all twenty(two.ll &unction clean a a imulation."
"!t. /uite poible we.ll all be betting our live on that+ Mr. Bett+" 'aniel aid+ with
a mile to draw the ting &rom the reminder. "!.ll e,pect to tet your readine with ome
target practice i& luck doen.t end u real target on thi voyage."
-he rincess Cecile wa carrying two more miile than her -able o& 2/uipment.
-hey would be e,pended be&ore he returned to Harbor -hree+ o& that 'aniel wa
determined.
He.d noticed in the pat that miileer tended not to think o& their charge a being
weapon &or real ue. Miile were e,penive and o big that relatively &ew could be
carried on even a large warhip. Miile practice wa rarely carried out live+ and even
during wartime the chance o& a miile engagement with a hotile veel wa light.
Chie& Baylor+ who.d been the 'glaia. miileer+ had retired a&ter the hip9including
the miile that had been the children o& hi heart and mind9had died in the harbor
erving ;otroma City. 'aniel regretted loing BaylorF the miile launched in the
'glaia. &inal moment had &unctioned per&ectly+ putting paid to mot o& an %lliance
invaion &leet. Still+ Bett wa an e,perienced man and &ar more enior than a corvette
would normally rate.
-he rincess Cecile had been on ;otroma during a maHor war and revolution. Many
item o& value had been aved &rom detruction by member o& the corvette. crew+ with
'aniel. peronal ervant Hogg chie& among the lit o& recuer.
'aniel couldn.t have topped the practice9it would be wrong to call it looting1
motly wrong+ at any rate9i& he.d tried+ and he wa too well aware o& the rik hi crew
had run to &eel they didn.t deerve anything they could make o&& with. He wan.t
com&ortable with accepting the hal& hare Hogg inited wa hi+ however9a a moral
/uetion+ not &rom &ear o& being caught. -heoretically Hogg could &all &oul o& the
:epublic. cutom authoritie+ but the chance wa too vanihingly mall to a&&ect
'aniel. deciion on the matter.
-hen it occurred to 'aniel that any doubt&ul money could be pent on raiing the
rincess Cecile. &ighting readine. $o one wearing an :C$ uni&orm would &ind
anything morally reprehenible in that+ even i& the money came &rom brothel receipt.
'aniel accepted hi hal&+ then pent it on miile and e,tra ration &or the crew.
Surely the money didn't come &rom brothel receipt+ did it) -hough knowing Hogg+
it wa probably better not to en/uire too cloely.
%dele tood up at the communication conole. "My ytem are in order+ Captain+"
he aid+ remembering thi time to be &ormal while in uni&orm. She wa a likely a not to
ay "'aniel+" which &rom her couldn.t be conidered a breach o& dicipline.
"-hen ! think we.re ready to li&t a oon a we have order and port clearance+"
'aniel aid+ beaming with pleaure. "!t might be a little a &our hour."
Hi grin became rue&ul. "Or not+ o& coure+" he added. "*e act at the pleaure o& the
$avy O&&ice+ which i rarely to be hatened."
"!+ ah+ wonder+ 'aniel+" %dele aid. "!& we have ome hour+ might ! . . . abent
myel& on ome peronal buine)"
'aniel blinked. "*hy o& coure+" he aid1 Hut a he would have aid to any o& hi
o&&icer+ knowing that even the one who had a tendency to drink were too e,cited about
the planned voyage &or them to rik miing li&to&&. 'aniel didn.t imagine that the truth o&
the corvette. order would be hal& a wonder&ul a the rumor circulating about them+ but
the torie had been enough to keep an already crack crew in a tate o& wire tautne.
Mind+ the rumor that the rincess Cecile wa being ent to capture a diabled
%lliance treaure hip wa one that had 'aniel himel& counting hare o& dream wealth.
%dele looked down at her clothing a i& in pu88lement+ pinching a &old o& the bloue
between her thumb and &ore&inger. Like everybody ele aboard he wa wearing a utility
uni&orm o& mottled gray &abric. "!.ll change and be o&&+ then+" he aid. "! don.t uppoe
!.ll be very . . ."
She tepped toward the cabin o&& the bridge which he hared with -overa. !t wa
o&&icially the captain. lounge+ hal& o& hi tiny uite. 'aniel pre&erred to have %dele
bunking there in a crii rather than in the *arrant O&&icer. Juarter. -hoe were at the
other end o& C Level+ adHacent to the Battle 'irection Center where Lt. Mon commanded
the midhipmen and mate o& the miile and gunnery o&&icer on a et o& duplicate
control.
"%h . . ." 'aniel aid+ but he couldn.t think o& a way to continue.
%dele. &ew peronal belonging were already aboard. She had no &riend or &amily
in Geno9no &riend or &amily anywhere beyond the hull o& the rincess Cecile+ i& it
came to that9and he wan.t the ort to go out &or one lat hell(raiing party be&ore
li&ting hip.
2ven in the midt o& hi concern+ 'aniel &elt a mile tart to crinkle the corner o& hi
mouth. He.d tried to imagine %dele raiing hell9and had collided with a brick wall.
But what in heaven. name "as he planning to do)
"*ait a moment+ %dele+" 'aniel aid+ riing &rom the command conole. "!.ll tag
along i& ! may."
-here wan.t a right anwer to the ituation. -he rincess Cecile. captain had no
buine leaving her on the eve o& departure1 on the other hand+ 'aniel Leary wan.t
going to let a &riend go o&& alone wearing the e,preion he.d een on %dele. &ace. $eed
mut+ Mon could handle the corvette1 probably handle her better than 'aniel could.
%dele turned. "$o+" he aid. "-here. no need9"
"$o+ Mr. Leary+" aid -overa &rom the hatch o& the cabin. -he pale woman.
e,preion wa+ a alway+ unreadable+ but thi time it had an un&amiliar depth to it. "!.ll
accompany the mitre. !t. my duty+ a&ter all."
"-here. no need &or anyone to come with meA" %dele aid. "!.m Hut9looking over
ome real etate be&ore ! leave Geno again."
'aniel looked &rom one woman to the other. "Be+ all right+ -overa+" he aid. "But
you.ll in&orm me i& there. ome way ! or other can be o& ervice+ will you not)"
"Be+ Mr. Leary+" -overa aid. "!.ll be ure to do that."
%dele grimaced+ but rather than argue he diappeared into the cabin. -overa wung
the hatch to+ but remained on the bridge.
"*ith all repect+ Mr. Leary+" -overa aid o&tly. "!.m a member o& the Mundy
houehold. %ccompanying her i my duty."
"! ee+" aid 'aniel+ who uddenly did ee. "%h+ ! could end *oetHan with a
detachment to+ you know . . . provide viual evidence o& %dele. high merit)"
"-hat won.t be neceary+ ir+" -overa aid with a crooked mile. "%nd ! think even
the uggetion would embarra the mitre."
%dele opened the hatch and tepped through+ wearing civilian clothe o& brown
&abric with &ine black tripe. Her e,preion would have been angry on another peron1
%dele being who he wa+ 'aniel upected it wa merely a general comment on the
unati&actory nature o& human e,itence.
"Eood luck in your endeavor+" 'aniel aid. "!9the whole hip+ %dele9look
&orward to your return."
%dele /uirked an odd mile. "Be+" he aid. "!.m rather looking &orward to that alo.
But ! think ! have to go."
She tepped down the companionway awkwardly+ till not &ully com&ortable with a
warhip. tructure. Her ervant &ollowed without e,preion.
-overa wa carrying her attachQ cae.
P P P
-he new &ront door wa the ame tyle a the one %dele had known+ but the center o&
the olid lower ection wa the head o& a barking dog in relie&1 worked into the grille
protecting the gla8ed upper portion wa the legend :OLD2 HO3S2. -he doorman
playing olitaire on the doortep gathered hi card into hi hand and tood when he aw
%dele and -overa eyeing the dwelling a they approached.
"My mother. people were :ol&e+" %dele murmured+ &eeling a touch o& didain that
he uppoed wa undeerved. "-heir cret. a pun on thatF :ow&A"
She added+ "! uppoe they had to replace the door a&ter the Crocription+ but one
could wih that they.d hown a little better tate."
%dele walked up to the doorman+ miling &aintly a he conidered what he.d Hut
aid. !t wan.t true+ though i& he were a better peron it might have been. -he %dele
Mundy who e,ited in this world wa glad that the preent owner o& what had been
Chatworth Minor were people that he could look down on.
-he Mundy townhoue wa in the tyle o& three centurie patF narrow and &our
torie high+ with brick &acing accented by tone tranom and tie coure. -he ground
&loor opening were imple+ ave &or the roe window decorating the pediment above the
door. -he central window o& the econd and third torie were bay hal& the width o& the
building+ and the &acade o& the level immediately beneath the peaked roo& wa &ully
gla8ed. %t night it had &re/uently provided a lighted backdrop when %dele. &ather had
tepped onto the balcony to addre a crowd o& hi upporter in the treet below.
-he doorman looked at %dele with omething between a neer and a &rown. Hi
orange(and(black livery hadn.t been cleaned in too long+ and he didn.t bother to lip the
deck away into a pocket.
"!.d like to view the interior o& :ol&e Houe+" %dele aid+ o&&ering the doorman her
viiting card. "Cleae in&orm your mater+ or whoever. in charge in hi abence."
-he doorman took the card+ read it &ace+ and ni&&ed. "-he mater. not entertaining
pacer+ that ! can tell you+" he aid. "!.ll put it in the tray &or him to ee when he come
down i& you like. Bou can come back another day &or your anwer."
He held the card back toward %dele. "Or you can Hut ave your time."
%dele took her card and turned it over a he removed a tylu &rom her breat
pocket. -he &ace o& the card readF

%'2L2 M3$'B:CS #%!CESS CEC%LE
On it revere he wrote $undy of Chats"orth. She miled at the ervant. "-ake thi
to your mater+" he aid pleaantly+ tucking the card between hi lapel and hirt &ront.
"$ow. ! will await him in the anteroom &or a reaonable time+ which ! have et at two
minute. !& he han.t come to greet me by the end o& that period+ ! will go looking &or
him."
"But9" the doorman began.
-overa pinched the man. lip cloed. "%nd !.ll come looking &or you+ laddy+" he
aid. "Let. not learn what.ll happen when ! &ind you+ all right)"
-he ervant tumbled a he reached &or the door becaue he wa patting %dele. card
to keep it a&e a he moved. He tarted to cloe the panel behind him+ then remembered
the viitor were &ollowing. He wa leaving the entrance hall on the way to the ervant.
tair a %dele entered.
%dele glanced at the &loor+ then tared in horror and dibelie&. *hat he.d e,pected
wa the beewood o& her childhood+ twenty(inch board cut &rom tree on Chatworth
MaHor+ the country etate+ and et edgewie. 2very generation or o the ur&ace wa
planed &lat+ but even o the pattern o& wear had an organic reality that bound the houe
ine,tricably into the &abric o& Cinnabar.
"Eood Eod+" %dele aid under her breath. She wa tanding on the cravat o& the
male hal& o& a pair o& moaic portrait. Eold letter curving like a halo above the man.
hair read L!E!2: :OLD2. -he woman &acing him wa Marina Caaubon :ol&e+ i& her
caption wa to be believed.
% houemaid carrying a laundry baket tepped into the hall &rom the door under the
&ormal taircae. She called over her houlder toward the baement+ "*ell you can tell
her &or me that9"
She aw the viitor+ &ell ilent+ and gave them a hal&(nod a he curried out the
back door. %dele caught a glimpe o& door at cloe interval on both ide o& the hall
beyondF the ervant. /uarter here on the ground &loor. -hat at leat hadn.t changed in the
pat &i&teen year.
"Ligier i your couin+ mitre)" -overa aked mildly. Her eye danced acro
doorway and up the &our level o& the taircae+ covering angle &rom which omeone
might py on them9or hoot.
"% econd couin o& my mother.+ ! believe+" %dele aid. Her lip &ormed the word
while her mind till tried to cope with the desecration beneath her &eet. -he moaic wa
/uite recent1 the gla8ing o& the chip in the center o& the pattern howed no ign o& wear
&rom grit tracked in on the &eet o& viitor. "! never met him."
She miled without humor. "!& he.d been cloe to the &amily+ o& coure+" he added+
"hi head would have been on Speaker. :ock intead o& here on the &loor."
-wo ervant tarted down &rom the top o& the &ormal taircae. One o& them ducked
into a room on the third &loor and houted a hal&(intelligible demand. Moment later he
returned with two more &ootmen in tow+ one o& them adHuting hi cummerbund.
%t leat the tair were till honey(colored beewood1 though the newel pot+ once
Mundy arrow+ were now capped by barking dog. !t wa an ugly9and wore+ a illy9
cret+ but %dele grudgingly admitted that the woodcarver knew hi buine.
% man moothing a hatily donned Hacket came to the head o& the tair. -he
&ootmen arrayed on the third &loor tarted down1 he &ollowed in their wake.
";ust inide the two minute+" aid -overa. She ounded regret&ul.
-here wa no doubt that thi wa Ligier :ol&e+ but hi hairline wa a good deal
higher than that o& hi moaic portrait. He held %dele. card in hi hand and hi
e,preion wa troubled. He wa in hi mid(&i&tie1 about the age %dele. mother would
have been i& he were till alive.
-he ervant parted at the bottom o& the tair. -heir mater+ tanding on the lowet
tep+ aid+ "Mitre Mundy) !.m Ligier :ol&e . . . o& coure+ a you know. *e weren.t
e,pecting . . . that i+ ! had no idea you+ ah . . ."
"Had urvived)" %dele uggeted in a dry voice. She raied an eyebrow.
"$ot thatA" aid :ol&e+ increaingly &lutered. "O& coure ! knew. . . . -hat i+ but we
didn.t reali8e you.d returned to Cinnabar. Can ! o&&er you re&rehment) %h+ perhap i& you
told me the purpoe o& your viit+ ! could . . . )"
"! don.t re/uire re&rehment+" %dele aid. She wan.t ure what he.d e,pected to &ind
at Chatworth Minor+ but dithering panic on the part o& the preent owner hadn.t been on
her lit o& poibilitie. She &ound it amuing in an unpleaant ort o& way. "%nd my
purpoe i imple curioity. !.d like to look over the houe where ! wa born+ be&ore !
leave Cinnabar again on my naval dutie."
-he &ootmen tood to either ide o& the taircae+ eyeing her and le &re/uently
-overa. -he doorman hadn.t reappeared+ %dele noticed.
"$aval dutie)" :ol&e repeated. Hi eye &ocued on %dele. viiting card1 hi &ace
cleared. "%hA Be+ o& coure+ mitre. %nything you care to ee. ! only regret that my
wi&e i till out+ &or !.m ure that he.d want to Hoin me in guiding you. -hough he hould
be back momentarily."
"-he room on the third &loor+ then+ i& you pleae+" %dele aid+ geturing minutely
with her right inde, &inger. "-hoe were where my iter and ! tayed while here at
Minor."
Bou couldn.t tell much &rom a moaic portrait+ but %dele didn.t regret miing
Marina Caaubon :ol&e. -he Caaubon were a &amily whoe money hadn.t been able to
buy them o&&ice by the time %dele le&t Cinnabar &or Blythe. She upected that Ligier.
ucce&ul claim &or Chatworth Minor in the ettlement which &ollowed the -hree
Circle Conpiracy had earned him a wealthy wi&e.
"*ould your ervant care to wait in the kitchen+ or . . . )" :ol&e aid+ glancing at
-overa. -overa. abence o& peronality made her virtually inviible.
-overa raied an eyebrow minuculy in aent. "Be+ that will be &ine+" %dele aid.
Creumably -overa wanted to look over the houe on her own1 in any cae+ no one could
imagine %dele wa in any danger &rom her hot.
"-ake care o& it+ *ormer+" :ol&e aid to one o& the &ootmen+ making a hooing
motion with hi hand. He noticed the card he till held. He dropped it into the alver
beide the but o& a :ol&e who.d rien to the Speakerhip. "Mitre Mundy+ i& you.ll
&ollow me)"
%dele &ollowed+ noticing that :ol&e wore lipper with hi name in cutwork on the
gilded leather upper. Does his "ife choose his "ardro*e8
-he econd &loor had been mother. territory when %dele wa a child. !t wa
Mitre :ol&e. a well+ though the decor o& the itting room open o&& the taircae wa
&rou&rou in contrat to the everity %dele remembered.
Dather had been the politician+ but mother wa the ideologue o& the Mundy
houehold. She practiced the ame "imple li&e o& the common people" that he preached
at her alon and to her &amily.
3nlike her mother+ %dele had peronal e,perience o& how common people live1
he.d &ound their tate in &urnihing to be very like that o& the preent Mitre :ol&e.
*hich wa only to be e,pected+ &rom a Caaubon.
-he door o&& the third &loor were cloed. %dele. apartment had been to the right+
her iter. to the le&t. :ol&e paued. "%h+" he aid+ "i& you.d in&ormed u you were
coming . . ."
"%ctually+ ! wan.t ure until thi a&ternoon that ! "as coming+" %dele aid. She
opened the right(hand door herel&.
-he room beyond had been her library a oon a he topped needing a nure
leeping nearby. -he bookhelve and the data conole were gone. Durniture o& everal
di&&erent tyle &illed all the pace around the boundary o& the room. % captain. chair
with dog(headed armret even blocked the door which once had led to %dele. bedroom.
-he center o& the room wa &illed by a large &lat(topped dek. One o& the drawer
wa miing and hal& the veneer had peeled away. -he ervant were uing the room a a
lounge. -here were plate o& &ried potatoe+ two mug+ and the remain o& a pitcher o&
beer on the dek1 tack o& dirty dihe on everal o& the chair eat howed how lackly
the houehold wa directed.
"!+ ah . . ." :ol&e repeated. -he reality o& the room had obviouly taken him aback+
depite hi previou low e,pectation.
"-here were book here+" %dele aid+ her voice e,preionle. "! uppoe they
would have been old be&ore you took ownerhip o& the real etate)"
"Be+ that. right+" :ol&e aid+ glad to have omething to &ocu on that didn.t make
him look like a pig. He tepped pat %dele to the dek and dragged open one o& the
drawer. "But ! recall we were given a copy o& the receipt when we . . ."
%dele watched with cold amuement a her hot pawed ine,pertly through the
drawer. She.d gone through many uch agglomeration in her day a an archivit. She.d
learned /uite /uickly that there wa no document that wa completely without value to
some reearcher+ but there wa a limit to what could be catalogued and thu become
available &or reearch.
She upected he could trim the preent ma by NNS without doing irreparable
harm to poterity. %nd i& it were limited to the :ol&e and Caaubon houe+ the
percentage aved could be even lower.
"BeA" cried :ol&e. "Here they are+ Hut a ! rememberedA"
%dele took the document+ a &our(&oot continuou coil &olded to &it into a drawer. !t
wa a printout o& the auction liting with number+ preumably the amount paid+ written
in holograph beide them.
"Be+ we had our baili&&+ well+ my wi&e. baili&& really+ preent at the auction+" :ol&e
aid a %dele canned the lit. "Our claim wa to the real etate alone+ but Marina thought
we needed to be care&ul that the auctioneer didn.t try to ell &i,ture a well a the
peronal property."
Hi voice wa an empty background like the rutle o& mating inect1 not overtly
unpleaant but not o& any concern either. -urniture, *edclothes, kitchen utensils.
aintings, electronic e+uipment, shop tools. -he lat had probably belonged to Mick
Hilmer+ the chau&&eur and mechanic. Had he urvived the Crocription) Mick hould
have been e,empt9he wa no Mundy by blood or marriage+ to be ure9but neither wa
he the ort to bow meekly when a gang o& treet tough burt into hi /uarter.
"My wi&e ha been reponible &or redecorating+" :ol&e burbled. He eemed to have
&orgotten he wa tanding in a Hunk room which once had been a private library e/ual to
any in Geno. "*e have heirloom &rom her &amily and mine both."
'ssorted *ooks<=>? florins.
"! had laid out over &ive thouand &lorin &or the book !.d purchaed+" %dele aid.
$o one litening to her could have told &rom her voice how he &elt. "O& coure the more
valuable item came to me a gi&t. Driend o& the &amily &ound it amuing that the older
Mundy girl wa a real anti/uarian. Many o& them had omething on a hel& or in a trunk
that even my allowance wouldn.t have run to."
"Cardon+ mitre)" :ol&e aid. He hadn.t heard the word+ and he wouldn.t have
undertood them anyway.
-he Mundy children had been a much a part o& the &amily. political entertainment
a the image o& ancetor in the entrance hall were. %gatha hadn.t been any more
outgoing than her elder iter+ and unlike %dele he hadn.t the tate and intellect to ecape
into cholarhip. She.d bu&&ered herel& &rom the public tre with a parliament o& tu&&ed
animal+ each o& which had a ditinct peronality a well a a name.
'ssorted stuffed toys<-i.e florins fifty.
%dele. hand began to tremble. She /uickly dropped the auction lit on the dektop.
She wondered i& he could ak to wah her hand.
"! wonder i& you wouldn.t be intereted in ome walnut pudding+ Mitre Mundy)"
:ol&e aid. "My &ather(in(law ha ome marvelou tree on hi country etate+ that.
Silver Oak in the #arangian Hill."
%dele &orced her mind up &rom the &ro8en horror o& the pat. $oie &rom downtair
penetrated her awarene. % woman wa houting9creaming9and &eet were pounding
up the tair.
"%h+ that mut be Marina+" :ol&e aid with &ale brightne. Hi eye were gla8ing
and hi &ace looked a rigid a a mummy.. "!.ll ee i& ! can introduce9"
% woman whoe garment were trimmed with o&&(planet &ur burt into the room1
the doorkeeper and everal other ervant &ollowed in her wake. !& the entryway moaic
had &lattered Ligier :ol&e. hairline+ it had e,cied at leat &i&ty pound &rom hi wi&e. She
tended to a naturally ruddy comple,ion1 in her preent anger he looked nearly purple.
"'arling+" aid :ol&e+ "thi i9"
Marina :ol&e &lung %dele. card to the &loor. "LigierA" he aid. "Eet thi woman out
o& hereA She ha no right to :ol&e Houe+ noneA Eet her9"
She turned &rom her tunned(looking huband to %dele. "Eet outA" he cried. "-he
time to protet our claim i pat+ pat year and year ago. !t. :ol&e Houe now and you
have no right to be hereA"
"Cleae+ dearA" :ol&e aid in obviou embarrament. "She. Hut viiting be&ore9"
"Shut up+ youA" hi wi&e aid. "!& you were any kind o& man ! wouldn.t have to take
care o& thi myel&."
Her eye+ brown and hyterically wide+ returned to %dele. "$ow+ are you going to
get out or9"
"$ister :ol&e+" %dele aid. "!& you don.t retrain your dog+ ! will retrain her &or you.
'o you undertand)"
%dele wan.t certain how :ol&e would react to the whiplah in her voice+ though he
didn.t doubt what he would do i& he reacted the wrong way. -he anger leaping within her
threatened to burt through her kin and conume everyone preent.
'ssorted stuffed toys<-i.e florins fifty.
!t houldn.t have mattered+ not againt the greater horror o& %gatha. ten(year(old
head diplayed on the Speaker. :ock1 but it mattered.
"Marina+ you.re overwroughtA" :ol&e aid with a trength %dele hadn.t credited to
him. 2ither he.d undertood what he aw in %dele. eye or+ more likely+ he.d Hut been
horri&ied by hi wi&e. boorih behavior to a guet. -he :ol&e were a noble houe+ a old
a any in the :epublic. "Eo up and wait in my apartment while ! ee Mitre Mundy
out."
He pointed at the doorman+ perhap blaming him &or the outburt. "BouA 2cort your
mitre to my room. !mmediatelyA"
Mitre :ol&e tepped back+ putting her hand to her cheek a though he.d been
lapped. -he houted command had much the ame e&&ect on her hyteria a a lap might
have done1 her breathing teadied and the &luh began to &ade.
"See that you do+ Ligier+" he aid in a controlled voice. She turned and marched up
the tair+ her high(laced hoe whacking the tread in an attempt to ound digni&ied.
-he doorman &ollowed her+ looking over hi houlder+ but the &ootmen who.d
ecorted :ol&e remained on the landing. % tep below them+ miling &aintly a he
watched event in the ervant. lounge+ tood -overa.
Marina :ol&e had been a&raid1 a&raid o& the ame thing a her huband+ now that
%dele had leiure to analy8e it. -he :ol&e thought that the real heir to the Mundy etate
had returned to claim her property. How trange. 'epite 'eirdre Leary. o&&er to look
into the matter+ %dele hadn.t imagined trying to overturn the ettlement baed on the
2dict o& :econciliation twelve year previou.
$ot until now.
:ol&e took a deep breath and looked warily at her. -he le&t corner o& %dele. mouth
/uirked into a mile o& ort. "Bou needn.t worry+ Miter :ol&e+" he aid. "!.ll be leaving
preently. But !.d appreciate the ue o& thi dek9"
She getured toward the wreck beide her. One o& the leg had broken1 that corner
wa upported by a metal document bo,.
"9to write a note. !t. on a matter ! hadn.t given thought to previouly+ but !.d like
my ervant to deliver it be&ore ! leave Geno. !.ll only be a moment."
"O& coure+ mitre+ o& coure+" :ol&e aid. "Bou can ue my9"
He trangled the ret o& the o&&er. He mut uddenly have remembered he.d ent hi
wi&e uptair to hi uite+ rather than down to her own where %dele would have to pa
her on the way out.
"-hi i /uite ade/uate+" %dele aid coolly. She drew out another viiting card and
on the back wrote+

$istress Deirdre Leary&
% "ould appreciate any support you could pro.ide in the matter of my regaining title to
Chats"orth $inor. % "ill *e in touch "ith you on my ne5t return to Cinna*ar.
$undy

She cloed her tylu+ then gave the card to -overa while :ol&e waited with politely
averted eye. "!.ll take my leave now+ Miter :ol&e+" %dele aid aloud. "! appreciate your
hopitality."
:ol&e looked embarraed again+ but at hi /uick geture the &ootmen tarted down
the tair. :ol&e bowed hi guet ahead o& him+ then &ollowed. -he doorman wa till with
hi mitre+ but *ormer pulled the outer door open in &ine tyle+ then cloed it behind
%dele and -overa.
%dele. kin &elt prickly. Her anger wa a cold emotion+ and it le&t her &eeling like
the dirty luh o& a winter treetcape.
"! don.t know where you.ll &ind her+" he aid to her ervant. "!.d try the o&&ice on9"
"!.ll &ind her+ mitre+" the pale woman aid. "%nd !.ll be aboard the hip be&ore it
li&t."
"Be+ that too+" %dele aid. "!.ll meet you there."
-overa looked at :ol&e Houe. "!t bother you)" he aid.
%dele. &ace tightened. -hen he remembered who.d aked the /uetion and aid+
"Be. !t bother me very much."
"!t leave me empty+" -overa aid o&tly. "But then+ everything doe."
She trode toward a monorail plat&orm. She wa /uite unremarkable+ an o&&ice
worker heading home with a brie&cae &ull o& work.
%dele ighed and walked to her own top on the oppoite end o& the treet. -he ky
wa threatening1 there.d be rain be&ore unet+ he uppoed.
-hat would &it her mood /uite well.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER NINE
-
he dri88le gave way to a heet o& rain which thundered on
the hull o& the rincess Cecile and lahed the ur&ace o& Bay -en+ the ready lip to which
the corvette had been tran&erred at the completion o& her re&it. Lightning puled
continuouly+ backlighting the thunderhead without ever triking in the cone o& 'aniel.
viion through the open main hatch.
"Like a cow piing on a &lat rock+" Hogg muttered+ though he didn.t ound
epecially unhappy about it. -he rain wa blating itel& to mit on the canopy over the
walkway &rom the edge o& the pool to the corvette. *atching it+ 'aniel could imagine he
wa in one o& the metal(roo&ed hunting cabin deep in the interior o& Bantry9
!ntead o& waiting &or the arrival o& the courier whom the $avy O&&ice had an hour
ago alerted them to e,pect.
%pparently thinking in the ame track+ 2llie *oetHan aid+ "!& the :C$ don.t teach
you nothing ele+ it.ll teach you to wait." -here wa a choru o&+ "%menA" and "-oo
rightA" &rom the hal& do8en pacer in the the rincess Cecile. entranceway.
*oetHan wa a rangy+ power&ul woman who wa taller than 'aniel by i, inche.
% boun he rapped helmet with a length o& electrical cord to get the attention o&
landmen he wa turning into rigger. $o need o& that with the preent crew+ o& coure.
*oetHan wa oaking wet+ having Hut come in with the team which had changed
out the main hinge o& 'oral I. -he antenna had tuck a &ew degree hort o& cloure
twice during teting. 'aniel had been willing to li&t with it9Hoint looened in ervice+
a&ter all9but ince there were a &ew minute une,pectedly available+ the boun had taken
&ive rigger out depite the rain. She hadn.t bothered to change when he returned in cae
the courier with the rincess Cecile. order arrived during thoe &ew moment. -he crew
wa even more e,cited about the corvette. ne,t deployment than her captain wa.
*ell+ make that as e,cited. %dmiral %nton had called 'aniel in peronally+ a&ter
all. He wouldn.t have done that i& he.d planned to end the rincess Cecile to the Home
S/uadron protecting Cinnabar againt %lliance raider9who had lat attacked ome
eventeen year ago. -here wa every chance that Lt. Leary. &irt operational command
would be an independent one.
"'aniel)" aid %dele. voice through the earphone o& the commo helmet 'aniel wa
wearing along with hi utility uni&orm. "% car and truck have Hut cleared the main gate
with Bay -en a their announced detination. Over."
He hould have gueed that %dele would be monitoring not only ordinary
communication tra&&ic but alo intercepting limited(ditribution meage that he and
her o&tware thought might be o& interet to the rincess Cecile. % truck+ though) *hy
on earth would the courier have a truck with him)
"%dele+" 'aniel aid+ "we.re only about three minute &rom the gate here. *hy don.t
you come Hoin me &or the courier. arrival) Bou can monitor the conole through your
helmet+ you know. Over."
%dele ni&&ed. "Can ! really)" he aid+ not angrily but with enough o& an edge to
remind 'aniel who he.d been talking to. "Cerhap !.ll print out the intruction manual &or
my e/uipment to read while !.m waiting with you. Signal out."
Smiling &aintly but tene all the ame+ 'aniel aid+ "He. on hi way &rom the gate+"
loudly enough to be heard by thoe with him in the entrance. He li&ted hi e/uipment belt
with hi thumb to ettle it more com&ortably over hi hipbone.
-he rain had lackened again+ though that wa hard to tell becaue o& the water till
dripping &rom the antenna through the &lare o& the area light above the rincess Cecile.
hatch. Headlight wept down the curving roadway toward Bay -en in # o& pray. -he
lead vehicle+ illuminated by the &ollowing one+ wa one o& the encloed two(place
cooter ued by the $avy O&&ice meage ervice.
%dele came down the companionway &rom C Level and the bridge. 3nconciouly
her hand bruhed the right cargo pocket where her peronal data unit rode. She had no
need &or pecial tailoring when wearing a utility uni&orm.
-he vehicle pulled up at the helter &or viitor to Bay -en. % &igure in a cloe(
drawn rain cape got out o& the cooter and tarted down the walkway toward the
corvette. hatch+ hunched over againt the weather. -he rain wa coming down harder
again. !t wan.t the downpour o& minute earlier+ but it till blew under the canopy.
"-here. a driver in the car+" Hogg noticed aloud. "Since when do courier get
driver)"
%dele &rowned+ then &lipped down the Hump eat intended &or a entry at the airlock
and took her data unit out. 'aniel glanced at her+ wondering what in the world he wa
doing.
-he wand &lickered. *ithout looking up %dele aid+ "!.m &inding what department
the truck i aigned to. !t vehicle number went into the record when it paed the gate."
'aniel opened hi mouth to ay+ "*ell+ we.ll know in a moment. . . ." But it wan.t
certain that they "ould learn in a moment1 and anyway+ that probably didn.t make any
di&&erence to %dele. She had more &aith in data that he uncovered herel& than he did in
what omebody &rom the $avy O&&ice told her1 and thinking about it+ 'aniel too had
more &aith in what %dele learned in her own &ahion. He wallowed hi comment
unpoken.
-he courier reached the hatch and tepped into the entryway+ out o& the weather. -he
trouer o& hi @nd Cla uni&orm were darkened everal hade &rom the original dove
gray where the rain had oaked them.
"Order &or the o&&icer commanding :CS rincess Cecile+" the man aid+ hi voice
rough. He coughed to clear hi throat.
'aniel tepped &orward. "!.m Lieutenant Leary+ commanding :CS rincess Cecile+"
he aid.
-he ti&&ened bill o& the courier. cowl hadowed hi &ace. He brought &rom beneath
hi cape a packet cloed with the :epublic. eal+ a winged andal+ over an emboed
:C$.
'aniel broke the eal with hi inde, &inger+ watching the holographic wing &lap
three time. !& the envelope had been opened be&ore it reached him+ the charge would
have diipated whether or not the eal itel& were damaged. -here wa no reaon to
upect &orgery+ but the Matri, make people9thoe who urvive9care&ul about detail.
He drew out the document and readF

!a.y )ffice, >? 5i @A
Lt. '. O. Leary+
Comdg. :CS rincess Cecile+ Harbor -hree.
LieutenantF So oon a the :epublic o& Cinnabar corvette which you have been appointed
to command hall be in all repect ready &or pace+ you will proceed to the Strymon
ytem+ touching at uch port a you may think proper.
!& poible you will meet at Se,burga the /uadron under Commodore Cettin+ already en
route to Strymon+ and place yourel& under hi command &or the remainder o& the cruie.
!& you do not Hoin Commodore Cettin en route+ you will report to him in the Strymon
ytem.
'uring your preence at Strymon you will do all in your power to cherih+ on the part o&
their government+ good &eeling toward the :epublic o& Cinnabar. !n addition you will
carry out uch other dutie a are placed on you by competent authoritie. Bou will return
to Cinnabar in accordance with the direction o& Commodore Cettin.
-he courier bearing thee order will provide additional oral intruction which you will
carry out a a part o& your dutie.
Bou will communicate to all the o&&icer under your command the order o& thi O&&ice
that no one be concerned in a duel during the coure o& thi cruie.
Commending you and your hip company to the protection o& 'ivine Crovidence+ and
wihing you a pleaant cruie and a a&e return to your planet and &riend+ ! am+
#ery repect&ully+
%nton

Drowning lightly+ 'aniel handed the dipatch to %dele to read. -o the courier he
aid+ "Bou have oral intruction &or me)"
-he courier undid hi cape. throat catch and hrugged the garment o&&. !t &ell on the
deck behind him. He wa 'elo #aughn. He aid+ "!ndeed ! do+ Lieutenant."
'aniel. &ace didn.t change. He aid nothing while hi mind hu&&led through
poibilitie.
"%nd ! have a reerve naval commiion+" #aughn continued in the ilence1 harply+
a little nervou in the &ace o& 'aniel. lack o& reaction. "! have a per&ect right to wear thi
uni&orm."
-he other preent were taking their cue &rom 'aniel. %part &rom %dele+ none o&
them aw anything remarkable in the ituation.
"%ll right+ Mr. #aughn+" 'aniel aid. "Come into my cabin and you can deliver your
intruction."
He turned+ catching %dele. eye. She.d rien to her &eet when the courier arrived+ but
the data unit wa till in her hand. She gave a minute hake o& her head+ her e,preion
guarded.
"-here. no need &or privacy+ Lieutenant+" #aughn aid. "-he &urther intruction are
that you carry me to Strymon aboard your veel+ and that you provide me with uch
aitance a i commenurate with your dutie a an o&&icer o& the :epublic."
"Mr. #aughn . . ." 'aniel aid. -he torm had reumed in all it elemental &ury. !t
thunder and actinic glare were anchor &or 'aniel. mind+ undercoring how trivial human
concern were againt the maHety o& nature. "%n :C$ corvette i not a pleaure yacht.
Cerhap9"
"Bou have your order+ Mr. Leary+" #aughn aid+ momentarily the aritocrat to a
ervant. "-hey are clear+ are they not)"
'aniel &elt hi &ace tighten and grow warm with the blood riing to the kin. "Juite
clear+ Mr. #aughn+" he aid.
"% &or the com&ort o& a yacht+" #aughn aid+ a gentleman to a peer again+ "! don.t
re/uire anything e,ceive &or the &ew month the voyage will re/uire. -he van there9"
He twited hi head+ ketching a geture toward the vehicle waiting at the poolide.
"9hold my baggage. *e can tore it here in the entryway &or the moment. % oon
a we.ve reached orbit+ you can e,pend a miile and then put the baggage in the emptied
miile rack. %nd you.ll need to &ind accommodation &or my two ervant+ though they
can leep with the common pacer."
He beamed at 'aniel in open(&aced enthuiam.
'aniel had a udden viion o& himel& a a cog in a vat machine which tretched
away in all direction. Cart whirring+ trembling1 wheel and piton and lide in vibrant
motion+ and omewhere a control board at which a &acele &igure at. He thought+ % am
Daniel Leary, officer *y grace of (od and the "ill of the Senate. % am not a cog in
anyone's machine:
"! ee+ Mr. #aughn+" he aid aloud. "% you ay+ my order are clear. Bou may board
with the clothe you.re tanding in. *e won.t be making room &or your trap by leening
our combat e&&ectivene in time o& war1 but a you ay+ the &irt leg o& the cruie
houldn.t be too long. %nd we haven.t room to accommodate ervant &or
upernumerarie+ !.m a&raid. -hi i a corvette+ not a battlehip."
The first leg "ould *e no more than eighteen days or he'd kno" the reason "hy:
"*e can &ind you utilitie to wear+ !.m ure+ until you can buy civilian kit at our &irt
planet&all."
He nodded to %dele. "Since O&&icer Mundy+" he aid+ "ha moved into the captain.
lounge9"
One o& the two mall cabin o& 'aniel. uite o&& the bridge+ intended &or entertaining
non(:C$ guet where they wouldn.t have acce to a conole tied into the corvette. data
bank.
"9then we can put the paenger in that cabin." He miled at #aughn. "*hich you
will be haring+ ir+ with the in&irmary and Medic1 i& you.re determined to take paage
with u."
"Bou know ! don.t care where ! leep+ 'aniel+" %dele aid with a moue o& irritation.
"$or do !+ Lieutenant Leary+" #aughn aid+ grinning9to 'aniel. urprie9in
ati&action. "But i& it han.t become a point o& honor with you+ ! have two mall cae
waiting in the car that brought me. !n total they amount to the one and a hal& cubic &eet
permitted a midhipman under naval regulation. %nd !.ll hire a pacer to do &or me on
board+ a ! believe i cutomary)"
'ren't you a cle.er de.il8 'aniel thought. Trying me on to see if %'d let you ha.e
"hate.er you "anted. ' Leary of Bantry ko"to"ing to a foreigner:
"Be+" 'aniel aid aloud. "-hat hould be workable."
He checked the time on the &lat multi&unction card he wore on a writ clip while in
utilitie+ then looked up again. "Bou have &ive minute to get your two cae aboard+ Mr.
#aughn."
He miled and &elt the thrill o& the word a he added+ "*e.re to li&t hip a oon a
we.re ready+ you ee. %nd the rincess Cecile i ready &or her &irt operational cruie
nowA"
P P P
% the rincess Cecile trembled+ white ring became blue olid on the idebar to
%dele. communication diplay. One at a time+ eight o& themF the plama thruter
witching &rom tandby to live+ e,pelling minute tream o& white(hot ion into the pool.
#ery hortly 'aniel would lide hi linked throttle &orward and the thruter would li&t
the corvette to tranatmopheric orbit.
%dele wa detached+ una&&ected by the tene butle o& the bridge around her. She had
dutie at thi moment+ though they were o& the negative varietyF to block all incoming
meage unle they directly concerned the veel. li&to&&. -he operation wa comple,
and potentially dangerou i& botched+ though there wa more rik o& the un going dark in
the ne,t minute. Between the time the li&to&& e/uence began until the rincess Cecile
reached orbit+ even %dmiral %nton could wait.
Bett+ the Chie& Miileer+ and Sun+ the gunner. mate9a corvette wa too mall to
rate a mater gunner9were taut at their conole to the le&t o& %dele.+ though neither o&
them had a much to do with the proce o& li&to&& a the Signal O&&icer did. *oetHan
and a team o& rigger waited in the corridor. -hey would climb onto the hull a&ter the
rincess Cecile reached an altitude at which the antenna could be deployed. -hat would
be at leat ten minute and might be thirty+ but the rigger already wore their uit with
the &aceplate hinged open.
-hey were all pacer+ &eeling a reponibility to the hip and it per&ormance. -o
%dele+ the rincess Cecile wa the metal bo, in which he happened to ride at the
moment. She would do her Hob and whatever ele 'aniel or another aked o& her+ but he
couldn.t even pretend to care whether the hip roe to orbit9a it would+ a urely a the
un would rie9or intead e,ploded here in Harbor -hree.
-he hatche were cloed+ the thruter lighted1 the &uion bottle that provided both
plama and au,iliary power wa a green phere in %dele. holographic diplay+ and the
High 'rive a hollow green(edged bar indicating that the antimatter converter wa on
tandby but &ully &unctional. %dele didn.t need to echo the hip. indicator on her creen1
he did o merely &rom a deire to how olidarity with the ret o& the crew to whom they
were important.
% mile touched the corner o& her lip. %f the ship *lo"s up here, "ho "ill $istress
Sand get to replace me8 $ot that the anwer wa o& any real cone/uence to %dele. She
Hut liked in&ormation.
'aniel poke terely+ authoritatively. -he conole. dynamic uppreor cancelled
the ound o& the word even a &ew inche away. %dele could have litened to the
converation on a dedicated line to the power room+ but there wa no need to. Lt. Leary
wa receiving oral con&irmation &rom Chie& Caternak o& what the intrument howedF
the rincess Cecile wa ready to li&t.
'aniel grinned through hi holographic diplay which wa only a ha8e o& light
e,cept to the eye o& the peron eated at the conole. Hi hand touched a witch and an
electronic alarm whitled three time on a riing note. Signal light puled red to orange+
warning the crew during time that ound wouldn.t carry becaue the hip wa
depreuri8ed.
'aniel brought the throttle &orward in a mooth motion. -he linkage wa phyical
rather than virtual o that the captain had &eedback through hi own &leh intead o& Hut a
gauge to watch.
%dele &le,ed her &inger+ imagining the control wand between them. -he trained
human body i capable o& wonder&ul ubtlety. 3ne,pected+ unwanted+ he remembered a
boy. &ace bulging a the bullet &rom her pitol punched through the bridge o& hi noe.
-hat had re/uired only a &ew ounce. preure+ e,pertly applied by a trigger &inger trained
in the gallery in the baement o& Chatworth Minor.
-he thruter roared to &ull power+ /uee8ing %dele down in her eat. !t wa a gentle
preure1 even with the antenna &olded at minimum length along the hull and the ail
&urled tightly to them+ a tarhip wan.t treed &or high acceleration.
Ship covered intertellar ditance by entering bubble univere where phyical
contant di&&ered &rom thoe o& the idereal univere+ but velocity wa conerved during
the paage. -here wa no need o& high acceleration when you could leave the univere
&or one in which ditance were logarithmically horter and the preure o& Caimir
radiation drove veel acro light(year in a matter o& hour. -he High 'rive+ though
very e&&icient+ wa needed only &or maneuvering over ditance too hort &or the captain
to trut her atrogation.
-he rincess Cecile bucked and tarted to yaw. 'aniel. hand danced on the
throttle. %dele napped her eye to her own diplay. -he indicator &or the third thruter
in the upper bank9tarboard9wa /uivering. !t dropped to a hollow gray circle at the
ame time a the indicator kitty(corner9Cort -wo9became a white tandby circle.
-he rincess Cecile teadied. %dele thought he &elt a minucule vibration that
hadn.t been preent be&ore+ but he might be imagining a change becaue her mind knew
something had happened.
Her &inger touched a key with the ame preciion a 'aniel had hown in Huggling
the throttle. -hrough her helmet Chie& Caternak wa houting+ "7ing *loody *racket
ga.e and the feed line started thrashing like half an earth"orm: ,enning's got a loop of
cargo tape on the "hore, and "e'll ha.e her "elded in num*ers three minutes. ).er:"
"Carry on, chief+" 'aniel aid calmly. She glanced at him again. Hi &ace wore an
abent(minded mile a he tweaked a throttle9no longer linked to the other even9and
the vibration moothed to glay per&ection. "'fter all, this is a shakedo"n cruise. !eeds
must "e can reach altitude on four thrusters. Bridge out."
"Engineering out."
!ntead o& concentrating on hi diplay a %dele e,pected+ 'aniel tabbed the public
addre witch a &orce&ully a i& he were trying to dent the plate beneath hi virtual
keyboard. %dele miledF a control wa never in doubt when 'aniel activated it. He le&t
delicacy &or other.
"Captain to ship," peaker aid+ the word echoing themelve &rom the ceiling o&
every compartment. "The "aterline feeding Star*oard Three came adrift. Engineering
has it Bury1rigged, and it'll *e at a hundred percent in a fe" minutes. Bridge out."
% 'aniel witched o&&+ he aw %dele watching him &rom the other ide o& hi
diplay. He grinned and made an O &rom hi right thumb and inde, &inger+ then went
back to hi control.
%dele did the ame. O& course 'aniel wouldn.t &orget that the crew would worry9or
at leat wonder9becaue the rincess Cecile. thrut had gone ragged. Hi duty wa even
more to the peronnel than it wa to the veel. hardware.
Spacer houted to one another. 3nder normal circumtance only the o&&icer had
communication helmet. *hen ordinary crewmen poke to one another+ they had to
make themelve heard over the thruter. -he puling thunder muted a the corvette roe
through ever(thinner layer o& atmophere+ but even in hard vacuum the &abric o& the hip
hivered in a kind o& low moan.
-wo crewmen ran along the corridor carrying a rope(handled &ootlocker between
them. -hey diappeared down the companionway+ undeterred by the weight and
awkwardne o& their burden. %dele hadn.t any idea what they were doing+ whether it wa
a problem or imply peronal belonging that omebody had &orgotten to tow be&ore
li&to&&.
-he whitle called a two(note ignal1 the emergency light glowed blue &or a
moment. %dele remembered the call &rom when the rincess Cecile le&t ;otromaF
atmopheric denity had &allen to the point that the captain could witch power to the
High 'rive at will.
'aniel engaged the C% ytem again. "Engaging the ,igh Dri.e+" he announced in a
tone o emotionle a to ound bored. He waited till(&aced &or &ive beat o& the econd
hand+ backed the throttle to /uarter power+ and with hi right hand threw the toggle that
hut o&& &uel to the plama thruter at the ame time a it engaged the matter(antimatter
power plant.
-he rincess Cecile huddered. % high(pitched keen replaced the tremble o& the
plama motor. %ny change in acceleration wa too ubtle &or %dele to ene+ but he did
&eel a light /ueaine+ &amiliar &rom her previou e,perience.
-he High 'rive delivered it thrut &rom a multithroated central port rather than
eight9i, during mot o& thi li&to&&9widely eparated plama no88le. !t wa a though
the rincess Cecile were balancing her thirteen hundred ton on the point o& a needle.
-he control kept the corvette aligned by minute change in the thrut vector. -he
direction o& "down" changed many time a econd.
%dele miled wryly. !n thi cae+ the delicate meauring ability o& her inner ear wa a
detriment to her well(being.
On a udden whim+ he &illed her diplay with a holographic image o& the planet
beneath. -he &irt time he.d le&t Cinnabar+ he.d at in the paenger lounge and watched
her world hrink on the diplay. She hadn.t &ound it particularly intereting. Being who
he wa+ he.d watched a per&ect imulation o& the proce a oon a he decided to
continue her chooling on Blythe.
Di&teen year ago+ %dele had e,pected to return home. More accurately+ it had never
croed her mind that he wouldn.t return home+ much le that her home would ceae to
e,it. $ow . . .
%dele turned &rom the image o& a planet+ the line o& it continent o&tened by the
blue ha8e o& atmophere+ and looked at the pacer around her. -hey were intent+ ready
&or an emergency but cheer&ul nonethele. Bett and Sun lapped hand in
acknowledgment o& a ucce&ul li&to&&+ and the rigger Hoked in the corridor.
%dele laughed aloud. She didn.t worry about coming home again thi time either.
Becaue thi time he wa taking her home with her.
P P P
'aniel roe &rom hi conole and tretched+ a &ull(bodied e,ercie that ended with
him leaning backward and bracing hi hand on the eatback with a deck andal locked
around the chairpot. Li&to&&9and landing+ even more o9were o all(involving that
tenion drew hi mucle up like drying rawhide until the Hob wa complete.
'elo #aughn walked onto the bridge+ miling pleaantly. He wore a et o& &awn
coverall which were utilitarian in cut+ though greae tain would how a they didn.t
againt the gray(on(gray mottling o& :C$ utilitie. Over hi le&t breat pocket wa a tape
with hi name in glowing gold letter.
"%llow me to be the &irt to congratulate you+ Lieutenant+" #aughn aid. "Bour
recovery wa o /uick that ! carcely noticed the ytem &ailure."
9ou ha.e no *usiness on my *ridge: 'aniel thought. ' *racket snapping on liftoff is
no more a systems failure than you're an #C! officer:
"-hank you+ Mr. #aughn+" 'aniel aid aloud+ "but !.d appreciate it i& you.d conider
the bridge o&&(limit unle ! in&orm you otherwie. -hi i a warhip on active ervice."
-urning hi attention immediately to hi conole o that the comment would appear
trivial rather than an angry dreing(down+ 'aniel keyed the Battle 'irection Center
channel. "Mr. Mon)" he aid. "Come to the bridge pleae and take the conn. !.m going
topide."
")n the "ay, $r. Leary+" Mon replied immediately. -here wa no need to go
through &ull communication protocol on a dedicated line+ any more than there wa when
dealing with one. &ellow &ace(to(&ace.
'aniel traightened and again glanced around him. #aughn had retreated into the
corridor. He wa watching with the bright interet o& a bird but wa care&ul not to
inter&ere with the team o& rigger preparing to go onto the hull. He mut have &elt 'aniel.
glance+ &or he waved an inde, &inger in &riendly greeting.
"O&&icer Mundy+" 'aniel aid in a carrying voice+ "we.re preparing our initial entry
into the Matri,. !.d appreciate it i& you.d Hoin me on the hull."
% he poke+ 'aniel &elt a &lah o& reentment+ an uncommon emotion &or him.
Having a paenger like #aughn wa almot a bad a9indeed+ perhap wore than9
carrying a enior o&&icer. He couldn.t &eel that the rincess Cecile wa really hi+ the way
the o&&icer commanding hould be able to do. %lthough now that 'aniel analy8ed hi
&eeling+ he couldn.t ee why he should react that way to a &oreign civilian.
"*hy ye+ thank you+ 'aniel+" %dele aid in pleaant+ cultured impropriety. She roe
&rom her conole. "! uppoe ! hould have that e,perience. $ow that !.m an :C$ o&&icer+
that i."
' .alued mem*er of the #C!, 'aniel thought+ letting the grin reach hi lip. #C!
officer in the sense that instructors at the 'cademy "ould understand it, though . . . that
"ould *e going a little far.
*oetHan gave 'aniel a thumb(up. He nodded. -he boun tongued a control in her
helmet and the cheery+ &our(note :igger %lo&t call rang &rom the C% ytem a the ignal
light puled yellow.
Lt. Mon9dark+ wiry and pro&eional9wa triding down the corridor+ dodging
obtacle both human and inanimate+ motly e/uipment tored there &or lack o& a better
place. 'aniel nodded to him at the hatchway+ aid+ "Bou have the conn+" and lipped pat
with the eae o& long practice.
%dele hi&ted le&t when he hould have gone right and bounced o&& Mon. arm+ then
bumped 'aniel &rom behind. !t wa ama8ing that a peron with the phyical de,terity
%dele howed at a conole9or with a pitol9could o conitently move in the wrong
direction when he had to get &rom one point in a tarhip to another.
%nd o& coure when he wa on a tarhip it wa wore. 'aniel reminded himel& to
attach her a&ety line peronally.
-he Bow 'oral airlock wa cycling+ ending *oetHan and &ive rigger onto the
hull. Si, more crewmen waited to &ollow the &irt watchF the initial deployment o&
antenna and ail employed all the rigger rather than merely the port or tarboard
watch.
Burridge+ one o& the waiting rigger+ toed 'aniel a uit &rom the open locker. He
lid into it like a body tocking+ then glanced at %dele to help her i& he wa having
di&&iculty.
She wan.tF 'ai and 0ona held %dele by the arm while Burridge pulled the uit
over her limb and toro with a little ceremony or trouble a a cook ha tu&&ing a
auage. Drom %dele. e,preion o& mild diinteret+ the proce wan.t one that
diturbed her. #aughn+ /uee8ed againt the oppoite bulkhead to keep out o& the way+
watched with a &rown.
-he light over the airlock glowed green+ indicating the outer door wa ealed. 'ai+
the team. enior man+ lammed the crah bar with a gloved hand and led hi rigger into
the lock. 'aniel latched %dele. &acehield+ drew her with him into the lock9it would
hold a do8en in a pinch+ time when peed wa more important than com&ort9and locked
hi own hield cloed.
-he world wa ilence e,cept &or 'aniel. own breathing+ heavy and echoing until he
caught himel& and conciouly lowed it. He met %dele. eye through the &aceplate o&
optical(grade moianite and grinned. She wouldn.t be able to ee hi lip+ but the
mucle around her eye crinkled in an anwering grin.
-he outer lock opened. -he &irt reult o& air venting into pace wa that the light
went &latF there wa no longer a di&&racting atmophere to o&ten and pread the
illumination.
-he rigger urged out o& the lock+ each one going to a predetermined pot. 'aniel
&ollowed+ hu&&ling &orward o that one electromagnetic boot wa alway &lat againt the
teel hull. He kept hi right hand on %dele. e/uipment belt.
-he rincess Cecile wa preading her antenna a /uickly a the rigger could
unlock them &rom their cradle along the hull. Hydraulic preure e,tended and
telecoped the mat and yard. 'aniel noticed a do8en place where tarlight blurred into
iridecent &og. Some leakage wa inevitable where new gaket hadn.t worked in or old
gaket had worn+ and the vacuum o& pace emphai8ed the &law. % trained eye9and
'aniel. wa9could tell the di&&erence between a trivial eepage and a potential problem.
He leaned to touch hi helmet to %dele.. "Look at Cort -wo+" he aid+ pointing
&orward toward the econd mat on the corvette. port ide. "!& that leak doen.t low by
tomorrow+ we.ll have to do omething about it. -he main Hoint i new+ and the eal may
have been pinched when it wa being replaced."
%dele turned to &ollow the line o& 'aniel. &inger+ taking her helmet out o& contact
with hi. :igger. uit weren.t normally &itted with radio. %n accidental tranmiion in
the Matri, could have incalculable9literally9e&&ect on a hip. velocity and location in
regard to the idereal univere.
-he rigger didn.t adHut the ailF hydraulic controlled &rom the bridge did that. But
the pump+ the Hoint+ the parrel9even the goamer &abric9were machine and worked
the way good machine doF mot o& the time.
-he rigger patched and tretched and replaced. !& an antenna wa beyond /uick
repair they ignaled the problem through the hull+ uing a hydromechanical emaphore
with a keyboard &or unuually comple, problem. -he captain and navigation computer
could then chooe another olution to the atrogation tak.
!t wan.t a handicap &or a trained crew to operate by emaphore and hand ignal
even while the hip wa in normal pace. :igger a e,perienced a thoe o& the rincess
Cecile. preent crew could put a hip through her pace with no direction at all. Stiction+
leak+ breakage9all were a obviou to the crewmen a they were to *oetHan or 'aniel+
and they could do the repair in their leep.
-he rigger didn.t need to talk. 'aniel needed to be on the hull to talk to %dele
without rik o& being overheard. Dor thi too the lack o& a radio wa an advantage+ o long
a both partie remembered they had to keep their helmet touching to hear one another.
*hich %dele now did+ a moment late+ clanking her head back againt 'aniel.. He
winced+ more at the thought than &rom the hock itel&. :igger. gear had to be able to
take a hammering+ but the very violence o& the environment meant pacer learned to be
a gentle a a nure handling in&ant.
"Sorry+ 'aniel+" he aid contritely. %dele had the aving grace o& knowing he wa
clumy on hipboard. -he dipatch veel 'glaia &rom which mot o& the rincess
Cecile. crew were drawn had o&ten carried high(ranking civilian. Some o& them inited
on coming out on the hull but becaue o& pride re&ued to wear a a&ety line like the one
which Hoined %dele to 'aniel. *oetHan told o& leaping between mat to nag a treaury
o&&icial who wa on hi way toward Canopu i& he hadn.t caught him.
"%dele+ !.d aked an ac/uaintance in Doreign %&&air about 'elo #aughn+" 'aniel
aid+ holding hi &riend tight o that he wouldn.t abentmindedly pull away. "! wa told
that &or reaon o& tate #aughn would never be allowed to leave Cinnabar. %h+ ! don.t
want to be privy to any matter that aren.t my buine to know+ but i& there. anything
you can in good concience tell me . . . )"
%dele turned to &ace him+ then caught herel& and brought her helmet back in contact
temple to temple. "My in&ormation wa much the ame a your+ 'aniel+" he aid.
"-hough ! hould emphai8e that ! wan.t peci&ically told anything about #aughn."
-here wa a paue1 'aniel knew hi &riend well enough to viuali8e her &rowning a
he choe word with her uual preciion. "-he thing i+" he aid+ her voice robbed o& all
overtone by the method o& tranmiion+ "! would have e,pected that ! "ould be told+
epecially i& #aughn were to be travelling on the ame veel a me. 2ven though hi
a&&air have no direct connection with mine or thoe o& the :C$."
'aniel didn.t know what other dutie %dele had to the :epublic+ but he knew there
had to be a connection well above that o& the Ceronnel Bureau in the $avy O&&ice. Her
kill made her a marvelou addition to the rincess Cecile. crew+ but there wa no way
in Hell that a &acele clerk would have approved a ignal warrant &or omeone with
%dele. de&iciencie on paper.
'aniel had been prepared to ue what in&luence he had. -he "Hero o& ;otroma"
buine didn.t gain him much ground in the :C$ directly+ but there were admiral. wive
to whom he might eem a romantic &igure. %ll the more o+ becaue young Leary wa
trying to get hi lady&riend aboard hi hip in depite o& a hard(hearted bureaucracy.
He might have ucceeded+ but he hadn.t had to try. %dele. warrant whiked through
the $avy O&&ice like gra through a gooe. !t wa delivered to the rincess Cecile be&ore
the port commander decided which bay the corvette would re&it in.
'aniel grinned. %dele wa hi &riend+ and he wa a lady in every ene o& the word1
but &or romance+ 'aniel pre&erred omething younger+ rounder and+ &rankly+ not o smart.
Beide which+ o &ar a 'aniel had been able to tell+ %dele had no interet in romance
whatever.
-he ail were tretching the length o& the yard. -he electrotatic &abric wa o thin
that bright tar were viible through it. Dor thi initial deployment Mon wa running
everything out to it ma,imum e,tent. -he antenna and ail mechanim had been teted
thoroughly on the ground+ but vacuum and the vibration o& li&to&& could e,poe &law that
would only appear in real ervice.
"%ren.t they beauti&ul)" 'aniel aid+ peaking more to himel& than hi companion.
% warhip. enormou uit o& ail preading to hadow the univere wa a ight to move
a dead man.
"*hat i+ 'aniel)" %dele aid. "Cinnabar &rom up here+ you mean)"
' dead man, *ut not necessarily a li*rarian. "%h+" 'aniel aid aloud. "! wa thinking
o& the arrangement o& the ail &ully et. !mpoing their own order on the univere+ o to
peak."
Cinnabar wa "riing" beneath them a the rincess Cecile rotated lowly on her
a,i+ though that wan.t a ight 'aniel would ever have called attention to. Clanet were
very intereting place9when you were on the ground. Drom low orbit+ they were imply
a di&&icult problem in hiphandling.
Be&ore he le&t the bridge+ 'aniel had programmed a rotation to introduce a light
angular train on the rig. -he purpoe o& a hakedown cruie wa to &ind anything that
might have gone wrong during a re&it. 'aniel appreciated the compliment implied when
%dmiral %nton ordered the rincess Cecile into operational ervice immediately+ but he
till intended to wring out the corvette while he had the leiure o& no one hooting at
them.
"%h+" aid %dele in turn. She hi&ted lightly in an obviou attempt to &eel what
'aniel &elt.
-he rig had reached it &ullet e,tent1 now it element began to retract to the etting
programmed &or entry into the Matri,. Mat and yard telecoped+ rotating on their a,e
and occaionally tilting to bring the ail into precie alignment.
"'aniel+" %dele aid. She.d lowered her voice re&le,ively o that 'aniel could barely
make out the word vibrating &rom her helmet to hi. "#aughn being ent back to
Strymon mean either that there are &action in the government working outide the
knowledge o& . . . the people who talk to me. Or that when they talk to me+ they conceal
a much a they tell. 3n&ortunately+ both o& thoe option are /uite poible."
"Be+" 'aniel aid+ puring hi lip in a look o& &rutration. He thought o& hi own
interview with %dmiral %ntonF what he.d been told9virtually nothing9and what he
hadn.t. "-he ame. true within the :C$+ o& coure. *ell+ we.ll make do+ won.t we)"
-he rincess Cecile wa about to enter the Matri,F 'aniel &elt the charge building.
He.d never been ure whether it wa a real enation or omething hi oul recogni8ed.
2ngineer had worn to him that a rigger. uit wa completely inulated+ even i& the
minute potential being bled into the ail could be ened at all.
!t happened. -he charged &abric o& the ail &ormed a erie o& preciely calculated
barrier againt the Caimir radiation that &looded the como. Creure that could not be
relieved in the idereal univere built up+ hi&ting the rincess Cecile9
Eolden light u&&ued the corvette+ throwing her rig and outide crew into ilhouette
a though againt an angel. wing. 'aniel hivered with anticipation.
Calpable energy &lared. -he rincess Cecile lipped &rom the univere o& her creation
into the greater glowing in&inity that would take her to Strymon . . . under the command
o& Lt. 'aniel Leary.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER TEN
'
ai and Barne had collaped the wall between the two room
o& the captain. uite+ then pegged it down a a central table. -he bunk9'aniel. and the
one &rom what had become %dele. cabin9became cuhioned benche at the long ide
o& the table. -he arrangement wa tight+ but not notably wore than any other portion o&
the corvette. interior.
'aniel beamed at hi guet &rom behind the data conole+ now revered at the head
o& the table. %dele knew that thi wa the &irt operational command group meeting
'aniel had called a captain+ and he wa correpondingly proud. $ot that 'aniel ever did
anything with le than enthuiam.
-here wa no &ormal eating order+ but Mon at at the captain. right and the other
had by ilent conenu granted %dele the eat at 'aniel. le&t. !n the middle place were
the other watch(tanding o&&icerF Caternak+ *oetHan+ Bett and the hip. machinit+
-aley.
-he two midhipmen+ 'ort and #eey+ at in the end eat with big eye and their
lip clamped nervouly hut. -hey were preent to educate them+ not by right+ ince they
ranked only a petty o&&icer. -hey.d reported aboard a &ew hour be&ore the rincess
Cecile li&ted o&&F the grandon o& an old hipmate o& Stacey Bergen+ and an intene young
woman who.d brought 'aniel a curtly phraed introduction &rom ;lemch+ the Secretary
to the $avy Board.
%dele had checked their background+ o& coure. Chance were #eey wa the
batard o& Senator 'ryer1 her record at the %cademy wa &ar uperior to that o& 'ort in
any cae.
-overa had put glae at the place+ and Hogg held a tray with a cara&e o& a
repectable Cinnabar herry. -he wine wa too &ruity &or %dele. tate+ but he wouldn.t
have to drink much o& it. Open bottle didn.t lat long+ not in a company o& naval o&&icer.
"Ca the wine+ Hogg+" 'aniel aid. "Dellow o&&icer+ you know our order are to Hoin
the /uadron under Commodore Cettin en route to Strymon. % Cettin li&ted &rom
Cinnabar ten day ahead o& u+ that mean we.ll have to crack on a bit."
"-oo true+" aid -aley+ nodding olemnly9an e,preion that came naturally to her
a he looked a cadaverou a a corpe buried three week. "%nd right a&ter a re&it+ too.
!.ll be buy in the repair hop+ ! can ee that now."
"! dare ay we.ll all be buy+ -aley+" 'aniel aid with a grin. "Becaue ! propoe to
reach Se,burga with no intermediate planet&all. *e.ll only make dip back into idereal
pace to take tar ight."
"Holy Dather o& EraceA" Bett aid. -he miileer toed o&& hi herry and would
have retrieved the cara&e i& Hogg hadn.t interpoed hi hip o that little #eey could erve
herel&. "-hat. three week+ Captain. -hey ay that the devil himel& walk the corridor
i& you.re that long in the Matri,."
"!& he doe+" aid Caternak tartly+ "then we.ve the &irt proo& o& religion that %'.e
ever heard. *e.ll be &amou &or bringing the com&ort o& &aith to benighted keptic o& the
ort !.ve been all thee year."
%dele. eye narrowed lightly. Both o&&icer had gained their e,perience aboard
large veel operating a part o& a &leet.
"-he 'ggie wa under &or twelve day+ bringing the new o& the *ro,ter Dight back
to Cinnabar+" *oetHan aid+ knuckling her carred Haw. "! aw my mother on the bridge+
all tarted up like he wa when we buried her."
"! think we can manage the leg in eventeen day+ Bett+" 'aniel aid. "!.m uing
Commander Bergen. log+ and ! like the way the Matri, ha been haping thu &ar."
He miled+ then hrugged. "%nd Caternak) !.ve never e,perienced !mmerion
Chantom myel&9"
He nodded to the boun.
"9a *oetHan ha+ but !.ve heard my uncle and hi &ellow talk about them o&ten
enough. -hey.re /uite real and we.ll have to bear with them+ !.m a&raid. On the credit ide+
!.ve never heard that phantom do any ort o& harm."
"-here. been hip that didn.t come back &rom the Matri,+ though+" Bett aid+ hi
eye &ollowing the cara&e.
"So there have+" 'aniel aid with a harpne that turned agreement into omething
Hut hort o& a rebuke. "But the rincess Cecile i going to reenter the idereal univere+
o that needn.t concern u here."
%dele took her wine+ and Hogg emptied the ret into 'aniel. gla. -overa wa
&illing another cara&e1 the label wa identical+ but the &luid within had a mauve undertone
that the &irt bottle hadn.t. 'aniel wouldn.t think o& cutting the /uality o& what hi guet
drank a&ter they.d had a &irt gla&ul to numb their tate+ but Hogg wan.t one to pour hi
mater. money down a rathole i& he aw other option.
"! erved with Cettin at *i,allia Bae+" Mon aid+ &rowning a though he.d Hut been
told hi leg had to be amputated. Mon had more e,perience than mot with getting bad
new+ and he.d per&ected a uitable e,preion. "Mot Eod&oraken place anybody
thought to plant a Cinnabar &lag. ! tarted drinking."
-he lieutenant glared down the length o& the table a i& daring anyone to contradict
him. -here wa mall chance o& thatF Mon drank on ;otroma+ on Cinnabar+ and on
hipboard+ though %dele had never een him unable to carry out hi dutie.
Mon grinned ourly. "Cettin prayed. Believe me+ !.d rather have erved under a drunk
than a pulpit(pounder. 'nd it didn.t help him with the $avy O&&ice. He wa promoted
captain+ all right+ but he retired on hal&(pay &our year ago. He.d till be retired i& it wan.t
the war. on again."
He raied hi gla+ Hut re&illed by Hogg. "Eod ble the warA" he aid.
"Eod bleA" echoed other o&&icer+ the midhipmen the loudet. 'aniel /uirked a
mile but didn.t drink that toat1 %dele et the peronal data unit be&ore her on the table
and picked up it wand.
"Bou ay M/uadron+. " -aley aid. "Being we.re going to the back o& beyond+ all the
way into the Sack+ ! uppoe that mean a couple crock that hould.ve been broken up
thirty year back+ doe it)"
"-he heavy cruier Winckelmann+" 'aniel anwered mildly. "-he %rchaeologit
Cla wa an innovative deign+ though he. not new+ o& coure. *ith the detroyer
etty and 'cti.e."
"-he 'cti.e)" Bett aid. "She "as broken up+ ! heard. -wo thruter blew out while
he wa landing and he hit a pier with her bow."
"-hey cut the &orward ection o&& and mated her to what wa le&t o& the lump when
her -okamak &ailed+" Caternak aid. "-hey kept the 'cti.e. name+ ! gue becaue he
hadn.t killed /uite o many o& her crew a the lump did."
'aniel glanced at %dele. "Mundy+ do you have in&ormation on the complement o&
Commodore Cettin. hip)" he aid.
%dele hadn.t been e,pecting the /uetion+ but he.d abently brought up data on the
three veel a 'aniel poke their name. She increaed the diplay. aturation &or eaier
reading+ then aid+ "-he detroyer are crewed at eventy percent o& their organi8ational
tandard. -he cruier i at i,ty(&ive percent."
-here were eventeen meage &rom Captain Cettin9Commodore when the
/uadron li&ted o&&+ under hi command a enior captain in lieu o& an admiral9
demanding that the Bureau o& Ceronnel provide him with more pacer. -he only
repone he.d gotten wa the M2SS%E2 :2C2!#2' notation that the bureau. computer
created without the intervention even o& a Hunior clerk.
"Hide our complement record+ M. Mundy+" *oetHan aid+ looking acro the table
at %dele. "Cettin.ll take &orty o& our people i& he learn we.re &ully ta&&ed+ and with real
pacer intead o& the landmen he.ll have in hal& hi berth."
"She can.t+" Mon aid adly. "-he pay record can.t be changed till we reach home
port again and link to $avy O&&ice databae. *hen our ytem handhake with the
Winckelmann+ it.ll all be there &or Cettin to ee."
"O& coure ! can change it+" %dele aid. "Should !+ or wa that a Hoke+ *oetHan)"
"%ctually+ that would be rather help&ul+" 'aniel aid+ puring hi lip in care&ul
conideration. "-hat i+ i& it can be done without riking the pay or widow. penion o&
any o& the peronnel+ that i)"
"O& coure+" %dele repeated. She didn.t ee why the o&&icer thought it wa that
complicated a procedure. %ny navigational computer had u&&icient power to de&eat a
payroll encryption+ and the rincess Cecile9becaue o& %dele. ecret aignment9had
peciali8ed o&tware beide.
'aniel miled like the un riing. "*oetHan and Caternak+ a&ter the meeting pleae
give O&&icer Mundy a lit o& the peronnel you.d like &ormally o&& the record."
He put hi le&t hand on %dele. right and added+ "! have a warrant &rom the $avy
O&&ice authori8ing me to accept volunteer &rom :C$ veel. -hat might very well
cover the ituation+ but it in.t an argument a Hunior lieutenant care to make to a enior
captain."
"Captain)" Lt. Mon aid. "Bou.ll have u at weapon training throughout the cruie+
we all know that who came &rom ;otroma with you. But i there a chance+ do you think+
o& real action)"
-here were murmur o& agreement around the table+ and poibly an increaed
harpne in -overa. e,preion alo a he decanted more herry. She &elt %dele. eye
and hrugged in embarrament at howing interet.
Mon wa 'aniel. enior on the lieutenant. lit by eight year+ but %dele hadn.t een
any ign o& reentment toward hi youth&ul commanding o&&icer. She wondered i& Mon
wa mart enough to believe hi bet route to promotion wa to erve under a &lahy+
&ortunate o&&icer like 'aniel Leary+ or i& it wa omething more baicF loyalty to a man
who had treated him well.
"-he pirate o& the Selma Cluter are uppoedly paci&ied+" 'aniel aid. "%nd the
%lliance ha no bae in the Sack+ o our chance o& meeting a raider are limited."
He pured hi lip+ then grinned engagingly. "On the other hand+ % wouldn.t trut a
pirate. word that he.d re&ormed+ and beide+ they.re alway having a coup or a
revolution on one planet or another there. -he loer aren.t going to be bound by treatie+
o there. the chance we.ll get in ome hunting."
He &rowned. "'epending on Commodore Cettin. notion o& how the rincess Cecile
would be bet utili8ed+ o& coure."
"Captain)" *oetHan aid. O& the o&&icer e,cepting %dele+ the boun had the mot
e,perience o& 'aniel and the leat heitation o& aking a traight /uetion. "Can you tell
u why we.ve been ent to Cettin anyhow) Bou know and ! know that a clean hip like
the Sissie. got no buine &arting around in the Sack when there. a war on."
"She. &oreign built+" aid Caternak. He pread hi hand to &end o&& reaction to what
ounded like an inult when it came out o& hi mouth. "!.ve never erved aboard a tighter
hull than thi one+ ! don.t mean that. But what ! know and what ome bean counter in the
$avy O&&ice know+ that. not the ame thing."
"-hat don.t e,plain the crew+ :ed+" *oetHan aid+ raping over the voice o& three
other o&&icer who were probably about to make the ame point. "% &irt(rate crew &or the
'glaia+ ure+ he wa a dipatch veel and likely to be carrying anybody &rom admiral
to a planetary oberver. But we.ve got the pick o& the 'ggie. crew aboard+ and ! don't
think that. becaue ome clerk &ucked up."
"! it #aughn)" Bett aked. He ounded vaguely tene+ a wa to be e,pected &rom
an ordinary pace o&&icer who &ear he might be involved in high politic. "#aughn
carrie himel& like he. omebody+ that. &or ureA"
2veryone tared at 'aniel. He nodded twice+ hi mechanim &or getting time to
organi8e hi thought. He looked around the table+ deliberately not letting hi eye &all on
%dele.
"-he appearance o& Mr. #aughn wa a urprie to me+" 'aniel aid+ "and to all the
other o&&icer o& the rincess Cecile. -here may be wheel moving within wheel+ but !
don.t have the impreion that %dmiral %nton decided we needed a crack crew to take
ome &oreigner home."
%dele knew that 'aniel had ditanced the :C$ &rom the paenger in order to keep
the crew. morale up1 it wa a wonder he hadn.t aid "wog" intead o& "&oreigner." 2ven
o it et her teeth on edge. !t wa a betrayal o& her cherihed belie& that human hould be
citi8en o& the univere rather than chauvinit &or their particular planet or organi8ation.
She grinned. O& coure he wa now an o&&icer o& the :C$+ an organi8ation that
tood head and houlder above every other group in the univere.
"% &or why we.ve been ent to the Sack+ *oetHan . . ." 'aniel aid+ miling at the
boun. "! don.t know and ! won.t peculate."
*oetHan and Caternak both glanced at %dele+ drawing the ga8e o& the other
o&&icer. She aid nothing+ and 'aniel kept hi own ga8e blandly o&& her. *oetHan
lowered her eye in embarrament and muttered+ "*ell+ it.ll be all right."
'aniel. e,preion hardened lightly. "! will ay+" he aid+ "that i& the :epublic had
a di&&icult tak that wa within the capacity o& a corvette+ there couldn.t have been a better
choice than the rincess Cecile and her preent crew."
Lt. Mon roe to hi &eet. Hi gla wa &ull becaue Hogg had Hut been by with the
&ourth cara&e.
"-o the rincess Cecile and her captain+" Mon aid. He didn.t lur hi word+ but hi
voice boomed louder in the mall cabin than it might have done a &ew bottle be&ore.
"Becaue they.ll get u out o& any Eoddamned hole the politician manage to tick u inA"
!t wa illy. !t wa the kind o& emotional geture that o&&ended %dele. belie& that the
intellect hould dominate in all human endeavor.
But he downed her herry in a ingle gulp and cheered with the other.
P P P
"#eady to enter normal space+" called Lt. Mon over the intercom &rom the Battle
'irection Center. 'aniel. diplay already echoed the B'C data+ which wa identical to
that o& the main computer. -he chance o& the ytem being out o& ynch wa vanihingly
mall+ and even in that event the maller B'C computer wa more likely to be in error1
but pacer lived to retirement age by making every calculation redundant.
":eady to record data+" %dele aid+ &rowning lightly at her conole. She accepted
that tandard operating procedure re/uired her to verbali8e each tep o& the proce+
however obviou it might eem to her9however obviou it "as+ given that 'aniel wa
echoing her diplay alo. She did it+ but he wa unlikely to ever come to like the proce.
":eady to return to normal pace+" 'aniel aid. He touched the alarm+ ending
whitle call and green light acro the rincess Cecile. corridor and compartment. On
the hull+ the emaphore pot9&our each at bow and tern+ o&&et &rom the line o&
antenna9&lipped their arm out at N<

degree and @><

degree to warn the rigger till
topide. $ormally+ but not now+ they were already in the air lock.
'aniel pulled the atrogation module. main witch+ cutting o&& the trickle o& power
that charged the ail. -he corvette taggered. *hen the charge dropped+ the bubble
univere which the rincess Cecile wa croing /uee8ed the veel out a incompatible
with it natural order. -he potential dropped at variou point o& the hull and rig at
minutely di&&erent time. -he dicontinuity wa noticeable+ the way a leeper can be
aware o& lightning.
'elo #aughn watched intently &rom the corridor Hut outide the bridge. *hen
'aniel called general /uarter &or a poition check+ #aughn had a uual been playing
card in the wardroom with the o&&(duty o&&icer. He lot money conitently+ though
never in large amount.
% upiciou man might upect that a &ellow who wa a knowledgeable about
poker a #aughn howed himel& to be hould at leat break even. 'aniel didn.t like to be
upiciou. Still+ he.d pent hi youth among the in&luence o& hi &ather. political
maneuvering and the natural world he oberved under Hogg. tutelage. !n both
environment only the tronget could urvive without uing deception.
"#eady to enter the $atri5:" Mon. voice reported+ a hal&(tone higher than it had
been a moment be&ore. #aughn. &ace looked like a kull+ and even the :C$ o&&icer on
the bridge were uddenly taut.
Human adapted to the Matri,. -hey could live and work outide the idereal
univere &or day at a time and not be &ully conciou o& the train9until it topped. !t
wa wrenching to e,perience the relie& o& returning to idereal pace+ only to bounce back
in econd to a bubble univere in which what human thought o& a the natural order wa
an intruion.
*renching &or the captain a well+ but 'aniel wa determined to harden hi crew and
himel& to the proce. "2ntering the Matri,A" he aid. He hit the &ive(econd warning.
-hen+ a the whitle called and red light urged and ubided+ he lid the navigation
module live again.
Bony &inger clutched hi heart1 omewhere a man creamed in abHect horror. -he
rincess Cecile rippled into another univere in a wave o& golden light.
$obody poke &or a while+ though 'aniel could hear heavy breathing over the whirr
o& electronic and groan a the hull worked. He got hi own pule under control.
!mpreion &lickered in hi brain like a&terimage o& omething glimped in bright light.
He didn.t know what they were+ but hi ubconciou inited they were important.
"'aniel)" %dele aid in a mall voice. She wallowed a i& he wa trying to keep
break&at down. "*ill ! get ued to thi a&ter a time)"
"!& you do+ mitre+" Bett mumbled through &it clenched againt hi mouth+
"you.re the &irt one who ever didA"
He turned hi gray &ace to 'aniel and added+ "-hee touch(and(goe+ they tear a hip
up and they do the ame to the crew. !t. not :C$ practiceA"
'aniel. &ace hardened+ and a &reh Holt o& adrenaline /uelled the twitchine o& hi
tomach. -he miileer. word were a challenge to hi authority.
"!t. the practice o& the :CS rincess Cecile+ Mr. Bett+" 'aniel aid. "*e.re going
to a region &re/uented by pirate. !& we.re to be e&&ective againt them+ we mut have the
ame kill a the pirate do. Since they hide in and trike &rom the Matri, by /uick
entrie and e,it+ we will do the ame."
Bett drew himel& up into a proper military poture at hi conole. "Sorry+ ir+" he
aid. "! come &rom big hip+ you know that. !& thi i the way we.ll get a bite at a pirate
or two+ then by Eod !.m up &or it."
"O& coure you are+ Bett+" 'aniel aid warmly. "% &or myel&+ !.d rather &ace a
dreing(down by an admiral+ but we.re till going to practice /uick inertion all the way
to Se,burga+ !.m a&raid."
%dele wa doing omething involved at her conole1 'aniel wondered what. She
didn.t analy8e the tar ighting+ though they were collected and proceed by e/uipment
in the ignal o&&icer. charge.
He had a thought and witched on the C% ytem. "Captain to hip+" 'aniel aid. %
he litened to the electronic echo o& hi voice+ he thought he aw &igure with too many
leg walk acro the corridor and through the wardroom bulkhead. "Dellow pacer+ !.m
proud to be part o& a crew who can do it duty even while our gut are being turned inide
out. *e won.t ever learn to like the e,perience+ but any pirate we meet are going to like
what they get &rom u even leA Captain out."
%irlock cycled. *oetHan had put both watche on the hull in cae o& trouble during
thi &irt touch(and(go1 rigger were a likely a anybody ele to &ind the e,perience
diorienting. $ow the e,tra crewmen were reentering the hull+ moving with un&amiliar
clumine.
"-he data regarding the e&&ect inertion have on ervice li&e . . ." %dele aid+
peaking loudly enough to be heard clearly depite continuing to &ace her holographic
diplay. "!ndicate that there. no di&&erence between entrie and e,it &rom the Matri,
taking place in a hort duration and thoe which are paced out over a longer period o&
time. -he abolute number o& inertion i all that matter+ not the rate o& occurrence."
"-here. record on thi)" Sun aid in ama8ement. -he gunner. mate had recovered
/uicker than anyone ele on the bridge+ but there wa a hint o& tenion in hi cheek and
Haw mucle too. "!.ve heard o& hip doing it+ but not o&ten enough you could put it in a
book."
%dele turned to &ace the other in the compartment1 the diplay &ramed her &ace a
though with a multicolored aura. "-he data come almot entirely &rom e,ploration
veel+" he aid with a dry mile that only thoe who knew her well would recogni8e.
"% a matter o& &act+ the bulk o& the data come &rom veel commanded by Stacey
Bergen. -he analyi indicate it hould be valid &or hip o& all varietie+ however."
"3ncle Stacey ay you loe the &low o& the Matri, i& you tay in normal pace &or
i,+ eight hour the way mot captain do+" 'aniel aid in a combination o& pride and
embarrament. He didn.t want it to ound a though he thought he wa the e/ual o& hi
uncle a an atrogator. "Hi crew were all volunteer+ o& coure. But he never had better
peronnel than the rincess Cecile doe today."
'aniel tood and &orced himel& to tretch1 at the moment hi body wanted to curl
into a ball and hug itel&. ":ight now !.m going to compare hi note with the pattern %
ee."
He keyed the B'C channel and aid+ "Lieutenant Mon+ pleae take the conn while !
go onto the hull &or an hour or o. -here. no need to come &orward unle you pre&er to."
"!.ll come along+ i& ! may+" %dele aid+ riing to her &eet. She eemed to be &ully
herel&F cool and detached+ with her normal pale comple,ion in place o& the green
undertone o& a &ew minute be&ore. %pparently earching out data had been a bracing &or
her a a month in the country.
"% pleaure to have you+" 'aniel aid truth&ully+ though he wa a little urpried.
O& coure %dele had a way o& urpriing him. He hadn.t known about the li&e(cycle
analye o& Stacey. hip+ and i& aked he would.ve agreed with Bett that /uick in(and(
out would wear a hull at a higher rate than the normal practice.
*hat he did know9and what %dele probably knew alo+ though he wa glad he
hadn.t broadcat the in&ormation to the crew9wa that depite hi picked crew+ 3ncle
Stacey. command had abnormally high rate o& pychological caualtie. Much a
'aniel regretted the &act that he wa going to loe pacer in the per&ormance o& their
duty+ the rincess Cecile wa a warhip and they9like him9were member o& the :C$.
'aniel o&&ered %dele hi arm and walked to the uit cloet Hut o&& the bridge. -he
rigger o& the port watch had tripped and were going below to their bunk. Drom the
look o& their &ace+ &ew would be able to leep. -he tarboard watch+ till on the hull with
*oetHan+ might well be the lucky one. % 'aniel had noted in %dele and himel&+
&alling into one. dutie eemed to leen the e&&ect o& rapid tranition into and out o& the
Matri,.
'elo #aughn lay hal&(conciou on the &loor o& the wardroom acro &rom the uit
locker. 'aniel paued1 he hadn.t wanted to take #aughn aboard+ but nonethele the
&ellow wa hi reponibility. -immin+ the power room crewman #aughn had hired to
look a&ter him aboard+ li&ted the paenger. houlder with one arm and brought a
tumbler o& clear &luid to hi lip with the other.
"Mr. #aughn+ are you9" 'aniel began.
#aughn drank re&le,ively. Hi eye &lahed open and he pewed the ret o& the
gla&ul acro the room. %pparently -immin. idea o& a retorative wa neat alcohol
&rom the power room hydraulic.
"Eood (od+ Lieutenant Leary+" #aughn aid. He didn.t ound angry+ merely ama8ed.
"! that enation normal)"
"!.m a&raid it. going to be normal &or thi cruie+ ir+" 'aniel aid. He croed hi
hand behind hi back+ a way to keep &rom &idgeting while he waited &or omething
ditate&ul.
!ntead o& the e,pected hout and threat9vain+ o& coure+ but unpleaant
regardle9#aughn managed a weak mile. "! ee how the Cinnabar navy win it
battle+ Lieutenant+" he aid. "*ell+ ! aked to travel with you."
3ing -immin a a brace+ #aughn got to hi &eet. "%nd Lieutenant)" he aid. "! win
my battle too."

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER ELEVEN
%
dele at primly in her place+ taking her cue &rom 2llie *oetHan
who preided at the head o& the table. -he enior warrant o&&icer had invited Lt. Leary+
Mr. #aughn+ and the two midhipmen to dinner. %dele wa tene becaue he wan.t
good at ritual+ and thi one wa both new to her and important. % ga&&e here9and
&ormal dinner were alway mine&ield9riked hurting the &eeling o& her &amily by
adoption.
Balley+ claed a a Mechanic !! but in practice the wardroom ervant+ tood at the
hatchway. !n a loud voice that made hi bruhy little mutache wobble he announced+
"-he guet have arrived."
":ie &or the captain and our honored guetA" the boun aid+ uiting her action to
her word.
%dele crambled to her &eet. She wa o care&ul not to overet the chair behind her
that he bumped the table with her thigh. % the table wa bolted to the deck neither it
nor the place etting were a&&ected an iota+ but %dele knew he.d have bruie in the
morning.
%nd not &or the &irt time. She wa per&ectly com&ortable in tight pace. *hat he
didn.t like9and couldn.t eem to learn9wa mo.ing in tight pace.
'aniel appeared at the door+ wearing hi dre gray Hut a hi hot were. "Cleae
be eated+ ir+" *oetHan aid. *hen he poke &ormally+ her word came out a though
o many cut o& a bu88 aw.
"My &ellow o&&icer+ thank you &or your hopitality+" 'aniel aid a he entered. He
took the eat to *oetHan. right. He winked at %dele beide him.
#aughn wa behind him+ wearing a uit o& vivid chartreue and carrying a bottle.
"Mitre Creident+" he aid+ o&&ering the bottle to *oetHan. "! thank you a well. ! hope
you.ll accept thi mall addition to the &etivitie."
!t wa brandy+ a ditillation &rom Cleaaunce and e,penive even within the %lliance.
Bett+ peering pat %dele. houlder+ aid+ "Eod damnA -he $arat. wardroom got a cae
o& that tu&& at a ouk on :igoun. % hot o& that.ll put lead in your pencil+ let me tell youA"
%dele aw 'aniel &rown lightly. "-hen it.ll make an e,cellent tirrup cup when we
go on leave on Se,burga+" he aid. "!n ten day+ ! e,pect+ at the rate we.ve been haping."
*oetHan nodded and handed the bottle to Hogg+ who.d been dra&ted &or the night
along with -overa and -immin. She looked a tri&le wit&ul+ but he wan.t the peron to
/uetion her captain. order even when they were delicately phraed.
%dele knew per&ectly well that alcohol impeded the phyiology o& mating+ though no
doubt a lot o& the proce wa in the mind. !t wan.t an area in which he could claim
e,pertie+ o& coure.
-he midhipmen entered lat+ care&ully groomed and a ti&& a i& they e,pected to be
hot. -hey were both eighteen+ Hut out o& the %cademy and on their &irt operational
deployment. !n a large veel they would have had a many a a core o& other
midhipmen to provide &ellowhip and a degree o& concealment. !ntead they.d been
placed in a mall hip with a picked crew and a captain little more than their own age and
already &amou. O& coure they were nervouA
%dele thought o& her own entry into the Blythe %cademy. Her mile wa grim.
She.d been an outider9o& coure1 he.d been an outider all her li&e and per&ectly
happy about it. Her kill even at age i,teen were beyond thoe not only o& her &ellow
tudent but o& her intructor and mot o& the ta&& o& the %cademic Collection. She
couldn.t imagine wanting to &it in with people whom he conidered only a hort
intellectual tep above lapdog.
'ort and #eey couldn.t tell themelve that. Beide+ &rom what %dele had een+
they were &ar too nice to conider doing o. Dor that matter+ i& %dele had been trained by
intructor a able a the Siie were at their di&&erent Hob+ she wouldn.t have been o
ure o& her uperiority.
"Be eatedA" *oetHan aid. %dele tarted to it+ then noticed everyone ele wa
waiting till 'aniel. trouer touched the cuhion. She grimaced. She "ould learn how to
do thi+ becaue it mattered to people who mattered to her.
!t wa trange+ and remarkably pleaant+ to be around o many people who mattered.
Elae o& water were already at the place. Hogg wa &illing /uat+ &our(ounce
tumbler &rom the punch bowl on the ideboard. !t looked like lemonade+ but %dele knew
to be cautiou even be&ore -overa+ handing the punch around+ whipered+ "Drom the
hydraulic."
"-he :epublicA" *oetHan aid+ riing. %dele roe with the other and ipped.
-here wa a choking ound &rom the end o& the table. 'ort. &ace wa very red. He
aw the other taring at him and /uickly downed another gulp o& the punch &rom the
gla he.d hal&(emptied at the toat.
'aniel nodded approvingly at the lad. %dele uppoed that diplaying bravado in the
&ace o& adverity wa a virtue the :C$ wanted to inculcate in it young o&&icer.
Certainly it wa behavior that 'aniel himel& could be e,pected to approve.
Hogg wa re&illing glae. -overa et a pitcher o& water on the table to %dele.
right1 the other diner politely pretended not to notice+ the way they.d have done i& he.d
lot both arm and had to eat uing her toe. -hroughout mot o& her li&e %dele had never
imagined he.d &eel embarrament at not being able to down the e/uivalent o& eight or
ten ounce o& abolute alcohol in the coure o& an evening1 but then+ he.d never imagined
that he.d be an :C$ o&&icer+ either.
% Balley took the &irt coure+ a tureen o& oup+ &rom an undercook at the doorway
9hatchway+ he had to remember to call it a hatchway9#aughn aid to 'aniel acro
the table+ "!.ve heard you.re a naturalit+ Lieutenant. %re you &amiliar with the 8oology o&
my Strymon) ! think you.ll &ind it /uite intereting. Our maHor predator are decended
&rom &lying pecie+ while the herbivore are all emia/uatic."
Hogg and -overa continued to dipene punch+ which kept them buier in thi
company than Balley and -immin were erving the &ood. %dele tated the oup and
&ound it thick and rather good+ albeit bland.
%part &rom being overcooked and undereaoned to her tate+ &ormed a it wa in
ophiticated circle+ %dele had been urpried at how good :C$ ration were. %t the
tart o& a cruie+ a veel. &irt lieutenant drew and inpected tore &rom a naval
warehoue. -he chie& o& hip and chie& o& rig9engineer and boun9then had to give
their approval to the lieutenant. aement.
!& the o&&icer proteted the /uality o& the o&&ering+ the agent could either provide
replacement (which had to be approved in turn) or convene a $avy O&&ice tribunal to
decide the matter. Eiven that two o& the tribunal member were by regulation &ormer or
erving pace o&&icer+ very rarely did the warehoue peronnel chooe to argue the point.
-he warehouemen were allowed &ive percent "hrinkage" &or their pro&it. %ny more
than that+ however+ re/uired the colluion o& a veel. enior o&&icer. Eiven the number
o& way a &atal accident could occur in pace+ even the mot venal o&&icer would think
twice about tarving the pacer who might be tanding behind them at a team line+ or a
hundred and &i&ty &eet above them with a wrench.
"$o+ ! haven.t had the opportunity to tudy your biota+ !.m a&raid+" 'aniel aid. Drom
him the tatement wa no conventional e,cueF %dele had &irt(hand e,perience o& her
&riend. interet in the whim o& nature on variou planet. "Our ailing order came o
abruptly that my concern were limited to the hip herel&. ! didn.t have time to prepare
&or rela,ation a&ter we arrived on Strymon."
He paued to wah a mouth&ul o& oup down with a he&ty wig o& punch+ then turned
to %dele and aid+ "*e.ll have loaded natural hitory &ile with the regional brie&ing data+
won.t we+ %dele)"
%dele paued to remove with a much delicacy a poible omething that hadn.t
reponded well to chewing. % glance into her napkin uggeted that it wa a piece o&
platic container that had been opened with a harp kni&e.
"Be+" he aid. %t couldn't .ery "ell ha.e *een poisonous, after all. "-hough ! didn.t
re/uet a natural hitory databae &or Strymon proper+ and !.m a&raid that the data in the
regional overview may be kimpy. Becaue -erra i in the ame &ile+ that i."
%dele had loaded pecialit political and economic data+ but . . . She &elt her &ace
tighten with cold anger. !t wa directed at herel&+ o& coure+ a her anger generally wa1
but #aughn+ who didn.t know her the way 'aniel did+ &linched back in urprie.
"! hould have gotten pecialit &ile+ 'aniel+" he aid. "! know your interet. !
apologi8e."
"*ell+ that needn.t be a di&&iculty+" #aughn aid. "! have /uite an e,tenive library
aboard. !& you.d care to ue it+ Lieutenant+ !.d be delighted to hare. !.m omething o& a
booter &or my homeland+ you ee."
*hat %dele aw wa that #aughn had managed to bring mot or all o& hi truckload
o& luggage aboard the rincess Cecile. % chip library needn.t take up much volume+ even
with a reader+ but #aughn. wardrobe and peronal ration hadn.t been packed into one
and a hal& cubic &eet.
Creumably he.d bribed crewmen to lip hi baggage aboard in the rain and conceal
it. -hat couldn.t be aid to degrade naval dicipline9%dele had learned /uickly that all
pacer were muggler+ a urely a all good librarian were obeive9nor wa the
corvette. &ighting e&&iciency degraded i& ome o& her crew member hared their narrow
bunk with cae o& o&&(planet &inery.
!n the initial interview with #aughn+ 'aniel had made the point that he.d decide the
rincess Cecile. activitie without regard &or hi paenger. wealth or in&luence.
#aughn had bowed to the captain. authority and achieved hi end in a time(honored
&ahion that put money in the crew. pocket &or leave on Se,burga.
Colitic in action+ a %dele. &ather might have aid. Backdoor compromie+
indirection1 &ace(aving geture. -he ocial lubricant &or which %dele Mundy had no
tate or aptitude. 'ata in &ile were o much eaier to deal with.
"! appreciate your o&&er+ Mr. #aughn+" 'aniel aid+ pooning the lat o& the oup into
hi mouth. "! would indeed like to borrow your library+ then. *e can copy it into the
hip. databae and return the chip immediately."
"! regret that my library i in a peciali8ed Strymon &ormat+ Lieutenant+" #aughn
aid with a deprecatory li&t o& hi hand. "*e.re an inular people+ !.m a&raid. But it
houldn.t matter+ ince you.re welcome to borrow my chip reader during the voyage a
well."
'aniel glanced at %dele and raied an eyebrow. She tarted to ay that+ given the
hip. communication uite and her own kill+ there wa no &ormat in the human univere
that he wouldn.t venture to read. She caught herel& an intant be&ore the &irt yllable
le&t her tongue.
"%nd when we reach Strymon+ 'aniel+" %dele aid blandly+ "you.ll be able to buy a
uitable reader o& your own+ !.m ure."
!ntellectual pride had alway been her beetting in1 it had become a danger to her
li&e and work ince he accepted Mitre Sand. dutie. #aughn obviouly had no idea o&
how completely open to %dele. perual any document he had would be. -hat ignorance
wa probably to the bene&it o& %dele. miion and to the o&&icer and crew o& the
rincess Cecile.
"Be+ that. a good idea+" 'aniel aid+ momentarily urpried but concealing the &act
beneath commonplace. "! wouldn.t have had time to view them be&ore+ but now the
cruie ha tarted to ettle down to a routine+ o ! can9"
"% damned hard routine+" -aley aid. She hadn.t eaten much o& her oup+ but he wa
matching Mon mug and mug with the punch. "Damned hard."
"%ye+ that. o+" aid Caternak without raiing hi eye &rom the table. "But the
&itting.re olid+ Hut like Signal aid9"
He gave %dele a idelong glance o& acknowledgment.
"9and by Eod+ the crew. olid too+ mot o& themA"
"! got a couple ! don.t have on the hull when we.re making in(and(out+" *oetHan
aid+ taring into her mug with a bleak &rown. "-hey.re going to cream and &lail around
the compartment i& they.re inboard+ but that. better than . . ."
She wallowed down the content o& her mug+ then waggled the &inger o& her &ree
hand in the air.
%dele had a bleak viion o& a rigger dri&ting in a bubble univere that had nothing
human in it but him9&orever. She hivered. 'eath didn.t &righten her+ but the thought o&
that eternal loneline had a terror &or even her gray oul.
-hey were all looking at 'aniel. %dele wa uddenly aware o& how pale the o&&icer.
&ace were+ how deep(unk their eye. -he pacer gathered here in the wardroom were
among the mot e,perienced in the :C$+ but even they were being ground down by
'aniel. daily regimen o& the Matri, punctuated by heart(&ree8ingly brie& return to the
normal univere.
"!t i a hard routine+" he aid o&tly. "% very hard routine. *hen we reach Se,burga+
!.ll give every peron in the crew the opportunity to tran&er to another veel o& the
/uadron. !t. no digrace to be unable to withtand an environment that in.t meant &or
human."
"%ye+ we know that+ ir+" Caternak aid. Hi voice wa teady+ but hi hand
trembled until he laced them around hi mug. "*e.re pacer o& the :C$. *e.ll tick it."
"%nd there won.t be any o& our people who go o&& to a clapped(out cruier+ ir+"
*oetHan aid+ gripping her gla a i& trying to trangle it. "-hey.ll tick with the Sissie.
-hey.ll tick with the Sissie i& it kill themA"
%dele &elt herel& trembling. *ithout glancing toward her+ 'aniel covered her right
hand with hi le&t and aid in a meaured voice+ "-he purpoe o& practicing touch(and(
goe i o that we and our &riend "on't be the one who.re killed+ o& coure. -hat. the
only Huti&ication ! would accept &or the cot."
He li&ted hi tumbler to call attention to it. "% very dry atmophere here in your
wardroom+ Mitre Creident+" he aid. "%ll the punch appear to have evaporated &rom
my glaA"
-he general laughter a -overa &illed the mug diolved the mood o& a moment
be&ore1 but though %dele miled at the humor and the kill with which 'aniel ued humor
&or a tool+ there wa a cold weight in her gut. She thought o& the inertion o& the ne,t
day and the nine day a&ter that9i& they lived o long.
%nd unlike 'aniel+ he couldn.t convince herel& that avoiding death wa really that
valuable a bene&it.
P P P
'aniel watched a trio o& tranger enter the bridge through the e,terior bulkhead+
talking in ilent animation. -hey looked per&ectly normal9an older man+ a boy+ and a
woman 'aniel wouldn.t have minded getting to know better9e,cept that they had
downy &eather intead o& hair.
"-i.e minutes to return to normal space+" aid Lt. Mon &rom the B'C. Hi voice
ounded haky+ but that could be a &law in the communication ytem . . . or in 'aniel.
ear. -he voyage had been hard+ very hard.
"%cknowledged+" 'aniel replied+ then witched to intercom and aid+ "Captain to
hip. *e.re &ive minute &rom entry to the Se,burga ytem+ pacer. !& Eod &avor u and
!.ve done my calculation correctly+ there.ll be liberty &or all but an anchor watch inide
o& twelve hour. Captain out."
He could hear &aint cheering &rom other compartment. %&ter eventeen day o&
dicom&ort punctuated by agony+ nobody had much energy even &or that.
%dele tared tran&i,ed at the three phantom+ looking horri&ied. -he remaining
bridge peronnel kept their attention on their diplay.
"%h+ you ee them too+ Mundy)" 'aniel aid. -he older male wa making wide+
oratorical weep o& hi right arm while hi le&t remained cocked over hi chet.
!t wa all automatic &rom here on in unle there were an emergency. Bett wa
etting up miile launche. -hat had drawn Sun to imulate gun&ire target on hi
diplay. 'aniel wa all &or training+ but plotting &or immediate attack on entry into a
maHor Cinnabar naval bae couldn.t be called realitic preparation. So &ar a 'aniel wa
concerned+ calming a &riend who looked uncom&ortable wa at leat a good a ue &or hi
time.
%dele let her breath out lowly and looked at him. "Bou mean they.re real)" he aid.
"'aniel+ ! thought ! wa going madA"
"! don.t think they.re real9well+ not part o& the idereal univere+ at any rate+" he
aid. "But to be ure+ ! ee them too."
"! knew three &ih couldn.t really wim through the wall+" %dele aid. "!.d &orgotten
what you.d aid about phantom."
She looked at the men on the battle conole and aid+ "Sun+ Bett) *hat do you ee
over there)"
-he gunner. mate turned and miled hyly at her. "! don.t ee anything right now+
mitre+" he aid. "But ! know what you mean+ ure. -hey.ve been walking the corridor
ince the third day+ ! know."
Bett aid nothing+ utterly engroed in plotting coure &or hi miile. -he mucle
in 'aniel. Haw bunched+ then rela,ed. -he miileer wa reacting to the tre o& the
voyage in hi own way. He wa no more to be cenured than 'aniel and %dele were &or
eeing &eather(haired tranger on the bridge.
%dele hook her head in wonder. "But why do we ee &ih tanding upright+ 'aniel)"
he aked.
"%hA" aid 'aniel. %pparently the range o& option wa wider than merely eeing a
phantom or not.
"3ncle Stacey and hi &riend had no idea what caued the viion+" he aid. "Stacey
claimed to think they were random ynape &iring in the watcher. brain+ but ! don.t think
he really believed that. Bou know a much a ! do. %h+ ! ee people+ more or le1 not
&ih."
"Three minutes+" Mon aid+ verbali8ing the countdown that 'aniel. creen howed
a a idebar.
Hi main diplay wa a navigational tank in three dimenion+ the portion o& the
idereal univere analogou to the rincess Cecile. location in a wholly eparate bubble
o& the como. % bead o& pure cyan dri&ted acro the tar map in tiny caracole like a lea&
blowing in the wind. !& 'aniel were to cut the charge o& the ail no"+ the bead would be
the corvette. location1 i& the atrogational computer wa correct.
%bruptly+ almot angrily9the voyage had been Hut a hard on the captain a it had
on the ret o& the complement9'aniel witched hi diplay to the rincess Cecile. ail
plan. !ntead o& the icon that provided in&ormation in the mot concentrated &orm+ he
rolled the controller up to give him a imulated real(time view o& the corvette hanging in
pace+ lighted by a un like Cinnabar. at a ditance o& 4<> million mile.
Color coding on the icon would have told 'aniel that the port ail were all et at
I> degree1 that ventral and tarboard coure were at =I degree1 and that the mainail
on 'oral -hree wa pread traight &ore and a&t to erve a a rudder.
'aniel needed a reminder o& the reality o& the hip about him+ the hip he
commanded. -hi image provided it. He didn.t care about the precie detail+ though hi
trained eye could have called the etting to within a hair. breadth i& he.d been out on the
hull.
*hich i where he wanted to be. 'uty kept him aboard.
"2very day we.ve been out o& normal pace . . ." he aid+ aloud but not really
concerned whether anyone ele on the bridge heard him. "!t. eemed that the hull wa
getting thinner. Subliming like a block o& dry ice. ! wan.t ure there.d be anything le&t in
another day."
"Eod help uA" Bett aid+ bent over hi conole1 plotting olution that were a
imaginary a the holographic ail on 'aniel. diplay. Hi miile were+ like 'aniel.
ail+ the anchor that held hi mind to9i& not anity+ then to the memory o& anity.
")ne minute:" aid Mon. %gain 'aniel &ailed to acknowledge. %ll that mattered wa
that the pacer aboard the rincess Cecile each &ind a way to create reality. CreateF
becaue uch long immerion in the Matri, proved to every oul aboard that reality
wan.t an abolute+ that it wa no more than the whim o& an individual mind &or a long a
the mind could tay ane.
-he time column on the idebar wa hrinking to 8ero. !& 'aniel witched back to the
navigational diplay+ he would &ind the cyan bead approaching the pinpoint that wa
Se,burga. -oward 8e9
"!o":" a voice creamed1 maybe Mon.+ maybe 'aniel. own a hi le&t hand
drained the ail. charge and the rincess Cecile huddered back into normal pace+ thi
time to tay.
$othing changed within the hull+ but the light wa richer+ the &itting had palpable
denity intead o& being gay umbra+ and the air &illed 'aniel. lung with the mell o&
week o& being lived in. -he tench wa indecribably wonder&ul+ like the rough te,ture
o& a log in the grap o& a man who had been drowning.
-he cheer were rough+ betial. -he relie& the pacer &elt came &rom &ar below the
conciou level o& their mind.
Hi &inger moving by re&le,+ 'aniel witched hi diplay to a Clot Coition
!ndicator. -he icon that tood &or the corvette wa le than 47<+<<< mile out &rom the
planet Se,burga+ almot too cloe &or a proper approach.
"Cower room+ light the High 'riveA" 'aniel aid to hi conole. Hi &inger moved
on the emaphore control+ directing the rigger to unpin the antenna.
-hen through the intercom 'aniel added+ "Captain to hip. *e.ve arrived+ pacer.
%nd by Eod+ every one o& you i going to have a drink on your captain when we.re on the
groundA"

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER T2ELVE
%
dele9Signal O&&icer Mundy9wa buy &or the &irt time ince
the rincess Cecile entered the Matri, outbound &rom Cinnabar. Since the event on
;otroma+ really. She.d tudied the corvette. electronic on the voyage to Harbor -hree+
and during the pat eventeen hellih day he.d been learning all he could about
Strymon and the adHacent planetary ytem.
-hat had been work at her own peed9which didn.t mean it wa done in a leiurely
&ahion by mot people. tandard+ but there wa no outide preure involved. $ow9
"Condor Control to (ee 're one1se.en1fi.e1one7" E:4>74 wa the rincess
Cecile. pennant number+ which her tranponder ent automatically when interrogated "9
you are cleared to land at -lood ,ar*or in num*ers nine1fi.e, % repeat nine1fi.e,
minutes. There "ill *e no liftoffs or landings from -lood ,ar*or for half an hour either
"ay of your slot, *ut *e a"are that there may *e traffic from the Co.e or Drylands. ,old
to your filed descent. Condor out."
%dele had recon&igured the communication conole to ue wand control a it
de&ault. -hi wan.t ideal+ a a computer capable o& miile launche and atrogation had
a much broader range o& option than a civilian databae. %dele pre&erred to layer
command et within her wand. e,iting o&tware rather than ue the virtual keyboard
created &or the conole. !t wa till much &ater+ and &or her there wa le rik o& an error.
Her hand moved+ ending the core o& the meage &rom Condor Control9the
tation that handled tarhip tra&&ic &or all Se,burga9to 'aniel. diplay in viual &orm.
-he coure plot+ the time parameter+ and the two maller harbor with their approach
cone were intantly viible1 i& 'aniel &or ome reaon wanted the audio meage a well+
he had only to key an icon to get it.
-hat wa the open part o& %dele. dutie. %t the ame time he.d entered the Condor
databae covertly and copied &rom it the complete record o& landing and departure
&rom the planet in the pat thirty day. Her real concern9'aniel. real concern9wa to
ee when and whether Commodore Cettin had arrived+ but &or a&ety. ake %dele had
given her earch broader parameter.
:CS Tampico+ arrived &our day previou. Drom . . . %dele. wand moved . . .
Holtmark+ berthed at Slip -hirty(two+ Dlood Harbor. She acceed another &ile+ thi one
internal :C$ record held in the rincess Cecile. databae. :CS Tampico+
communication veel+ 4><< ton empty1 de&enive armament only.
"Condor Control to (ee 're one1se.en1fi.e1one," the controller on Se,burga aid.
"9ou're to put do"n in slip thirty. %'m transmitting a plot of -lood ,ar*or. Condor o.er."
-he peaker wa male+ probably in hi &ortie+ and ounded alertly pro&eional. He
hied hi ee and more generally poke with a o&t lilt1 %dele decided to cla the
peculiaritie a a Se,burga accent until he learned otherwie.
% chematic appeared in gold light on the le&t ide o& %dele. diplay. !t wa o&&et
&rom but identical to the harbor plan &rom the rincess Cecile. databae. -he local
tranmiion alo howed cigar(haped veel ettled in roughly hal& the &i&ty(even
lip. Se,burga wa clearly a maHor port+ though mot o& the hip berthed here were o&
moderate i8e.
%dele &ramed the plan and retranmitted it to a upene &ile erving the command
conole while 'aniel et up hi &inal approach. !t wa received+ becoming a idebar on
the upper le&t corner o& a creen almot completely &illed by numerical data.
"Eee(%re one(even(&ive(one acknowledge receipt o& the Dlood Harbor berthing
plan+" %dele aid. "Eee(%re one(even(&ive(one out."
$othing went to the command conole until it had been cleared through %dele.
&ilter and then re/ueted by the captain. -he captain could et up categorie &or
immediate update9thi harbor chematic+ &or e,ample9but even o the data didn.t
appear on 'aniel. diplay until he called &or it. -he prioritie were determined by a
human being.
%dele returned her attention to the right hal& o& her diplay+ another :C$ internal
&ileF current deployment order &or :C$ veel. -he Tampico wa on a triangular run
&rom Se,burga to the Cinnabar outpot at Dort Hill Station and &inally to Langerhut+ an
allied ytem with a :eident Commiioner but almot no direct contact with Cinnabar.
-he Tampico carried dipatche+ upplie+ and peronnel who were being tran&erred. -he
veel wan.t connected with Commodore Cettin. /uadron.
-he rincess Cecile braked under one(gee acceleration. 2ven to the naked eye+ the
image o& Se,burga welled on the real(time diplay at the margin o& %dele. creen.
Speaking loudly to be heard over the whine o& antimatter annihilation+ Sun aid to Bett+
"'id you ee that) Mr. Leary didn.t /uite kill our momentum with the lat hi&t in the
Matri,. He wa o ure he.d drop u Hut hort o& the planet that he le&t u with a way on
to ave time. %in.t he a wonder)"
Bett nodded olemnly. He wa clearing hi diplay o& the targeting &antaie that
had preerved him in the Matri,+ moving methodically through a checklit. "%
wonder . . ." he breathed.
' "onder indeed.
-here were no other :C$ veel on Se,burga or in the CC-(II<4 ytem o& which
Se,burga wa the &ourth planet. %dele moved to checking grouped arrival.
-hree hip had arrived in hailing range o& Condor Control within minute o& one
another a week ago+ but they were &reighter &rom three eparate ytem linked only by
chance. %dele called up viual &rom the Dlood Harbor ecurity camera and proved
beyond doubt that the hip weren.t warhip+ let alone Commodore Cettin. /uadron
with diguied identitie.
She thought a mile that eventually touched her lip. She wa obviouly being
obeive. !n that+ at leat+ he.d make a good pacer.
%dele had tapped into the automated tream o& Se,burgan meteorological data a
oon a the rincess Cecile emerged &rom the Matri,. -he &irt and lat twenty thouand
&eet o& a voyage were tatitically the mot dangerou+ becaue tarhip weren.t
treamlined &or operation in an atmophere.
-he corvette. hull wa a cylinder with rounded end+ a table enough hape initially.
-he antenna and rigging on the e,terior+ however+ created turbulence a well a twiting
the veel o&&(line when they caught gut o& wind. 2ven though hip in an atmophere
moved with the deliberation o& belle making their entrance+ they were &itted with enor
uite to make their own obervation &rom pace to be compared with whatever the
planetary controller upplied.
'aniel let out hi breath in a long igh and &lopped back in hi eat. %lmot at once
he traightened and reumed keying command+ now with a look o& eager attention. He
caught %dele. glance and grinned at her through the ha8e o& hi new tak. Moment
be&ore+ a he.d been etting up the approach+ he.d had the rapt &ocu o& a cat watching
potential prey.
%dele echoed the navigation diplay in a corner o& her own creen+ Hut to ee what
'aniel wa working on now. !t wa a plan o& the rincess Cecile. antenna and ail+
which were being collaped &or torage. 'aniel would be able to undertand the proce
by a glance at the chematic+ but to %dele it wa merely bump and line.
She would have cut away+ but a red arrow uddenly careted a point on the white
outline. 'aniel. voice aid through her communication helmet+ "See here8 ort Three
hasn't fully retracted. These three hollo" triangles7"
!t wa hard to ee detail o& the ail plan when it wa hrunk down to a idebar1
%dele raied the chematic to three /uarter o& the diplay. She looked up to meet
'aniel. eye1 he wa grinning a he moved a light pen to mark the image he wa
importing to her conole.
"7are the riggers "orking on it. They'.e shut off the hydraulics so they can crank
the mast do"n manually. !o" here7"
-he caret Humped. %dele gave 'aniel. e,planation hal& her attention while he
orted the hipping log &or veel which had li&ted &rom Cinnabar within thirty day o&
their arrival on Se,burga. $o hip but the rincess Cecile herel& would have made the
voyage direct.
"7you see the dorsal mainsail "e'.e *een using for a rudder during our last leg of
the $atri5+" 'aniel continued. "%t kinked on its track, so these riggers and the topside
officer7"
*ho appeared to be a olid pink triangle cloe to the i, hollow one.
"7that's WoetBans on this "atch, they Bust finished furling it *y hand."
On the right o& %dele. diplay+ itel& now a idebar+ a ingle name appearedF the
'chilles+ a private yacht o& three hundred ton. !t had landed on Se,burga i, hour ahead
o& the rincess Cecile.
"The other pro*lem's here on 3entral -i.e+" 'aniel continued+ moving hi pointer.
"There's a Bammed yard7see ho" she sticks out like a *roken finger instead of lying
along the mast. WoetBans has a rigger on that, using a "rench if he can and a cutting
torch if the "rench doesn't "ork. We can't ha.e that if "e're going to land on our *elly."
"%h+" aid %dele+ but he wa &rowning at the data on the right o& her creen. -he
'chilles wa &leet(&ooted indeed to have reached Se,burga only twenty(three day out
&rom Cinnabar.
%n attention ignal whitled a the track light puled green. ",ull reports the
antennas are sto"ed and locked+" a voice &rom the B'C reported. 'ort wa peaking
rather than Mon1 the lieutenant wa giving the midhipmen actual e,perience a o&&icer+
albeit in mall way.
"'ckno"ledged+" aid 'aniel+ captain o& the rincess Cecile again intead o& a &riend
e,plaining detail o& hi e,pertie. He touched the command bar on the eparate
emaphore panel to hi le&t+ then keyed the intercom.
"Captain to ship:" 'aniel announced+ hi voice in %dele. helmet preceding by a
hair. breadth it analogue through the ceiling peaker. Hi &inger continued to type
command a he poke. "The riggers are coming a*oard. 'll hands prepare for entry into
the atmosphere. Captain out."
!con on the &ar le&t o& %dele. diplay hi&ted. -he whine o& the High 'rive ceaed+
and the braking thrut %dele. body perceived a gravity leened &or a heartbeat or o
be&ore the plama thruter roared to &ull li&e. %dele mut have looked tartled+ becaue
Sun glanced over at her and houted+ "*e can.t chance double thrut+ mitre. -he mat
wouldn.t take it+ even brought in and locked."
%dele nodded undertanding. She.d known that+ o& coure. -hi wan.t the &irt time
he.d landed in a tarhip+ &or heaven. ake+ nor even the &irt time he.d done o a an
o&&icer on the bridge with &ull acce to the detail o& what wa going on.
But9her intellect had known what to e,pect. -he li8ard brain deep within %dele had
known only that it had uddenly dropped into nothingne.
-he rigger were coming through the airlock+ unlatching their helmet and
congratulating themelve with enthuiam. :igger even more than other pacer loved
the void+ but thi had been a hard run. !n the &uture the crew would brag to other about
how Mr. Leary had brought the rincess Cecile &rom Cinnabar to Se,burga in eventeen
day . . . but &or the moment+ they were glad to know they.d be walking on olid ground
in an hour.
'aniel witched hi diplay to the harbor plot. %dele+ till watching her echo o& the
navigational conole+ aw pennant number blink into li&e beide each cylindrical hull.
She miled wryly. -hat wa a much impler route into the problem than thoe he.d taken.
"Commodore ettin isn't on Se5*urga no"," 'aniel aid through her helmet. ",as
the s+uadron already landed and lifted for Strymon8"
"*e.re the only :C$ veel to arrive &rom Cinnabar in the pat thirty day+ 'aniel+"
%dele aid. "Cettin had a ten day tart and you.ve beaten him."
-he upper atmophere began to bu&&et the corvette. Over the windroar came a *ang
and a momentary &luttering rattle outide the hull. *oetHan natched the handet &rom
beide the uit locker and houted into it.
'aniel &ocued on hi creen+ then looked unperturbedly through the hologram
toward %dele again. "' furling clamp on the Star*oard Three topsail ga.e "ay," he aid.
"#ule of thum* is you'll lose a sail on e.ery leg of a cruise. %f "e'd made fi.e or si5
intermediate landings as the s+uadron pro*a*ly did, "e'd ha.e a much higher damage
*ill than this one."
He &rowned. "Commodore ettin had no reason to push the "ay "e "ere doing," he
continued in a care&ul tone. "% couldn't *e more proud of the ship, the cre", and the7and
my astrogation that *rought us to Se5*urga in a record run. But % do hope the
commodore doesn't feel, ah, challenged. That "ould add comple5ity to a situation that's
already less simple than it could *e."
*oetHan and the rigger till wore their uit a they waited in the corridor. 'elo
#aughn tood in the doorway o& the wardroom+ looking into the bridge pat them. -he
hard voyage had worn him a badly a it had anybody ele aboard the rincess Cecile1 hi
&ace looked like a mummy. kull.
But he wa miling.
P P P
-he echoe o& the corvette. landing had topped reverberating around the high cli&&
o& Dlood Harbor+ but when 'aniel witched to a panoramic view he aw that a vat
doughnut o& team till hung in the ky. -he Harbormater. o&&ice wa a blockhoue built
out &rom the natural rock wall at the bae o& the broad embayment. % vehicle pulled away
&rom it and turned up the /uay that would bring it to the rincess Cecile. -hat wa greater
e&&iciency than 'aniel had e,pected on o ditant a world.
He keyed the intercom and aid+ "Captain to crew. %&ter the hip ha been opened+
pacer+ there. a twenty(&our hour liberty &or everybody but the deignated anchor watch.
!.ll remain aboard a o&&icer o& the watch."
He paued+ then added+ "Eood work+ Siie. Eod grant thi won.t be the only record
you and ! will etA Captain out."
'aniel ighed and tretched hi arm back+ then &orward to where they muddied
portion o& the diplay. -he panorama provided a holographic image o& what he would
ee were he tanding on the rincess Cecile. pine and i& the rigging weren.t in the way.
Like /uite a lot o& thing9'aniel. &inger idly called up a &ile1 women. &ace+ little
memento+ cacaded acro hi diplay9the image wa more attractive than the reality.
He grinned. %dele got up hakily &rom her conole and aid+ "'aniel) !.d have
thought you.d want to go ahore yourel&."
"%nd o ! do+" he aid+ grinning even wider. "!n &act ! wa Hut thinking that !.d
alway take the living+ breathing reality over however pretty an image."
'aniel got up alo. :igger opened both door o& the &orward doral airlock+ letting
in a gulp o& air with touche o& team and o8one. 'own the length o& the hip clank and
/ueal announced the undogging o& hatche+ both ordinary port and the acce panel
ued &or maHor overhaul. Some o& them would be cloed again a&ter the corvette had
aired out+ but &or the moment everyone wanted the ma,imum ventilation.
-he makeup o& Se,burga. atmophere di&&ered by a &ew percentage point &rom
Cinnabar. or 2arth.. %ll that mattered Hut now wa that it hadn.t been lived in &or
eventeen day by over a hundred and twenty people+ plu a wide variety o& machinery
and electronic. -he corvette. &ilter crubbed the carbon dio,ide down to a&e level and
removed actual to,in+ while hydroly8ed reaction ma kept the o,ygen contant1 the
tench wa a permanent companion regardle.
%&ter a time you no longer noticed the mell at a conciou level+ but it till did
damage to morale and e&&iciency. Like a mild toothache+ the omnipreent dicom&ort o&
bad air robbed pacer o& thoe top &ew point o& intellect which could mean li&e or death
in a dangerou environment. Dluhing the hip. atmophere wa the &irt and mot
longed(&or reward o& landing a&ter a long voyage.
"On the other hand+" 'aniel continued+ /uirking %dele hi grin+ "!.m going to be Hut
a glad to be ahore come tomorrow+ and ! can rela, better i& !.ve already taken care o&
the hip. adminitrative buine."
Deeling a little embarraed+ he added+ "Beide+ though it in.t e,actly traditional &or
the captain to take the &irt hore(ide watch+ it. . . . traditional among the captain that
!.d chooe to erve under myel&. So in a way ! don.t really have a choice+ you ee."
"! ee+" aid %dele+ with a mile that looked upiciouly like a mirk. "*ell+ !
wan.t in a hurry to go ahore myel&. ! have a new erie o& databae to pry into+ a&ter
all. ! can do that bet &rom my conole here a oon a !.ve linked u to the local net."
-he corridor wa &illing with pacer who.d changed into their horegoing clothe.
Dor Bett+ -aley+ and the midhipmen+ that meant dre gray. -he ame wa probably
true o& Caternak+ though 'aniel didn.t ee him. -he chie& bunked in the o&&ice attached to
the power room on % Level rather than in the warrant(o&&icer accommodation here on C.
-he lower(ranking crewmen and the o&&icer who.d &irt hipped a common pacer
wore liberty dre. -hee had tarted out a et o& utilitie+ but the owner had decorated
them during o&&(duty period in pace.
*oetHan. liberty uit wa the highet tate o& the art 'aniel had een. *hat with
appli/ue+ cutwork+ embroidery+ tud+ and the ribbon &luttering &rom the eam+ there
wan.t a thread o& the wave(pattern &atigue viible.
"%ctually+ %dele+ you could do me a &avor+" 'aniel aid+ &eeling a touch o&
embarrament. He hould have broached thi ooner. !t wa going to ound like he
wanted to be hut o& her company on the ground+ which wa &ar &rom the truth. "-he
midhipmen will be going ahore+ a you know. $ow+ a you know+ !.m not a moralit9"
"%ctually+ ! believe you are a moralit+ 'aniel+" %dele aid. She grinned+ reminding
him that he mut have been a child once upon a time. "But not in the &ahion you mean+
no."
On B Level+ the accommodation deck+ at leat a do8en pacer were inging+ "When
% "as a young girl % used to seek pleasure . . ."
'aniel cleared hi throat. "% ! ay . . ." he aid. "'ort and #eey are young+
though+ and thi i the &irt land&all o& their &irt cruie. $ormally the &irt lieutenant
would hepherd them about+ but Lieutenant Mon won.t get &arther than the &irt tavern
beyond the dock."
He hrugged. "$ot that !.m complaining+" he added. "Mon doe hi Hob a hundred
and twenty percent1 it wouldn.t be &air to deny him downtime he. o richly earned. But !
wa wondering . . . )"
"Bou want me to chaperone the midhipmen)" %dele aid care&ully. She didn.t eem
hotile to the idea+ though "cool" would be a &air decription o& her attitude. *ell+ "cool"
would generally decribe %dele. attitude.
"$ot that+ not controlling their behavior+" 'aniel aid+ trying to e,plain a concept
that wa more ubtle than word could really e,pre. Hi word+ at any rate. "'ort and
#eey are adult with the right and reponibilitie o& o&&icer o& the :C$. %nd Eod
know+ when ! wa their age . . ."
Hi voice trailed o&&. He wan.t much beyond their age now+ not in year. Had hi
&irt commanding o&&icer+ Commander Eray+ &elt thi way about him)
"%nyway . . ." 'aniel continued+ &eeling hi &ace warm a he looked at himel& with
the eye o& Midhipman 'aniel Leary+ age eighteen. "! don.t want you to keep them on
leahe+ %dele+ but !.m a&raid that i& they go o&& with any o& the other enior warrant
o&&icer+ they.ll . . . well+ the only /uetion would be whether they pent their liberty in
bar+ brothel+ or a gambling houe."
% mile drove the el&(conciou embarrament &rom 'aniel. &ace. #oicing the
thought he aid+ "O& coure+ Se,burga. a maHor port. !.m ure there are a number o&
etablihment providing all three entertainment under the ame roo&."
Sobering he went on+ "%nd ! don.t care i& my midhipmen do pend their liberty in
one. ! don.t want to &orce them into that choice+ though+ a ending them o&& with
*oetHan would guarantee. ! can.t order you to do thi9"
%ctually+ he couldF he wa captain o& the rincess Cecile+ and i& he ordered hi crew
to pend their whole liberty in church+ regulation permitted him to do o. Hi chance o&
having anybody report aboard &or the ne,t leg o& the cruie wa a great deal more
problematic+ however.
"9but it would be a &avor to me and to the :C$."
%dele nodded. "%ll right+" he aid. "! didn.t have anything more e,citing planned
than ighteeing in what eem &rom the decription in the Sailing Directions to be /uite
an intereting city. !& 'ort and #eey would care to Hoin me+ !.d be pleaed to have their
company."
She looked down at her rumpled utilitie. "! uppoe ! hould change) ! ee the
other are."
"'re gray are traditional &or o&&icer on liberty+" 'aniel aid. "!& you.d pre&er
civilian clothe+ that. per&ectly acceptable alo. -hat i+ on my hip it i."
"! incerely hope !.ll never travel on anybody ele. hip+ 'aniel+" %dele aid with a
&aint mile. "Certainly not a a member o& the :C$."
She tepped toward the uite he hared with him. "!.ll put on my uni&orm. !t.
per&ectly com&ortable and !.m9"
%dele paued+ looking back over her houlder. "%ctually+ !.m rather proud to wear
the uni&orm. %lthough !.m till urpried to &eel that way."
Erinning broadly+ 'aniel keyed &irt the attention ignal and then the C% ytem.
"Midhipmen to the bridge+" he ordered.
Hogg tepped onto the bridge+ wearing hi verion o& liberty dre9high boot+ red
beret+ orange pantaloon+ and a canary yellow hirt with &laring leeve. He.d been
waiting politely in the paage &or hi mater and %dele to &inih their converation. "!&
you won.t be re/uiring me+ ir+" he aid+ "! thought !.d go ahore and pick up a &ew thing
we.ll need &or the voyage."
"Certainly+ Hogg+" 'aniel aid. "! only hope that you don.t pick up anything that you
don.t mean to."
Hogg drew himel& up+ which till le&t him a hand. breadth hort o& 'aniel. own
modet height. "Looe women+" he aid in a tone o& inHured innocence+ "are not a problem
o& mine+ young mater."
He cleared hi throat and added+ "-hough !.ll be &air and ay that ! never noticed you
to have problem &inding them neither. Juite the contrary."
"*e.ll trut that they don.t have anything on Se,burga that the ick(bay computer
can.t olve+" 'aniel aid. "But o& coure you.re &ree to go+ Hogg. Have &un."
'aniel watched the vivid &orm o& hi ervant diappear down the companionway.
Hogg had grown grayer day by day during the long+ brutal voyage. !t wan.t o much a
phyical change a a lowering o& the intene pirit that uually animated hi pudgy &orm.
He.d never &linched+ let alone complained+ but 'aniel wan.t ure how much reerve
there.d been remaining.
Cerhap very little9but Hogg had alway rebounded wi&tly.
'elo #aughn came out o& hi berth+ dreed in a &lowing blend o& blue and green.
Hi ervant+ -immin+ watched him head &or the bridge. *hen he wa ure o& #aughn.
intention+ -immin ducked down the companionway. He wa till wearing &atigue+
having waited to change into liberty dre until he.d attended to the paenger.
'aniel. eye narrowed lightly. -o get that ort o& ervice &rom a pacer a&ter a
voyage like the one Hut ended+ #aughn mut be paying /uite well. *hich houldn.t have
been a urprie+ o& coure.
#aughn paued at the bridge hatchway. "Lieutenant Leary)" he aked. "May ! peak
with you)"
"Be+ o& coure+" 'aniel aid. "*elcome to the bridge+ Mr. #aughn."
!t didn.t bother 'aniel+ but he.d noticed that #aughn alway called him by hi rank+
lieutenant+ rather than hi poition a captain o& the rincess Cecile. !& the choice wa a
political game+ 'aniel didn.t undertand it. But perhap #aughn wa Hut ignorant+ the
nicetie o& hipboard uage having paed him by.
!t didn.t e5actly bother 'aniel.
"! have &riend here on Se,burga+ Lieutenant+" #aughn aid a he tepped over the
hatch coaming a tri&le hakily. He poke normally+ but hi cheek had unk noticeably in
the pat eventeen day. "! believe they.re waiting &or me on the dock now. ! wonder i&
you might be able to Hoin u &or dinner tonight) !.d like to how my appreciation &or the
kill a well a the hopitality you demontrated on thi voyage."
'aniel reached over to Bett. conole9hi own keyboard wa out o& reach &rom
where he tood9and brought up the panoramic view with /uick keytroke. He hoped he
wan.t &rowning at #aughn+ though he wouldn.t pretend that he really cared that much.
"Bour &riend waiting &or you+ Mr. #aughn)" he aid+ adHuting the diplay to
e,pand the /uay to which a team o& rigger wa e,tending the corvette. gangplank.
"*hy ye+ Lieutenant+" #aughn aid. "! believe you met Mitre Rane at my party)
-hough o& coure you might not remember her with all the e,citement that day."
"! remember her+" 'aniel aid in a /uiet voice. !ndeed+ that wa Rane tanding
ramrod traight beide the open door o& the ground car now waiting on the /uay. 'aniel
had thought the vehicle wa bringing harbor o&&icial to handle the adminitrative detail
o& the rincess Cecile. tay on Se,burga. "She mut have made good time to arrive
be&ore we did."
#aughn hrugged. "-here. /uite a lot going on+ Lieutenant+" he aid. "% no doubt
you reali8e."
%dele had come out o& her cabin1 -overa traightened an everted pleat o& her
mitre. Hacket with &inger a thin and white a i& they were merely the bone. -he
midhipmen waited ti&&ly in the paage+ their &ace crubbed and aucer hat in their
hand. #eey wa /uinching &orward+ apparently in an attempt to minimi8e the greae
tain he.d omehow managed to get between her &irt and econd Hacket button.
"! appreciate your invitation+ Mr. #aughn+" 'aniel aid+ changing the ubHect back to
one he &elt com&ortable with+ "but !.m a&raid tonight i impoible. !.ll remain aboard the
rincess Cecile until the liberty partie return tomorrow and Mr. Caternak take charge."
"! ee+" aid #aughn. % &lah o& anger uggeted that at heart he didn.t ee any reaon
e.er that hi will hould be thwarted+ but the emotion wa gone a /uickly a it appeared.
"*ell+ can we ay tomorrow+ then) ! really &eel a duty a a citi8en o& Strymon to thank
you be&ore a gathering o& my compatriot. Juite a number o& the chie& reident here are
native o& Strymon+ you reali8e."
*hat 'aniel reali8ed wa that #aughn wa making the invitation a matter o& planet(
to(planet protocol. *hy he.d want to do that wa pu88ling+ though a imple deire to get
hi own way would be a believable e,planation1 but #aughn certainly had the power to
make trouble &or 'aniel on the ground o& a political nub i& the invitation wa re&ued.
"!.d be pleaed to attend you+ ye+ Mr. #aughn+" 'aniel aid. "*ith the provio that
!.ll call on the Cinnabar Commiioner a oon a ! go ahore1 and whenever Commodore
Cettin arrive+ !.ll be entirely at hi dipoal."
'aniel wan.t under any illuion about #aughn. intinct to dominate+ but it wan.t
omething that put the man outide the pale in the mind o& an :C$ o&&icer. More
important wa the &act that the young nobleman controlled hi impule. *hatever
#aughn might have been at the core+ hi intellect made him a civili8ed man who operated
within the norm he &ound around him1 and it wa intellect+ a&ter all+ that divided men
&rom beat.
"Let. ay tomorrow evening then+ Lieutenant+" #aughn aid with a mile+ bowing a
criply a a punch notching a ticket. "-he twel&th hour+ a they calculate thing here on
Se,burga1 and at the Captal da Lund. reidence outide Spire. ! "ill e,pect you."
He turned and trode to the companionway+ nodding in &riendly acknowledgment to
the midhipmen. -he interchange with 'aniel had retored #aughn. poieF he walked
with none o& the ti&&ne and doubt&ul balance that had hampered him when he entered
the bridge.
%dele tepped to 'aniel. ide. !n a low voice he commented+ "-he hormone that
emotion releae do wonder&ul thing &or a peron. phyical condition+ don.t they) !
wonder i& !.ve been wrong all my li&e in thinking people would be better o&& without
emotion)"
'aniel looked at hi &riend harply+ not /uite certain that he wa Hoking. 'eciding
he didn.t want to ak a /uetion that might have the wrong anwer+ he aid+ "Be+ it
eemed to me a well that more wa going on than a party invitation. But ! wonder why)"
He glanced idelong at %dele and raied an eyebrow. She hrugged and aid+ "! truly
don.t know+ 'aniel. !t. no a&&air connected with . . . me or mine+ to the bet o& my
knowledge."
!n the glum paue that &ollowed+ -overa turned her palm up. -he light movement
called attention to her. 'aniel tartedF it wa like a magician. illuion. oof: and %dele.
ervant tood where hi mind hadn.t regitered anything a moment be&ore.
"! wonder+ mitre)" -overa aid. "*ill ! be going with you today)"
!n place o& the coverall he.d worn during the voyage+ he.d donned baggy gray
lack and a beige hirt that would have hung to her knee i& it hadn.t been belted at her
wait. -he looely bloued &abric could conceal any number o& weapon or other device
9and probably did.
"! don.t believe !.ll need you+ no+" %dele aid+ her word a care&ul a the tap o& a
gem(cutter. "Bou.re welcome to come+ but i& you.d rather be o&& on your own . . . )"
"Spire get all ort o& people+" -overa aid. She miled1 the e,preion belonged
on a bird o& prey. "Some o& them may enHoy the ame thing ! do."
She took a ring o& dark hematite with a imple gold inlay &rom a pure hidden under
the drape o& her bloue+ then lid it on her le&t little &inger. "!.ll ee you tomorrow+ then.
%t thi hour)"
"Be+ that will be &ine+" %dele aid. "!& ! need you ooner+ !.ll . . ."
She tapped the peronal data unit that he ued &or communication. -overa might
have a matoid implant &or all 'aniel knew+ though a imple pager the i8e o& a pea
would be u&&icient.
"-hank you+ mitre+" -overa aid a he walked away. 'aniel hook hi head in
wonderment. !t wa like eeing the hadow o& death thrown on the corridor bulkhead.
"%nd be&ore you ak+" %dele aid in a bleak voice+ "! don.t have the &aintet notion
o& what he mean."
'aniel hadn.t had the leat intention o& aking. He put hi hand on %dele. houlder
and /uee8ed it+ reauring both o& them that their truth remained.
%dele looked at the image 'aniel had called up on the attack conole. -he
gangplank wa an internally braced tructure that could un&old an entire twenty yard i&
neceary+ though 'aniel had brought the corvette much cloer than that to the concrete
lip. -he rincess Cecile. crew+ bright and &luttering in their liberty dre+ croed in
looe &ormation. -he crew &rom the anchor watch who.d Hut e,tended the gangplank
watched their inging+ laughing+ &ellow without e,preion.
'aniel ighed. *ell+ that wa why he wa aboard himel&. % captain had to be
willing to carry out unpleaant dutie occaionally+ i& he e,pected hi crew to obey when
he ordered them to do thing they.d rather not. *hich+ a&ter all+ covered mot o& the
activitie aboard a warhip.
"-hat. -hea Rane+ the woman who viited #aughn on CinnabarA" %dele aid. She
at at the conole+ apparently obliviou o& her urrounding+ and began witching between
creen without bothering to e,plain what he wa doing. -he view o& the dock hrank to
a corner o& the diplay.
"Be it i+" 'aniel aid. 'ort and #eey remained at the hatchway+ teetering with
nervou anticipation. He crooked hi &inger to bring them to him. "%nd ! can.t imagine
how he reached Se,burga ahead o& u+ even i& he le&t immediately a&ter #aughn.
party."
"She came aboard the yacht 'chilles+" %dele aid with ati&action+ leaning her head
aide. "-wenty(three day out o& Cinnabar."
'aniel tooped to bring hi head into poition to read the peronnel mani&et the
yacht had &iled with the Harbormater. Di&ty(three crew9a large complement &or a I<<(
ton veel+ but he wa carrying the ail o& a much larger hull9and one paengerF
Mitre -hea Rane.
"! ee+" he aid+ traightening. Hi mile had a degree o& calculation in it. "! uppoe
we hould be glad that they didn.t have 3ncle Stacey. log+ or our run &rom Cinnabar
might not have been a record a&ter all."
He traightened and getured to %dele. She witched the conole back to a &ull(i8ed
image o& the dock and tood+ nodding to the midhipmen to how that he wa aware o&
them. On the diplay #aughn gripped arm with Mitre Rane+ then got into the cloed
car with her help. Obviouly+ he wan.t &ully recovered &rom the voyage.
*ell+ neither wa 'aniel+ though he wa getting there. He &orced hi &ace into a
eriou e,preion and aid+ "'ort+ #eey+ ! have a &avor to ak o& you. ! reali8e you
have plan &or your liberty9"
He wa &airly con&ident that the midhipmen had no real plan+ Hut concern parked
by the tall tale they were bound to have heard. -hey.d be a&raid that they wouldn.t
meaure up to what wa e,pected o& an :C$ o&&icer.
"9but !.m going to ak you to put them on hold &or our &irt day here." 'aniel
cleared hi throat. "$ormally !.d ecort O&&icer Mundy myel&+ but ! have anchor watch
&or the ne,t twenty(&our hour. ! don.t want her to tumble around Spire alone+ o !.d
appreciate it i& you.d accompany her. ! won.t make thi an order+ but9"
"Sir+ we.d be happy9" #eey aid. Her tongue caught and he glanced at 'ort.
"%h+ !.d be9"
"*e.d be honored to Hoin O&&icer MundyA" 'ort aid with relieved enthuiam.
"*e.ll keep her+ ah . . ."
He wanted to ay "a&e+" but he uddenly doubted that wa the right word. *iely+
'aniel thought+ he let hi voice trail o&&.
%dele eemed to be on the verge o& open laughter1 which+ i& not a &irt+ certainly
wan.t omething he had great e,perience with. Still working to keep hi &ace traight+
'aniel aid+ "-hi meet with your approval+ O&&icer Mundy)"
Bou had to know what you were looking &or to ee the &lat bulge in the ide pocket
o& %dele. Hacket. !& the midhipmen had heard the torie about what %dele could and
had done with her pitol+ they probably claed them with the torie about the night
Barne erviced all thirty o& the girl in a brothel on LaErange+ having reached the
madam Hut a dawn broke.
"Be it doe+" he aid olemnly. "!.m a&raid my tate in amuement i taid by any
tandard+ but we can at leat get the &lavor o& the city together. !n &uture day you.ll be
&ree to indulge yourel&."
"Oh+ that.ll be &ine+ ma.am+" 'ort aured her. "-o tell the truth+ ! wa ort o&
looking &orward to . . . !.ve never been out o& the Cinnabar ytem+ you know+ and !.d like
really to ee ome thing beide9"
He broke o&& and pointedly didn.t look at #eey.
"*e don.t have to leave the Sissie to get drunk+" #eey aid primly+ her eye &i,ed
on the &ar bulkhead alo. "%nyway+ we.re glad to Hoin you+ mitre."
"-hen you.d bet learn to call me Mundy+" %dele aid a he hepherded her charge
toward the corridor. "! have the Sailing Directions9"
She tapped the pocket with her data unit.
"9and a map o& Spire+ o we hould be all right i& we tay together."
She nodded to 'aniel a he &ollowed the midhipmen down the companionway1 a
thin+ ti&&(looking woman in dre gray. He winked in reply. Be+ they.d be all right1 no
/uetion about that.
-he people telling about Barne. e,ploit e,aggeratedF there.d only been &i&teen
women in the houe+ not thirty(one. %nd they e,aggerated about %dele a well. She
hadn.t really killed a hundred %lliance oldier on ;otroma with ingle hot to the head+
napping the round o&& every time a target o&&ered.
But it probably wan.t a much o& an e,aggeration a the tory about Barne.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER THIRTEEN
$
ine &unicular railway climbed &rom Dlood Harbor to the city
o& Spire on beyond the cli&&. -hree were &or peronnel+ leaving at &i&teen(minute
interval according to the carred metal plate in the helter where %dele tood with the
midhipmen. -he other were much larger+ with cogged rail to give poitive traction to
heavy load. -hey hauled cargo to and &rom the &reighter berthed in lip &ormed &rom
golden limetone /uarried &rom the cli&& themelve.
"How doe the harbor &lood)" 'ort aid+ looking back at the rounded hull o&
tarhip which howed over the lip like o many o,en in their tall. "!t look to me
that the lock keep the water level pretty contant whatever the tide. doing."
"Captain Ludi&ica Dlood re&ounded the colony &rom 2arth a&ter the Hiatu+" %dele
aid+ retraining the urge to bring out her peronal data unit and sho" the boy the
re&erence. "-he harbor. named a&ter her."
-he &unicular line carried two car in balance+ going up and down imultaneouly
on a ingle et o& track with a double(tracked hunt in the middle where they paed. -he
lower et o& pulley /uealed loudly a the car above reached midpoint.
%dele eyed them without pleaure. -he cable were no thicker than her thumb+
which eemed modet when they had to upport &orty(odd paenger and the vehicle
againt a thouand(&oot &all. 'eliberately he aid+ "! wonder+ 'ort1 are thee9"
She getured.
"9going to be thick enough to hold u)"
"Oh+ ye+ ma.amA" 'ort aid+ &orgetting he wa uppoed to treat her a a peer. "-hi
i beryllium monocrytal &elted in an elatomer9ingle(trand+ you ee+ not woven+ to
limit the tre. Bou could haul the rincess Cecile to the top i& your motor wa up to it."
"-he trand are continuouly teted &or current path+ Mundy+" #eey aid. "-he
operator+ well+ the ytem itel& ! uppoe+ know i& there. any breakage. !t.d hut down
long be&ore there wa danger."
-hey both reacted to %dele with a ort o& &rightened de&erence. !t wan.t her rankF
though they were claed a petty o&&icer &or the time being+ 'ort and #eey were in
line &or commiion which would make them the titular uperior o& any warrant o&&icer+
let alone a pecialit like %dele who knew virtually nothing about the running o& a
tarhip.
Her /uetion+ cra&ted to emphai8e that ignorance+ mut have rela,ed them
omewhat+ though. #eey+ her eye on the approaching car+ added+ "How long have you
known Captain Leary+ Mundy+ i& you don.t mind . . . )"
Eood Eod+ they thought he wa 'aniel. mitre.
"! met Mr. Leary on ;otroma+ where ! wa working &or the 2lector+" %dele aid
calmly+ uppreing the urge to hout+ "Bou idiotA" in anger at the obtuene o& people.
"%nd *oetHan and mot o& the ret o& the preent crew+ a a matter o& &act. Our &amilie
had had dealing in our youth9"
-hat wa an honet i& incomplete way o& decribing the -hree Circle Conpiracy
and the Crocription that &ollowed it.
"9but we didn.t know o& one another. e,itence until a &ew hour be&ore the
%lliance invaion."
She wa tempted to add that they were doing 'aniel a diervice in believing he wa
the ort o& man whoe peni made all hi deciion. She didn.t ay that becaue it wan.t
her place to1 and in &airne to the midhipmen+ 'aniel. o&&(duty behavior could lead one
to that concluion.
-he pulley divided the waiting area. -here wa a mounting plat&orm on either ide
o& the track+ though %dele could ee that the decending car had a ingle bay. She and
the midhipmen had walked to the right ide becaue a do8en or o Se,burgan trader
were already waiting on the le&t.
-he local+ male and &emale both+ wore looe bloue gathered at the opening+ and
drab(colored pantaloon with heavy andal. One o& the younger men carried two rack o&
candy tray+ motly emptied+ on a yoke. He noticed #eey9/uite an attractive girl+ now
that %dele thought about it9and potured &or her+ arm akimbo.
#eey deliberately turned her back on him and aid+ "! knew that Se,burga wa a
naval bae+ but ! didn.t reali8e there wa o much civilian trade. *hat do they produce
here)"
-he /uetion9the word couldn.t be heard on the other ide o& the hrieking cable9
wa imply to remove the local man &rom her ociety. %&ter a moment the &ellow &lu&&ed
hi &ull mutache and alo turned away+ though he wa till pu&&ed out like a rooter
diplaying.
%dele &ound it hard not to provide in&ormation even i& it wan.t really e,pected.
"#ery little+ actually+" he aid. "-here. ome mall(cale manu&acturing+ motly to
rebuild ytem &or the hip that land here. Local agriculture. barely above ubitence
level. But almot all the tra&&ic into or out o& the Sack touche on Se,burga o there.
/uite a lot o& tranhipment a well a reupply+ even though almot everything but the
reaction ma ha to be imported."
-he car huddered to a halt. !t wa &ull+ or nearly o+ o& pacer returning &rom
liberty+ and it looked to %dele a i& there were a many planetary background
repreented a there were people.
-hat didn.t necearily mean they were &rom di&&erent hip. % dark(kinned woman
whoe rough(out leather were embroidered in eye pattern helped a male hipmate who
wa thin+ blond+ and wore only a ilk hi&t and a beret. -hey were both drunk+ but the
woman could at leat walk1 her companion+ hopping up and down+ babbled in accented
3niveral that hi &eet had been cut o&&.
-he peddler got on+ nodding in tired acknowledgment a %dele and the midhipmen
boarded the car &rom the other ide. -he local had &inihed their day+ going &rom hip to
hip to erve the pacer till on duty.
%dele noticed &rom the way the returning pannier and atchel wung+ they weren.t
alway empty. %lmot the &irt thing he.d learned when he began aociating with
pacer wa that no matter how open a ociety might look &rom the outide+ there wa
alway something it conidered contraband1 and there were alway muggler ready to
upply that contraband to whoever could a&&ord it.
She miled coldly. Since that eemed to be a univeral trait+ he uppoed it wa the
way thing were uppoed to be. %dele had never been one to argue againt oberved
reality.
-hough that did leave the /uetion o& who or what had et up the ytem in the &irt
place. %dele didn.t believe in a upreme being1 but occaionally it eemed that thing
couldn.t poibly be o damna*ly aburd unle omeone+ Someone+ wa deliberately
making them that way.
"My grand&ather wa on Se,burga with %dmiral Cerlot. /uadron in .@4+" 'ort
aid+ craning hi neck to peer up the cableway. "He aid it wa a really wild port+ but o&
coure it would be with twenty thouand pacer baed here be&ore the Strymon &leet
urrendered. !t won.t be like that now."
!t wa hard to tell &rom the midhipman. voice whether he wa diappointed or
relieved. Crobably a little o& both.
-he top cable grew taut. %dele braced herel& on one o& the vertical pole that
doubled a upport &or the canopy+ and the car tarted upward with a Herk.
"!.m ure there.ll be plenty o& way to get into trouble in Spire+" %dele aid dryly.
"*hether they.ll be much di&&erent &rom the entertainment o& the Strip outide Harbor
-hree i another matter."
"*hat are the local animal like)" #eey aid1 an apparent non e/uitur until he
added+ "! aw a dog once in the $ew *orld Lounge."
'ort gaped and turned away+ coughing or laughing. #eey. &ace lot all
e,preion a he reviewed what he.d Hut blurted. She had a naturally dark comple,ion+
o the bluh took ome moment to how on her cheek.
"-here. no proven native li&e above the invertebrate level+" %dele aid. She hid her
mile+ though perhap #eey would have &elt better i& he let it how. "*ith the &low o&
tra&&ic through the port+ !.m ure that the entertainment indutry ha a wide a range o&
option a the retauranteur."
She &rowned+ looking back at the harbor now hundred o& &eet below. -he /uetion
reminded her that he wanted to &ind 'aniel data on the natural hitory o& all the planet
in the region. -hat hould be poible on Se,burga.
"-he Sailing Directions mention rumor o& large animal on South Land+" he went
on. "Se,burga ha two continent+ $orth and South+ but South in.t ettled and in.t o&ten
viited."
-he young peddler with the candy tray leaned &orward. "South Land i haunted+
lady+" he aid with polite earnetne. "$obody live there+ nobody goe there e,cept
&oreigner."
"-he -omb o& the %ncient are there+" added a local woman+ a ubtantial peron
holding a baket woven in lant pattern in varicolored traw. "-he %ncient till live in
them+ but they only come out when nobody. looking."
-he other peddler nodded+ all thoe who could hear over the ound o& the car
riing. % more ditant man held a whipered converation with the woman with the
baket+ then nodded enthuiatic agreement.
"My grand&ather heard about the ghot+" 'ort aid. "! don.t think he ever went
there. *hat do the Directions ay+ mitre)"
"-here are regular rock &ormation that look like the &oundation o& building+"
%dele aid+ peaking care&ully. She wa repeating what he.d read+ and he didn.t want to
give the impreion that he had an opinion beyond the word in the Sailing Directions.
"Some people have conHectured that they.re the remain o& the &irt ettlement+ but
Hudging by wind eroion they.re &ar too old &or that. -he o&&icial e,planation i that they.re
natural."
"-here. nothing natural about the ghot+ lady+" the man with the candy tray aid
&iercely. "Bou keep away &rom South Land. -here. plenty o& &un &or rich pacer here in
Spire+ you betA"
-hat wa indeed a a&e bet. -hi &unicular roe very teeply+ but the one hal&way
around the bowl to the le&t &ollowed a notch at no more than 67 degree. Spaced along the
track were three tavern that had been cut into the cli&& &ace. Bunting &luttered &rom their
railing+ and at the uppermot a naked girl danced on a barreltop to lure cutom. -here
were mounting plat&orm et where the low(moving car would Hut clear them+ but
%dele couldn.t imagine people a drunk a the pacer who.d decended in thi car
managing to board on the move.
"-hey mut cater to rigger+" aid 'ort+ who eemed to have been thinking along
the ame line.
"%nd they.re not thinking very hard about anything e,cept the &irt drink+" #eey
added. "!& ! had to pend all my duty hour out on the hull+ ! might &eel the ame way."
-he car wa nearing the upper terminu1 brake within the take(up drum began to
groan a they lowed the rig. 'own in the harbor a bell chimed &aintly+ calling watch
change within a hip which had been opened to the world around it.
"M(Mundy)" 'ort aid. "-hey ay . . . that i+ !.ve heard that Captain Leary can
read the Matri,. ! that true)"
"*hat)" %dele aid. *hy were they aking her about hiphandling) -hat wa their
buineA "*ell+ ye+ ! uppoe o. ! believe !.ve heard him ay a much."
"But ho"+ mitre)" #eey aid. Her &ace wa crewed up with the tenion o&
omeone who know there. a ecret key to the univere and that omeone ele ha it. "!
can memori8e the ail plan+ but then Captain Leary goe topide and take a ree& here+
change an angle there. %nd ! don.t ee any reaon &or it+ but when we ne,t check our
poition we.ve gained i, hourA"
"! calculated the time &rom Cinnabar to Se,burga+" 'ort aid. "*ithout allowing
anything &or poition check and uing the coure plotted by Commander Bergen+ the bet
time mathematically possi*le wa twenty(one day+ ten hour and &i&ty(one minute. But
Commander Bergen himel& made the ditance in twelve hour le than that+ and Captain
Leary cut cut o&& three and a hal& more day."
-he car huddered to what %dele thought wa a halt. She would have tepped9up a
handbreadth9to the plat&orm+ but he noticed that the peddler were waiting. She
waited alo1 thu the &inal Holt upward didn.t throw her onto her &ace.
"!.m really not ure what 'aniel doe+" %dele aid. "*hen ! look at the Matri, when
!.m on the hull+ ! Hut ee wirl o& light. But then+ ! can.t tell much &rom cloud9"
She tepped onto the plat&orm+ then getured at the pale blue ky treaked by
horetail o& vapor.
"9either. 3nle they.re raining on me. 'on.t they teach you whatever it i you need
to know at the %cademy)"
"Mitre+" #eey aid+ "the pattern o& the Matri, how energy level between
univere. Eo here+ go there+ and your velocity relative to the idereal univere increae
or decreae. *e undertand the theory9that. what atrogation is+ a&ter all. But you can.t
take a computer out on the hull+ and ! don.t ee how anybody can read the Matri, with hi
eye alone."
-he upper plat&orm wa crowded with hawker+ tout+ and pimp. -he peddler
paed through them a water doe a creen+ but they were around %dele and her
companion like gold&ih &eeding. -he voice babbled in 3niveral9
"!e.er food like it in your li.es:"
"Sheets clean this morning, on my soul as a "oman:"
"The delicacy of the car.ing *y Blind $aster Shen:"
9but it wa poken in a ingong that had nothing to do with the normal accent and
ictu o& the line. %&ter a moment it wa per&ectly undertandable+ like a document
printed in an un&amiliar type&ace. -he pack wan.t aying anything %dele "anted to
undertand+ o& coure.
'ort. broad houlder led the trio through without real di&&iculty. %dele+ lat in
line+ aw an old &ellow with a wa,ed mutache try to grope #eey. She lapped him away
with a practiced re&le,. $obody o&&ered %dele indignitie.
% wide roadway paralleled the line o& the cli&&. -ra&&ic wa heavy+ but it wa almot
entirely o& pedetrian or low(moving vehicle with &our large wheel. -hey were geared
&or the teep lope on all the city. other treet.
%dele nodded and the three o& them tarted acro. On the other ide were &ive( and
i,(tory building. -he window o& the lower &loor advertied buine premie+ but
the railed balconie higher up had &lower bo,e and lounging pectator.
"%ny o& the rigger can tell me thing that ! can.t ee+" 'ort aid glumly a the trio
waited in mid(treet &or an electric(powered dray to crawl pat on track intead o&
wheel. "-hey all think Captain Leary. a wi8ard+ though. 2,cept &or Old Hagar who
erved with Commander Bergen1 he ay the captain. a babe in arm compared to hi
uncle."
"'aniel ay the ame+" %dele agreed+ "though ! gather there. more to promotion in
the :C$ than kill at atrogation. 'aniel may have thing to teach you that hi uncle
couldn.t."
"Oh+ heaven yeA" #eey aid. "Oh+ we.re o lucky to erve under himA"
'ort leaned &orward to ee pat the dray. "$owA" he houted.
-hey printed to the overlook. -ra&&ic direction wan.t controlled by which ide o&
the treet it wa on+ but the midhipmen eemed to have the pacer. ability to look all
way at once. %dele didn.t and by now had determined that he never would+ but by
taying between her companion he managed to make it acro with no wore problem
than tripping on a crack between paving block. #eey caught her.
-he view wa breathtaking. -hough not nearly a teep a the cli&& they.d Hut
climbed+ the ground to the eat loped down &or a &ar a %dele could ee. Beyond the
building o& Spire tretched &ield eparated by drytone wall. -he crop were planted
o thinly that the predominant color wa that o& the ruet oil+ not green leave.
"!t. impreive+" %dele aid+ "but with o many world available ! don.t know why
thi place wa coloni8ed. %nd recoloni8ed a&ter the Hiatu."
"*hy+ &or it location+" #eey aid in urprie. "-wenty day &rom 2arth+ &orty day
&rom Cinnabar even be&ore Commander Bergen. urvey."
"2ven &rom Cleaaunce it. only i,ty day+" 'ort added. "%nd !.m ure you could
cut that by a third with a proper urvey+ which isn't going to happen while the :C$
control the region."
"%nd there. plenty o& water &or reaction ma+" #eey aid. "!t. really an ideal
location."
%dele nodded lowly a he viewed her urrounding. Clenty o& reaction ma+ even
i& it didn.t &all a rain. She wa a pacer now+ o he had to remind herel& to think like
one.
"-he pirate track hip by the diturbance they leave acro the Matri,+" 'ort aid+
reverting to the earlier ubHect. "-hey &ollow hip there+ then drop into normal pace
with them and trip their ail with plama cannon. Strymon. patrol hip do the ame
thing to take pirate."
Scattered acro the landcape were butte tanding a hundred &eet above the plain
around them. One wa topped by a man(made wall1 a duty road led to it &rom the city
proper.
"'aniel. talked about that+" %dele aid+ bringing her data unit out and9a&ter a
moment o& trepidation9etting it on the tone railing intead o& itting crolegged on the
pavement to ue it. -he rail wa &lat and i, inche wide+ o there wa no real danger that
he.d bump the unit down the other ide. "*oetHan and ome o& the other rigger ay it.
/uite true+ that you can ee wake."
She crolled acro a treet plan o& Spire till he &ound what he wa looking &or+
then compared it with her own location according to the data unit. inertial navigation
ytem. Se,burga didn.t have poitioning atellite+ Hut a hand&ul o& ground beacon &or
the rare traveller who went any ditance &rom Spire.
"-here. a pre(Hiatu church that. been converted to a mueum and library+" he
aid+ nodding toward her diplay. She couldn.t point becaue he held a wand in either
hand. "!.d like to ee that. But &irt+ hall we try a local meal) -he tomato(tu&&ed potatoe
are uppoed to be the local pecialty."
"Eranddad aid the potato lager. omething+ too+" 'ort aid with enthuiam.
"*e.ll try that a well+" %dele aid. She put her data unit away and tarted toward the
nearet o& the treet leading down into the city proper.
"Mundy+ do you think we.ll ever learn how to ee wake)" #eey aked in a tiny
voice.
"!& it. omething about tarhip that can be taught+" %dele aid in a tone o&
con&idence that urpried her+ "Captain Leary i the bet peron ! know to teach you. %nd
'ort)"
"Ma.am)"
"He. e/ually killed at picking up company when he. o&&(duty+" %dele went on in
the ame crip voice. "But i& you tudy hi techni/ue+ ! do hope you.ll ue it on women o&
better /uality than he doe."
'ort and #eey both heitated a hal& tep+ then burt out laughing. %dele allowed
herel& a mile a well.
She &ound the preence o& the midhipmen oddly pleaant+ rather like having a pair
o& intelligent dog along to hare her interet without impoing their own. -hi layover
on Se,burga promied to be /uite rela,ing.
P P P
"*ell+ thi is a bloody &ort+ ain.t it)" Hogg aid a he hauled hard on the teering
wheel to bring them around the &inal witchback. Hogg had rented the car to bring them
to #aughn. party+ but 'aniel wa hal& wihing he.d imply paid &or a cabman to drive
intead. "-hat or a bloody prionA"
-he vehicle couldn.t manage more than twenty mile an hour with the throttle &lat
againt the &irewall+ but teering re/uired a lot le e&&ort than Hogg put into it ince the
wheel adHuted power to the hub(center electric motor+ peeding or lowing them a the
turn re/uired.
-hat o&&ended Hogg. He needed to hear chirp and moan &rom a vehicle to be ure it
wa really under hi control.
"!t. a &ortre+" 'aniel aid+ looking into the compound pat the attendant at the
open gate. -he wall were even &eet thick. "-hat. the cap o& a vertical(launch miile
ytem in the middle o& the courtyard. -hey.re ready to &ight o&& an attack by tarhip."
Hogg topped moothly beide the attendant depite hi e&&ort to get the regenerative
brake to Herk them to a halt. "Bloody &oreign crapA" he muttered. -he comment eemed
intended to in&orm the car that no matter how well it had been deigned+ it wa till crap
becaue it hadn.t been made on Cinnabar.
-he attendant wore boot to mid cal&+ checked trouer+ and a red &rock coat with a
gold dicky. He wan.t dreed like a Se,burgan or like anybody ele 'aniel remembered
eeing+ though ome clown came cloe. Mind+ the 're *hite 'aniel wa wearing
weren.t the mot practical garment either.
"State your buine with the Captal da Lund o that ! can admit you+" the &ellow
aid. "Cleae."
'aniel &rowned. -here wa no /uetion o& hi having gotten the addre wrongF thi
walled compound on a hill ten mile eat o& Spire wa the only poible tructure that
matched #aughn. direction. Beide+ &rom the do8en vehicle9two o& them aircar9
already in the courtyard+ there wa a party going on.
"He. Lieutenant 'aniel Leary+ commanding the rincess CecileA" Hogg aid+
ounding more diguted than angry. "'elo #aughn invited him+ i& you know who that
i."
"Bou.re e,pected+ Lieutenant+" the attendant aid+ waving to the guard watching
&rom the tower above the gate. -he tower window were beveled harply o that the
automatic impeller mounted there could &ire down onto the acce road. "$othing
peronal. Bou ee+ the Captal. got to be care&ul."
He waved to the courtyard. "Cark where you pleae. Derde will take you to the third
&loor where the party i."
%nother attendant waved &rom the door o& the narrow three(tory building directly
acro the courtyard. He wa dreed like the gate man+ but hi coat wa a8ure blue
intead o& carlet. %pparently it wa a national tyle rather than livery.
Hogg engaged the motor. Over their whine he muttered+ "-hey look like bloody
clownA"
"*e.re guet in their mater. houe+ Hogg+" 'aniel aid. He cleared hi throat.
"%nd a&ter all+ their li/uor hould be per&ectly good even i& it come in a &unny(haped
bottle."
*eek in the Matri, had roughened Hogg. peronality beyond it normal degree o&
abraivene. 'aniel undertood hi ervant. ,enophobia+ but it couldn.t be allowed to
get out o& hand.
'aniel didn.t hare Hogg. attitude. So &ar a he wa concerned+ &oreigner were
per&ectly all right. Some o& them were almot the e/ual o& Cinnabar citi8en.
-he building. top tory wa completely gla8ed1 &rom there &igure with drink in
their hand looked down. Mot o& them wore &lahy Strymon cotume+ though one wa
in garb cut like that o& the attendant. Hi coat wa black over a white cummerbund rather
than o& bright color.
"Beah+ !.ll be better &or a drink+" Hogg muttered a he pulled in at the end o& a row o&
imilar though more ornate vehicle. "%nd ! gue you.ll be doing ome drinking too+
young mater+ becaue none o& the women uptair looked worth even my time."
Be&ore 'aniel had managed the car door9it hinged at the back edge+ not the &ront a
he wa ued to9'elo #aughn himel& bruhed pat the attendant and called+
"LieutenantA #ery pleaed to ee you. Come up and meet my &riend and our hot."
Beide the reidence+ the compound held a power room9the blow(o&& roo& on a
/uat+ thick(walled tructure pointed to a &uion bottle inide9and a utility building
holding hop+ a kitchen+ and a laundry. -he long+ one(tory building along the back wall
wa a barrack i& 'aniel had ever een one. Dortre indeedA
'aniel let #aughn take hi arm becaue the other choice wa to lap the &ellow.
hand away. $o point in coming at all i& he wa going to do that.
"!.d thought you were the hot+ actually+ #aughn+" he aid a they entered the
building. -he wall were decorated with a mural o& luh meadow+ an incongruou
contrat to Se,burga. ere landcape. %n open elevator waited acro the tiled &oyer.
"*ell+ ! don.t have a uitable place o& my own on Se,burga+" #aughn aid with a
chuckle. -he elevator door cloed behind them without any command that 'aniel
noticed. "-he Captal i an old &riend o& my &ather+ you ee. He wa Lord Crotector o& the
Berengian Star until he decided to retire a &ew year ago. Mitre Rane contacted him+
and he wa glad to lend hi premie."
-he Berengian were &ive9or occaionally even9tar in looe con&ederation. -he
little 'aniel knew o& their political hitory reminded him o& watching piglet /uirming
againt a ow with two more o&&pring than teat.
-he elevator tarted with a gentle hum. -here weren.t any control inide the circular
cage. -he curved mirror o& the wall gave 'aniel a view o& himel& looking
uncom&ortable in the white(and(gold o& hi 4t Cla uni&orm.
":etired)" 'aniel aid. "$ot that ! want to pry+ but . . ."
O& coure he wanted to pry. -hi place wa de&ended like an outpot on the edge o&
%lliance territory.
"*ell+ ye+ the Captal had ome help deciding+" #aughn aid. "But hi upport on hi
home world+ Luoe+ wa till trong. -he new government voted him a he&ty penion on
condition that he . . . tay retired. !t wa the mot cot(e&&ective alternative."
'aniel nodded. -he penion wa cot e&&ective i& it wan.t practical to aainate the
penioner. -hat e,plained the compound. de&ene.
-he elevator door rotated open+ a ection o& the gleaming metal vanihing into itel&
like an oil &ilm. -he guet already within the large room tared at 'aniel appraiingly1
the ervant paued.
"Ladie and gentlemen+" aid #aughn+ "our guet o& honor+ Lieutenant 'aniel Leary
who brought me here &rom CinnabarA"
-here wa a duting o& applaue. -hoe who held drink tapped the &ingertip o&
their &ree hand on the writ o& the other.
Servant began to circulate again with tray o& drink and &inger &ood. !t wa obviou
that 'aniel had been given an arrival time9which he.d met within thirty econd9later
than that o& the other guet.
He tepped out o& the cage+ hi &ace ti&& in hi determination not to give anything
away. He didn.t have enough in&ormation to know what wa going on+ but he wa in no
doubt that something wa happening beyond #aughn proving he could crack the whip
over 'aniel on land a urely a 'aniel had done to him on Cinnabar. He.d learned that
much about politic by being Speaker Leary. on.
"-hough the lieutenant wear the uni&orm o& the Cinnabar navy+" #aughn continued
a though he were reading 'aniel. mind+ "he i o& coure the only on o& Speaker Corder
Leary."
"-here. no Mthough. about my uni&orm+ Mr. #aughn+" 'aniel aid+ controlling hi
irritation a well a he could. "!.m a erving o&&icer in the :C$ and much more proud o&
that &act than ! am in being a Leary."
He heard what he.d aid and &rowned. %t any rate+ he hoped that wa true. Cride wa
a &unny thing+ epecially when you were in the middle o& a lot o& &oreigner.
"-hi i our hot+ the Captal da Lund+" #aughn aid+ geturing 'aniel toward the tall
man in the black coat. He wa in hi i,tie+ with hort hair+ gray eye+ and a &ace whoe
&lehy lip were the only hint o& o&tne. "%n old &riend o& my &amily."
-he Captal and 'aniel gripped elbow+ &orearm to &orearm. 'aniel wa urpried to
note that o acetic(looking a man wore per&ume.
"Mitre Rane you already know+" #aughn went on+ nodding to the woman 'aniel
had met on Cinnabar. "-hi i Mr. %ngele+ who. in tranit trade out o& Cove Harbor. He
wa one o& my god&ather. . . ."
#aughn went around the gathering+ introducing 'aniel to one Strymon national a&ter
another. Some+ like %ngele9a heavy(bodied+ hard(eyed &ellow who poke mainly in
grunt9were e,patriate with buinee on Se,burga+ but Rane and mot o& the other
preent were normally reident on Strymon itel&.
-hi wa obviouly a gathering o& conpirator. -he Captal wa involved either
through &amily &riendhip a #aughn claimed+ or imply the deire o& a born intriguer to
keep hi hand in+ even i& that meant meddling in other. a&&air &or lack o& hi own.
-he /uetion remaining a 'aniel embraced hi way around the room wa why he
wa preent.
-he lat guet wa e/ually anomalou+ a man o& thirty(odd in clothe o& cloely
tailored Cinnabar cut. "%nd &inally+ Mr. Eeron+" #aughn aid+ "who. on the ta&& o& the
Cinnabar commiioner here+ %dmiral -orgi. *ere you able to ee the admiral+
Lieutenant)"
"He wa occupied when ! called+" 'aniel aid+ claping Eeron and tepping
thank&ully away. "He wa kind enough to end a courier to the rincess Cecile be&ore !
le&t &or thi party+ inviting the o&&icer to a gathering at hi reidence tomorrow+
however."
Eeron looked healthy enough+ but hi mucle &elt doughy and hi breathing wa
&at and hallow. *a Eeron a Cinnabar py) Suppoedly the O&&ice o& 2,ternal
:elation alway had omeone on a reident. ta&&+ and a trategic port like Se,burga
might attract other organi8ation a well.
-hat line o& conideration brought 'aniel. mind uncom&ortably back to %dele. He
wihed again he wa here1 or+ even better+ that he himel& wan.t.
"!.m not urpried+ Leary+" Eeron aid. "Bou.re /uite the celebrity ince the
;otroma buine. Certi&ied heroe rarely appear on Se,burga during peacetime."
'nd Bust ho" peaceful is this gathering8 'aniel thought+ though all he aid aloud
wa+ "! wa particularly pleaed that the admiral i giving a eparate party &or the crew+
uing a depot hip docked in the lip beide our o that even the anchor watch can get a
tate o& it."
"Oh+ %dmiral -orgi i an old pace rover+ all right+" Eeron aid. "Bou two hould
get along wimmingly+ Leary."
!& Eeron wa trying to hide hi bitterne+ he wa doing a very poor Hob. *a the
man drunk)
"! certainly hope ! will+" 'aniel aid+ turning lightly a he poke a though he wa
being drawn by the view out the window. -he Strymonian guet had &ormed a group
beide a tatue that looked like tall hand reaching up &rom the &loor. -hey poke in low
voice+ their eye on 'aniel intead o& on one another.
Eeron a&&ected 'aniel like a bad mellF bearable i& neceary+ but omething to be
avoided whenever poible. 'aniel aid+ "! wonder i& ! could &ind a9ye+ thank youA" to
the ervant who came by with a tray o& drink. He natched one that turned out to be pink
and &rothy1 weet a well+ but when it hit the back o& hi throat he had to admit it wa
u&&iciently potent.
'elo #aughn had noticed the awkwardne. Hi brow &urrowed+ then cleared in an
ingenuou mile a he aid+ "Captal+ the lieutenant here i a naturalit o& note. *hy don.t
you tell him o& your e,ploration on South Land)"
"*hy ye+ !.d heard that mentioned+ Mr. Leary+" the Captal aid a he turned toward
'aniel. "% man could make himel& &amou by e,ploring the ruin o& South Land
properly. -hey are beyond /uetion the remain o& a prehuman civili8ationA"
He picked up a lender+ arm.(length rod &rom a diplay o& knickknack and liced it
abently in a &igure eight. !t took 'aniel a moment to reali8e that other item on the table
included thumbcrew and manacle with piked protruion on the inide.
":eally+ ir)" 'aniel aid. "! hadn.t heard about that. Have they been tudied)"
-he Captal tapped the table with hi rod. 'aniel had taken it &or tranlucent platic at
&irt1 now he reali8ed it wa the peni bone o& a carnivorou mammal or mammaloid that
mut weigh ton. Or be hung like a hore+ o& coure.
"$ot at all+ irA" the Captal aid. "-hi i a crime+ and ! believe you are the man to
right it. *ould you care to ee &or yourel&) !.ll provide you with an aircar and a guide."
'aniel ipped+ care&ul not to drain the bit o& hi drink remaining. He held hi li/uor
a be&itted an o&&icer o& the :C$+ but thi pink &lu&& wa deceptively trong. He didn.t
know how long the party wa going to go on+ and he wa +uite ure that he didn.t want to
blurt omething in an uncontrolled moment.
Blurt "hat+ he had no idea. %ll he knew &or certain wa that thee people had an
agenda o& their own+ and that Lt. 'aniel Leary wa a pawn they were maneuvering &or
purpoe that weren.t hi own.
"! appreciate the o&&er+ ir+" 'aniel aid+ "but ! don.t believe that.ll be poible. ! need
to tay in Spire until the arrival o& the /uadron to which the rincess Cecile ha been
attached. %&ter that time my whereabout will be at the dipoition o& the /uadron
commander+ Commodore Cettin. ! very much doubt he.ll wih me to go9"
He almot aid+ "haring o&&+" but caught himel& in time.
"9e,ploring on Se,burga+ however much ! might like to do o."
-he Captal. &ace became a mak o& cold &ury. He lahed the table with the peni
bone+ a snap: like nearby lightning.
"! wholly agree with you that there hould be proper e,amination+ ir+" 'aniel
continued. "!.m ure you.ll be able to carry it out yourel& more ably than a tranient :C$
o&&icer could do."
!& the e,iled ruler cut at him with the peni bone+ 'aniel wa going to take it away
and worry about the cone/uence later. Cinnabar noble had never lacked &or arrogance+
but their wa the pride o& oligarch who knew that even the greatet o& them wa merely
&irt among e/ual. %utocrat+ even &allen autocrat like the Captal+ were a wholly
di&&erent breed.
-he Captal dropped the rod didain&ully. "% real leader know how to delegate+
Lieutenant+" he aid. "Coint to the tak and reward the laborer uitably when they.ve
e,ecuted hi will. $o doubt your &ather undertand thi principle+ though you do not."
"#ery poibly he doe+ ir+" 'aniel aid+ trying to keep a traight &ace. !magine thi
Berengian ru*e implying imilarity between himel& and Speaker LearyA "-o be honet+
!.m rather urpried that a planet that. been continuouly ettled &rom be&ore the Hiatu
ha any maHor une,plored region."
"!t wouldn.t urprie you i& you.d pent any length o& time on Se,burga+ Lieutenant+"
aid Mitre ;eeton+ a Strymonian who.d been introduced a "a &actor with interet in
Spire and elewhere." Her clothe were o& Se,burgan cut but colored in vivid vertical
tripe like nothing 'aniel had een on local citi8en. "-hey.re a very conervative people
here+ the &amilie who trace their lineage back to the original ettlement even more o
than thoe &rom Captain Dlood. re&oundation. South Land ha a bad reputation+ o why
go there)"
"!t. not a though there. population preure+ a&ter all+" a Mr. Cherry aid. -he
gathering under the bron8e hand had broken up+ and the conpirator were dri&ting cloer
to 'aniel. "-here. an atrogation beacon on the north cape o& the continent. %nd
&oreigner viit it occaionally. !.ve been there myel&."
He grinned at 'aniel+ then to the Captal. "$one o& my party aw ghot+ and !.ve
never heard o& anyone who ha. But ! had to hire pacer to do &or u on the trip+ becaue
none o& the local would go to South Land."
% ervant took 'aniel. gla and ubtituted a &ull one. He.d noticed many time in
the pat that the drink he held eemed to vanih a i& by omoi through the ide o& hi
gla. Still+ a &ew drink+ however trong+ weren.t going to be a problem.
"!.m not an archaeologit+ !.m a&raid+" 'aniel aid with a li&t o& hi hand. "!.m ure
that+ with the tra&&ic coming through Se,burga+ there.ll be a uitable peron &or the tak i&
you keep your eye open."
-he Captal da Lund tood with hi back to the window+ hi hand on hi hip.
Behind him ruet &ield tretched away to the hori8on. He looked a though he ought to
have been on a dai.
"-here are no men o& viion any more+" the Captal announced in a epulchral voice.
"Mankind ha devolved to a race o& pigmie who cannot ee and &ear to act."
"Oh+ ! don.t know that !.d agree with you there+ Captal+" 'elo #aughn aid with an
eay mile. "! think it. till poible to &ind men o& viion. *ouldn.t you ay o+
Lieutenant)"
"Be+ ! would+" 'aniel aid+ a little more &orce&ully than he might have done i& he
hadn.t &irt lugged down hi &reh drink.
#aughn meant himel&+ o& coure+ and he wa probably correct in hi el&(
aement. But Lt. 'aniel Leary could ee and could act alo . . . and his viion didn.t
include a Leary o& Bantry digging around on South Land at the whim o& an e,iled wog.
'aniel took a &ull gla &rom the ervant headed toward him and raied it. "% toatA"
he aid. "-o the :epublic o& Cinnabar and all her loyal allieA"
2verybody drank+ but an appraiing glint came into the eye o& 'elo #aughn. !t
remained there until the gathering broke up at the end o& the hour.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER -O3RTEEN
"E
ood a&ternoon+ mitre+" aid the man behind %dele in the
bu&&et line. "Or Mo&&icer+. ! uppoe ! hould ay. Bou.re one o& young Leary. crew+ ! take
it)"
",e's named Cherry," aid -overa+ peaking through the bead placed deep in %dele.
right ear canal. !t dulled her normal hearing on that ide o& her head+ but it wa the only
alternative to a urgical implant in her matoid bone i& he wanted commentary &rom her
ervant. ",e "as at the gathering for Captain Leary yesterday."
"!.m Signal O&&icer Mundy o& the rincess Cecile+ ye+" %dele aid. She miled+
though he.d learned that didn.t help put other at their eae with her. Some called her
mile wintry+ while other were le charitable. "%nd you.re a Se,burgan+ ir)"
"%rdi Cherry+" the &ellow aid with a deprecating laugh. "%nd not a Se,burgan+ no+
Hut an e,patriate like yourel&. My buine i here on Se,burga+ but !.m a citi8en o&
Strymon. Juite a little party here+ wouldn.t you ay)"
%dele reached the head o& the table. She took a plate and began plumping &ood onto
it. %lthough normally abtemiou+ he.d been e,tremely poor &or &i&teen year. -he habit
o& eating everything he could get at &ormal gathering o& thi ort+ common in %cademe+
wa o deeply ingrained in her that it could be decribed a a conditioned repone.
"!.m certainly impreed+" %dele aid truth&ully. -he ne,t dih looked like candied
beetle. She took one1 poverty wa even better than travel &or making one open to new
e,perience. "-here mut be three hundred people here." %ccording to -overa+ there were
three hundred and &orty(even guet in addition to &i&ty(odd ta&& member and the
guet. two hundred ervant. "Mot o& Se,burgan ociety+ ! would gue."
"Se,burgan and e,patriate+" Cherry agreed. He eemed omewhat urpried at the
&ood piling up on %dele. plate+ then looked /uickly away to avoid commenting on it.
"Our two communitie don.t interact a great deal+ e,cept &or :eidency &unction like
thi. *e e,pat have no hare in the local government+ but our o&&(planet connection are
&re/uently advantageou in matter o& buine and the attendant pro&it. -here. rivalry
but not hotility+ thank to the :eident Commiioner."
-he :eidency and it everal outbuilding tood on the cli&& outh o& Dlood Harbor.
!& you looked pat the bu&&et table through the &ourth(&loor window9mall with thick
gla8ing againt the &re/uent winter torm9you could watch the ocean toing ullenly
all the way to the hori8on. -he comple, wa much older than Se,burga. agreement to
become an %lly and Crotectorate o& the :epublic early in the pat century.
-he tack on %dele. plate had rien beyond the practical poibility o& adding to it.
*ith a longing glance at a tray o& un&amiliar liced meat+ he tepped back9then
paued to natch a roll.
-overa wa outide in the van which had brought %dele to the party+ watching a
bank o& image tranmitted by tiny camera ecreted in every room o& the :eidence.
-heir &ih(eye lene ditorted the view to the point %dele would have &ound them
uele+ but -overa eemed to have no di&&iculty.
%dele didn.t ee any reaon &or uch paranoia1 but then+ he wouldn.t have uggeted
her ervant bring a ubmachine gun to 'elo #aughn. party on Cinnabar. She could
certainly appreciate -overa. &atidiou attention to the detail o& her pro&eion.
Large though the :eidency wa+ the preent number o& guet com&ortably &illed it.
Mot were well(&ed and all but the Cinnabar national &rom the :C$ and the
Commiioner. ta&& wore bright cotume+ though they di&&ered widely in tyle. Cerhap
hal& the number were Se,burgan1 the other came &rom at leat a do8en other world
within the :epublic. phere o& in&luence.
Lt. Mon got up with three local who.d been cruhed againt him at a tiny table+
apparently a &ather+ mother+ and their trikingly attractive daughter. Mon toed o&&
another tumbler o& tawny li/uor. He looked tunned by the attention. %dele wa virtually
certain that he.d never imagined he.d ever be part o& a gathering like thi. -he daughter
took hi arm a the parent beamed.
Cherry and %dele moved to the Hut(vacated table a Mon and hi new &riend
walked toward the tair to the roo& garden. "How o&ten doe the :eident have partie o&
thi ort)" %dele aked a they waited &or a ervant to clear the table o& litter.
"%dmiral -orgi gave a imilar do on :epublic 'ay both year that he. been here a
:eident+" Cherry aid+ ettling down oppoite her. He wa in hi &ortie and well(&ed+ i&
not e,actly &at. "-hi i obviouly becaue o& Mr. Leary. preence."
"Becaue o& ;otroma+ you mean)" %dele aid. She tarted with the candied bug
ince it eemed to watch her adly &rom it perch at the edge o& her dih. "Becaue urely
a great deal o& :C$ tra&&ic pae through Se,burga in the coure o& a year) #eel
more prepoeing than a corvette+ that i."
Cherry tapped the ide o& hi noe. "Oh+ the admiral. given out that it. becaue o&
the buine on ;otroma+" he aid+ "and ! uppoe mot o& the guet believe that. But
ome o& u know the real reaon Speaker Leary. on ha been ent on thi miion. !
undertand you.re an intimate o& Mr. Leary yourel&)"
%dele wallowed+ hoping that her hocked e,preion would be put down to the
mouth&ul he.d Hut conumed. -he bug had been pickled be&ore being coated with honey1
the combination o& &lavor would take a great deal o& getting ued to.
"!n a manner o& peaking+" he aid. "*e.re on duty &or the &ull period o& the cruie+
o& coure."
%dele had bitten back a retort along the line o&+ "%nd what do you mean by
Mintimate+. ir)" when he recalled that he had dutie to Mitre Sand. !& thi &at civilian
wa ready to blurt ecret to Mr. Leary. light(o.(love+ then it wan.t the buine o&
Mitre Sand. agent to diabue him.
"Be+ ye+ o& coure+" Cherry agreed through a nibble o& bread. "-he deception ha
worked e,cellently+ you.ll be pleaed to know. *hy+ the common &olk here are &alling
over all o& you on the ay(o o& %dmiral -orgi. %nd you.ll notice that the admiral
pretend he doen.t even know that the Creident(to(be ha arrived on Se,burga."
"Delos 3aughn isn't here," -overa agreed. "!or is $istress Cane. 'll the other
persons "ho met Captain Leary at the Captal da Lund's d"elling are here."
"Be+" %dele aid mildly a he peared a auage &rom her plate. %nother reult o&
her earlier privation wa that he tended to the &ood o& the highet calory and protein
content1 tarche and green were relatively cheap. "Juite a clever ploy &or a man who
appear to be a blu&& old pacer+ in.t it)"
"Between u . . ." Cherry aid. Surely no one could *e so great a fool as to *elie.e
that anything shared among conspirators as amateurish as Cherry and his friends
"ouldn't also *e common kno"ledge "ith anyone else "ho cared8 "! think the idea came
&rom young Eeron. He. the one who. been appointed a our liaion with the :epublic."
"! ee+" aid %dele. "!.d noticed that Mr. Eeron pend rather more money than hi
poition on the admiral. ta&& would run to. -hat e,plain it."
*hich it did. %dele had e,amined %dmiral -orgi. record+ both the public verion
and the one Mitre Sand had provided. -he admiral wa e,actly what he eemed+ a
well(born+ reaonably competent :C$ o&&icer who.d been put in place on Se,burga
becaue o& it value a a &leet bae i& trouble broke out again in the Sack.
Eiving a gala reception &or a naval hero wa per&ectly in character &or him.
!nvolvement in ubtle diplomatic and intelligence activity wa a unlikely a -orgi
de&ecting to the %lliance.
%nd to corrupt a man like Eeron+ who borrowed large um o& money and pent it
in the &orm o& cah+ would be no more di&&icult than peruading a bitch in heat to couple.
%dele didn.t know what Eeron. unpleaant vice wa+ but it wa obviou that he had one.
On the third &loor guet danced to the accompaniment o& a percuion band which
played catanet+ tambourine+ and a glockenpiel. -he e&&ect wa melodiou and+ though
penetrating+ didn.t overwhelm peech even on the outkirt o& the dancer. *hen the
tairwell door opened+ however+ chiming muic poured out over the re&rehment room. !t
drew the attention o& all the diner.
%dmiral -orgi+ impoing in 're *hite intead o& civilian attire+ trode out o& the
tairwell looking even more red(&aced than he had when %dele met him in the reception
line. Behind him+ hi right hand gripping her le&t and pulling her along+ wa a woman
who could pa &or hi twin iter but wa in &act hi wi&e. Lady -orgi wore a white
dre with gold braid in the &orm o& panel and huar knotF not a uni&orm+ but cloe
enough to one to make her -weedledee to the admiral. -weedledum.
"'amned elevator in thi place take &oreverA" -orgi boomed. "*ho need them+
eh+ Lieutenant) % companionway wa alway good enough &or me during &orty year o&
erviceA"
'aniel Leary emerged &rom the tairwell at a polite ditance behind Lady -orgi.
!ntead o& dragging hi companion+ a triking redheaded woman+ the way -orgi did hi
wi&e+ 'aniel upported her in the crook o& hi right arm. %dele would.ve aid that the
redhead looked healthy enough to climb tair by herel&+ but no doubt 'aniel knew hi
buine. Climbing tair probably wan.t the9peron.9pre&erred &orm o& e,ercie.
'aniel caught %dele. eye and waved hi &ree hand to her. She miled back+ cauing
Cherry. &ace to brighten with peculation+ then go tudiouly blank.
Behind 'aniel and hi tramp came a tream o& other guet+ panting and ditreed.
-he line wa long enough to keep the door to the third &loor open1 thu the dance muic
&looding out to announce %dmiral -orgi. arrival.
",olodi of Campt and her hus*and, they're factors for Campt and the Learoyd
Cluster," -overa aid a the &irt couple came into view. Her running commentary
continued+ identi&ying thoe &ollowing -orgi a among the leading reident o&
Se,burga.
-hey were divided e/ually between native and e,patriate+ Hut a Cherry had
uggeted. *hen the :eident Commiioner had decided not to wait &or the elevator+ all
hi chie& guet had to &ollow uit.
%dele &elt a &aint mile play at the corner o& her mouth. -here were e,tenive &loral
arrangement on the bu&&et table. !& %dmiral -orgi picked an iri and began chewing on
it tem+ hi guet would trip the diplay o& iri . . . though %dele believed they were
poionou. She withtood the urge to pull out her peronal data unit and get a certain
anwer to the /uetion.
"Let. get ome more table here &or me and the lieutenantA" %dmiral -orgi aid.
Haraed ervant held a /uick conclave+ then hunted &ood &rom one o& the erving
table to the other and brought the emptied one out to Hoin the maller eating table.
"%dele+" 'aniel aid+ tepping over to her while the admiral. order were being
obeyed+ "allow me to preent Mitre ;ira . . ."
He looked uddenly tricken.
"Lully+" -overa aid in %dele. ear a the two o& them roe.
"! believe you.re Mitre Lully+" %dele repeated in traight(&aced amuement+
touching &ingertip with the redhead. She.d already noticed that women didn.t clap one
another on Se,burga9any more than they did on the %lliance world. "#ery glad to meet
you. !.m Signal O&&icer Mundy o& the rincess Cecile."
"Leary+ bring your Mundy over to Hoin u+" -orgi boomed. "*ho. that+ Cherry)
Bou come over here too+ Cherry+ i& you like. %nyone good enough &or the company o& an
:C$ o&&icer i good enough to eat with meA"
Servant were rutling chair &rom around the room. One o& them had tarted to
natch %dele. when he tood up+ then &ro8e in horror a he reali8ed the Hunior o&&icer
had become one o& the admiral. pet. *orking &or a mater whoe whim were a trong
and (&rom a diplomatic perpective) unconventional a thoe o& %dmiral -orgi mut be a
nervou buine at bet.
"Bou had luck+ Leary+" the admiral aid in a voice that could probably be heard on
the &loor below over the orchetra. "Bou know it and ! know it. But all the luck in the
world wouldn.t have aved ;otroma i& you hadn.t been a man and a damned &ine o&&icer.
By Eod+ !.m glad the :C$ till make men the way he did when ! wa a cadetA"
"Hear+ hearA" cried the member o& hi entourage+ local and e,patriate evidently
trying to outclap one another. -hey.d have been cheering Hut a loudly i& the :eident
Commiioner had called &or in&anticide and immediate ubmiion to the %lliance o&
Dree Star. !n Se,burga. ocial hierarchy+ the Cinnabar repreentative wa the un and
everyone ele eemed deperate to become the planet in the nearet orbit.
'aniel leaned cloe to %dele. ear and whipered+ "! know+ it. all nonene . . . but
!.d be a liar i& ! didn.t admit it &eel good."
%dele patted him lightly below hi gold(encruted right epaulette. -hat raied
eyebrow &rom not only Cherry but Mitre Lully a well.
"Juite all right+ my dear+" %dele aid to the local woman in an accent redolent o& the
highet trata o& Geno ociety . . . to which he had+ a&ter all+ belonged. "Our aociation
i purely pro&eional."
Eood Eod+ ! am HealouA %dele reali8ed in hock. $ot o& 'aniel. body+ o& coure1
but the outrage on thi red(haired trollop. &ace at a hint o& intimacy between her and
'aniel had lit an une,pected &ue in %dele. mind a well.
"%ctually+ 'aniel+" %dele aid+ uncertain whether or not he could hear over the
butle+ "it. not nonene. -he admiral i /uite correct about what happened on
;otroma."
-he bu&&et wa &or ordinary guet1 %dmiral -orgi and thoe about him would have
a it(down dinner. -he ervant were now handing the e,panded entourage into chair+
trying to Hudge tatu and &ear&ul o& their mater. anger i& they mitook hi pre&erence.
'aniel went into the chair at Lady -orgi. right hand. %&ter a moment. heitation+
the tick(thin+ gray(haired &emale maHordomo put %dele herel& on the admiral. right and
Mr. Cherry+ o& coure+ beide her. -he Strymonian buineman looked a ama8ed a
Mon had at the pre&erence.
-here were ervice tair or at leat a dumbwaiter+ becaue three ervant hutled in
through the ide door bearing place etting. -he china wa blue(and(gold with the :C$
inignia+ but intead o& metal the &latware wa made o& platic or9
"Scaleware &rom the Caiteride+ %dmiral)" 'aniel aid in un&eigned enthuiam. "!
don.t believe !.ve ever een a et o &ine."
%dele had her peronal data unit hal& out o& it pocket be&ore he caught herel&.
Cosmographical directory, initial sort C%SS!-2:!'2S, su*1sort SC%L2*%:2 . . .
$ot her Hob+ not neceary+ and .ery much not the right time to call attention to
herel&. 'aniel wa bonding with the &ormer admiral. !n a thoroughly innocent &ahion+ o&
coure1 imply by being hi own engaging el&.
"Bou.re not likely to ee a better et ever+ Leary+" the admiral aid. "! haven.t and
!.ve got a &ew year on you. % &ew decade+ by EodA But ! wan.t more than your age
when a grate&ul prince &rom Cai gave them to me &or aving hi on and heir &rom the
%lliance privateer who.d captured hi hip. !n the knicker o& time+ i& you catch my dri&t.
-he privateerman wa a /ueer a old 0aunty -eillor who commanded the Home
S/uadron when ! wa a boy."
-orgi+ hi wi&e+ and 'aniel all bellowed with laughter. Mitre Lully looked
pu88led+ and the member o& the admiral. ta&& hovering in the background winced with
pychic pain.
% ervant et %dele. place1 he picked up the outermot poon and e,amined it
more cloely. -he material weighed ama8ingly little. She.d thought the color wa gray+
but in &act there wa a lambent &ire9gold to green to a black that wa total abence o&
hue9at the core o& the piece. !t wa o clear that he could read the whorl o& her &inger
pad through it.
"Cai !!! i a ea world+ %dele+" 'aniel aid+ leaning toward her over the table a
the &inger o& hi right hand careed M. Lully. bare houlder. "-he top o& the &ood
chain i the aber&ih that grow to &orty &eet long. 'uring the Hiatu only princely
houe were permitted to have &latware made &rom aber&ih cale+ and even now very
&ew et o& the real thing ever leave the planet."
":ight+ right+" -orgi aid+ bobbing hi head with the animation o& a man who
believe he. met hi oul mate. "-hey &ob o&& muck made &rom the gill(raker o& &ilter(
&eeding worm on &oreignerA -hi i the real thing. Bou can tell by the a,ial pinctatu+
ee)"
He held a &ork up to the light+ apparently trying to diplay the internal color that
%dele had already noticed. Other guet peered at their hot. waving utenil intead o&
looking at their own.
-he e,preion o& 'aniel and %dmiral -orgi uddenly hi&ted. -he humor wa
gone+ replaced by an eager intentne. %round them the party continued to wirl.
'aniel. hand lay on M. Lully. back+ but he had become till. % ervant o&&ered
-orgi an urn o& conomme he.d plucked &rom the erving table1 another ervant held the
ladle ready to &ill hi bowl. -he admiral ignored them.
%dele &elt the rumble+ though he wouldn.t have noticed it &or another minute or
more had not the pacer. attitude hown her there wa omething to notice. %lmot
imultaneouly the voice o& *oetHan+ the duty o&&icer tonight+ aid through a roar o&
tatic in %dele. ear+ "Bridge to Signals. The *inckelmann's on her "ay do"n "ith t"o
destroyers "aiting in or*it to follo". Warn the captain that ettin's arri.ed, mistress.
Bridge out."
"-he thruter are et to pule in triple e/uence+" %dmiral -orgi aid+ "and they.re
Hut a &ar out o& phae a they alway were on the $aspero when ! wa her third
lieutenant. -hat wa the ort o& idea that only a naval contructor who.d never tuned a
thruter himel& would.ve come up with."
"She. %rchaeologit cla+ all right+" aid 'aniel+ riing to hi &eet. -he poor ervant
barely avoided lohing herel& with an urn o& oup. "-hat mean Commodore Cettin.
here in the Winckelmann+ and that mean+ %dmiral+ that my o&&icer and ! need to return
to the rincess Cecile at once."
"O& coure you do+ Lieutenant+" %dmiral -orgi aid+ alo riing. "-he ervice o& the
:epublic i a hard li&e+ !.ll tell the world9but by Eod+ ! wih ! had a real command
myel& intead o& being a damned chair(bound politician like they.ve made meA"
"But 'anny . . . )" M. Lully aid with a tricken pout. "Bou were going to come out
in the deert with me tonight to watch the moon rie."
'aniel bent down and kied her &orehead+ right at the part &rom which the red hair
&lared to either ide like a boat. bow wave. "Sorry+ child+ and you can.t imagine how
orry ! am+ but ! need to get back to my hip %S%C or ooner yet."
"*e can get there &atet i& ! &ly you+" the woman aid. ":emember+ ! have my aircar
here."
0ut poibly he wan.t the bubble(brain %dele had aumed. %t any rate+ Lully had
graped the alient point o& the ituation and reponded to it with impeccable logic.
"BeA" 'aniel aid. "How many eat doe it have+ dear one)"
"*ell+ &our+" Lully aid through a recurrence o& the pout. "But ! thought you and !
could9"
":ightA" aid 'aniel. "Lieutenant MonA Dront and centerA *e.ve got to be aboard the
rincess Cecile be&ore the commodore open hi port."
Mon had already puhed in through the double door &rom the balcony. He walked
with the tudied earnetne o& a man who wa ure that hi head would &all o&& i& he
didn.t keep it centered /uarely over hi pine.
'aniel grimaced and turned to %dele. "%nd you a well+ O&&icer Mundy+" he aid. "!&
we get back in time+ you.ll take over a duty o&&icer &rom *oetHan. !.m certain that the
commodore will e,pect the duty o&&icer to be ober+ and !.m e/ually certain that *oetHan
i even le likely to meet that tandard that ! am myel&."
Li&ting M. ;ira Lully+ now chau&&eur+ in much the ame &ahion that he.d carried
her up the tair earlier+ 'aniel aid to the room+ "Eood citi8en+ duty callA May my
every landing &ind people hal& o generou a youA"
He trode to the tairwell+ the redhead clutched againt him like pirate. booty.
-hough unburdened+ %dele truggled to catch up. 2ven o Lt. Mon wa treading on her
heel a he reached the door. :eal pacer were ama8ingly ure&ooted when moving
through clutter.
"By Eod+ we.ll all go greet the /uadronA" %dmiral -orgi cried behind them.
"Eeron+ get my car readyA"
P P P
;ira Lully held her trim red(and(gold aircar in ground e&&ect Hut above the
pavement until a roar o& team drowned the narl o& the Winckelmann. plama thruter.
Only then did he drop the vehicle. noe over the cli&& edge and plunge toward the
rincess Cecile in piral o tight that centri&ugal &orce preed the occupant outward.
'aniel had thought o& uggeting he take the control himel&+ but he.d kept hi
mouth hut &or &ear that the redhead would order them all out o& the vehicle in a &it o&
pi/ue. % it turned out+ ;ira wa a much better driver than he wa.
%lo hi &ear that he.d blind herel& by looking into the heavy cruier. e,haut wa
remarkably illy when he ued hi head9which wan.t the part o& 'aniel Oliver Leary
mot o&ten to the &ore when he wa dealing with pretty girl. Obviouly+ nobody living
adHacent to Dlood Harbor could be ignorant o& the danger o& tarhip landing and li&ting
o&&.
"She. been running on eighty percent o& her mat+ and &our o& her thruter are out
o& ervice too+" Lt. Mon remarked &rom the rear eat beide %dele. "Chrit+ !.d &orgotten
what a bucket the Winckelmann wa."
"How do you tell)" %dele aked over the echoe till hammering around the cli&&.
"%bout the mat+ ! mean+ ince they.re all withdrawn &or landing."
Mon liked and repected %dele+ but he had an abraive manner at the bet o& time . .
. which didn.t include time he wa a drunk a he wa tonight. Be&ore he could nap+
"3e your bloody eye+ womanA" or the like+ 'aniel aid+ "%ntenna &ive+ i,+ ten+ and
twelve in each row haven.t been unbound at leat ince the Winckelmann li&ted o&& &rom
Cinnabar+ %dele. Bou can ee the pitting &rom micrometeorite i uni&orm over the hinge
and locking pin."
;ira dived into the warm alty &og which the Winckelmann. thruter li&ted &rom the
harbor. -he big cruier wa indeed a ad ight to anyone who knew hipF a clumy
deign+ now overage and poorly maintained in the long interval o& peace. Commodore
Cettin could ee that a well a any other o&&icer o& hi eniority+ and it would gall him
like a boil on the butt.
"!.m going to mi you tonight+ 'anny+" ;ira aid plaintively a he &lu&&ed them to a
&eatherlight landing on the dock where the rincess Cecile. gangplank terminated. -he
harbor. ur&ace wa twitching &rom the nearby arrival o& 4I+<<< ton o& heavy cruier+
but the concrete lip kept other veel &rom bouncing around unduly.
%dHacent to the corvette wa the depot hip %dmiral -orgi had moved there thi
morning. !t wa a &reighter+ now namele ave &or it pennant numberF S'$ IIN4. %ll
but &our antenna had been removed+ and it High 'rive had probably been cannibali8ed
in the ditant pat to e/uip ome warhip that had limped down to Dlood Harbor.
3nder normal circumtance the depot hip provided tore+ power &or veel whoe
&uion bottle were deadlined+ and a repair hop. -onight her cavernou bay were decked
out with bunting+ &ood+ and li/uor &or the rincess Cecile. crew.
"$ot hal& o much a !.ll mi you+ weet thing+" 'aniel aid+ knowing a he &ramed
the word that the truth wa a little more comple,. -rue+ he.d been looking &orward to the
night and morning9and who wouldn.t+ a&ter the run the rincess Cecile had Hut made)
But it wa even more true that 'aniel would willingly &orego the redhead. charm i&
there wa Hut ome way he could avoid the interview with Commodore Cettin he knew
wa coming. *hy in the name o& all that. holy did the pulpit(pounding commodore have
to land in the middle o& the :eident Commiioner. party &or the crew)
'aniel hopped over the ide o& the aircar without bothering to open the door. "Mon+"
he aid+ "rout the crew a bet you can9they.ll undertand it. an emergency. %dele+ get
onto the bridge oonet and take over. *ith luck we.ll have the anchor watch orted
be&ore9"
"Chrit on a crutchA" Mon narled. "-he anctimoniou old batard. making a hot
e,itA"
-he Winckelmann wa opening up in the uual &ahion o& airing hip on arrival.
Hatche were li&ting+ the turret &or the econdary battery o& plama weapon were being
cranked out to provide more room within the hull+ and crewmen double(timed onto the
outrigger to unlock acce plate that couldn.t eaily be reached &rom inide.
$ormally no one would diembark until the proce wa complete. -hi time+ a
oon a the hatche erving the water(level tern hold had clamhelled wide enough open+
the twelve(place aircar aigned to heavy cruier a a utility vehicle9the rincess
Cecile had a Heep that could carry &our i& they were good &riend9roared out.
Mon+ not ober but ued to &unctioning with a heavy load aboard+ wung hi leg
over the ide o& Lully. car and ran &or the depot hip with a rolling gait. -he
Winckelmann. arrival had called a good hal& the crew out already. -hoe who were
vaguely ober were mutering le(teady comrade and helping them to the /uay.
%dele tried to Hump out o& the aircar. She tripped+ which wa o likely a reult that
'aniel had already turned to grab her when he reali8ed what he intended. He wung her
to her &eet+ then tucked her into the crook o& hi arm and trotted &or the corvette. !t wa
much the way he.d carried the redhead+ ;ira+ in what now eemed the dim pat.
"But Danny . . ." the girl called. He heard the word and intantly dicarded them a
being o& no importance under the preent circumtance.
'aniel. reaon &or carrying hi ignal o&&icer wa /uite imple. %dele had to be on
the bridge when Commodore Cettin came aboard. *oetHan wan.t going to pa Cettin.
tandard o& :eady &or 'uty+ though the boun would have the li/uor bottle hidden and
other evidence o& good(&ellowhip out o& the way.
*oetHan. tate ran to men who could make her look &rail+ though like mot pacer
he.d make do with what wa available a&ter a voyage like the pat one. 'aniel &leetingly
wondered how lucky he.d been here on Se,burga.
-hough+ by the living EodA abolutely nothing harm&ul to the good order o& the :C$
wa going on here. -he problem wa that Commodore Cettin wouldn.t ee it that way1
and thank Eod9thank %dmiral %nton9&or an e,perienced crew which could react to
changed circumtance without the captain. order.
Barne and !necu were on guard at the main hatchway. -hey.d managed to get to
their &eet and li&t the tocked impeller they.d been iued &or the duty. "Here come the
captainA" !necu called cheer&ully a 'aniel pounded over the narrow gangplank with
%dele in hi arm.
!t wa a toup in 'aniel. mind whether Cettin would be more in&uriated by a
drunken o&&icer o& the watch or by one who wa oaking wet &rom &alling into the harbor
in her hate to board. %dele wa a olid weight+ tall and not a lender a he looked &rom
a ditance. She didn.t peak and held herel& a ti&& a a balance pole. 'aniel upected
he didn.t undertand what wa going on+ but early in her contact with the :C$ he.d
learned how to keep &rom getting in the way in a crii.
'aniel aw three earthenware Hug &loating between the corvette. hull and the
tarboard outrigger. Barne alo noticed them and leaned over the hatchway+ pointing hi
impeller.
"$oA" 'aniel houted over the howl o& the Winckelmann. car landing on the /uay
beide the redhead.. Barne wa too drunkenly &ocued to hear anything. He /uee8ed
the trigger9
WhackW,)CD
9and the weapon pat a &i&ty(grain pellet o& omium into the water at &ive time the
peed o& ound.
'aniel hal&(turned+ trying to hield %dele+ but the waterpout wa thirty &eet high
and drenched both o& them. -here were bit o& hattered pottery in with the &roth and
&lotam. 'aniel couldn.t ay much &or Barne. Hudgment+ but he hot traight depite
being pie(eyed drunk.
'aniel et %dele onto the rincess Cecile. entryway. Barne blinked in horror at
what he.d done. "Sorry+ ir+" he mumbled. He lowered the impeller. mu88le o that it
pointed at 'aniel. &eet intead o& in line with hi belt buckle.
%dele headed &or the bridge without &urther direction. -he ole o& all :C$ &ootgear+
even the hiny hal&(boot 'aniel wore with hi white+ were o& high(hyterei rubber that
gripped wet or dry. %dele /uelched with each tep+ but he didn.t &all down.
'aniel took the impeller &rom Barne+ witched the power o&& o that the coil
couldn.t accelerate another lug9into the harbor+ into 'aniel himel&+ or into Eod knew
where9and returned it to the pacer. He could hear hout echoing through the corvette
a crewmen &aced the udden emergency.
"Steady on+ Barne+" 'aniel aid /uietly. "-ry not to hoot the commodore."
-hough that poibility had a degree o& attraction Hut at thi moment.
'aniel turned and braced himel& to attention+ &acing the three :C$ o&&icer and the
ergeant o& marine tramping down the gangplank. Captain+ acting Commodore+ 0oip
Cettin wa in the lead. He wa a lean+ white(haired man+ &i&ty but looking older. $ormally
hi &ace would merely have been pale+ but at thi moment Cettin wa o angry that hi
e,preion could have been carved &rom un(dried bone.
'aniel aluted. He.d never managed anything o crip during hi year at the
%cademy. He might a well have mooned the commodore &or all the good it eemed to
do.
"SirA" 'aniel aid. "*elcome aboard :CS rincess CecileA !.m Lieutenant Leary+
reporting to you in accordance with my order."
"Leary . . ." Commodore Cettin aid+ hi notril &laring a though he detected a
horrible tench. Maybe he didF even 'aniel noticed Barne. breath+ and it wan.t that
there wa no alcohol on hi own. "! /ueried Condor Control &rom orbit when ! aw a
corvette in the harbor. -he controller told how it came there. Durthermore+ they very
kindly added that your plendidly handled hip le&t Cinnabar ten day behind my
/uadron and till arrived on Se,burga well ahead o& meA"
Oh+ Eod+ that had torn it. $o wonder Cettin looked mad enough to gnaw a Hunior
lieutenant down to hi boot.
-he o&&icer with Cettin were a plump+ worried(looking commander9probably the
Winckelmann. e,ecutive o&&icer9and a lugubriou young woman with the ingle collar
&lah o& a midhipman detailed a an aide with the rank o& acting lieutenant. -he ergeant
o& marine wa Hut that9and it wa intructive that Cettin hadn.t brought a marine
officer intead. -hi wa a burly &ellow whoe nighttick had gotten real ue in the pat.
"Sir+ the $avy O&&ice directed me to pare no e&&ort to Hoin the /uadron at Se,burga
depite our late tart+" 'aniel aid+ hi eye unblinkingly &ocued on the center o& the
hatch intead o& meeting the commodore. glaring &ury. !t wan.t much o& a lie+ and it
eemed &or a moment that it might Hut calm Cettin. anger. -hen9
Oh (od. ;ira whatever(her(name(i wa trotting primly down the gangplank. -he
kintight kirt didn.t hobble her in the leat.
"'anny+ weetheart)" he called in a voice o clear that nobody within &i&ty &eet
could mitake the word. "Bou didn.t ki me good(bye+ darling."
-he /uartet &rom the Winckelmann turned. -he marine. &ace howed momentary
appreciation+ then went pro&eionally blank. Commodore Cettin looked at 'aniel again.
"Lieutenant Leary+" he aid. "! wa concerned when ! detected ign o& obviou
inebriation in the tone o& the duty o&&icer when ! /ueried your veel &rom orbit."
Hi voice tarted gently enough but it /uickly roe to be heard over the howl o&
another aircar landing. -he vehicle wa ornate+ with enamel ecutcheon on the door and
a &ringed canopy.
"But ! never+ never in my wort nightmare+ could have imagined the ort o&
debauchery that ! aw taking place a we landedA ! will not ak &or your e,planation+
becaue there cannot poibly be an e,planationA"
"'anny . . . )" ;ira peeped. 2ven he eemed to have come to the reali8ation that
omething wa wrong.
-he rincess Cecile. crew9the bulk o& the pacer who hadn.t had time to cramble
aboard be&ore the commodore. aircar arrived9had &ormed in rank on the /uay a
though &or an inpection. -hrough them+ moving with the tumping preciion o& a man
who.d pent hi time in a tarhip. rigging+ came %dmiral -orgi with civilian aide in
hi train.
"'o you have anything to ay be&ore ! remove you &rom command and order your
con&inement &or court(martial)" the commodore houted.
"SirA" aid 'aniel. !t wa re&le,+ drilled into him at the %cademy and abolutely the
only thing to ay under thee circumtance. "$o e,cue+ sir."
"*ho. that)" boomed %dmiral -orgi. "Cettin+ in.t it) !.m glad you &inally got here+
Captain. Bou can have a drink with me in honor o& Lieutenant Leary+ who. been poted
to your command."
"%dmiral)" Commodore Cettin aid+ hal& turning and &orcing hi &ace in the direction
o& a mile1 not very &ar in that direction. "-he condition o& the crew . . . Have you noticed
. . . )"
He getured toward the depot hip+ a little &lick o& hi hand a though trying to bruh
away a &ly. Hi ubordinate had tepped aide and tood at parade ret+ tudiouly not
looking at either the commodore or the admiral.
;ira vacillated on the gangplank. -orgi took the girl by the wait in both hand and
wung her behind him+ howing kill and balance that a rigger could appreciate.
"Juite a little party+ in.t it)" he aid with a chuckle. 'aniel noted a hard glint in the
admiral. eye+ thoughF he knew e,actly what had been going on when he arrived here
and what would have happened i& he.d been a &ew minute later. "-hought it wa the leat
! could do. Caid &or it myel&+ that i. -hough ! think ! could.ve Huti&ied Commiion
&und &or the crew that aved ;otroma &rom the %lliance."
"But %dmiral+" Cettin aid+ waying lightly with the tenion he held himel& under.
"-he condition o& the o&&icer a well a the crew9"
"*ell+ &or Eod. ake+ Cettin+" -orgi aid. He tepped into the rincess Cecile.
entryway+ preing the Winckelmann. peronnel back by heer &orce o& peronality.
"*hat do you e,pect their condition to be a&ter a run like they made) Seventeen day
&rom Cinnabar to here. % never knew o& a crew who puhed o hard. -hey.ll be &it to &ight
a oon a your are+ though+ ! warrant."
% econd hip wa decending1 one o& the /uadron. detroyer+ 'aniel aumed+
though he couldn.t ee &rom where he tood within the corvette. -he thruter pule were
audible+ though it would be ome minute be&ore the ound mothered normal
converation.
-hough "normal converation" didn.t decribe what wa going on here.
"Sir+ the duty o&&icer wa obviouly drunkA" Cettin aid.
"*ith repect+ irA" aid %dele Mundy in a hard voice without a hint o& repect in it.
"! believe ! wa eating dinner at the time the Winckelmann announced it arrival+ but !
mot certainly am not drunk."
'aniel blinked in urprie+ then choked back a laugh when he reali8ed that %dele.
tatement wa literally true. She tood ramrod traight on the companionway &rom C
Level. She.d changed into her utility uni&orm+ and he knew without /uetion that the
hip. log now would indicate he.d been on duty all night.
Cettin looked a though he.d been andbagged. %dmiral -orgi proved he undertood
a well a *oetHan did that the &irt rule o& brawling i that you al"ays kick your
opponent when he. down.
"%nd i& he in.t+ that. a violation o& my intruction to Lieutenant Leary+ Captain+"
the admiral aid. "! made it a clear a ! knew how that e.ery member o& hi crew hould
have a good time at my e,pene tonight. ! may be retired+ but there. till people in the
$avy O&&ice who.d liten i& ! told them the :C$ doen.t need Eoody -wo(hoe &or
commanding o&&icer. -here.ll be no %lliance attack here with the atellite de&ene in
place."
"-hank you+ %dmiral+" %dele aid in ringingly aritocratic tone+ "but my obriety i
entirely a peronal choice. ! would be unuitable a a commanding o&&icer &or other
reaon a well."
"! ee+" aid Commodore Cettin. He huddered like a man li&ted &rom &ree8ing water.
Hi tongue touched hi lip. "Lieutenant Leary+ report to me at ten hundred hour
tomorrow."
He looked at -orgi and added in a voice that would have been venomou i& it had
more li&e+ "!& that meet with your approval+ %dmiral)"
-he detroyer wa within three thouand &eet+ lowing to a near hover a the captain
teadied her &or landing. %dmiral -orgi+ raiing hi voice to be heard over the throb o&
plama+ aid+ "!.m retired+ remember+ Captain. !n any cae+ ! wouldn.t inter&ere with
another o&&icer giving proper command to hi ubordinate."
'aniel had been tanding at attention &rom the moment o& the commodore. arrival.
"SirA" he aid+ throwing another alute. !t wan.t nearly a crip a the &irt1 maybe depair
wa what he needed to per&orm drill and ceremony properly. "-en hundred hour
tomorrow+ sirA"
Commodore Cettin turned and talked o&& acro the gangplank without returning the
alute or &urther acknowledging the :eident Commiioner. Hi ubordinate &ollowed+
each with a urreptitiou alute to the &ormer admiral.
-he rincess Cecile. crew mut have heard the entire e,change1 now they began to
cheer. -hey were o loud that 'aniel could hear them until the detroyer licked the harbor
into a roar o& team.
-he cheering wan.t going to help matter tomorrow morning1 but even be&ore there
hadn.t been much doubt about how 'aniel. &ormal interview would go.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER -I-TEEN
"2
nterA" Commodore Cettin called through the open hatchway
to hi o&&ice.
'aniel took two tride and halted be&ore Cettin. dek. He wa well aware o& the
three clerk in the outer o&&ice+ taring at hi back+ but Cettin continued working at the
holographic diplay between him and the lieutenant he.d ummoned.
'aniel took an %cademy brace and aluted. "Lieutenant Leary+ reporting a ordered+
irA" he aid.
Cettin thumbed the diplay to lower intenity and looked through it ourly. He
touched hi &orehead in a per&unctory alute and aid+ "%t eae+ Leary. Cretending you
were an honor graduate in.t going to &ool me. -he only repect you.re owed i &or your
uni&orm+ however much you may digrace it."
'aniel tepped ideway to parade ret+ keeping hi eye on the corner o& the
holoprint o& a vaulted cloiter behind the commodore. !t wa the only portion o& the
compartment. &urnihing that wan.t :C$ iue. Eranting that Cettin wan.t a wealthy
man+ thi wa till an unuual degree o& aceticim in an o&&icer o& hi eniority.
"!.ve met your ort be&ore+ Leary+" the commodore continued. "*ell(born watrel
whoe political connection put them on a &at track to honor depite their mani&et
incapacity &or command. Cro&eional o&&icer oon learn to work around them."
Cettin wa wearing a utility uni&orm+ technically acceptable ince he wa aboard a
warhip on active duty but a tudied inult when welcoming the captain o& a veel
recently poted to hi command. 'aniel had &inally ettled on hi gray &or the interview+
knowing that whatever choice he made would be ground to damn him9&or a popinHay in
a dre uni&orm or becaue hi utilitie lacked repect &or hi uperior o&&icer9i& Cettin
choe to take it that way.
% Cettin certainly wa going to do.
"%ny comment to make+ Lieutenant)" Cettin aked+ raiing an eyebrow.
"$o+ ir+" 'aniel aid to the cloiter.
*ith the e,ception o& atrogation9and there becaue o& hi kill in practice rather
than on theory9'aniel. %cademy core had been toward the lower limit o& ade/uate.
2ven that degree o& ucce probably owed le to 'aniel. e&&ort than to the &act that a
naval career didn.t appeal to many grinding intellectual. Still+ there "as more to being an
:C$ o&&icer than your academic record.
But to protet to Cettin now) 'aniel Leary had made a &ool out o& himel& many
time+ and not alway over a woman1 but he.d never been o great a &ool a that.
Cettin continued+ looking vaguely dipleaed at 'aniel. lack o& reaction+ "-he
portion o& the /uadron that accompanied me &rom Cinnabar will re/uire three day to
re&it. $o doubt the rincess Cecile will be ready long be&ore that ince you.ll have taken
advantage o& your early arrival."
Cettin raied hi eyebrow again. !t wa hard to ditinguih the e,preion &rom a
cowl+ but 'aniel decided a repone wa the better choice. "Be+ ir+" he aid.
He.d wrung the rincess Cecile out+ no /uetion about that+ but he.d come through
the tet with &lying color. Cart o& the rigging needed replacement+ and one o& the triply(
redundant pump &eeding the antimatter converter had lot it impeller in pectacular
&ahion+ but all thi would be claed a normal wear and tear &or a run o& uch length.
*ith the e,ception o& a turnbuckle that wan.t in tore on Se,burga+ the repair were
already complete. -ally and her aitant were machining that lat part out o& bar tock1
they.d have it in place by mid(a&ternoon.
"Dine+" Cettin aid with heavy irony. "-hen that &ree you to undertake a urvey o&
ruin on the outh continent here. ! undertand they.ve never been properly catalogued. %
local reident+ the Captal da Lund+ ha kindly o&&ered the ue o& hi aircar and a guide.
-hey.ll be ready by ten hour thirty local time+ and ! e,pect you and your upport
peronnel to be ready alo."
He paued with an e,pectant mirk.
"Be+ ir+" 'aniel aid. -he aircar he.d een in the Captal. compound would hold
twenty people+ but there.d be gear to carry a well. He.d take ten crewmen plu Hogg9a
worthy cion o& generation o& poacher and outdoormen9and %dele i& he wanted to
go.
'iappointed again+ Cettin continued+ "Bou.ll turn over command o& the rincess
Cecile to your &irt lieutenant and report back in eventy(two hour &or li&to&& with the
ret o& the /uadron. ! that clear)"
"Be+ ir+" 'aniel aid. !n the :C$+ carrying out a uperior. order alway took
precedence to wondering why the anctimoniou Hacka had choen to give the order in
the &irt place.
"Leary . . ." the commodore aid+ leaning back in hi chair a hi &inger writhed on
the dek be&ore him. "! don.t imagine that removing you &rom the high li&e o& Spire i
going to make an :C$ o&&icer o& you9! doubt anything could do that9but it. a much
a ! can do at preent. 'o you have any comment to make)"
"Be ir+" 'aniel aid to the hologram. "%m ! dimied to prepare &or the
e,pedition+ ir)"
"'imiedA" Commodore Cettin aid.
'aniel aluted+ turned+ and trode out o& the o&&ice a martly a he could manage.
-o hi back Cettin houted+ "%nd ! only wih ! could dimi you &rom the ervice a
wellA"
He could have aved hi breath. 'aniel hadn.t been in the leat doubt about the
commodore. opinion.
P P P
-he butle around %dele on the rincess Cecile. bridge hadn.t penetrated her
concentration+ but when 'aniel appeared+ till houting order back down the
companionway+ he looked up &rom her conole. 'aniel already had the Hacket o& hi @nd
Cla uni&orm o&& and wa unealing the &ly o& hi trouer to drop them alo.
"%deleA" he aid. "%re you intereted in eeing South Land) Drankly+ !.d Hut a oon
have you here to handle communication+ but you.re welcome to come i& you.d like. !.ve
told *oetHan that !.ve got Hogg to hepherd me o he. not going to tag along. Mon
may need a boun in the event the good commodore get another harebrained idea."
% idebar howed that Lt. Mon wa in the Battle 'irection Center+ alerting the
crewmen who.d be accompanying 'aniel to the middle o& nowhere. % &ew o& them might
tart out with a hangover+ but they were all preent and accounted &or. 'aniel hadn.t
known what wa going to happen when he &ormally reported to Commodore Cettin+ but
he.d made ure he and hi whole complement would be prepared &or it.
"!.d go i& you wanted me+" %dele aid. "!.ve lept many a night on a cot in the
%cademic Collection. % tent in a rocky deert in.t going to be wore. But i& you really
want me here+ there are way ! can be more ue&ul."
*ith -overa. help+ Hogg had &inihed packing du&&le bag &or himel& and 'aniel.
3naked he traded 'aniel a utility Hacket &or the gray. % he did o+ the kneeling -overa
lid 'aniel. trouer down and tapped hi ankle &or him to raie hi right &oot. She gave
%dele a idelong mile.
"!.ll tell you one way right now+" 'aniel aid. "See i& you can &ind out how Cettin
decided to end me o&& to the South Land. !.m urpried he even know about the ruin.
He certainly doen.t have the reputation o& being an archaeologitA"
"!.ve already determined that+ ! believe+" %dele aid+ hal& mug and hal& peeved at
being told to do omething that had been obviou to her &rom the moment 'aniel called
in a he le&t the Winckelmann. "! don.t know i& you have time . . . )"
"Be+" he aid+ now li&ting hi le&t &oot a directed to tep out o& hi trouer.
"2verything. obviouly under control here. !.d like to know what. going on be&ore the
arrival o& the Captal. guide9and py+ ! preume."
%t the open arm locker down the corridor+ Sun handed impeller or ubmachine
gun to the pacer told o&& &or the e,pedition. Hi aitant+ Eanevoort+ ran the
recipient. !' chip through a reader that paired them with the weapon erial number.
%dele. wand re&ocued her holographic diplay o that 'aniel could view it &rom
where he tood. -overa wa pulling the leg o& hi utility trouer over hi right boot.
"!t.ll be /uicker i& you e,plain it+ ! believe+" 'aniel aid with an auterity that wa
not /uite a rebuke. He witched leg while hi hand did up the button9more rugged+
weather reitant+ and ilent than any other cloure ytem9o& hi Hacket.
%dele conidered what had Hut happened. 'aniel thought her geture wa a way o&
aying+ "Bou can.t match my kill even i& ! how you what you ought to be looking &or."
He wa /uite poibly correct. Both he and the ituation demanded better per&ormance
&rom her.
"Sorry+" %dele aid+ readHuting the diplay. "! checked Commodore Cettin.
meage log."
"Hi ecure log)" 'aniel aked with a &rown o& pu88lement. -overa wa buttoning
hi trouer.
"!t. not that ecure+" %dele aid. "!& there. anything ele you.d like to know &rom
the Winckelmann. record+ Hut ak me."
'aniel grinned and hook hi head. Hogg+ who already wore a tocked impeller
lung mu88le(down over hi right houlder+ handed 'aniel an e/uipment belt complete
with a holtered pitol.
"Mr. Eeron &rom the Commiion ta&& called &or an appointment yeterday at
twenty &orty(even hour Cinnabar time+" %dele reumed. -he Se,burgan day+ lightly
longer than that o& Cinnabar+ wa brought into alignment by adding an intercalary eighty(
one minute to the hip. clock at midnight. "! think he wa with %dmiral -orgi when he
9"
She wan.t ure how to decribe the admiral. intervention+ o he gave a hrug that
didn.t a&&ect the angle at which he held her wand.
"*hen he aved my a+" 'aniel aid a he buckled the e/uipment belt around him.
"Saved the Sissie. collective a+ very poibly. %nd ye+ Eeron did accompany the
admiral."
"-he meage aid that9" %dele aid. She paued+ then intead o& paraphraing
/uoted+ "Eeron aid+ M! have in&ormation &or your ear only+ regarding the working o&
the Commiion and their bearing on your command. !t i imperative that we peak
be&ore ten hundred hour tomorrow.. Cettin called him. Eeron re&ued to ay anything
&urther even though the line wa encrypted."
She wa /uite certain that Eeron wa imply being paranoid rather than that he
really believed anyone could hear the meage. -hi wa a cae where paranoia had paid
o&&.
"-hey met three hour later9" -wo hour and &i&ty(one minute later+ but %dele had
learned overpreciion tended to bother thoe he poke to. "9according to Cettin.
appointment record. Eeron tayed &orty(&ive9" &orty(three "9minute+ during which
time Commodore Cettin called up all the in&ormation about South Land in the
Winckelmann. data bank. -hat wa limited to the Sailing Directions+ o& coure. He then
put through a call to the Captal da Lund+ con&irming that a car and guide would be here at
ten(thirty hour local time today."
"! ee+" 'aniel aid /uietly. $ow dreed &or action+ he at at hi conole and looked
over the change Lt. Mon had made in the watch roter to re&lect the peronnel going o&&
to South Land &or three day.
"%ll right+ muter on the /uay with your ground packA" Sun aid to the pacer he.d
Hut armed. He.d be acting a 'aniel. econd in command o he had every right to order
them out+ but %dele knew that the hout9which had tartled her9wa meant to alert
'aniel to the detachment. readine.
-he ten crewmen trotted toward the companionway+ carrying in one hand the
weapon they.d Hut been iued and the mall pack holding toiletrie and a change o&
clothe in the other. :C$ crew were &re/uently ued &or detached ecurity and &atigue
dutie on ditant world where no other Cinnabar peronnel were available+ o there wa
a Standard Operating Crocedure &or it. %dele doubted whether "detached" o&ten meant a
do8en people being put in the middle o& a deert over a thouand mile &rom their hip+
though.
'aniel looked up to ee Sun+ the lat in line+ heading down toward the /uay.
Caternak wa coming up &rom the power room+ uing the other companionway. He
looked worried+ but %dele knew by now that wa the engineer. normal e,preion.
"*e.ll be leeping under tarp+" 'aniel aid to %dele and to Bank+ waiting ilently
at the attack conole although he wa technically o&& duty at the moment. "-hat houldn.t
be too bad i& rain. a rare a the data ay."
"!.ve downloaded all the available in&ormation on Se,burga into your helmet+"
%dele aid. "-hey have plenty o& torage capacity+ and it.ll ave time by you not having to
go through the communication atellite to reach the hip. data bank."
"%h+" 'aniel aid. "! appreciate that."
Hi &ace twitched a i& he were trying to uppre a mile. -hen he aid+ "%dele+ why
do they want me to go to South Land) -he Captal can.t really care about the ruin. He.d
go himel& i& he did."
%dele hrugged again. "-here. nothing available electronically that even ugget a
reaon+" he aid. "-here. a phyical archive in the baement o& Council Building+ that.
the local government. -he midhipmen and ! &ound it the other day. *hile you.re
roughing it+ ! intend to earch there to ee what ! can &ind."
Caternak entered the bridge1 Lt. Mon wa coming down the corridor &rom the Battle
'irection Center. Bett got to hi &eet. 'aniel roe &rom hi conole alo+ to take hi leave
o& hi o&&icer be&ore Hoining the detachment on the /uay.
"-here. wore &orm o& buy work that a captain can &ind &or a Hunior lieutenant+" he
aid+ &lahing %dele a boyih grin. "But ! really wih ! knew what #aughn. &riend are
playing at."
"So do !+" %dele aid aloud. Her mind added+ 'nd one "ay or another, %'m going to
learn.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER SI5TEEN
-
he aircar. central compartment had lu,ury eating &or eight.
Sun+ #eey+ and the eight ordinary crewmen &ound it uncom&ortably roomyF pacer liked
cloe /uarter or they.d have &ound ome other line o& work. -he rear compartment had
Humpeat &or ervant a well a cargo tie(down1 the e,pedition. &ood and luggage rode
there now.
'aniel and Hogg were on either end o& the bench eat in &ront+ andwiching their
driverLguide 'orotige+ the attendant 'aniel had met guarding the Captal. gate. -oday he
wore a gray Hacket over looe khaki trouer intead o& the clown uit he.d been in &or the
party.
"! wih to Eod that you.d packed thoe gun away in the back+" 'orotige aid+
houting over the ound o& wind and the &an. vibration. -he central compartment wa
lung in elatic to iolate the paenger &rom the noie o& operation+ but the driver had no
uch lu,ury. "Or le&t them back in Spire+ better yet. -here. nothing bigger than your
thumbnail on South Land."
"Bou.ve been here be&ore+" 'aniel aid+ looking down at a plain broken by ravine
where ruet vegetation &ound enough moiture to grow. !n the &orward ditance roe
andtone hill which the wind had weathered out o& the urrounding clay. "My crewmen
haven.t+ and thi in.t the ort o& buine they.re trained &or anyway. -hey.re more
com&ortable being armed."
!n truth+ 'aniel. only real concern about the e,pedition wa the ame one the
Captal. man had voiced. -he pacer weren.t &or the mot part any more &amiliar with
hand weapon than they were with camping in the middle o& a barren deert. 2ven though
he.d ordered them to leave the gun. power witche o&&+ there wa a real chance that
omebody.d put a bullet through himel&+ a &ellow+ or the car. drive &an.
"-hey.ll be all right+ buddy+" Hogg aid. "Mot o& thi lot know which end the lug
come out o&. %nd ! told .em that i& anybody looe o&& a round+ it.d better kill me traight
out+ becaue !.m ure a hit going to cut hi throat i& it don.t."
Hogg wa /uite capable o& e,aggeration. He wa alo capable o& cutting omebody.
throat. 'aniel hoped the comment wa in the &ormer category+ but he even more hoped
that he.d never have to learn.
%n intercom connected the vehicle. three compartment+ but Sun ued hi helmet.
unit channel to ak+ "Captain) What's the ET' no"8 We ought to *e getting close, right)"
"Hold one+" 'aniel aid+ &lipping down hi vior and cueing the geographical
overlay. !t didn.t how what he e,pected it to. Drowning+ he ued the thumb dial under hi
le&t ear to increae the cale until the detination pip howed on the ame creen a the
point where the helmet. inertial navigation ytem placed the aircar. -hey were to the
north o& the plotted ruin and well inland o& them a well.
"'orotige+" 'aniel aid without raiing hi voice more than the noie level re/uired.
Hogg mut have heard omething in the tone+ becaue he reached into hi pocket.
"Beah)" 'orotige muttered.
-here wa a nick &rom Hogg. ide o& the compartment. "Look at the mater when
he. talking to you+ &ihbait+" Hogg aid. He didn.t peak loudly either+ but with the point
o& a even(inch kni&e blade reting againt 'orotige. throat+ he didn.t have to.
"*hat the hellA" 'orotige creamed. -he aircar lurched ideway. !& Hogg hadn.t
been very &at+ the Holt would have done e,actly what the driver wa a&raid o&1 but while
you could &ault Hogg. Hudgment occaionally+ 'aniel wa pretty ure hi ervant would
never kill anybody that he didn.t mean to. He had the kni&e back and cloed be&ore
'orotige managed to pit himel& on it.
'aniel teadied the control yoke with hi le&t hand+ bringing the car traight and
level again. He aid+ "*e aren.t heading &or the ruin like we.re uppoed to be+ 'orotige.
*hy i that)"
"*hat do you mean not the ruin)" the driver houted+ angry and terri&ied at the
ame time. He pointed through the windcreen toward the ground &ive hundred &eet
below. "*hat the hell do you think that i down there) Look+ right at the bottom o& the
hill+ thereA *e.re here+ you9"
-he ound o& Hogg. kni&e reopening punctuated the driver. bluter. He choked the
ne,t word o&& in hi throat.
'aniel grimaced. He could ee a pattern o& line in the tone+ but until he dialed up
the magni&ication on hi vior they looked like mere weathering. -hat till might be what
they were+ but at 6<, magni&ication and with the helmet. optical tabili8er engaged+
'aniel could tell they were traight or at leat eemed traight.
"-here. two iteA" 'orotige aid+ now in a tone o& inHured innocence that 'aniel
had to admit hi right to. "-hi i where the Captal told me bring you. -he water you can
get at the place down outh ha a lot o& ul&ur in it."
"%ll right+" 'aniel aid. "Set u down+ pleae."
He glanced into the paenger compartment. -he helmet communicator wa till
engaged o the crewmen had heard everything that wa going on. 'ai had hi impeller
pointed at the back o& the driver. head. -he heavy lug would punch through the clear
platic without di&&iculty+ true enough+ but it.d alo end &ragment o& the panel acro the
compartment like a grenade blat.
'aniel &rowned and waved the weapon away. He aid+ "%ll peronnel prepare &or
landing. *e.ve reached our detination."
He &elt uncom&ortable+ but that might be imply becaue he eemed to have made a
&ool o& himel&. Still+ the Captal hould have mentioned that he.d directed them to a ite
that wan.t . . .
%h. -he Captal might not even know what the :C$ Sailing Directions aid about
South Land. %nyway+ there wa no way o& telling what the Captal had aid to Eeron or
Eeron to Commodore Cettin during their interview.
"!.m very orry+ 'orotige+" 'aniel aid+ itting &ormally upright. "! Humped to
concluion. !t won.t happen again."
"%nd i& you watch your tongue when you.re talking to the mater+" Hogg aid+ "!
won.t have to prick you to better manner again neither."
'orotige brought the aircar to a hover+ raiing a huge doughnut o& red dut &rom the
piky vegetation. -he cloud wa inevitable+ but he let the vehicle lip backward and
landed e,pertly out o& the wort o& it.
'aniel opened hi door1 he.d tudied the odd pull(li&t motion o& the latch be&ore they
le&t Spire. He.d learned a a child tuck in a narrowing cave that he didn.t want to get
into anything where he didn.t know the way out.
Hogg tepped onto the deck on hi ide and urveyed the landcapeF dark red rock
with hori8ontal triation where the wind had dug deeper between layer1 a ky o pale it
wa almot white1 and cuhion o& reddih gra an inch or two high and about a &oot in
diameter. -he vegetation vanihed into the general rocky underur&ace &rom any ditance
in the air+ e,cept in the ravine where greater moiture and protection &rom the wind let it
grow higher.
Hogg pat. "Beir+" he aid. "-hi i Bust where ! wa hoping to pend the ne,t three
day."
He turned to glare at 'aniel over the cabin o& the car. "%nd don.t tell me ! didn.t
have to come+ young mater+" he added+ "becaue you know damned good and well that !
wan.t going to leave your a winging out here with nobody to look a&ter youA"
"Be+ ! did know that+ Hogg+" 'aniel aid+ tepping to the ground. -he contact Holted
him all the way &rom hi heel right up the pinal column. Dor ome reaon andtone &elt
harder than other kind o& rock+ even granite and baalt.
"Barne and ;eat+ you.re on guard till we know what we.re dealing with+" Sun
ordered+ li&ting the gate o& the cargo compartment. "-he ret o& you+ tack arm and let.
get the tarp up &or helter o we don.t have to crew with it a&ter the unet. -hi wind.
cold a ice up the a alreadyA"
-hat wa true beyond doubt. Maybe it wa a whim o& the weather rather than a
variation in climate+ but the air here wa ten degree cooler than it had been on Spire
when they le&t thi morning. -hi ite wa &ar &rom the coat+ which probably made a
di&&erence alo. %nd peaking o& the ite9
"Hogg+ let. look at the ruin+" 'aniel aid. -here wa high(de&inition imaging
e/uipment in the kit %dele. ervant+ -overa+ had packed &or the e,pedition+ but &or
'aniel. initial urvey hi helmet. recording capacity would be u&&icient. "'orotige+
come along with u. Bou.ve been here be&ore+ and none o& our record mention the
location at all."
"-here. not a hell o& a lot to ee+" 'orotige muttered a he lid acro the eat. "Eod
but it. coldA"
Cattern that 'aniel had taken &or mineral depoit on the rock were actually the
tem o& woody plant. -hey crawled acro the ur&ace becaue the wind would hear
them i& they roe any ditance in the air. -heir purplih leave were a tiny a grain o&
rice.
"Some.re up thi way+" 'orotige aid+ waving toward the hillide. "But they.re all
over the place+ &or what they.re worth. !t. Hut ditche in the rock."
He tarted up the lope. Hi &oot lipped on bare tone1 &rom then on he tepped on
the &lat mound o& gra that gave him ome traction. He wa wearing o&t(oled andal
better uited &or a drawing room than a wilderne.
'aniel thought about how long it mut take plant to grow in thi windwept aridity
but didn.t ay anything to 'orotige. Beide+ only the outer rim o& the cuhion wa till
alive1 the center were coare gray tem.
"Here. one+" aid 'orotige+ pointing to hi &eet. "$ot much to come a thouand
mile &or+ it eem to me."
"Bou got that right+" Hogg aid. He pat again+ grimacing a the wind blew the
gobbet back Hut hort o& hi boot.
'aniel /uatted beide the indentation in the rock+ hoping to &ind ome reaon to
diagree. He couldn.t come up with one immediately.
SoF there wa a trough in the andtone. !t wa traight+ true enough+ but it never got
deeper than hi inde, &inger and it margin were rounded. 2ight &eet up it croed
another trough+ hallower yet+ at right angle. *hen 'aniel held hi head low to the
ground he could make out a whole network o& the marking+ Hut a 'orotige had aid.
"-hey could be &ooting &or wall+" 'aniel o&&ered. -he pattern had been eaier to
ee &rom the air+ becaue the hadow thrown by the indentation were more obviou than
the groove themelve.
")r they could be crack that the wind routed out with and+" Hogg aid. Hi
education had been practical rather than cholarly+ but there wa very little new about the
countryide an academic would be able to tell Hogg. "%nd anyhow+ it didn.t happen any
time in the lat couple thouand year."
Hi boot pointed to9but didn.t touch9a hrub growing where trough Hoined+ it
&our tem writhing up the interecting line. "!& thi wan.t about a big back when they
ettled the planet+ !.ll never touch li/uor again."
"!.m getting a Hacket+" 'orotige aid. He talked o&&+ rubbing hi hand together.
'aniel ignored him+ o Hogg merely hrugged.
Sun had the aircar emptied1 #eey wa leading a ection with bucket and hovel
into the nearet ravine+ earching &or the water that wa uppoed to be there. -hey.d
brought three day. upply in Herrican+ but it.d be nice to have e,tra o they could wah.
'aniel tood+ &eeling momentarily di88y. S/uatting had cut o&& the circulation in hi
leg+ robbing hi brain o& blood when he roe too /uickly.
"-hi i &ine(grained rock+" he aid. "! don.t ee any reaon why it hould crack at
right angle the way it ha. %nd granted that the and ha worn it9"
-he aircar. drive &an whined+ pinning up &rom idle1 'orotige hadn.t hut the
motor down when he landed. 'aniel turned+ &rowning lightly. Sun and the other pacer
were nearer to the vehicle+ but they were upwind and probably didn.t notice.
"O&&icer Sun)" 'aniel aid+ the name cueing hi direct channel to the warrant o&&icer.
"'id you order the local to move the9"
'orotige lammed &ull power to hi &an+ ending the aircar downlope in a pray o&
grit. He kept it liding only a handbreadth above the ground o that ur&ace e&&ect
upported the vehicle and a much power a poible went to accelerating it ma. -he
pacer houted angrily+ hielding their eye a the car paed.
Hogg rolled hi impeller. butt to hi houlder. Hi le&t hand gripped the &ore(end
while hi arm treed the ling to provide two more contact point locking the weapon
on target.
"'on.t hootA" 'aniel aid. He knocked the impeller up with the edge o& hi hand.
-he weapon. "hack: punctured only the empty ky. -he hair on 'aniel. arm tood
out traight1 the pellet. aluminum driving kirt+ ioni8ed by the &lu, through the barrel.
coil winding+ /uivered like a blob o& rainbow in &ront o& the mu88le.
*hen Hogg. hot crahed out+ Barne and ;eat opened up with their ubmachine
gun. !& they.d heard 'aniel. hout (which wan.t certain againt the wind)+ they ignored
it in &avor o& the direct appeal o& omebody ele hooting.
'aniel aw two parkle &rom the vehicle. /uarter panel where ten(grain pellet
diintegrated againt the dene tructural platic. % watch o& hillide &i&ty meter &rom
the car erupted in miniature dut devil. !& the guard9no way to tell which one9had
mied the ame ditance to the le&t intead o& right+ he.d have laced hi burt into &ellow
pacer crambling &or their tacked weapon.
Hogg+ hi &ace a dark and ti&& a an old boot+ lowered the weapon acro hi chet
in a carry poition. He didn.t look at 'aniel.
"Ceae &ireA" 'aniel bellowed on the unit puh. He pread hi &eet and tood arm
akimbo+ hoping to dominate the ituation by e,ample ince he wa too &ar &rom the other
to inter&ere the way he had with Hogg.
-he aircar dipped behind a knoll too low to notice in the ordinary coure o& event.
'aniel could till track the vehicle by the line o& dut riing in a dull red ha8e.
"! could.ve taken the batard. head o&&+" Hogg aid in a tight voice+ till re&uing to
look at hi mater. "2ay a nailing a tree(hopper back in Bantry."
"! know you could have+ Hogg+" 'aniel aid /uietly. "Let. go down to the other.
-hey don.t know what. happened and it probably worrie them."
"% don.t know what. happened+" Hogg narled. "%nd ! don.t know about worried+ but
thi ain.t e,actly the place !.d &igured to pend my declining year."
-hey tarted toward Sun and the other. #eey and her team appeared at the lip o&
the ravine. -he midhipman. pitol+ the only weapon among the &our o& them+ wa in her
hand.
% mile &rom the ite he.d marooned the Cinnabar pacer+ 'orotige li&ted the aircar
&rom the nap o& the earth. !t wa a black dot againt the pale ky. Hogg paued.
"Batard. going traight away o ! wouldn.t need to lead him+" he aid. "! could
till . . . )"
"Be+" aid 'aniel. "%nd i& you brought him down+ how are we better o&&) ! don.t
imagine he intended to kill u or he wouldn.t have waited &or u to unload all our
e/uipment and proviion."
"%'d be better o&& knowing the batard wa dead+" Hogg muttered+ but he knew it
wan.t an argument he.d win with hi mater. He didn.t puh beyond the bare comment.
'aniel could be a ruthle a wa neceary to a&eguard hi miion and hi crew.
!& he didn.t care to kill &or no better reaon than anger+ though . . . well+ that wa hi
buine. -here wa nobody on South Land to overrule him.
Sun already had the atellite radio out when 'aniel and Hogg reached the intended
campite. !t wa part o& the gear the Captal had upplied with the aircar and driver. %dele
could have adapted one o& the corvette. own unit+ but it wa impler to borrow a radio
keyed to the planetary &re/uencie.
"! wear ! teted it be&ore we packed it aboard+ ir+" Sun aid mierably. "!t. dead a
-odd the Dounder+ now."
"!.m ure you did+ Sun+" 'aniel aid. "!t wa my mitake not to e,pect abotage."
% wry mile lighted hi &ace. "%nd o& coure+ there wa a atellite communicator a
part o& the aircar. commo uite i& we needed a backup."
He glanced around the emicircle o& hi ubordinate. -hey traightened and tried to
look unconcerned a they met hi eye+ all but Barne. -he big man had turned hi back
hame&acedly a he reloaded the ubmachine gun he.d emptied without9or againt9
order.
"%ll right+ pacer+" 'aniel aid. He aw hi ubordinate through the mak o& the
terrain diplay proHected onto the inner ur&ace o& hi vior. "*e.ve been le&t here without
communication. ! aume the intention i to keep u9"
-o keep 'aniel himel&1 though he couldn.t imagine why. -he ret o& the party were
top pacer+ but the rincess Cecile could certainly operate without them.
"9out o& the way &or reaon that aren.t clear at preent. Our &ood i :C$ iue+ o
we.ll have no di&&iculty there &or at leat a week. -he water we.ve brought hould lat a
long i& we.re care&ul. %ccording to the background O&&icer Mundy prepared &or me+ ome
o& the vegetation here i edible."
-hough 'aniel &or one would have to be damned hungry to get up an appetite &or
lichen oup.
"#eey)" he aid. "*hat. the ituation &or water locally)"
-he midhipman looked down in horror at the pitol he till held. !n /ueaky
embarrament he aid+ "SirA *e &ound water a &ew inche below the pebble ur&ace o&
the ravine. bottom and Hut tarted &illing our container with omotic li&t. !t+ ah+ tated
all right. SirA"
"#ery good+ #eey+" 'aniel aid. He deliberately turned hi head o that #eey
could holter her weapon out o& hi ight.
"Spacer+" 'aniel reumed+ "we.ve been le&t ome three hundred mile to the north
o& where Lieutenant Mon will e,pect u to be. -hat. my &ault alo. ! think there. a &air
likelihood that the people who marooned u here plan to pick u up again in the &uture."
'aniel &elt a grin &orm at the corner o& hi mouth. -hat provided a good reaon not
to hoot down the Captal. aircar+ though he knew hi deciion had nothing to do with
reaon.
"! don.t know that. their plan+" he continued+ "and in any cae+ they aren.t people we
could trut."
He grinned more broadly. He didn.t even know who they were with certainty.
"*e could hike overland to where we were uppoed to be+" 'aniel aid+ "but !
believe there. a better option. % hundred and &i&ty mile to the north o& u i a navigation
beacon &or orbiting tarhip. *ith a little luck+ we can rig that to ummon help &rom
Spire."
"By (od we canA" aid Sun+ looking cheer&ul &or the &irt time ince he.d &ound the
radio wa dead. Hi training to repair electromotive weapon a armorer gave him more
hand(on kill with electronic than 'aniel and #eey had gotten at the %cademy.
'aniel looked at the ky. -he un wa midway to the wetern hori8on. "Hogg+" he
aid+ "break up what we need &or the march into load we can carry. Dood+ water+ tool.
One tarp &or helter. *e.ll leave an arrow o& rock on the ground to indicate our direction
o& travel i& anyone come back &or u."
"How about gun+ ir)" Sun aked.
'aniel looked at Hogg and raied an eyebrow. Hogg rubbed hi mouth with a
knuckle+ conidering the pacer. "-wo impeller+" he aid. "Sun+ you carry one+ !.ll have
the other. -he o&&icer . . . )"
He looked at 'aniel and raied an eyebrow in turn.
'aniel unnapped hi pitol+ holter and all+ and laid it on the rock at hi &eet.
"Juite right+ Hogg+" he aid. "Our enemy now i weight+ not anything we can hoot."
"Dor now it i+" Hogg aid in a muing+ almot cheer&ul+ tone. "But when we ha.e
got back+ then !.ve got ome idea about the ne,t thing we do."
P P P
-rom conte5t, that had to *e "camp," not "can't." %dele adHuted the character
recognition parameter on her peronal data unit+ then ued it to recan the document.
obvere. -he machine whirred o&tly a it worked.
%dele tretched+ wondering how long he.d been here in the attic o& the Civil
Eovernment Building. -he mueum and library in the baement would have been a
diappointment i& he.d had any real e,pectation. She.d gotten a &eeling he couldn.t have
e,plained when the mueum. volunteer director+ a retired hip chandler+ mentioned the
dead torage &or item that weren.t worth diplaying+ however.
Delt the thrill o& the chae+ %dele uppoed. She viuali8ed Hogg beide her in the
dimne+ waiting in per&ect ilence &or prey to tep into hi ight picture. -he thought
made her mile+ but there wa truth in it nonetheleF every line o& work ha it trick+ and
the people who know their cra&t very well alway have an intinct that goe beyond the
available evidence.
-he data unit. diplay uddenly changed &rom opalecence to proHected te,t.
Moment be&ore+ about twenty percent o& the document had been garbage1 now le than
hal& o& that amount remained a a blur beyond analyi and recontruction.

-H2 '%B %D-2: -H2 '2%-H OD C%C-%!$ -B:D!$E+ ! L2D- -H2 C%MC
%$' C:OC22'2' $O:-H %S B2S- ! CO3L' 03'E2 BB -H2 S3$. %$B
$%#!E%-!O$%L M%-2:!%LS DO: -H!S EO'DO:S%;2$ CL%C2 H%'
C2:!SH2' *!-H -H2 SH!C.S COMC3-2: '3:!$E -H2 C:%SH. . . .
-he attic wa muty+ which wa actually a good thing &rom the tandpoint o& thi
document. urvival. !t wa written on leather+ and now that he.d read much o& it %dele
had begun to wonder about the ource o& that leather. -he ink came &rom the berrie o&
what the writer called the Dinger Buh. %dele couldn.t match the writer. curory
decription . . . -H2 H2!EH- OD MB DO:2%:M+ *!-H B:%$CH2S L!;2
D!$E2:S %$' D:3!-S OD % S3LL2$ B2LLO* O$ -H2 -!CS -H2:2OD . . . with
any plant in her databae+ but he knew he wan.t competent to direct the earch &or
botanical anwer.
-he attic had a line o& reitance light in the ceiling+ but the only two till working
were on the &ar ide o& the big room. -hat didn.t matter enough &or %dele to get the bulb
replaced ince he had a handlight and the data unit. diplay wa el&(illuminating. !t did
mean that when omeone. body &illed the /uare opening o& the trapdoor+ the dimming
light attracted her attention a the /ueaking o& the ladder moment be&ore had not.
%dele Herked uddenly alert+ her le&t hand lipping down to the pitol in her pocket.
That "asn't a refle5 % used to ha.e. . . .
"Be)" he aid in a carrying voice.
"Ma.am)" 'ort called. "O&&icer Mundy+ ! don.t mean to bother you but Lieutenant
Mon wa wondering . . . )"
"Be+ come on up+ 'ortA" %dele aid+ knowing that he wa being nappih becaue
o& the way he.d reacted to the urprie. "*ondered what)"
-he midhipman climbed the lat three tep and /uatted down to &ace her. Hi head
would clear the ceiling i& he kept it between the ra&ter+ but then he couldn.t look at
%dele.
"%h+ Lieutenant Mon wa wondering i& you.d heard anything &rom the captain+ ah+
%dele+" 'ort aid. "He han.t reported in to the hip+ and the guy who loaned him the
car+ da Lund ! mean+ he ay he han.t heard anything either."
"!.ve been here all day+" %dele aid+ wondering how he &elt at the new. Her normal
reaction wa to hut down all emotion o that it didn.t get in the way o& accurate analyi.
-hat wa till the correct reaction+ but thi time it &elt . . . odd. "! don.t care to be
diturbed while !.m working."
"Be ma.am+" 'ort aid+ traightening abruptly and thumping hi head into a beam
o& rein&orced concrete. He winced and tumbled &orward+ then knelt on one knee o he
could keep hi pine ti&& while &acing %dele.
"Be+ ir+" he aid. "Lieutenant Mon didn.t want to interrupt you+ but Hut on the o&&
chance . . . %nd ! aid ! knew where you might be even i& you weren.t anwering call+ o
he told me ! could come. %h+ Midhipman #eey. with the e,pedition and . . . but it.
probably nothing+ they were Hut too buy to report when they landed."
%dele had already upended the document analyi and wa checking meage
tra&&ic. :ather than looking at communication addreed to the rincess Cecile9the on(
duty peronnel were certainly capable o& having done that9he coded her earch &or the
time the comat o& Se,burga. low(orbit contellation were over South Land. !t wa Hut
poible that a meage had been received by a atellite which had &ailed to pa it on+ or
that9through ome electronic hiccup between the local ytem and the corvette9the
central communication node had wallowed the in&ormation.
-he individual atellite log howed no private meage coming out o& South Land.
-he continuou broadcat &rom the navigation beacon on the northern headland wa
logged+ providing %dele with proo& that the atellite were working properly.
She paged -overa through the tranponder on the corvette7$eet me at the ship
'S'9then hut down her peronal data unit and tood. -he attic. content were a
hadowed Humble about her. 2arly on omebody had made an attempt to keep thi
over&low organi8ed+ but &or the pat everal decade9Hudging by the date o& the
document %dele had unearthed9bo,e had been piled on &iling cabinet and into the
aile the initial planner had le&t.
She.d been working on a mooth(ur&aced attachQ cae tacked on a packing crate o&
rubberi8ed metal. She put away the data unit+ then paued a he conidered what to do
with the document he.d &ound in a drawer o& pre(Hiatu logbook.
"*hat. that+ ma.am)" 'ort aked+ reaching &orward a he poke. "% piece o& boot)"
"'on.t touch thatA" %dele aid+ then &rowned at herel&. -hough he had to learn to
ak be&ore he put hi hand on thing . . .
"-hat i+" he continued to the midhipman+ ramrod traight though till on hi knee+
"that. a diary o& ort &rom the initial ettlement o& the planet ome &i&teen hundred year
ago. -he writer wa the only urvivor o& a wrecked tarhip who lived &or nine year with
the native o& South Land."
%dele &rowned again. "He ay he did+" he added+ becaue you could carcely
conider thi unimpeachable evidence.
"-hat. writing)" 'ort aid+ leaning &ar over to bring hi eye cloer to the
document. He claped hi hand behind hi back to how that there wa no danger o& him
touching the leather. "*hat language . . . )"
%dele miled. "!t. in 3niveral+" he aid+ "but the writer had a very crabbed hand
and he wrote on both ide o& the heet. 'nd9"
"-hee are hole in the paperA" 'ort aid a hi mind &inally reali8ed that he wa
eeing the attachQ cae+ not pale gray ink againt the dark brown leather. He looked up at
%dele in ama8ement.
"Be+" he aid dryly. "-he ink he ued wa mildly acid. !t ate through the leather
&rom both ide in the coure o& a millennium and a hal&. -hi make trancription more
di&&icult than it uually would be."
% document like thi deerved care beyond anything available on Se,burga+ but that
couldn.t be %dele. preent priority. She opened the acetate &older he.d &ound it in and
lipped one edge under the &ragile wondroune o& the memoir. Cloing the &older+ he
put the document back into the drawer where it had been.
!t had urvived there &or decade or more. !& matter worked out the way %dele
hoped they would+ he could return and preerve the account properly. !& not+ he didn.t
uppoe it mattered very much.
She getured 'ort to the opening. "Let. go+" he aid criply.
"Ma.am+" he aid+ riing to a toop+ "why don.t you go down and !.ll latch the trap
behind u. !t.ll be eaier &or me+ ! think."
"Be+ all right+" %dele aid+ /uee8ing pat the midhipman. He.d poken a though
he.d been watching her way a he worked the ti&& bolt to open the attic. *ell+ you
didn.t have to be around O&&icer Mundy very long to imagine how clumy he.d be on a
ladder.
"Ma.am)" 'ort aid+ gripping her arm in a tact&ul but &irm &ahion. "!& you turn o
you &ace the ladder+ you.ll be+ ah+ more com&ortable."
"Sa&er+" %dele aid+ upplying the correct word a he obediently turned and tarted
down. -hough &alling &i&teen &eet onto her &ace9the Council Chamber wa on thi &loor
and the ceiling wa high9would certainly be uncom&ortable.
'ort waited till he.d reached the hallway to &ollow. He lammed the trapdoor with
no troubleF the udden weight had almot wept %dele o&& the ladder when the bolt
releaed it.
"! didn.t know there were native on Se,burga+ ma.am+" he aid+ dropping lightly
onto the ball o& hi &eet intead o& climbing down the rung.
He miled in a hope&ul+ puppyih way. %dele reali8ed that he wa trying to change
the untated ubHect &rom her phyical ineptitude. -hat wa the ort o& handicap that
bothered people who didn't trip over themelve more than it did %dele herel&+ but he
&ound the impule engaging.
"-here aren.t any native according to the printed data !.ve &ound+" %dele aid+
triding brikly down the hallway. "-hat. what made thi account o intereting. -he
writer ay that he lived alone &or month be&ore they howed themelve to him. %&ter
that they &ed him+ and i& !.ve &ollowed the te,t correctly . . ."
'ort glanced back at the tall tep ladder+ but %dele waved him on. -he Hanitor had
dragged the ladder out &or her with bad grace depite the generou tip he.d given him1 he
could put it away or leave it in the middle o& the corridor a he choe.
"!& !.ve read the te,t correctly+" he reumed a he tarted down the end tair+ "he
claim to have &ormed a romantic alliance within the tribe. %nd to have &athered a child."
% group o& Se,burgan chattering in accented 3niveral were coming up in a cluter
around a woman o pale that %dele would have gueed he wa an albino+ e,cept that
her eye were an icy gray(blue. -he Se,burgan all watched the pale woman+ but her eye
&ollowed 'ort until he diappeared through the door onto the econd &loor.
"-hat can.t be+ ma.am+" 'ort aid. -he outide door wa ti&&1 it reited %dele until
the midhipman hit it+ high and low with hi palm and bootole. "Specie aren.t
inter&ertile+ and &or ure animal on two di&&erent planet can.t breed."
"-hat wa my undertanding alo+" %dele aid. !nu&&icient data could caue
mitake. Certainty about matter where the data were inu&&icient wa a mitake on it
&ace. "On the other hand+ ! wan.t there and the writer very poibly wa."
-he treet o& Spire weren.t lighted+ and the ky wa dark e,cept &or the tar. -hey
were un&amiliar contellation in a manner o& peaking+ but %dele didn.t know anything
about the tar above Cinnabar either. She wa a city dweller+ and i& he.d ever been
intereted in the night ky he.d have called up a computer proHection o& it.
"Ma.am)" 'ort aid+ &alling abreat a they tarted up the treet. "Lieutenant Mon.
going to end our Heep outh to &ind the captain and+ and the other. !t can.t bring them
back all at once i& there. a problem+ but it.ll take another radio and ome medical
upplie. %re you going along)"
% hip took o&& &rom the harbor. %dele lowered her eye+ hielding them &urther with
her hand a he waited &or the plama. arti&icial thunder to ubide.
'ort lipped hi goggle into place+ watching the li&to&& a he trode along. "!t. the
'chilles+ that. the yacht that made the &at run &rom Cinnabar+" he houted. "O& coure+
that wa nothing to what we did under Captain Leary."
"!.m ure Lieutenant Mon can &ind more uitable peronnel &or a earch party on
South Land+" %dele aid+ going back to the previou /uetion. "! intend to learn what !
can here about the Captal da Lund and hi &riend."
Cercuion band were playing at the upper and lower end o& the treet+ the tune
yncopating one another. Becaue %dele wa un&amiliar with the local intrumentation+ it
took her a moment to reali8e that the counterpoint wan.t intended. -he Strymonian yacht
had hrunk to an unuually bright tar in the heaven.
"%nd ! think+" he added+ "that !.m going to ee where the 'chilles i o&& to."
'ort looked at her. She hrugged and grinned. "0ut a &eeling+" %dele aid. "%n
intinct+ i& you like."

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER SEVENTEEN
-
he windblown grit didn.t cratch the moianite vior pro(
tecting the &ace o& the detachment+ but bare kin9the back o& 'aniel. hand and hi
throat above hi collar9already &elt a though it wa unburned. *hat wa it going to be
like a week &rom now)
'aniel grinned broadly. *ell+ that wa omething he could wait a week to learn.
%ny number o& thing could happen be&ore then to render preent concern empty. Some
o& the poibilitie were even urvivable.
"3nit+" he aid to key the general channel. "*e.ll camp here+ down in the wale and
out o& the wind. Hogg+ chooe a ite &or the tent. #eey+ take Matahurd and ee i& there
in.t water here too. Captain out."
'aniel took hi knapack o&& and waited a the crewmen lid over the crumbling
bank. -he region mut get ome rain &or thi dry riverbed and it contributory ravine to
e,it+ but rain mut be very in&re/uent. -he hard(temmed buhe growing to the level o&
the bank were at leat everal year old1 a downpour a &ierce a the one that had
e,cavated the riverbed would uproot any vegetation preent at the time.
*hen 'aniel himel& tepped down+ the udden abence o& wind wa a great a relie&
a warm helter a&ter a bli88ard. He hadn.t appreciated Hut how enervating the wind.
cutting preure wa until he.d ecaped it9&or a time.
Hogg wa giving order in a voice that remained clear depite obviou wear &rom the
dut and dryne. -hey.d all been drinking their &ill in e,pectation o& replenihing their
water upply+ but the mucou membrane o& noe and mouth till u&&ered in thi
damna*le atmophere.
"How &ar.d we get+ ir)" Sun croaked. !& the gunner had wanted in&ormation intead
o& a reaon to peak to 'aniel+ he.d have read the &igure o&& hi helmet. navigation
diplay. He wa working hi arm alternately to looen them a&ter the pull o& hi
packtrap+ witching the power&ul impeller &rom hand to hand o that he wan.t &lailing it
around.
"-en point three one mile+ Sun+" 'aniel aid. "% pretty decent hike &or pacer on
the &irt day+ !.d ay. *e.ll try to double that in the &uture."
"3mm . . ." Sun aid+ rubbing hi mouth with the back o& hi &ree hand. He wa a
wiry man o& middle height+ and one o& the olidet o& the rincess Cecile. crew9under
normal circumtance. "! wonder+ ir) !& thi gully wa going in more or le the right
direction9"
He.d obviouly already looked at hi map overlay. !t would have howed him that
the dry river entered the Middle Sea within ten mile o& the cape where the beacon wa
et.
"9and we &ollowed it+ we could tay out o& the wind."
"! wih we could do that+ Sun+" 'aniel aid truth&ully+ "but the vegetation down here
i too thick &or u to ue ravine &or paage."
He getured+ calling attention to the bruh around them. 'aniel could di&&erentiate at
leat a do8en pecie+ though they all had mooth trunk and mall+ oval leave. Several
varietie had &oliage covered with &ine pine+ even though Se,burga had no large
herbivore. 'aniel had een that ort o& adaptation be&ore in deert climateF the pine
created a 8one o& till air o that contant wind didn.t dry the plant out &ater than the
root could replenih it &luid.
-he armed leave would nonethele lacerate anybody moving through them
/uickly. Beide+ the trunk o& neighboring buhe twited around one another in a low(
motion attempt to wretle more o& their valuable riverbed real etate.
Sun looked at the vegetation and ighed. "Beah+ ! hould.ve known that+" he aid. "!
don.t . . . !.m not ued to the wind+ ! gue. Sorry+ ir."
He turned and walked back to where hi men had cleared a tent(i8ed area under
Hogg. direction. -he detachment had only one powered cutting bar+ though Hogg had
harpened the two hovel on a rock lab at the landing ite. -hey.d come here to view
what might be &oundation carved into bare rock+ not to hack through the continent. rare
tretche o& vegetation.
'aniel didn.t let the concern he &elt &or Sun reach hi &ace. -he contant wind wa
unpleaant to anybody+ but the gunner. reaction wa Hut hort o& phobia. !t wan.t the
ort o& problem that would arie aboard a tarhip.
%nd there wan.t a thing to do about it now.
-he &ire. dene yellow &lame crackled+ throwing heat even to where 'aniel tood
twenty &eet away. -hi South Land bruhwood burned with an oily intenity+ but 'ai and
Cring had been unable to light it until Hogg &eathered one o& the chopped tem with hi
kni&e be&ore touching the lighter to it.
Hogg auntered over+ miling with ati&action at a Hob well done9and alo+ i&
'aniel knew hi ervant+ at hi uperiority to a bunch o& city &olk. "*ant to take a little
walk with me+ mater)" Hogg aked. "-here. omething you might want to look at."
"Certainly+ Hogg+" 'aniel aid+ &eeling a touch o& e,citement that took him back to
hi boyhood. -hat wa the way Hogg alway pre&aced a chance to view a part o& nature
that almot no one ever aw. -here.d been the day the crytal moth iued &rom every
pore o& a tree their grub &orm had eaten hollow+ mating in the unlight they aw only
once in thirty year1 the cave under the ea cli&&+ alway in the pat empty+ &rom which the
caly head o& leviathan roe one evening to &ollow the line o& Hogg. low(kimming
aircar1 the roc li&ting a the un woke updra&t &rom the hinterland o& Bantry . . .
Hogg picked up a hovel and handed the impeller to Barne. "She. witched o&&
right now+" he aid. "*hich would be a pretty good way to leave her unle you want to
blow omebody. a o&& &or &un."
"!.ll be care&ul+ mother+" Barne aid with a grin. Hogg ni&&ed and getured with hi
&ree hand &or 'aniel to &ollow him into the bruh.
Hogg and the Siie repected one another and had been through ome tene time
together. Both ide had a genial contempt &or the group the other repreented+ however.
'aniel had a &oot in either camp. He &ound the mutual chauvinim amuing+ ince they.d
hown that in a crii they.d Hoin rank againt a common enemy.
Hogg held the harpened blade o& the hovel out in &ront o& him like a horeman.
lance and duckwalked down a tunnel o& branche growing &rom pedetal o& dirt laced
high by root. -he oil wa o light and dry that even here in the riverbed the bree8e
carved it away e,cept where omething bound it.
'aniel. hand were empty+ o he crambled along on all &our. -he kni&e on hi
e/uipment belt would make a ati&actory weapon at cloe /uarter+ but he aw no need to
draw it now.
"-here you go+ mater+" Hogg aid+ making room &or 'aniel by /uee8ing againt a
buh whoe tiny white berrie grew &rom the underide o& it leave. He pointed with the
hovel1 it broad tip had a wicked heen where he.d troked the metal to an edge.
He indicated a buh whoe tem welled at interval into &it(i8ed nodule. -hey
weren.t the reult o& dieae a 'aniel had thought when he &irt viewed them+ but rather
reervoir in which the plant tored a white+ tarchy ubtance. 'aniel had tated a pinch
and &ound it &lavorle but not apparently harm&ul. He.d thought o& uing it to upplement
their diet i& neceary.
Hal& thi buh had been trippedF the tem cut a &oot or two above the ground+ then
cut again to e,cie the nodule. -he undamaged tem looked &orlorn+ pringing &rom a
bae meant &or twice their number.
"!t. not awed+" Hogg aid+ "and it. not hacked with a machete either. !.d ay either
teeth or a harp little kni&e."
'aniel &licked on hi handlight. -he ky wa till bright enough &or normal viion+
but he needed more intenity to Hudge how &reh the cut were. Bark curled reiliently
under the preure o& hi &ingertip. He aid+ "!t didn.t happen more than a day ago."
"$ot even that+ dry a thi place i+" Hogg aid. "Le than an hour+ !.d ay. !.ll bet he
campered when the thundering herd come down the bank."
"!t could be a cataway+" 'aniel aid. He didn.t know what he believed+ o he tated
what eemed the mot reaonable poibility. "Out o& ration and living o&& the land."
"Could be+" Hogg aid. Drom hi tone+ he didn.t know what he believed either. "-hat
don.t e,plain why he ran+ though. % ure hell wouldn.t want to be alone in thi place i&
there wa a choice."
He reumed waddling &orward+ along the trail rubbed in the &riable oil. -he
marking were &aint+ but even 'aniel could have &ollowed them1 Hogg had another
generation. worth o& e,perience in woodcra&t.
Di&teen &eet ahead+ he getured to one o& the chopped(out nodule+ dropped beide
the track. 'aniel nodded.
"Captain, is things all right8" 'ai aked through the helmet. -he &act that it wa a
pacer checking rather than Sun+ the petty o&&icer in charge+ wa a bad ign. ").er."
"3nit+" 'aniel aid+ "Hogg and ! are couting the perimeter. -here. no problem+
we.re Hut making ure. Captain out."
-he trail had led them back to the wall o& the dry channel. % block o& andtone the
diameter o& a dinnerplate proHected &rom the bank. !t didn.t look a though it belonged
there. Hogg teted it with the heel o& hi le&t hand+ leaning ome+ then all o& hi weight
againt it. "Stuck in &rom the other ide and wedged+ % ay+" he commented.
'aniel grimaced. "*e need to keep moving+" he aid. "Much a !.d like to go a&ter it+
we can.t take the time to do that now."
Hogg eyed the neighboring bruh. He choe a plant+ then notched it tem with hi
hovel and tripped a line o& bark up &rom the cut. !t wa a tough and &le,ible a
rawhide. "!.ll tell you what+ young mater+" he aid. "Bou leave me here &or an hour or o
to et a nare. %nd then we.ll ee i& omething doen.t come to u."
'aniel chuckled. "Be+ all right+ Hogg+" he aid. "Commodore Cettin ordered me to
make a urvey o& contruction on South Land. -hi hole appear to be one o& the more
recent contruction . . . and ! wouldn.t want the commodore to think !.d diobeyed hi
order."
P P P
%dele worked at the even eparate creen on her diplay while -overa tood
behind her chair+ &acing toward the bridge proper. -he ervant wore+ unuually &or her+ an
:C$ commo helmet. She wa echoing %dele. diplay on the vior.
"By EodA" Lt. Mon aid. He lammed hi &it on the command conole and tood.
"By Eod+ ! won.t have them play game with the :C$A O&&icer Mundy+ a word with
youA"
%dele locked her diplay and et her wand on the &lat ur&ace. She rotated her eat
to &ace Mon+ but he wa rubbing her eye intead o& meeting hi &uriou ga8e.
";oop and Lamoe Hut called in &rom South Land+" Mon aid. "-hey.ve reached the
ite and done everything but plow the ground up. Captain Leary in.t there+ there. no ign
that he ever wa+ and ! can.t get through to the Captal da Lund &or an e,planationA %
meage ay he. not taking callA"
% part o& %dele wondered idly whether that wa the ort o& in&ormation that all :C$
commander thought they had to tell their ignal o&&icer. *hoe conole did Mon think
the call were routed through)
%loud he aid+ "Be+ !.m orry+ Mon+ ! hould.ve kept you better in&ormed. !.ve been
buy."
She getured toward the command conole. "Sit down again and !.ll e,plain what.
been going on."
Mon. &ace darkened &or a moment1 %dele reali8ed that her bru/uene had tripped
Mon. little(man belligerence. He nodded+ remembering her civilian background+ and at
down obediently.
"Sorry+" %dele muttered+ irritated with herel&. !& he.d been a man intead o& a
lender woman whoe phyical preence threatened no one+ her error might have
precipitated a cene in the current charged atmophere.
She &aced around and unlocked the diplay+ aying+ "$o one. come out o& the
Captal. compound ince hi driver and aircar returned late yeterday evening."
Her wand highlighted a movement log+ culled &rom the compound. own enor.
"-he car came back)" Mon aid. "By9" He caught himel&. "Eo ahead+ O&&icer
Mundy+" he aid with the controlled tenion o& a gymnat balancing.
"Be+" aid %dele+ throwing up time(lugged imagery o& the car landing in the
courtyard. "%nd i& you.ll look here9"
She plit the diplay to how two verion o& the vehicle. le&t /uarter panel recorded
when it le&t the compound and on it return. -he /uality wan.t good enough to how
detail+ but the &it(i8ed dent in the latter image were u&&iciently clear.
"!t appear that hot hit the car between the time it le&t and when it came back+"
%dele aid. "-hat implie that at leat one member o& the e,pedition wa alive a&ter
'orotige le&t them."
"Can you get me through to the Captal da Lund)" Mon aid in a cold voice. "!.d like
to dicu the matter with him."
Dor all the lieutenant. bubbling temper+ he didn.t bluter when there wa a eriou
tak in &ront o& him. -hat wa probably why 'aniel liked having Mon a a ubordinate.
"! can get you through hi blocking program+" %dele aid. "! don.t recommend that+
however+ ince it would alert him to how open hi ytem are to intruion. ! have &ull
acce to hi ecurity ytem+ &or e,ample. -hat. where thi imagery i coming &rom."
Mon. mouth opened+ then cloed. "Chrit+" he aid in a wondering voice+ "you are a
wi8ard+ Hut like they told me a&ter ! got out o& a cell on ;otroma. 'o you have a plan)"
"!.m working toward one+" %dele aid care&ully. Cut a baldly a Mon had+ he
reali8ed that he hould.ve been dicuing matter with the acting captain at every tep o&
the way. "! have ome idea."
Mon touched the intercom key. *hen the attention call ounded+ he aid+ "O&&icer
to the bridge %S%C. Out."
Mon. word reached %dele through the helmet+ through the air directly &rom hi
lip+ and in a whipering echo &rom the ceiling peaker down the corridor. He gave her a
mile a tight and harp a the knot pun into a length o& barbed wire.
"!.m uppoed to handle your communication+" %dele aid apologetically. "! haven.t
been communicating very well."
"!.m more intereted in people doing their Hob+" Mon aid+ "than in them telling me
about it. %nd right now !.m damned ure that Captain Leary &eel the ame way."
*oetHan and -aley dropped through the doral hatch+ reaching the bridge a hal& tep
be&ore Bett arrived &rom hi leeping compartment in the warrant o&&icer. /uarter.
Caternak had been in the Battle 'irection Center &or ome reaon. He came running
down the corridor+ the crah o& hi boot warning curiou crewmen out o& hi path.
"Eo ahead+ O&&icer Mundy+" Mon aid. Bett at at hi conole where he could
import imagery &rom %dele. diplay+ but the other o&&icer would have to make do with
their helmet vior.
"-he Captal. dwelling i under Berengian e,territorial Huridiction+" %dele aid+
"Hut a the Cinnabar Commiion i legally Cinnabar territory. -hat mean neither the
Se,burgan local government nor %dmiral -orgi can legally demand acce to the
Captal. compound. Durthermore+ the Captal i &ar too important a peron on Se,burga &or
the authoritie to be willing to ignore the legalitie."
-overa had gathered much o& the background on her own+ even be&ore 'aniel.
diappearance created a need &or it. She apparently liked to know the power tructure
wherever he wa.
"!.m willing to ignore legalitie+" Mon aid without raiing hi voice. He wa tapping
the inde, and middle &inger o& hi right hand into the oppoite palm with the teady
deliberation o& a bell(ringer. "!.m willing to hover the rincess Cecile on top o& the
damned compound and let the e,haut burn it out i& that. the bet way to get the captain
back."
"'amn right+" *oetHan aid.
%n intant later all the other o&&icer nodded. -hey must know a urely a %dele did
that the $avy O&&ice would have to treat any uch overt violation a piracy+ to be
punihed by the cone/uent hanging o& the o&&icer and crew o& the o&&ending veel.
"-hat would not be help&ul+" %dele aid in a tone o& cold digut. !t wouldn.t
necearily be poible+ eitherF the Captal had prepared de&ene to meet Hut uch an
attack. Saying a much would only in&lame the o&&icer around her into an attitude o&
heroic el&(acri&ice. "*e need in&ormation which we won.t be able to get &rom a pile o&
lag and ahe. !9"
-he code %7<4 &lahed in red at the upper margin o& %dele. diplay. !t wouldn.t
echo on the other diplay and he.d toggled o&& the audio cue1 no one knew about it but
the Signal O&&icer. %7<@ would have meant the call wa &rom /uadron command1 %7<4
meant9
%dele locked her diplay and pointed a wand toward Lt. Mon. "-here. a call to the
rincess Cecile &rom Commodore Cettin. own conole+" he aid. She.d lot track o& who
wa on watch1 perhap he herel& wa. "Shall ! take it+ or . . . )"
Mon hook hi head curtly and keyed hi audio. "%cting captain+" he aid without
in&lection. "Eo ahead."
"This is Commodore ettin," the peaker aid. %dele might be reading irritation into
Cettin. tone+ but the man wa certainly not above thundering angrily at any delay in
getting the acting captain. $or wa he above regretting a chance to diplay that righteou
indignation. "% ha.en't *een a*le to raise your $r. Leary. Can you tell me "hat he thinks
he's playing at8"
"$o ir+" Lt. Mon aid. Hi &ace+ alway angular+ changed hape a the mucle
tightened over hi Haw and cheekbone. "Captain Leary proceeded to South Land via the
civilian tranportation which you had arranged &or him+ ir."
:C$ communication were normally voice(only to minimi8e bandwidth. -hat wa
&ortunate in thi cae+ becaue Mon wan.t a good actor. Hi voice tayed almot &lat+ but
the &ury toward the commodore in hi e,preion could carcely have been more obviou.
"% shouldn't *e surprised to find insolence in $r. Leary's su*ordinates, should %,
$on8" Cettin aid. "Well, for no" you may tell your captain that the s+uadron has *een
fully refitted and "ill lift in t"el.e hours, not the thirty1si5 % pre.iously estimated. %f $r.
Leary has not returned *y then, the Crince Cecile "ill lift "ithout him, under your
temporary command. %s that understood8"
"Beir+" Mon aid through clenched teeth. "! undertand you very well+ Commodore
Cettin."
"By (od," Cettin narled, "for half a piastre %'d slap you in custody and put my third
lieutenant a*oard that gru**y little cor.ette. ,alf a piastre:"
-he tranmiion ended in an electronic click rather than the crah that Cettin
obviouly would have pre&erred i& the technology permitted it. %dele miled at the
thought+ then wiped her &ace blank let Mon miundertand her humor.
"!& them bucket li&t in twelve hour+ they.ll all three o& .em loe antenna be&ore we
make Strymon+" *oetHan aid. "-hey arrived here in crappy hape+ and they don.t have
the crew to make thing right even in the three day Cettin allowed at the tart."
"He. playing game+" -aley agreed+ looking even more than uually a i& he were
&ollowing a co&&in. "! wouldn.t want to be the Winckelmann. machinit+ ! can tell you
that."
"Beah+ but how about u)" Caternak aid. "Can we &ind the captain in twelve hour)
!t. i, Hut to &ly to where he wa uppoed to be+ right)"
"O&&icer Mundy ha a plan to get in&ormation &rom the Captal da Lund+" Mon aid+
hi hand laced together o tightly that the &ingertip raied white halo againt the tanned
back. "*e.re going to do whatever it take to e,ecute that plan."
Hi &ace wa avage. "Whate.er it take+" he repeated+ but hi voice had unk to a
growl.
"%ll right+" aid %dele. Her wand twitched+ e,panding an image to &ull(diplay i8e.
"Here. a et o& the builder. plan &or the Captal. dwelling. Bou.ll note . . ."
P P P
-he rattle o& pebble in empty ration can wan.t loud thirty &eet away &rom the tent+
but it wa o di&&erent &rom the wind. keening overhead that even be&ore Hogg gripped
hi houlder 'aniel had awakened in a ruh. He at upright and lapped on the commo
helmet+ aying+ "3nit+ !.m going to look &or an animal with Hogg. $obody ele leave the
camp till ummoned. Captain out."
"/nit, don't get fucking trigger happy, it's me and the master out there in the
"oods:" Hogg raped. Hi helmet would continue to broadcat on the unit puh becaue
he hadn.t cloed the tranmiion. -hat wa actually a good idea to keep the crew
in&ormed o& what wa going on. !t wa imply loppy procedure on Hogg. part+ o&
coure.
'aniel had lept in hi boot+ but he paued to lide the cloure tight be&ore tepping
out o& the warmth o& the tent behind Hogg. Barne roe onto one elbow1 he.d be outide
a oon a 'aniel. eye were o&& him+ Hoining hi &riend 'ai on guard.
!t wa the guard+ 'ai and Sentino+ that 'aniel had been warning1 the other pacer
remained aleep. Spacer on a long voyage learned to leep through any amount o& racket
and crowding+ unle it wa their name or their watch that had been called.
'aniel dialed hi vior. light enhancement up to daylight normal a he crawled
along a&ter Hogg. Sentino /uatted near the head o& the track+ her impeller pointed up at a
67(degree angle to how that it didn.t threaten anybody. She li&ted her le&t inde, &inger to
acknowledge 'aniel1 he nodded a he paed her.
-he creature in the trap ahead o& them wa creaming. -he ound wa high(pitched
and a loud a a aw cutting tone. !t almot completely drowned the rattling o& the can
tied to the nare.
-he track curved around a buh whoe branche dropped runner to the ground+
completely blocking 'aniel. view o& the camp9and vice vera. *hen he wa out o&
Sentino. ight+ he drew hi kni&e.
Hogg thrut the hovel into the bae o& a hrub with ghotly white tem+ then li&ted
it with a twit o& deceptively trong writ. He &lung the clump out o& the way o that
'aniel could /uat beide him. $obody whom Hogg had panked would mitake him &or
a o&t &ellow beyond the curve o& middle age.
Hogg had et hi double nooe nare over the mouth o& the hole plugged by the
andtone block. -he eighty(pound creature which had tripped the trigger now hung in
the air+ &lailing in the grip o& the pair o& pringy branche Hogg had ued to tenion the
trap.
!t wa white and hairle e,cept &or buhe o& red(gold hair in it armpit. !t had &our
broad+ tubby limb and a neck o thick and power&ully mucled that the nooe which
hould have choked the creature unconciou by now merely erved to upend it. !t
gripped the right(hand tether with blunt claw+ Hangling the rattle Hogg had attached to
the rig to warn him when he.d made a catch.
"By (od+" Hogg muttered+ eaing cloer and cocking the hovel back &or a thrut. !t
broad blade would let the creature. li&e out &ater than an e,ploive bullet. "-hat little
batard. untying the damn knot."
"*ait+" aid 'aniel. He put hi hand on Hogg. right houlder+ emphai8ing the
warning. "'on.t. *e don.t need &ood."
-he creature. cream had turned to mewl a Hogg and 'aniel came into ight. !t
eye were large and round+ et in circuit o& bone. *hen it cloed them in terror+ heet o&
mucle rather than thin kin covered the orb.
-he nooe gave wayF untied &rom the pringy branch+ Hut a Hogg had aid. -he
remaining nooe &licked the creature ideway like the popper o& a whip. Drom behind it
looked like a grub worm+ ugly beyond eay decription. 'aniel might have
underetimated it weight becaue there wa no hair to bulk up it &orm.
Hogg wore o&tly. -he creature /uirmed both &orepaw under the bark cord and
tugged outward. !nterrogatory chirp were coming &rom the burrow1 'aniel could ee
&airy light deep within the ground.
"$aster+" Hogg aid+ poiing the hovel again.
"$oA" aid 'aniel.
-he tenioned branch prang back. !n a reciprocal motion+ the creature leaped &or the
opening and vanihed within a moothly a water wirling down a hole.
Hogg wa breathing hard. He kept the hovel pointed at the burrow even a&ter the
andtone plug thudded into the opening and wa wedged into place with a erie o&
clack muted by the urrounding bank.
"'id you ee it &ace)" Hogg aid. "*hen it Humped+ it looked at u. 'id you ee)"
"Be+" aid 'aniel. "! did. Let. get ome leep. *e.ve got a long way to walk
tomorrow."
He turned and tarted back &or the tent. He wa panting too+ though he hadn.t been
e,erting himel&.
"Chrit+ mater+ it looked human+" Hogg aid.
"Be+" aid 'aniel. "!t did. Let. get ome leep."

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER EIGHTEEN
H
ogg put hi hand on 'aniel. houlder+ pointed to the
ravine ahead o& them+ and aid+ "$ot a bad place to take a break+ mater."
'aniel glanced toward the back o& the line where Sun+ a enior petty o&&icer+ hould
be marching to chivy in traggler. He wa there+ all right+ but little #eey wa guiding
him along. Barne walked alongide+ carrying Sun. pack a well a hi own.
*hich Hogg had already noticed. "3nit+ &all out in the ravineA" 'aniel ordered. "-en
minute breakA Captain out."
-he pacer were tired+ but they broke into a Hog and grinned a they paed 'aniel
and Hogg. 'ai took Sun. le&t arm and helped #eey move the gunner. mate into a trot
alo. Sun. leg moved when prodded+ but hi eye had no li&e in them.
"*e.re going to be carrying him by the end o& the day+" Hogg murmured. "Duck me
i& we.re not."
'aniel looked at hi rotund ervant. "Be+" he aid. "Maybe we.d better look &or
uitable pole here+ Hut in cae. *e can ue the ground cloth &or a bed."
He &ollowed Hogg down the bank+ which loped becaue wind had recently undercut
the lip and dumped it a a cree o& pebble and adobe clay onto the bae o& the ravine.
Midway he paued to urvey the bank to either ide+ then went the ret o& the way down.
-he crew had already chopped a mall clearing in the bruh o that they didn.t have to
hunch under arched branche.
Sentino lohed water &rom the lat o& their three Herrican into a cup. -he omotic
pump they.d et in the underground a/ui&er overnight had made up the even or eight
gallon they.d drunk &rom the original upply+ but by mid(a&ternoon o& thi econd day
the pacer marching in dry air had aborbed ten gallon.
Sentino held the cup out to 'aniel. "Here you go+ ir+" he aid. "Bou get the
cherry."
:ather than argue that he.d wait hi turn9and beide+ he wa thirty9'aniel took
the cup and had it almot to hi lip when the mell hit him. !& he.d been out in the wind+
he might have wallowed down mot o& the cup unaware+ which would have been a
great deal wore than going thirty.
"StopA" he aid. "-he water. contaminated. *e.ll have to dicard the container+ !.m
a&raid+ becaue we don.t have a mean o& cleaning it here."
Sun puhed Sentino aide and put hi noe to the Herrican. wide mouth. He roe with
a look o& white rage. "Eod damn Cettin. hit(eating chicken(&ucking whoreon e,cue
&or pacerA" he houted. Hi near tupor o& moment be&ore had paed. "%nd Eod damn
me &or accepting the can without checking themA"
He picked up the Herrican by one o& the paired handle on top and lung it a good
twenty &eet into the buhe. -hat wa a remarkable throw &or &ive gallon o& water with
the weight o& the container.
"*e got the Herrican &rom the Winckelmann+ ir+" Barne e,plained o&tly. He and
'ai looked a mierable a Sun wa angry. "-he Sissie didn.t have anything uitable+ but
the cruier. out&itted &or ground operation o we &igured . . ."
"-raded them a bottle o& brandy+" 'ai aid. Stolen &rom 'elo #aughn. baggage+
no doubt. "!t wan.t Mr. Sun. &ault+ ir+ it wa me and Barne did it. %nd we didn.t check
the can."
One o& which had been ued &or ome petroleum product+ probably e,tra keroine &or
the &uel cell o& the Winckelmann. big aircar1 and hadn.t been properly cleaned
a&terward. $obody on the rincess Cecile had noticed the mell be&ore &illing the
container with water. -hey.d been in a hurry+ o& coure.
"! think we can blame Commodore Cettin &or the di&&iculty+" 'aniel aid mildly.
"-hough uch a trivial buine doen.t eem worthy o& an o&&icer o& the commodore.
demontrated ability. #eey+ take two men and get the pump working."
"Sir+ the &low back where we camped wa only a gallon an hour+" the midhipman
aid. "%nd that wa in the rivercoure proper."
"Be+" 'aniel aid+ "but !.m hope&ul that we can &ind a more bounti&ul ource in the
meantime. Hogg+ what do you think o& the block o& limetone right over . . ."
% 'aniel poke+ he puhed hi way along the edge o& the ravine+ to the right o& the
collaped bank. Dor the &irt twenty &eet it wa merely a matter o& mucling through twig
a dry a old bone. 0ut thi ide o& the andtone incluion he.d een a he entered the
ravine grew a plant the i8e and hape o& a wicker haock. !t body conited o& trand
curving up &rom the bae to a central tem. % &ew had releaed their upper attachment and
lay like whip on the ground.
"%h+" aid 'aniel. "Bring me one o& the empty Herrican oonet."
-he one &illed with contaminated water would be even better+ but 'aniel didn.t
blame Sun &or letting out hi anger. Beide+ the thing wa done.
'ai toed an empty platic container to Hogg+ who paed it in turn to 'aniel.
"2verybody get down+" 'aniel aid.
He /uatted+ Hudged the ditance+ and threw himel& &lat a he lobbed the Herrican. !t
landed in the center o& the plant. -here wa a "hap1pap1pap a all the remaining trand
releaed imultaneouly. -he eed at the end o& each+ gla(hard and the i8e o&
marble+ &lew &orty &eet in all direction. -he can pun into the air+ then dropped onto the
ruin o& the plant.
"% much better idea than bumping into it+" 'aniel aid1 preening himel& on hi
obervation+ but doing it in o /uiet a voice that not even Hogg could have heard him. He
tepped pat the plant to the rock plug.
"! think it. another burrow+" 'aniel aid to hi ervant. "%nd ! think there mut be
water inide+ don.t you) -he creature dig+ and it wouldn.t be any great trick to trench
down into the a/ui&er o they could lap it up at need."
"Speaking o& thing ! never needed to ee again+" Hogg muttered. Over hi houlder
he called+ "Eet the hovel up here. -he mater and me are going a&ter water."
0ehonyk+ a power room technician+ brought the hovel. He tepped gingerly over
the dicharged buh+ care&ully avoiding putting hi &oot on any o& the now(&laccid trand.
'aniel had een 0ehonyk tighten a &itting under the -okamak+ working in the &ull
knowledge that a lip wouldn.t leave hi mate o much a a pinch o& ah to bury. He.d
been wholly unconcerned by that rik+ but the notion o& a plant that hot bullet bothered
him. %t's all a matter of "hat you're used to. . . .
Hogg handed 0ehonyk the impeller in e,change &or hovel+ then got to work with
'aniel &rom oppoite ide o& the plug. 'aniel could.ve paed the Hob o&& to one o& the
crewmen+ but he probably had more e,perience with hovel than any o& them did. !t
brought back memorie o& hi boyhood+ digging out Black(Scaled :ooter with Hogg.
Bou could loe your &oot at the ankle &rom a rooter. teeth i& you weren.t /uick.
'aniel remembered that too.
He hit rock1 he moved out a hand. breadth and put the blade in again+ uing all the
trength o& hi upper body. -hi time it ank hal&way and he tamped it &ully in with the
heel o& hi right boot.
He e,changed glance with Hogg+ then both levered their hovel to the right and
le&t in union. % lab o& dene clay &ell away+ baring a &oot o& the plug. !t tapered to both
end and wa wedged with maller tone &rom within the burrow.
"!.ll pull out the rock+" 'aniel aid+ thruting the hovel into the ground beide him
where it would be out o& the way. "Bou be ready i& anything decide to come out with it."
Hogg. lip pured in conideration. ":ight+" he aid. "0ehonyk+ ! believe !.ll take
the gun back."
'aniel took the plug in both hand and wriggled it. -he block weighed well over a
hundred pound+ but nothing beyond it ma bound it into place &rom thi ide now that
they.d dug the bank away.
'aniel drew back+ gaping with controlled e&&ort. :otating hi body he hal& li&ted+
hal& &lung the plug into the bruh behind him. % moothly a i& the ame cam controlled
him and hi mater+ Hogg thrut the mu88le o& the impeller into the hole9not to hoot+ at
leat not intantly+ but to phyically prevent anything that tried to leap out.
$othing did. -he opening wa lined with rock lab. -hey weren.t mortared into
place+ but they certainly weren.t a natural occurrence. 'itinct patche o& light howed in
the interior.
"Sir+" aid Sentino. She.d drawn her kni&e1 with her le&t hand he unlatched her
e/uipment belt and let it curl to the ground beide her. "!.ll &it."
'aniel &rowned. "Be+ all right+" he aid. He locked hi vior down o that he could
look into the burrow under light enhancement. "Barne+ 'ai. % oon a Sentino i clear+
you.ll tart prying thee block out o that a larger peron9"
He patted hi belly deliberately.
"9can get through the opening. %nd Sun+ !.ll take the other impeller+ pleae."
"Sir+" aid the gunner. mate. He handed 'aniel the weapon.
*hen 'aniel ued that tone+ nobody argued9even i& they &ancied their own
markmanhip beyond what they thought their captain wa up to. 'aniel had more real
out(in(the(wood e,perience than any o& the pacer+ and he truted himel& not to hoot
more than he did Sun or even Hogg.
He grinned at Sentino. "Eo ahead+" he aid. "%nd 0ehonyk+ you.re probably the ne,t
thinnet. -ake your gear o&& and get ready to pull Sentino back by the ankle i& he get
tuck."
"StuckA" Sentino neered. She /uirmed into the opening with a little di&&iculty a
the creature &rom the night be&ore had hown when it ecaped. !n truth+ there wan.t much
di&&erence in weight+ and the pacer had more o& her in her leg and arm.
Her boot diappeared down the tunnel. Barne and 'ai lunged into their work+
chopping the hovel blade into the bank and ripping away the dirt. -hey were ued to
working together. 2ven though thi tak wan.t a &amiliar one+ they didn.t get in each
other. way.
One lab agged+ then the whole contruct collaped on itel&. Barne thrut hi
hovel in high+ then lowered it and dragged out everal &eet o& rock and dirt with the back
edge.
Hogg looked at 'aniel and raied an eyebrow in approval. -hey.d both dug enough
hole to appreciate how much trength Barne. action had re/uired. 'ai leaned &orward
and cleaned much o& the remainder.
"/nit, %'m through," Sentino called over the intercom. ",oly (od, it's a real ca.ern
in here: %t opens up Bust a couple yards in and it's huge:"
"!.m ne,t+" Sun aid+ tripping o&& hi belt and &le,ing hi houlder. He grinned
apologetically at 'aniel. "Eet ome command authority in there."
%nger and a direct need &or him had brought the gunner. mate back &rom a &unk that
eemed even more unreal now that it wa pat. Sun imply wan.t a man you could
imagine that happening to.
":ight+" aid 'aniel. "-ake a hovel with you. ! don.t know how &ar ! trut thi
tunnel now that we.ve widened it9"
He moved aide. Barne and 'ai tepped back together with their hovel head
locked+ making a &inal weep o& the debri.
"9and ! want u to be able to grub it out &rom both ide i& there. a cave(in."
Sun put hi kni&e in hi teeth and took the hovel &rom Barne. He thrut it ahead o&
him a he &ollowed Sentino.
"Barne+" 'aniel aid+ nodding to the man. %nything Barne. houlder cleared
would probably pa Hogg. belly+ o it wa a good tet. "Mi/uelon+ 0ehonyk+ 'ai+
Hogg+ and me. Hogg+ you take your impeller."
$obody proteted at the order o& entry+ not that a protet wa going to change
anything. -here wa a rik to plitting hi mall &orce+ but 'aniel wa unwilling to let one
or two o& hi peronnel cout a burrow ytem that held core or poibly hundred o&
the creature who.d dug it. % team o& eight with an impeller could upport itel&.
"#eey+ you and your ection will watch our gear and the entrance &rom outide+"
'aniel continued. Barne had grunted hi way into the tunnel and Mi/uelon wa ready to
&ollow1 he held her e/uipment belt ahead o& her rather than dropping it on the ground a
the other had. "Bou.ll have a hovel and the other impeller. 'on.t get &ro8en on the hole.
-here have to be other entrance+ and we don.t need whoever. inide9"
He.d meant to ay "whatever+" not "whoever."
"9to warm around u &rom behind+ all right) Over."
#eey and Matahurd tood in ight at the corner o& a buh whoe taeled crown
&luttered occaionally like a tand o& ultramarine &lag. -he midhipman trotted &orward
to take the weapon and hovel+ peaking brikly. 'aniel couldn.t hear the word+ o he
wa addreing the member o& her ection alone over the intercom.
'aniel nodded mentally+ though hi head didn.t really move. She had the making o&
a good o&&icer.
"! don.t e,pect you.ll have any trouble+" 'aniel aid a he gave #eey the impeller.
"But i& ! were ure o& that+ ! wouldn.t leave a guard to begin with."
Hogg+ whee8ing like a rooting ow+ thrut himel& into the burrow. 'aniel waited a
com&ortable &ive econd and &ollowed. !t wa tight+ but never o contricting that he
wondered i& he wa going to be caught. %t the &ar end o& a tunnel no longer than the i,
&eet Sentino had etimated wa9
*ell+ wa a paradie o& patel light and plant which wooped toward the twenty(
&oot ceiling like contruction o& cat platic. -he pacer wandered among them in
ama8ement. -he air wa noticeably more humid than that in the ravine outide.
"'on.t get out o& ight o& one anotherA" 'aniel aid. Beide humidity+ the air wa
per&umed. Enatlike inect dri&ted through the mit o& light+ and9
"*here. the light coming &rom)" 'aniel called+ li&ting hi vior out o& the way. He
didn.t need it enhancement nor protection &rom windblown grit. "Hogg+ can you tell)"
"Sir+ ! think it. Hut block o& /uart8 built into the ceiling &or light guide+" 0ehonyk
aid+ pointing hi arm a 'aniel Hoined him under one o& the bright patche. !t wa a good
eight &eet in diameter+ made o& /uart8 wedged into place with other bit o& tone. -he
contruction wa imilar to that o& the entranceway lining.
"$aw+ it can.t be+" 'ai aid+ prodding one o& the gorgeou plant with the point o&
hi kni&e. "*e.d have een it &rom up above. Look+ you can ee a whole line o& them
down thi tunnel. $o way we could.ve mied all o& that."
'aniel /uinted. -here were at leat . . . ten bright patche in the ceiling+ with more
merging into the ditance beyond Hut a 'ai aid. -he eparation between pair wa
about thirty &eet+ making 'aniel. etimate o& poibly hundred o& creature in the
burrow now eem aburdly low. Beide thi central aile o& planting+ narrow paage
led o&& to either ide.
'aniel conidered the pattern o& light and hadow above him. -he /uart8 block
weren.t uni&ormly tranlucent+ and the &ace re&racted light o that the compoite len
looked a though a giant piderweb lay acro it. 2ven o+ 'aniel could ee that the
wetern edge wa brighter than the eat.
"! believe 0ehonyk. right when he ay light guide+" 'aniel aid. "Eiven the depth
o& the &loor here beneath the bottom o& the ravine+ there. about i, &eet o& roo&. !& the
inlet lant outward+ they.ll catch ome light whenever the un. up9but there won.t be
any huge ma o& /uart8 on the ur&ace like there i down here at the outlet."
"*hat kinda animal doe that)" a pacer aked. $obody replied+ perhap becaue the
anwer wa too obviou when you thought about it.
Sun dug the hovel into the cavern wall+ then withdrew it with a pu88led e,preion.
Only a trickle o& dirt &ollowed the blade. "Hey+ Captain)" he aid. "-here. platic on the
wall or omething."
'aniel walked over to the petty o&&icer+ rounding a plant et into the &loor in a tone(
lined tub. %ll the cavern. vegetation wa o&t(bodied though it wa more the i8e o& tree
than ordinary plant. -he genera were un&amiliar to 'aniel1 certainly they weren.t native
to Se,burga. arid ur&ace today.
"! know what it i+" o&&ered 'ai+ holding up hi le&t inde, &inger. On it gleamed a
drop o& clear ap &rom the wound he.d pricked in the plant he wa e,amining. "Hell+ they
gotta cover the wall with omething or it.d all &all in+ right)"
"How. chance we &ind ome water and get the hell outa here)" Hogg muttered. He
held the impeller acro hi chet+ ready to pin in any direction and throw the weapon to
hi houlder. He wa per&ectly poied+ but he wa alo a uncom&ortable a 'aniel had
ever een him.
'aniel touched the wall with hi bare hand. % Sun had aid+ there wa a clear+
lightly reilient+ coating over the gritty clay. !t &elt warm to the touch.
"Be+ we.ll do that+" 'aniel aid+ but hi mind wa more on the wonder o& thi place
than it wa on Hogg. /uetion or the more general buine o& reaching the beacon to
ummon help. -hey wouldn.t delay here9they had their duty+ a&ter all9but by heavenA
what a report Commodore Cettin and the civili8ed univere would get. "-hi wa perhap
the mot cienti&ically ue&ul piece o& make(work and treachery that !.ve ever heard o&."
"Hey+ lookA" Sentino cried. She darted into the paage.
'aniel heard a spreek: that might have been Sentino but probably wan.t. He tabbed
hi kni&e into the idewall to &ree hi hand and ducked to &ollow the crewman down the
paage. He wan.t ure even Sentino would clear the low ceiling i& he tood upright.
He uppoed he wa till carrying her kni&e in her hand. She almot had to be+ ince
he.d le&t the heath with the ret o& her belt gear. Erabbing a creature with teeth like the
one lat night bare(handed wa dangerou+ but 'aniel would Hut a oon Sentino not tab
9
"! got9" he called. -here wa a tearing(paper ound. Sentino taggered back into
'aniel. arm1 the kni&e lipped &rom her &laccid right hand. 'ropping the remain o& a
&it(i8ed pu&&ball on the paage &loor+ the creature he.d grabbed with her le&t /uirmed
away. !t began to dig &uriouly in the idewall with padelike &orepaw.
-here wa a dry mell in the air+ di88ying though not unpleaant. 'aniel lapped hi
vior down with hi le&t hand and &elt the &ilter clamp hi notril.
-he hairle creature looked ideway at him through the praying dirt and gave a
wail o& depair. 'aniel grabbed Sentino under the arm and backed+ pulling her with him.
She wa a dead weight+ but he could &eel her heart beating trongly through her coverall.
Something came around the bend Hut beyond where the creature wa digging into
the idewall. !t completely &illed the paage+ bruhing cacade o& oil down where it
houlder rubbed. 'aniel couldn.t get a good look at it ince hi own body blocked mot
o& the light coming &rom the main gallery+ but he could tell that it wa black and bigger
than he wa.
-he maller creature went "Wheek: Wheek: Wheek:" and vanihed+ apparently
dropping into an adHacent paage. -he newcomer paued+ it eye &ocued on 'aniel and
Sentino. !t &our canine proHected &orward to cricro like paired ice(tong+ per&ect
tool to take living prey. !t hunched like a cat preparing to pring.
'aniel tepped over hi crewman. body. "3nit+ get Sentino out o& hereA" he houted.
"Somebody drag her9"
-he predator &lowed toward him like a nake triking. !t puhed o&& with it patulate
&orepaw but &olded them back againt it ide in the coure o& the motion.
'aniel caught it by the neck+ houlder(broad and covered with a ru&& o& britle. -he
&ang clahed Hut in &ront o& hi vior. -he impact wa like that o& a charging bull. 'aniel
had braced himel&+ but it threw him back anyway.
Hi right boot tramped omething o&t9Sentino. out&lung hand+ but he li&ted hi
&oot and &elt her natched back with no more ceremony than a cae o& ration would get.
-hat wa &ineF dinner wa Hut what he.d be i& they didn.t get her back /uickly.
'aniel couldn.t hold the creature+ didn.t "ant to hold it+ but i& he didn.t continue
&ighting it would puh him over backward. -hen the only /uetion wa whether it.d tear
hi throat out or tart by devouring hi belly.
"*atch thi batardA" he whee8ed. "! don.t know how big . . ."
Hi toe kidded lowly backward down the paage. He &elt hi le&t knee tart to
buckle. He twited that &oot ideway in a deperate attempt to get more traction.
-he Haw cloed again. -hi time the tip o& one lower &ang hit 'aniel. vior and
lammed hi helmet againt the paage roo&. 'epite the hock(aborbant liner+ 'aniel.
concioune hattered into white light. % he &elt himel& going over+ he kicked out
blindly with both &eet.
-he predator made it &irt ound+ a "huff o& urprie a 'aniel. bootheel
hammered it mu88le. !t &lowed &orward again.
Hogg+ leaning over hi mater+ ocketed the impeller in the predator. right eye and
/uee8ed the trigger. -he "hack: o& the weapon. circuitry merged with the C#'S,: o&
dene bone diintegrating at the impact o& the hyperonic pellet.
-he creature lurched into the central gallery and prawled+ it paddlelike hind leg
covering 'aniel. toro. !t body truck Hogg and ent him pinning away+ though he till
kept hold o& the impeller. Sun drove the hovel into the creature. neck1 it kidded o&&+
gouging the &loor and narrowly miing 'aniel. hand. Other pacer were hacking with
their knive.
"Eet backA" 'aniel houted. "!t. deadA Back away be&ore you hurt omebodyA"
He clutched hi hand in to hi chet+ reminded by the comment that "omebody"
might very well be him. -he creature. head and &eet twited upward in a convulion1
'aniel ued the repite to natch hi body clear o& a weight that he hadn.t been able to
hi&t with hi own trength.
He got hakily to hi &eet. Barne put an arm around him and li&ted him everal tep
back to where the creature. patic movement couldn.t knock him down again. !t limb
were modi&ied &or digging+ but claw that cut through rocky clay would be Hut a
detructive i& they met human bone and mucle.
-he creature &lopped over on it pine and &inihed dying. Hogg. pellet had li&ted
the back o&& it kull+ but the &ace wan.t eriouly damaged ave that one eyeocket wa
empty.
!t weighed hal& a ton. !t wa a ugly a anything 'aniel had ever een. -he &oul
breath that had blown &rom it mouth a it attacked now hung over the body like a
miama.
%part &rom the croed &ang+ however+ the &ace wa undeniably human.
P P P
-he rincess Cecile. utility aircar wa little more than a &rame linking a /uartet o&
&an nacelle to the open(topped cabin where %dele+ -overa+ and two pacer at on
benche o& metal webbing. %dele hi&ted. -he eat weren.t a uncom&ortable a they
looked+ but they looked .ery uncom&ortable.
-avatierna landed with only a moderate bang and bounce. -hat wa a creditable
per&ormance given the car. heavy load+ but %dele cowled anyway. She knew it wan.t
&air to e,pect pro&eional competence &rom a rigger who hadn.t driven an aircar in
month+ but "&air" didn.t have much to do with the preent ituation. -he operation had
very little margin &or error.
"Shut o&& the motorA" he aid+ houting to be heard over the whine o& the &an
pinning at 8ero angle o& attack. -avatierna looked urpried ince their helmet
intercom would eaily damp that level o& e,ternal noie+ but he obeyed without /uetion.
"!.ve cut o&& helmet communication &rom now until we e,ecute the entry+" %dele
aid a the blade wound down octave by octave. "-hey could be overheard. ! doubt
whether the Captal. ta&& i that alert+ but ! don.t chooe to take a chance with the live o&
our hipmate."
'nd our o"n, come to think of it, though that isn't the first priority for me at the
moment, he added internally.
-avatierna had landed behind a ridge whoe &ront ide wa a little over a thouand
yard &rom the knoll on which the Captal da Lund had built hi &ortre. 2ven %dele
could have climbed the lope on thi ide1 'ort and -avatierna wouldn.t raie a weat.
-he weight o& the gun the men carried9'ort a tocked impeller+ -avatierna a
ubmachine gun &or the team. own protection9wan.t a igni&icant &actor either.
"'ort+ are you till com&ortable with thi)" %dele aid. "-overa can take over now
i& you have any concern. Being unwilling to kill another human being i nothing to be
ahamed o&."
"$o+ ma.am+" the midhipman agreed. "But you don.t need to worry. !.ve trained &or
thi."
*hen %dele checked the crew lit &or a niper+ he.d learned to her urprie that
'ort had been on the %cademy markmanhip team and had won trophie in long(range
competition. He.d aured her that hi training involved hotage imulation rather than
merely bull.(eye target. He.d never done it &or real9killed9but %dele well knew the
e&&ectivene o& training like what 'ort decribed.
% i,(wheeled delivery van wa trundling down the road &rom Spire1 it would reach
them in a &ew minute. %dele and -overa would Hoin the pacer in the cargo bo, during
the time the vehicle wa out o& ight o& the Captal. reidence+ unle he decided to leave
thi Hob to -overa a&ter all.
%dele. ervant looked at her and miled. "He.ll be all right+ mitre+" -overa aid.
"!& anything goe wrong+ you or me can &i, it then."
"$othing. going to go wrong+" 'ort aid tolidly.
"$o+ ! don.t uppoe it i+" %dele aid. She tried to mile. !t doubtle looked &orced+
but her natural e,preion at time like thee wa omething that only a ociopath like
-overa could &ind humor in. "'ort+ -avatierna9you.d better get into poition. Captain
Leary i counting on you."
-he pacer nodded and tarted up the lope at an ama8ingly &at pace. -hey moved
like a rigger and a healthy young athlete+ not a librarian with a tendency to trip over her
own &eet+ o& coure.
!t wa odd what you remembered. -he mot vivid recollection %dele had o& the duel
he.d &ought when he wa i,teen wan.t the &ace o& the boy when her bullet hitF it wa
intead the pink mit in the air behind him+ a muh o& blood and &reh brain. -he
imulator he.d ued &or hour in her parent. townhoue hadn.t prepared her &or that.
-he van. upenion /uealed and rattled a it approached. -hey9the :epublic o&
Cinnabar+ paying with &und which Mitre Sand had put at %dele. dipoal9were
renting the vehicle &or a um not much hort o& what it had cot new. 0ut in cae+ though+
the vehicle. Se,burgan owner and it regular driver were aboard the rincess Cecile with
all they wanted to drink. Hal& a do8en pacer were itting with them to make ure that
they didn.t decide to leave and maybe call the Captal.
-overa hi&ted her body+ working mucle group with a minimum o& movement. She
wa per&ectly cool+ but a&ter all he had no more emotion than the ubmachine gun in her
hand. She looked at %dele and aid+ "! wouldn.t be any better at long range than you
would+ mitre. -hough ! uppoe either o& u could manage i& the need aroe."
"! uppoe+" %dele agreed coldly. *hy hould it bother her that -overa conidered
her mitre and herel& merely a pair o& killer at thi moment) !t wa true+ a&ter all.
3nlike %dele+ -overa had no concience. But that wouldn.t make any di&&erence. !t
never had be&ore.
-he van pulled up beide the aircar. ;oop wa driving+ wearing a Se,burgan ca&tan
and a o&t cap. -he ret o& the team were in :C$ utilitie+ com&ortable and unobtruively
colored. !& thi event went wrong+ there wa no chance o& hiding who wa reponible &or
it+ no matter what they wore.
*ell+ %dele didn.t intend that it go wrong.
*oetHan li&ted the roller gate and Herked %dele into the cargo bo,. Bemih o&&ered
-overa a hand+ but he.d already hopped aboard with her uual economy. -overa didn.t
look grace&ul+ but he moved without error. !t wa rather like watching a door open and
cloe. -he motion wa without art+ but it wa alway the ame and alway &lawle.
"EoA" *oetHan houted+ and the van accelerated &rom it rolling top. -here were
&ive pacer in the back1 ;oop drove with a ubmachine gun under a towel on the eat
beide him. More peronnel would have crowded the vehicle and wouldn.t+ in the opinion
o& *oetHan and Mon+ have contributed to the ucce o& the operation.
-here were twenty(one people in the Captal. compound1 the number hadn.t changed
ince 'orotige had returned &rom South Land. -hey were on alert+ but that wa di&&erent
&rom really *eing alert. -he van delivered &ood to the compound on a regular chedule.
-he guard would earch the vehicle+ but they wouldn.t be urpried to ee it arriving.
%dele miled &aintly. -he urprie would come hortly a&ter that arrival.
%dele looked at the &ace around her+ lighted through the opera window in one o& the
door. upper lat. "! everyone ready &or thi)" he aked+ more becaue the pacer
eemed to e,pect omething &rom her than out o& real concern &or the anwer.
"%in.t we HutA" aid Liebig+ hugging hi ubmachine gun to hi chet. -he other. guttural
ound o& approval blended well with the groan o& the van. upenion.
%dele put her vior down momentarily to check the ditance to the Captal. &ront
gate. She till wan.t com&ortable with getting in&ormation &rom the helmet diplay1 it
made her reent&ul and more than a little angry not to be able to be able to ue her
peronal data unit in normal &ahion.
$ormally he wouldn.t be bouncing around in the back o& a delivery van. Beide+
the helmet diplay worked per&ectly well a it read down the ditance in yardF 5I4+ 5I<+
5@N9a lurch a the vehicle rounded a witchback and it tranmiion hi&ted to a lower
gear95@> . . .
Moronick began to ing under hi breathF "When %'m home you call me sugar honey,
*ut "hen %'m gone . . ." Hi thumb covered and uncovered the receiver witch that
controlled hi impeller. power. !t wa in the o&&+ a&e+ poition. He didn.t turn it on+ but
the touch o& the platic &acinated him.
" . . . you run around and play."
%dele wa the only one o& thoe preent who didn.t carry a houlder weapon+ either a
ubmachine gun or a emiautomatic impeller throwing heavy lug. -here wa a mall
pitol in her le&t ide pocket. !t wa the weapon he knew+ the weapon he pointed a i&
her eye and not her hand controlled it.
!t would do. !t had done many time in the pat.
-he van lowed gradually+ then lewed hrieking to the right a a brake grabbed. 46+
4I+ 44 . . . ;oop corrected with hi teering wheel and brought them to a Huddering halt.
%dele could hear the wind now+ blowing the lat o& the grit kicked up by the truck.
wheel againt the metal body. "Hey+ where. Mariakaki)" an un&amiliar voice called.
"Mariakaki tell the bo he want a raie+" ;oop aid. -he cab door opened+ then
lammed. "Bo tell Mariakaki &uck your raie+ you.re not worth what ! pay you now.
Mariakaki ay &uck your Hob+ then. %nd me+ ! get promoted when ! Hut tarted work."
%dele blinked. Her impreion o& ;oop wa that he wa rather more dene than the
run o& pacer. She.d told him to ay+ "Mariakaki i ick today+" i& aked. ;oop.
embellihment wa wholly convincing+ even though he kne" it wa nonene.
"Beah+ well+ get the back open and let. take a look+" the gateman aid+ hi voice
moving along the ide o& the van a boot crunched on the road metal. 2veryone in the
cargo compartment /uatted. *oetHan handed her impeller to Bemih and drew an
arm.(length piece o& high(preure tubing &rom beneath her belt.
"'orotige. got a wild hair up hi a and not letting u into town when we.re o&&
duty+" the gateman continued. "-here better be e,tra boo8e in thi9"
-he door rattled at ;oop. touch+ then hot upward a &at a Liebig and Eanevoort
could raie it &rom the inide.
"9hipment9heyAA"
-he gateman wa a lanky &ellow whoe ginger whiker tried to cover eriou acne
car. *oetHan grabbed hi throat with her le&t hand.
W,'CD: ounded &rom the top o& the tone guard tower.
*oetHan rang the tubing o&& the gateman. kull+ knocking o&& hi mauve beret and
putting a welt acro hi &orehead. He went limp in her grip. %dele grabbed the keypad
chained to hi belt and punched in 7476+ the code that raied the gate today. She could
have entered the compound. ecurity ytem through it communication link+ but thi
wa &ater and impler.
-he body o& the guard who.d watched &rom the tower. walkway &ell &lat on the
ground beide the vehicle. -here wa a hole preciely between her taring eye1 apart
&rom that he looked per&ectly normal. Drom the amount o& matter oo8ing through the &an
o& her hair+ the lug had removed the back o& her kull like the top o& a o&t(boiled egg.
-he gate. two leave cammed open1 the row o& pike beyond began to ink into
concrete heath. ;oop crambled back into the cab+ pauing to natch up the hat he.d lot
in the &lurry o& activity.
-he door at the &oot o& the guard tower wa open. %dele and Eanevoort Humped out
o& the cargo compartment a *oetHan lung the unconciou gateman behind her rather
than leave him on the ground. -he prawled corpe couldn.t be een through the open
gate.
"EoA" %dele aid+ but it wa only her adrenaline(peeded ene that made it eem
that ;oop wa delaying. -he van Herked into motion+ making thoe in the cargo
compartment way &orward and back. 3nder cover o& the vehicle+ %dele and the pacer
with her darted into the tower.
-he van. back door wa till open. *oetHan had retrieved her impeller &rom Liebig.
-he boun. &ace had a detached e,preion+ a though he were deciding who to aign
to a mildly onerou duty.
Stair led up &rom the anteroom o& the guard tower. -hrough the other door wa an
o&&ice with a couch and re&rigerator beide the control tation. %dele at at the control
tation while Eanevoort took the tair two at a time+ heading &or the automatic impeller
on top o& the tower. He wa Sun. triker+ working toward a rating o& gunner. mate.
-he diplay wa wirling pearly light. %dele brought up the main creen. % do8en
keytroke took her through the interlock to &irt enter the ecurity ytem+ then to take
complete control o& all the compound. electronic. She diplayed the courtyard imagery
in a corner o that a he worked he could ee the van driving pat the barrack to the
eparated power room.
-he power room door tood open+ o he didn.t have to bother unlocking it.
*oetHan had a crate o& e,ploive in the van againt the poibility that the door would
be cloed with a manual bolt+ but %dele wa glad they could avoid noie &or the moment.
Her control tation had a touchplate. %dele. &inger. danced acro it+ moving with
preciion i& not what he would call verve. Dirt he hut down communication to the
other two guard tower+ then witched their power o&& a well. -he automatic impeller
could till be &ired+ but without power travere the guard would have to hore the
weapon around manually to aim toward the courtyard. -hat would take minute that they
mot certainly would not be allowed.
-he van topped in &ront o& the power room. *oetHan led the &our pacer with her
into the /uat building. -he van+ with -overa now in the cab with ;oop+ made a 3(turn
and drove toward the Captal. reidence.
*oetHan looked out o& the power room and waved her &ree hand. ":eady+
Eanevoort)" %dele called over the intercom.
":eadyA" Eanevoort anwered+ o loudly that hi voice echoed down the tairwell.
-he building vibrated a hi impeller turned inward.
%dele keyed the &ire alarm &or the barrack and the reidence building. %n
electronic wail &illed the compound.
$othing happened &or a moment. %dele diconnected the power to both building. %
moment later a ervant wearing pu&&ed red(and(yellow garment ran &rom the reidence
and three hal&(dreed guard &rom the barrack. -hey looked around in a mi,ture o&
anger and con&uion.
"Stay in the openA" %dele boomed over the public(addre ytem. She turned o&& the
iren. *oetHan and three o& her team walked toward the barrack+ their weapon aimed.
"$o one will be har9"
-he houe ervant turned. Hi arm &lailed and he prawled acro the threhold at
the &eet o& two more liveried ervant.
-overa got out o& the van+ pointing her ubmachine gun one(handed in what might
have looked a negligent &ahion to anyone who hadn.t Hut een her hoot. She beckoned
the two urviving ervant toward her with her &ree hand. One remained tran&i,ed1 the
other knelt+ claped hi hand+ and lowered hi head in prayer.
"$o one will be harmed i& you cooperateA" %dele aid. Her ampli&ied voice rumbled
through the open doorway+ cold and hectoring. -he guard who were already in the open
didn.t try to run in the &ace o& the pacer. gun+ but no more came &rom the barrack.
%dele. brain warned her o& movement. !ntinct lid the pitol &rom her pocket+ but
the threat howed on her panoramic diplay rather than in the room with her.
"$ortheat towerA" he houted. "He.9"
-he tower guard braced himel& on the catwalk rail+ holding hi pitol in both hand+
and &ired acro the courtyard. 'ut &lew &rom the &acade o& the reidence.
-overa turned like mercury &lowing. 2ven be&ore he could &ire+ the top o& the
northeat tower erupted into dut+ chunk o& tone+ and treak o& vivid color where
omium lug truck the turret. metal &itting. %dele. control tation vibrated with the
violence o& Eanevoort. long burt above her.
Eanevoort topped &iring. *oetHan. team and the guard in &ront o& the barrack
had thrown themelve on the ground. Bit continued to drop o&& the crumbled towerF the
lug had chewed away the wet &ace o& the railing and turret. -he wind dri&ted dut &rom
the compound like torn ruet gau8e. -he only viible portion o& the guard wa hi right
arm lying among the debri in the courtyard+ evered at the elbow by &i&ty grain o&
omium moving at Mach 5.
"2veryone in the barrack+" %dele aid+ "come out unarmed+ no"A !n thirty econd
we.ll begin raking the building until it &all in and cruhe everyone who han.t been
killed by the proHectile."
%nother man came &rom the barrack+ doubled over a i& he were walking into a
torm. Liebig taped hi arm behind him. -wo more guard crept out+ their hand high. %
woman came &rom the outh tower+ tumbling in her hate.
*oetHan cupped her hand and houted in the direction o& the gate. %dele grimaced
and witched the helmet intercom live again. "3nit+ your helmet work now+" he aid.
"Signal out."
"Signals, that's e.ery*ody from here+" *oetHan voice aid in ynchrony with her
lip on the other ide o& the courtyard. "There's si5 ser.ants and a guard in the residence
"ith the *oss, they say. Team )ne o.er."
"-eam One+ all right+" %dele aid+ riing to her &eet. "Leave a guard on the captive
and Hoin me at the reidence. %h+ out."
She.d never get ued to :C$ communication protocol. O& coure+ communication
had never intereted her very much. ;nowledge &or it own ake had been her &ocu.
She wa miling a he walked &rom the gate tower toward the reidence building. %
great deal had changed ince he met Lt. 'aniel Leary.
Dor the mot part the pacer were e,hilarated &rom the operation. preent ucce.
Bemih wa babbling that by (od we.re howing thee wog how it. done+ but %dele
didn.t let her ditate &or the vulgar chauvinim touch the ur&ace o& her mind.
;oop alone looked reerved. -hat wa perhap hi normal reaction to thing going
well+ but e/ually it might have had omething to do with the bloodtain on hi uni&orm
where he.d knelt while ecuring the two living ervant.
-overa witched the ammunition tube under her weapon. barrel &or a &ully loaded
one &rom the pouch on her le&t ide. Her eye darted in all direction+ and her mile wa
a thin and cold a a treak o& hoar&rot.
"-hree ervant are in the kitchen+ hiding behind the central counter+" %dele aid.
"-hey may a well tay there &or now."
She hook her head at the illine o& anyone thinking they could hide in a building
with a urveillance ytem a complete a the Captal.. 2ven hi private uite wa
covered+ though he probably believed he.d witched the camera o&& when he reali8ed that
the compound wa under attack.
"-he owner i in hi bedroom on the econd &loor+" %dele continued. "One guard i
in the main room o& the uite with a gun trained on the door. -hat ha a mechanical bar+
o we.ll have to blow it down."
":ight+" *oetHan aid. "-hat. you+ 0iangi."
-he maintenance tech nodded. He wa leaning againt the doorHamb o that it
upported ome o& the weight o& hi pack.
"Mitre)" Liebig aked. He.d looked hungrily at the Captal. big aircar when he
trotted pat it beide the boun. "-he guy inide in.t the one who &lew the captain away+
i he) Becaue i& he i+ he might know . . ."
"-he driver+ 'orotige+ wa the lat one to come out o& the barrack+" -overa aid.
Like %dele herel&+ he wa uing imagery &rom the compound. internal ytem to view
their opponent.
-he tip o& -overa. tongue touched her lip. "-he man inide+ preparing to die &or hi
mater+ i named benBamani. -here. no reaon we houldn.t take him up on hi o&&er."
"*e.ll give him another chance to urrender anyway+" %dele aid. She nodded to the
open door. "Let. go."
!n %dele. normal tate o& mind he would have been irritated by -overa.
enthuiam &or killing. %t preent9
She glanced down at the cratered back o& the ervant who.d tried to run. Blood wa
congealing in the hole where velocity had diintegrated the ten(grain pellet like tiny
bomb when they truck.
%f there is a (od, may She for*id that % e.er find this sort of *usiness normal.
*oetHan le&t a man in the doorway and another in the &oyer+ then led the way up the
taircae. %dele had locked the kitchen door and hut o&& the elevator+ o there wa no
need o& a guard down here. -hey wouldn.t need another man uptair either+ though+ o
he didn.t comment on the boun. arrangement.
%n ornate metal door tood in the center o& the econd &loor. emicircular anteroom.
!t wa &inihed to look like bron8e+ but %dele knew &rom the contractor. peci&ication
that it wa actually tungten over a core o& lime.
"Sytem+" %dele aid a they &aced the door. She.d et the compound. intercom to
be cued by her helmet. "Miter benBamani+ unbolt the door and urrender. *e won.t
harm you or your mater. *e.ve come here to get in&ormation+ that. all."
-here wa no repone. "Mitre)" -overa aid.
%dele grimaced. !t wa o unneceary. "Be+ go ahead+" he aid.
"O&&icer *oetHan+" -overa aid+ holding out her ubmachine gun. "Let me trade
weapon with you &or a moment."
-he boun looked tartled but handed over the tocked impeller when %dele nodded.
-overa+ aiming by the image proHected on her vior+ pointed the weapon at the wall to the
right o& the armored door.
-he "hack: o& the hot wa tartlingly loud in the encloed pace. -he lug. driving
band &lahed a it ioni8ed1 it wa a ghotly yellow glow remained in the air &or everal
econd. -he wall wa o& thick tructural platic+ intended to deaden ound but not to top
round &rom an impeller. Chip &lew into the anteroom and a cavity the i8e o& a oup
dih palled o&& the inide.
-he lug continued traight and true. -he waiting guard leaped up+ rolled over a
table+ and &ell prone acro the hand(knotted carpet. Hi blood plahed a broad pattern
around the hole the lug took through the wall o& the Captal. bedroom.
-overa gave the impeller back to *oetHan. "-hat hould do+" he aid.
%dele /uatted and took out her peronal data unit1 the helmet. input weren.t
u&&icient &or what he needed now. %t a nod &rom the boun+ 0iangi hrugged o&& hi
pack and began li&ting out block o& e,ploive with the blating cap already in
pre&ormed ocket.
"*ait+" aid %dele+ concentrating on her diplay. "*e could do more damage than
we intend with that."
"Bou want me to take down the wall intead o& the door+ mitre)" 0iangi o&&ered.
"-hat won.t be hard."
"Wait+" %dele repeated.
She turned on the viion panel above the Captal. huge circular bed and routed to it
the output o& the ecurity camera in the main room o& uite1 he &ocued the image cloely
on what wa le&t o& the guard. head. -he lug mut have been tumbling lightly when it
came through the wall.
"Captal da LundA" %dele aid through the intercom. "*e will let you and all your
urviving peronnel go &ree once you.ve anwered our /uetion about what happened to
Lieutenant Leary. Open the door to your uite. !& we have to blow our way in+ there. a
poibility you.ll be killed and a near certainty that you.ll be badly inHured."
"$o Mnear. about that+" *oetHan muttered. Her big carred hand patted the length o&
tubing in her belt. She.d wrapped tape around one end &or a better grip.
"Bou.ve got thirty econd+" %dele continued. "!.m going to begin counting down.
-hirty+ twenty(nine9"
-he man cowering in the bedroom uddenly natched open hi door. "*aitA" he
cried. "Dor the love o& Eod+ waitA"
%dele roe to her &eet and put her data unit back in it pocket. She li&ted her vior1
he didn.t need to watch &urther. -he pacer tened+ but -overa merely hook her head in
diappointment.
-he bar craped on the other ide o& the door. *hen *oetHan heard it click &ree o&
the taple+ he kicked the panel open with the heel o& her boot. !t bloodied the Captal.
noe a it knocked him down.
%dele had never een the e,iled dictator in the &leh. He would have looked
ditinguihed under mot circumtance+ but blubbering o that tear treaked the blood
on hi cheek wa not hi bet moment. *oetHan and 0iangi thrut their gun in hi &ace.
"Cleae+ pleae+ !.ll pay you more money than you ever dreamedA" the Captal cried.
"!.ll make you rich &or li&e+ only don.t kill meA"
!t wa &unny in it way. "-overa+" %dele aid. "How much money would it take &or
you not to kill thi gentleman i& ! told you to do it)"
"!& you allowed me to do it+ you mean+ mitre+" -overa aid. -hey were playing a
game+ he and her mitre+ but every word o& it wa true. She hrugged. "! don.t need
money+ mitre."
%dele wa unable to keep to keep &rom neering when he looked down at the
niveling e,ile+ but perhap that wa the right e,preion &or the purpoe anyway. "*hen
you.ve told u how to &ind Lieutenant Leary+" he aid evenly+ "we.ll releae you and your
peronnel."
"-hey.re all right+ they.re per&ectly a&e+" the Captal aid. He.d pulled hi knee up to
hi chet and hi &inger covered hi &ace+ preing to either ide o& hi noe. *a it
broken+ or wa it imply &ear that had o unmanned him) "!t wa nothing to do with me+
really+ ! wa Hut helping #aughn out o& &riendhip &or hi &ather. Eetting your captain out
o& the way o that no one would give the alarm until #aughn wa a&ely back on
Strymon."
*oetHan tapped the Captal. le&t writ with her impeller mu88le. -he heat hield
wa till hot &rom the recently &ired lug1 the prioner Herked hi hand down with a cry o&
terror.
"Where8" *oetHan aid. "Or !.ll tie your dick to the aircar and &ly back to town. So
help me Eod."
"%t Site -wo on South LandA" the Captal cried. "'orotige took them there+ he can
&ind them again. Beide+ it. in the car. navigation ytemA"
%dele &rowned. "! that true)" he aked the boun.
*oetHan hrugged. "Likely enough+" he aid. "Liebig.ll know."
She witched to intercom. Her lip continued to move+ but the helmet. damper
mothered the word. % moment later he nodded and aid+ "Beah+ that. right unle they
cleared the ytem. Liebig. going to check the car right now."
"*e weren.t going to do Leary any harm+" the Captal aid. "0ut keep him out o& the
way till your &leet had gone. He had plenty o& &ood with him and there. water at the ite.
%nd then 'orotige would have &lown him and hi ervant back."
-he Captal had brought hi right hand to hi &ace again but eemed generally to have
rela,ed. % good ign+ %dele uppoed. -he heat hield hadn.t even raied a bliter. Drom
the way he.d Humped+ one might have thought hi hand wa being inged o&&.
"Mitre)" *oetHan aid. "Liebig ay that. right+ the navigation record. till
intact. !& he can ue that car+ likely he can drive back himel& to get the captain."
"*e.ll ue the car+" %dele aid. "*e.ll take thi gentleman and Mr. 'orotige with u
a guide+ however. 0ut in cae."
-he Captal lowly lowered hi hand and let hi leg e,tend lightly. "%nd then
you.ll let me go)" he aid+ hi voice huky with &ear.
"Be+ we will+" %dele aid. "%nd i& 'aniel and all hi crew+ hi ser.ants a you
called them+ are all right+ we.ll even leave you &ood."
*oetHan grinned+ though he till had a worried e,preion. "Let. get going+" he
aid. "! don.t ee any way in hell we.re going to get the captain back be&ore time the
/uadron. uppoed to li&t+ but maybe the Winckelmann.ll loe all her thruter when he
light .em. -here. a chance."
0iangi rolled the Captal over on hi belly and taped hi writ. *oetHan looked
ourly at the captive+ then aid to %dele+ "%h+ mitre) How do you &igure to go on &rom
here)"
"Eet all the prioner out o& the compound a planned+" %dele aid. "'ort and
-avatierna will &ly to the hip in their vehicle+ the ret o& u will go there in the Captal..
! uppoe ;oop hould drive the van back1 we aid we.d return it."
"Mitre+ time. a"ful hort+" the boun aid.
%dele nodded. "Be+" he aid. "But ! need to in&orm Lieutenant Mon about what !.m
doing+ which !.ll do &ace(to(&ace rather than in any &ahion that could be intercepted or
recorded. He may re/uet that -overa and ! carry on &rom here alone o that the hip can
li&t with a &ull a crew a poible."
":ight+" aid *oetHan. She bent and li&ted the Captal by hi bound writ. He
creamed until he got hi &eet under him to take the weight &rom hi arm. "%nd the
Senate may make me Speaker tomorrow9but the mart money bet that !.ll be collecting
boun. pay &or the ne,t while."
She lung the Captal toward the tairwell. "Let. go tell Lieutenant Mon+" he aid+
"that we.ll be a while bringing the captain back to the Sissie."

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER NINETEEN
"*
e.re about to land+ ma.am+" 0iangi warned+ looking out
the ide o& the ervant. compartment.
"%ll right+" %dele aid+ but her mind wa on entering the name and decription o&
the member o& the conpiracy a the Captal 'a Lund remembered them. He and
'orotige were curled on the compartment &loor+ their limb taped. -he Captal babbled
while hi guard chie& remained a ilent a a corpe e,cept to anwer direct /uetion.
%dele wa making an audio recording o& the in&ormation+ but by entering key word
manually on her peronal data unit he put it in a &ar more acceible placeF her current
memory. She didn.t know what he might need in the &uture+ o he learned a much a
he could.
Liebig rotated the aircar 45< degree on it a,i. -hey.d &lown o moothly that
%dele had &orgotten that he wa in a vehicle1 now he tilted &orward out o& the Hump eat.
Only 0iangi. natching arm kept her &rom toppling onto the prioner.
"-here you go+ ma.am+" 0iangi aid politely. "Liebig. putting u tern(on to the hip
o that when the hatch open9"
% he poke+ he unlocked and li&ted the aircar. rear door. Liebig had put down on
the /uay Hut a &ew &eet hort o& the rincess Cecile. gangplank.
"9nobody who houldn.t get to ee our cargo here." He looked down at the
prioner with an e,preion o& contempt. "Lieutenant Mon.ll be waiting &or you+ ma.am."
More to the point+ *oetHan wa already outide the compartment with her arm
crooked to keep %dele &rom tripping a he got out. %dele put her data unit away and
grabbed the boun. arm1 he wan.t one to inHure herel& when he might be needed
through a &oolih overetimate o& her abilitie.
%dele tarted &or the gangplank. *oetHan held her. "Mr. Mon. on hi way+
mitre+" the boun aid1 which wa per&ectly obviou+ once %dele looked at her
urrounding intead o& &ocuing on her plan &or the immediate &uture.
-overa and *oetHan. team tood beide the aircar+ their weapon le incongruou
now than they would have eemed the day they landed. -he rincess Cecile. doral
turret wa not only raied but liveF the plama cannon lowly travered the corniche
above the harbor. Only two ventilation hatche were open. Drom them proHected
automatic impeller on mount which -aley and her mate had welded &rom tube tock.
-he &our guard at the entrance hatch were alert and completely ober.
Mon croed the gangplank with the wi&t grace o& a rigger. He wore hi utilitie and
an e/uipment belt including a holtered pitol+ omething %dele had never een an o&&icer
on hipboard do.
"Be)" he aid. 'runk+ Mon became angrily moroe+ but he wa alway intene
when ober. %t the moment he looked a though you could etch gla with the angle o&
hi &ace.
"'aniel and the other were marooned on South Land+" %dele aid+ detailing the
in&ormation in a bald and precie a manner a he could. "-hey.re uppoed to be
unharmed. *e have a pair o& prioner in the vehicle who don.t eem unduly concerned
about what.ll happen to them when we locate our &riend+ o we can probably accept that
a true."
She cleared her throat. "!.ll be taking the Captal. aircar to pick up the e,pedition+"
he aid+ "but even i& everything work out we can.t poibly get back to Spire be&ore the
/uadron. cheduled departure."
"-he rincess Cecile will be here when the captain arrive to reume command+"
Mon aid. -hough hi voice wa emotionle+ hi cowl could have meant anything.
"Chooe what peronnel you need. Oh9and will you want the Sissie. Heep a well) 'ort
and -avatierna returned a &ew minute be9"
-he late(a&ternoon ky above the line o& cli&& &lahed amber+ then &aded to the pale
grayih white o& moment be&ore. %dele &elt the hockwave through her bootole. -he
water in the harbor roe in tight conical wave. %ll around the harbor+ pacer looked up.
-he airborne blat wa meaurable econd later. !t ounded more like a huge team
leak than an e,ploion.
":ight on timeA" aid Calaccio+ the engineer. mate who.d wedged open the
compound. power room be&ore running to the aircar. He and 0iangi claped arm and
pounded one another on the back.
"! don.t think we.ll need the Heep+" %dele aid.
"%nything ! hould know about)" Mon aid+ pointing a &inger kyward. He ounded
traight&orward rather than ardonic. -he &lare had diipated+ but the wetern ky
continued to parkle a ion natched &ree electron and reverted to their normal tate.
"Old gray(hair. &uion bottle blew+" 0iangi aid+ Herking hi thumb toward the
ervant. compartment where the Captal lay bound. "!& the a&ety door.d all been hut+
the building. roo&.d have blowed o&& and that.d be the end o& it. Since the door "asn't
hut+ all that plama vented out the &ront at the &ancy houe acro the courtyard."
"*a anybody inide the compound)" Mon aked+ intereted but not concerned.
"$ot unle omebody decided to be a hero a&ter we hooed .em all outa the &ront
gate+" *oetHan aid. "-here might.ve been ome bodie &rom be&ore then that nobody.
going to be &inding now. -hey won.t &ind &uck(all ince the plama coured out the inide
o& the compound."
Mon grinned broadly+ the &irt time %dele had een him wear a poitive e,preion.
"Eood work+ O&&icer Mundy+" he aid. "!t. a pleaure to have you under my temporary
command. $ow+ get o&& to South Land and return Captain Leary to where he belong."
"!& Commodore Cettin9" %dele aid. !& he.d been able to continue+ he would9he
might9have blurted the name o& Mitre Sand.
"Mundy+" Lt. Mon aid+ hi &ace uddenly tark. "Bou have your order. !.ll thank
you to leave my dutie to meA"
!t wa odd to &ind out how much he had aborbed by being in the :C$. %dele
actually aluted be&ore he turned to chooe the three pacer who.d accompany her+
-overa+ and the prioner to South Land.
P P P
'aniel checked the un and determined that it wa &ive minute hort o& local noon.
Hi helmet would have given him the time correct to milliecond+ but &or thi purpoe he
pre&erred to ue hi eye a he would have done in the &oret o& Bantry. He wouldn.t
alway be wearing a helmet.
"-orgot *y the planet that *ore us . . ." ang the detachment behind him+ Sun the
loudet o& all. He eemed to be all right9"eemed" being the operative word. -he
gunner. mate had done everything with enthuiam ince the pacer returned to the
ur&ace with &ull water can and &ruit &rom the cavern tu&&ed into the pocket o& their
utilitie. He wa an active man who deerved hi rating+ but hi preent demeanor
macked o& a boy whitling in the dark.
"Betrayed *y the ones "e hold dear . . ."
-hat wa per&ectly all right with 'aniel. %ll that mattered wa that Sun had &ound a
way to overcome hi &unk.
#eey came up on 'aniel. le&t ide+ oppoite Hogg. -hey weren.t trying to keep a
&ormal order o& march+ though everyone knew to tay within a &ew pace o& the ne,t
pacer ahead.
'aniel miled at the midhipman and aid+ "! &igured we.d take a break in a &ew
minute+ #eey. How doe the unit appear to be holding up to you)"
"The good, they ha.e all gone *efore us . . ."
"Juite well+ ir+" #eey aid. She meant her tone to be pro&eional+ but her dry
throat tripped her into a /ueak in the middle o& the hort phrae. "-he &reh ration have
made a great improvement+ and &inding an aured ource o& water alo."
"!.d ay hal& o& .em are high a kiteA" Hogg commented+ cating hi eye back on the
pacer. "Something more than Huice in that tu&&+ !.d ay+ but it don.t work on
everybody."
"'nd only the dull ones are here:"
Hogg pat. "! wih t.hell it worked on me+" he added.
"Sir+ ! wanted to ak about the &ruit . . ." #eey aid. "%nd the cave and everything.
-he animals. *here do they come &rom)"
'aniel kept hi e,preion blank a he conidered both the /uetion and what wa
behind the /uetion. -he rincess Cecile wa too mall to rate a chaplain+ o the crew.
religiou health wa part o& the captain. dutie. -hat wa pretty clearly the hat #eey
wanted him to wear now.
"-here are cae o& parallel evolution+" 'aniel aid care&ully. "On ingle planet and
between pecie &rom planet a thouand light(year apart where there in.t the leat
genetic imilarity. But ! don.t think that could be involved here."
-here wa a ravine cloe by to the le&t. 'aniel had intended to declare a break and
lead the e,pedition into it9and he would+ but &irt he needed to deal with the
midhipman. /uetion in the privacy that the march provided.
"-hey.re really human+ aren.t they)" #eey aid uncom&ortably. "-hey.re what
colonit &rom the &irt ettlement turned into+ here on South Land."
"*e have ample &rom the carnivore+" 'aniel aid. Hair+ kin+ and a crap o& bone
blown &rom the back o& the creature. kull. -he lat contained marrow. "*hen we get
back we.ll be able to tet them. 2ven the rincess Cecile. medical computer hould be
able to make a genetic comparion. *ith human '$%."
-he buhe growing to the lip o& the nearby ravine made a brilliant contrat to
everything around it. -hough the mall leave were the dull red uual on Se,burga+ they
merely peckled the yellow and white triped bark o& the trunk and branche. 'aniel
didn.t recall anything o color&ul &rom the natural(hitory databae. -he pecie might be
new to cience. Human cience.
"-he thing i+ #eey+" he aid+ "we.ve had tar travel &or le than two thouand
year+ and to adapt ordinary human into &orm like thoe we aw underground would
take either genetic engineering beyond what. poible today or a very great deal o& time.
!t couldn.t happen in le than &i&ty or i,ty thouand year+ and it might re/uire a much
a ten time a long."
"-hen they.re not human a&ter all+ ir)" #eey aid. She ighed with obviou relie&.
"!.m9well+ it wa Hut o creepy to think that they might be. *hat i& my children9"
She topped+ &lutered+ then blurted onward+ "!& ! ever had children+ ! mean+ not that
! . . ."
'aniel kept a traight &ace+ upecting that i& he miled it would delay the
midhipman even more. Beide+ he had more to ay. #eey. miundertanding wa
com&orting to her+ but 'aniel couldn.t in good concience leave her in it.
"-hat. not /uite what ! meant+ #eey+" he aid. "$one o& the tar&aring race we.ve
met in the lat two thouand year could live on human(habitable planet without &ull li&e(
upport ytem. -here. ome evidence+ though9%'.e &ound ome evidence myel&9that
in the ditant pat there wa another race living on planet we.ve coloni8ed recently. -he
9eeming mammal we.ve &ound here on South Land+ call them that . . . they.re the only
native vertebrate on Se,burga. !& they.re native."
#eey raied her vior o that he could rub her eye. "! ee+" he aid. "-hank you+
ir. -hat wa very in&ormative."
*hich in the tone he ued wa e/uivalent to+ "%nd ne,t time+ !.d pre&er you give me
a rectal e,am with a hovel." *ell+ #eey knew a urely a 'aniel himel& did that the
:C$ didn.t train it o&&icer to lie to their ubordinate.
'aniel turned+ hi mouth open to order hi people to &all out &or a ten(minute break.
"/nit:" aid 0ehonyk over the intercom. "There's an aircar coming from the south. ,ear
it8 ).er."
'aniel did hear the ditant mi,ture o& high and low tone now+ though he hadn.t until
0ehonyk called it to hi attention. Cower room crewmen had an almot mytical ability to
pick up mechanical noie9and particularly variation in mechanical noie. *hen you
were dealing with &uion bottle+ /uick diagnoi o& trange ound could be the
di&&erence between li&e and death &or the whole hip.
"2verybody into the ravine under coverA" 'aniel bellowed+ li&ting hi vior o that
the helmet wouldn.t mu&&le hi voice. He deliberately didn.t trip the intercom. ":adio
ilence+ but everybody echo image &rom my helmet o that you know what. going on."
-he pacer crambled over the edge o& the ravine like children entering a wimming
poolF in a variety o& &ahion+ all o& them clumy. Hogg diappeared alo+ but without
kicking up a and grain or diturbing a lea& o& the heltered buhe. Hogg looked portly
and eemed low until he aw a need to move /uickly.
"Sun+ you.re in command i& there. a problem+" 'aniel continued. He &aced the outh
and miled &or the oncoming vehicle which he couldn.t ee without magni&i9no+ he
could a&ter all+ there wa a glint in the ky. "! ugget you be guided by Hogg till you
reach an environment more &amiliar to you+ however. Eod and the :epublic be with you+
pacerA"
'aniel lowered hi vior again and increaed the magni&ication. He ounded like
/uite the anctimoniou prig+ now that hi mind had leiure to review what he.d Hut aid.
%t the time it had eemed like what wa called &or+ though1 and maybe it wa.
-he oncoming vehicle wa an aircar+ not an armored peronnel carrier. !t wa large
enough to carry /uite a number o& oldier+ but markmen a good a Hogg and Sun
could hoot it into a colander i& that were re/uired. 'aniel. people wouldn.t tart the
&ire&ight+ though+ and 'aniel himel& made an eay target a well.
He grinned naturally at a &urther thought. He.d Hut made the ort o& peech that
would look well in a book like )ur !a.y's $artyred ,eroes1 which he.d read when he
wa eight+ and which he might very poibly have tolen the word &rom. *ell+ the :C$
put more o& a premium on propriety than originality.
"Leary -orce, this is, ah, $undy -orce," 'aniel. earphone announced in a crip+
&amiliar voice. !t wa like hearing hi mother crooning when he woke creaming &rom an
in&ant nightmare. "Lie*ig tells me that "e'll *e landing *eside you in appro5imately t"o
minutes."
-here wa a paue which preumably included %dele getting ome politely worded
uggetion &rom within the aircar. "#ight, o.er," he aid.
"Mundy Dorce+ thi i Leary+" 'aniel aid. "*e.re very glad to ee you. Break. 3nit+
you can come up to greet our &riend now. Out."
-he aircar wa decending a it neared+ keeping an even keel intead o& dropping it
noe in a dive. -he driver9Liebig) 'aniel doubled hi magni&ication to 6<,. Be+
Liebig. -he driver wa more able than 'aniel had reali8ed.
'aniel noticed who wa with Liebig and %dele in the vehicle. cab. % light &rown
wriggled hi brow.
",ogg, this is To.era," another voice aid. "%'d appreciate it if you not shoot $r.
Dorotige at least until after "e'.e landed. % understand your feelings, *ut % didn't *ring a
change of clothes for my mistress. The impeller you're aiming is going to *athe her in
*rains if you fire no". )ut."
Hogg tepped up beide 'aniel+ laughing like he hadn.t done ince one o& Mitre
Leary. city viitor had &allen into the Bantry cepool. "! wear+ mater+" he aid
between gulp o& laughter. "%in.t he a pitol) %in.t he HutA"
"Be+" aid 'aniel. "! believe -overa i that indeed."

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER T2ENTY
!
t wa crowded with &our on the cab. bench eat+ but *oetHan
had inited in riding up &ront with %dele+ 'aniel and Liebig. -he central driver. tation
wa the problemF %dele wa /uee8ed between 'aniel and the right doorpanel+ while
*oetHan had the relative lu,ury o& all the pace to Liebig. le&t.
*oetHan didn.t do thing without a reaon. %dele wouldn.t have re/ueted the
boun. preence+ but her trength and e,perience had been a welcome addition when
Mon ordered that he accompany %dele. party.
"%dele)" 'aniel aid. "Can you connect me with Spire) -he /uadron. cheduled
li&to&& i in ten minute+ o it. time &or me to take my medicine &rom Commodore Cettin.
-he new will make hi day+ !.m ure."
"*e told Captain Mon that you and the crew were &ine+ ir+" *oetHan aid. %dele
&elt her lip tighten at the boun intercepting a re/uet meant &or her. "*e called in a
oon a we landed."
"Be+ !.m ure you did+ *oetHan+" 'aniel aid. -here wa a touch o& reerve in hi
tone+ an echo o& what %dele herel& wa &eeling. "But ! need to report to the commodore
directly and tell him that it.ll be at leat &our hour be&ore ! reach the harbor. %dele+ can
you . . . )"
"O& coure+" %dele aid. She.d already wiggled out her peronal data unit and
brought it live. "'o you want the cruier. communication center or a direct patch to Mr.
Cettin)"
%dele had linked the aircar. atellite radio to her :C$ helmet+ but he couldn.t
claim to be any more com&ortable with the helmet than he wa with the radio. own
peculiar voice controller. She.d learned on the &light out &rom Spire that the aircar wa a
mooth a a library table+ o he.d reprogrammed the unit in order to run it with her
wand through the data unit.
She hadn.t e,pected to be /uite a cramped a he wa at the moment+ but the tak
wa eay enough. She witched on the radio and brought up the :C$ menu a he poke.
"He.ll end me a rocket whichever choice ! make+" 'aniel aid re&lectively. He didn.t
ound depreed+ but hi voice wan.t a boyihly ebullient a uual. "! think the direct
line+ though."
He grinned. "!.d rather be accued o& arrogantly calling my uperior direct+" he aid+
"than o& being a coward and hoping that ! could avoid hi notice by dealing with hi
ta&&."
"Ma.am)" *oetHan aid. "O&&icer Mundy) 'on.t make the call. 'on.t make any
more call out till we.re back with the Sissie+ all right)"
'aniel leaned &orward to look at the boun pat Liebig. Obviouly the driver had
been warned to e,pect what wa happening now+ becaue he had a &ale mile and hi
eye &i,ed &ront.
"*oetHan)" 'aniel prompted gently. %dele &ro8e her diplay and watched the
tableau &rom her corner.
"!.m orry+ ir+" *oetHan aid. She did ound orry. -hough he &aced 'aniel+ her
eye were &ocued a thouand mile away. "-he captain. given me order that you aren.t
to call anybody till you reume command o& the rincess Cecile1 %cting Captain Mon
ha+ ! mean."
%dele couldn.t ee 'aniel. &ace &rom where he at+ but hi ilence itel& wa telling.
*oetHan took a deep breath and continued in an anguihed voice+ "Sir+ Mr. Mon gave
me the Hob intead o&+ intead o& omebody ele9"
%dele dipped her chin in a nod o& undertanding.
"9becaue he knew !.d &ollow naval dicipline. -hat !.d put thi pipe through the
radio9"
*oetHan tapped her length o& tubing with a little &inger. She.d brought it to
encourage the Captal i& that proved neceary. !t wan.t. -he prioner hadn.t even
complained aloud at being marooned with the remnant o& &ood 'aniel. unit had brought
to South Land.
"9i& that wa the only way to keep you &rom getting a ignal out. Sir."
"! ee+" aid 'aniel. He leaned back in hi eat and grinned. "%dele)" he added.
"*hat would you have done i& Captain Mon had given you the order that he gave
*oetHan)"
!t wa an honet /uetion+ o %dele paued a moment to &orm a complete and honet
anwer. "! like Mon well enough+" he aid. "!t. clear that he ha what he conider to be
your bet interet at heart. But ! wouldn.t thank anyone who tried to control me &or my
own good+ and ! wouldn.t be a party to a plot to do that to you."
She grinned Hut enough to li&t one corner o& the kni&e blade line o& her lip. "O&
coure+" he went on+ "! bow to force maBeure in the &orm o& *oetHan. bludgeon."
'aniel laughed merrily. "*ell+ *oetHan+" he aid+ "! hope ! undertand naval
dicipline a clearly a you do. Captain Mon ha given you a law&ul order which !.ll
watch you obey+ little though ! care to do o."
He twited to look through the window into the paenger compartment. *oetHan
had brought a cak o& Se,burgan beer &or the recued unit+ aying that it wouldn.t a&&ect
their ability to &unction when they reached the corvette. %dele wondered how -overa wa
getting along with the &etive pacer.
'aniel turned back with a ati&ied e,preion. "! trut !.m allowed to liten to tra&&ic
between the /uadron and the rincess Cecile+ however)" he aid. "%h+ auming that.
poible+ %dele)"
"O& coure it. poible+" he aid+ &rowning. 'aniel didn.t mean to be inulting+ but
how would he react i& he aid+ "%nd can you walk through that open door+ 'aniel)"
"Beah+ ure+" *oetHan aid. "Sir+ you know ! didn.t want to . . ."
"Cart o& being in the :C$ i learning to carry out unpleaant order+ *oetHan+"
'aniel aid without e,preion. He tried to mile but gave it up a a bad Hob a&ter a
moment.
%dele checked the machine(made trancript o& the pat &our and a hal& hour o&
commo tra&&ic between /uadron command and the rincess Cecile1 &or her+ written te,t
provided a /uicker way to ae material than ound bite were. 2ach meage in turn
proved low(level and routineF duty roter+ liberty record+ the current upply mani&et+
and imilar matter.
*hile he wa crolling through the data+ the diplay threw up a red idebarF the
rincess Cecile wa receiving a communication &or the captain and lugged S/uadron Si,
9Commodore Cettin himel&. Bett+ the duty o&&icer+ had Hut paed the call on a
directed.
%dele paued only a moment+ then routed the meage live through the peaker in
both cab and paenger compartment.
"Sir:" Mon. voice aid. "'cting Captain $on here, o.er."
"$on, if you're in charge, then Lieutenant Leary is still a*sent from duty,"
Commodore Cettin replied. %dele wan.t good at identi&ying voice+ but no one ele in the
/uadron would have hown uch diregard &or naval propriety. "That's true, isn't it8"
"Sir+" Mon aid+ "%'.e failed to recall Captain Leary from the e5pedition on "hich
you ordered him. %'ll keep trying, and %'m confident that he'll ha.e returned "ell *efore
the liftoff time you originally set. ).er."
'aniel. le&t hand clenched+ releaed+ and then clenched again. Hi e,preion
remained calmly attentive+ hi head cocked lightly to the ide.
"Well, he "on't find a ship to report to if he does," the commodore aid+ hi tone
uddenly cheer&ul. "Lieutenant $on, %'m making your appointment to command of the
Crince Cecile permanent in the a*sence of Leary. ' captain "ho can't keep in touch
"ith his ship has no *usiness in the #C!. 9our command "ill lift in si5 minutes,
according to the schedule of operations. ,old in or*it for the remainder of the s+uadron
to Boin you. S+uadron Si5 out."
"Sir:" aid Lt. Mon. "%'m .ery sorry, *ut the Crince Cecile is not ready to lift.
While under my temporary command, the cooling system for her Tokamak "ent out of
order. % ha.en't *een a*le to repair the pro*lem yet. ).er."
"By (od, $on," Cettin aid. He didn.t ound angry+ Hut ama8ed. "By (od. % suggest
you get your little pro*lem sol.ed in the ne5t fi.e minutes. Because if your foreign1*uilt
so1called cor.ette doesn't lift "ith the s+uadron, you "ill ha.e no career at all. !one:"
-he tranmiion ended in the hi o& an open line1 %dele broke the contact. $o one
in the cab poke &or a moment.
%dele looked out the ide window. -he aircar wa over land again1 $orth Land+ he
uppoed+ but geography didn.t greatly interet her. Mot o& the continent wa a barren
a it wholly uninhabited iter.
"! very much regret Lieutenant Mon. deciion+" 'aniel aid /uietly. "But !.m not
one to econd(gue the man on the ground."
He gave &irt *oetHan+ then %dele a mile with omething o& teel in it. "%nd a
great deal can happen be&ore Commodore Cettin return to Cinnabar and &ile hi report
with the $avy O&&ice. *e.ll ee what we can do in the interim to change hi mind."
P P P
% the aircar dropped in tight piral into the harbor+ 'aniel noted that the rincess
Cecile wa ready to li&t o&& a oon a the gangplank came in. -he turret would have to be
lowered and two hatche were &or the moment being ued a gunport+ but in an
emergency all that could be taken care o& while the corvette wa bound &or orbit.
'aniel nodded in approval. -hat wa what he.d e,pected+ o& coure+ &rom Mon or
any competent :C$ o&&icer+ but it wa till a pleaure and relie& to ee that hi con&idence
had been Huti&ied.
-hey landed Hut hort o& the gangplank. % curtain o& pray &lahed up &rom the
/uayF wheeled tra&&ic had worn the tone enough that it &illed when veel maneuvering
in nearby lip lohed the harbor. ur&ace. Liebig cured becaue he hadn.t noticed the
puddle in the twilight+ but 'aniel wouldn.t have cared i& he.d been tanding in the middle
o& the plah. He couldn.t be much more bedraggled than the pat &ew day marching in
the deert had le&t him.
"Move it+ move itA" *oetHan bellowed. -he paenger compartment had double
door to eae the paage o& the wealthy and corpulent. -he pacer were neither+ but they
diembarked a hatily a they ran to action tation1 the wide opening eaed the proce.
*oetHan wa out be&ore the car wa &ully at ret. Liebig &ollowed an intant later
a&ter he.d hut o&& the power. %dele+ on the other hand+ wa looking pu88led about what
he hould do ne,t.
:ather than wait &or her to open the door beide her+ 'aniel lid out pat the teering
yoke. "*oetHan+ two men to help the ignal o&&icerA" he called a he trotted to the
gangplank pat the crewmen waiting tautly &or their captain to lead them aboard.
'aniel &elt thoroughly alive. -he rincess Cecile had mied the /uadron. li&to&&+ a
di&&icult ituation but not necearily a career(ending one. He.d have to play hi hand a
well a ever an o&&icer did to ave himel&+ however.
"Captain, %'m in the Battle Direction Center," aid Mon. voice on the helmet
earphone. "% ha.e a course to Strymon loaded, *ased on Commander Bergen's logs. %
kno" you'll *e a*le to refine it, *ut % thought "e could get under "eigh no" and sa.e a
couple hours computation time o.er a cold start. $on o.er."
'aniel went through the corvette. entryway at a brik walk intead o& the dead run
that intinct urged him to. He didn.t want to wate time+ but in &act a &ew minute here or
there wouldn.t make any di&&erence. % haty error would mean diater9and i& he
pooked hi crew into uch an error+ it could be Hut a bad a hi own blunder.
"-hank you+ Mon+" 'aniel aid a he banged up the righthand9upward9
companionway+ taking the tep two at a time. -hat wa normal practice+ and a rigger.
re&le, kept hi le&t hand gliding over the railing the whole time to catch him i& he lipped.
"*atch(tanding o&&icer report to the bridge and !.ll brie& you on our coure. Out."
-he hip. machinery wa live+ a ymphony o& whirr+ whine+ and the occaional
&lurry o& clanking like a drum ri&&. Spacer waited at their action tation. -he bow doral
ection o& rigger+ both watche+ tood uited in the corridor. -hey &lattened themelve
againt either bulkhead a 'aniel paed+ nodding with a tern mile.
He threw himel& into hi eat and rotated the command conole to &ace hi o&&icer.
% year ago 'aniel would.ve radioed hi plan ahead to the rincess Cecile+ truting :C$
encryption to limit hi meage to it intended hearer i& he even bothered to think about
ecurity. % &ew month o& contact with %dele Mundy had howed him that an
in&ormation pecialit with a power&ul computer at her command could read anything he
got in electronic &orm.
-here might be eavedropping device on the rincess Cecile. bridge9and unlikely
though that wa+ it wa greater than the chance o& there being another pecialit o& %dele.
kill on Se,burga. 2ven o+ 'aniel had ceaed to ay anything over the air that he didn.t
want other to hear.
Mon and Caternak9with a long cut on hi &orearm+ covered with a prayed
binderLantieptic1 the Chie& 2ngineer didn.t limit hi dutie to giving order9came down
the corridor behind 'aniel. -he other warrant o&&icer (including -aley+ who wan.t a
watchtander but wa undertandably curiou about what wa going on) were already on
the bridge.
'aniel beamed. He had a great crew+ a crew that other captain would give an arm
&or+ and they.d every one o& them volunteered to erve with Lt. 'aniel Leary. By EodA
they had.
"% everybody in thi compartment know+" 'aniel aid+ tarting without preamble
becaue he.d ound weak i& he tried to articulate what he &elt about the pacer he
commanded+ "we could better Commodore Cettin. time to Strymon with the crew on hal&
watche and me leeping &or the whole run."
-here wa a general choru o& nod and murmur. *oetHan lapped the bulkhead
with her right hand and aid+ "'amned traight we willA -hey could ail the
Winckelmann. mat out and we.d till be waiting &or .em laughing when they &inally
taggered in."
%dele alone at with the neutral e,preion 'aniel knew by now wa what her &ace
wore when he wa trying not to neer. He wa /uite ure that %dele would make her
opinion known i& 'aniel aid he intended to humiliate hi commanding o&&icer in the
mot public &ahion poible1 but he wouldn.t go out o& her way to inult &ellow o&&icer
imply becaue their undertanding di&&ered &rom that o& noblemen like herel& and
'aniel9and enior o&&icer like Commodore Cettin.
"*e.re going to do omething much harder intead+" 'aniel aid. "!.m counting on
your kill and pro&eionalim and that o& the pacer under you to make it poible."
Dace grew huttered1 curiou and+ i& not e,actly concerned+ then . . . *ell+ the crew
o& the rincess Cecile knew by now that i& their captain aid omething would be
di&&icult+ they.d be weating like pig be&ore they were through it.
"*e.re going to rende8vou with the /uadron en route intead o& meeting it at it
detination+" 'aniel aid. He thought about the way hi plan could go wrong and miled.
He.d worn a imilar e,preion the day he made an o&&er to three women1 and they
whipered together+ giggled+ and all three &ollowed him down the corridor.
!t could go wrong+ but it wouldn.t. $ot with thi crew to back him and recover &rom
any micalculation he made.
Several o& the warrant o&&icer looked blank1 Mon cowled+ hi mouth working a
though he were trying to wallow omething ghatly+ while *oetHan merely cratched
herel& and grinned. "-hat.ll teach him who. a pacer+ won.t it+ ir)"
"But Captain . . . )" aid Caternak. "-he commodore didn.t tranmit hi olution to
the Sissie when we aid we weren.t ready to li&t. *e don.t know where the /uadron.ll be+
e,cept Strymon where they.ll end up."
Caternak wa by the nature o& hi dutie a highly educated man+ though 'aniel
upected that9beide %dele+ o& coure9in raw intelligence the boun may have been
the martet o& the warrant o&&icer. *orking with a &uion bottle re/uired a great deal o&
rote learning+ but independent thought wa a /uick route to diater. Caternak could be
depended on to know the accepted repone to mot tandard hipboard problem+ and to
deny that any other repone wa poible.
"-hat may prove correct+ Mr. Caternak+" 'aniel aid+ "but ! hope that by modeling
olution on our atrogation computer+ we can determine which one the commodore will
have choen and then rende8vou with him. -he computer are identical+ a&ter all+ o the
only /uetion i which chain o& intermediate e,it &rom the Matri, Commodore Cettin
chooe."
"He.ll puh+" aid Mon. "He.ll want to prove he can make a &at a run a ever a
Hunior lieutenant did."
"He.ll "ant to puh+" *oetHan aid+ "but he.ll know the Winckelmann. ready to pull
her tick out i& he don.t treat her tender. %nd i& he don't know that+ hi boun.ll tell him."
'aniel aid+ "Commodore Cettin i an able o&&icer and a care&ul9"
He.d wallowed the word "cautiou" be&ore it reached hi tongue. 'aniel had no
deire to inult Cettin+ and to thi group o& o&&icer and the :C$ more generally+
"cautiou" wa indeed a word o& inult.
"9one. ! e,pect him to get the bet out o& hi e/uipment+ but he.ll alo know that hi
e/uipment i old and ill(maintained. !.ll proceed according to thoe aumption+ with Mr.
Mon. help and the help o& my chie& o& rig and hip."
-here were general nod and grin. 'aniel. o&&icer aumed that becaue he aid
the tak wa poible+ then they.d accomplih it under him. *hich+ a&ter all+ wa the
aumption their captain made a well.
"*e.re going to need a great deal o& luck+" 'aniel aid+ "and we.ll be working
through the whole run to tolerance a cloe a thoe o& a battle which would be over
/uickly. !t. going to be a train on everybody+ perhap e/ual to the eventeen day that
brought u here &rom Cinnabar."
Bett put hi hand behind hi neck and leaned back at hi conole. "! igned on with
you+ Captain+" the miileer aid+ "becaue ! thought that wa the bet road there wa to
getting a name &or myel& and enough pri8e money to buy a roe nurery whenever !
choe to retire. ! gue the ame. true o& every oul aboard the Sissie today+ e,cept
maybe &or the roe. Bou give u our order. Bou don.t have to worry about u carrying
them out+ whatever they are."
!n the middle o& the general approving choru+ *oetHan lammed her hand againt
the bulkhead again and bellowed+ "Damned traightA"
-hat too wa pretty much how 'aniel &elt.
P P P
%dele at cro(legged in a cabin&ul o& opened luggage while the rincess Cecile
butled about her. Li&to&& wouldn.t be &or hour+ or o he.d urmied when he le&t #eey
to handle routine tra&&ic at the ignal conole while he pent her own time more
productively.
-he door9the hatch9opened abruptly. %dele. head came around /uickly and her
le&t hand pilled chip on the deck beide her a it dipped toward her pocket.
Lt. Mon tepped through and paued+ looking a urpried to &ind omeone ele in
the room a %dele had been an intant earlier.
"Sorry+ mitre+" he aid. He looked taut but not particularly alert. "! &orgot thi wa
your cabin."
"Mine)" %dele aid in urprie. -he &irt lieutenant. uni&orm looked a though he.d
lept in it1 in truth+ he probably hadn.t lept at all.
"Be+ ma.am+" Mon aid+ more patient now in hi e,haution than he.d een him at
time he wa in better hape. "Bour and the Medic+ now that our paenger. cut and
run."
He getured toward the hip. medical computer+ a &ull(body cae which could
diagnoe and treat anybody who &it within it adaptive interior. "! came in to get my
ytem &luhed and another doe o& *ideawake. But i& you.re unpacking . . ."
"Dor Eod. ake+ ue the+ the9device+" %dele napped+ angry with herel&. Be+ o&
coure thi wa the room originally aigned her+ which he.d completely &orgotten1 and
o& course the medical computer would be in regular ue throughout the voyage. *hy in
heaven had he decided to review #aughn. document here rather than in her hal& o& the
captain. uite)
Looking thank&ul+ Mon tripped o&& the Hacket he.d already unealed in the corridor.
"!.m Hut about gone+" he aid with a gray mile+ gripping the pair o& handhold and li&ting
himel& &eet(&irt into the cylinder with a grace that a pro&eional acrobat might have
envied. "Say+ would you like omebody to help you with your gear)"
"-hi in.t my gear+" %dele aid. "'elo #aughn abandoned hi luggage when he le&t
the hip. Creumably he &elt that i& he tried to retrieve it+ even in 'aniel. abence+
omeone would.ve taken alarm. !.ve had it moved to thi room &rom the place where it
wa towed during the voyage. !.m e,amining it &or item o& in&ormation."
On general principle he didn.t care to go on with her buine while Mon wa in
the room with her9not that he.d turned up anything he houldn.t know. Beide+ a break
to chat with another human being wa probably a good idea.
-he meh and microtubing o& the Medic. interior ettled over Mon. body like &luid
moving along a pipette1 he gave a great igh a the e/uipment began to ample hi body
chemitry through hi bare kin. He hadn.t unk hi head in the tube+ o he wa able to
watch and talk to %dele.
"! Captain Leary going to be in trouble &or letting #aughn ecape)" Mon aked.
Bitterly he added+ "Dor me letting the batard ecape+ ! mean."
"$o+ ! don.t think o+" %dele aid. "#aughn wa uing the rincess Cecile9and
'aniel himel&9to convince other that he had the upport o& Cinnabar &or taking control
o& hi home planet. -hat claim o& upport wa probably &ale."
She.d already read &ar enough in #aughn. ecret correpondence to be ure that the
$avy O&&ice had no record o& him boarding the rincess Cecile. #aughn. organi8ation
had bribed the real courier with enough money to make even a Mundy blink. Bou could
rent a enator &or a year &or &ar le.
Lt. Mon gaped a though he.d been dropped into cold water. -he Medic wa
cleaning hi ytem o& &atigue poion and the breakdown product o& the drug he.d
taken to tay alert over the pat everal day.
Mon. &ace rela,ed the way a wa, mak would on low heat. Color9a healthier color
than the previou allow ur&ace underlain by a metallic gray ubtrate9returned to hi
cheek.
"Say+ that. good to hear+" he murmured+ cloing hi eye a hi mucle lu,uriated
in chemical(induced rela,ation. "*hat did you do with the batard anyhow+ the Captal !
mean) ! uppoe you had him picked up o he doen.t Hut wander South Land &or the ret
o& hi li&e."
"% oon a the rincess Cecile li&t+" %dele aid+ "a meage will go to %dmiral
-orgi in&orming him where the Captal i and alo providing in&ormation about the
admiral. aide+ Mr. Eeron. ! e,pect the admiral will take care o& both matter dicreetly+
&or the ake o& Cinnabar and more peci&ically the :C$. !& it became public+ it wouldn.t
be hard to make our recue operation look like an act o& piracy+ a&ter all."
Mon norted. "!t.d be damned hard to make it look any other wayA" he aid. "! ure
wih !.d been along when you cleaned houe on thoe batard."
"%h+ Mr. Mon . . ." %dele aid. !t might not be her place to ay it+ but it wa a much
her place9becaue he wa 'aniel. peronal &riend9a it wa anybody.+ and he wa
/uite ure that it ought to be aid. "!.d like to thank you &or your upport when ! ued
illegal method to &ree 'aniel."
She.d tarted to call them "improper method+" but nothing would have been
improper to achieve that end. -here were thing that would have turned %dele. tomach
even to conider+ but 'aniel Leary "ould have returned to the rincess Cecile+ no matter
what the reult cot hi &riend.
"!.m well aware that in addition to the rik you ran in upporting u+" he continued
a Mon writhed in the ectay o& not being in pain+ "that there would have been peronal
advantage to you in obeying Commodore Cettin. order."
Mon tarted to laugh. Dor a moment %dele thought the Medic wa tickling him1 then
he reali8ed that the lining had withdrawn againt the body o& the cylinder+ &reeing the
patient &rom it minitration.
Mon crawled out o& the Medic+ hi bare chet ruddy a i& &rom a vigorou toweling.
He tarted to peak but broke into chuckling &or a &urther moment while he donned hi
utility Hacket.
"! gue you mean that !.d have a command o& my own+" he aid at lat. *ith a
bitterne at hocking variance with hi amuement o& moment be&ore+ Mon added+
"Juite a troke o& luck &or a lieutenant who. learned to be thank&ul &or bad luck becaue
it wa the only luck he wa going to get+ right)"
%dele aid nothing. She looked up at Mon1 her &ace calm+ her ga8e teady.
Mon patted the Medic. hood. "-here. nothing like one o& thee &or making you &eel
good+" he aid a&&ectionately. "! tell you+ i& women were hal& o good+ ! wouldn.t mind
how much time ! pend on the ground without a hip."
Hi &ace changed+ though hardened wan.t /uite the word to decribe hi new
e,preion. He /uatted o that he &aced %dele with hi eye on the ame level a her.
Hi elbow reted on hi knee.
"Mitre Mundy+" Mon aid+ "any religion ! had to tart out with+ ! lot be&ore ! wa
&i&teen. ! don.t believe in any kind o& a&terli&e and ! sure don.t believe in heaven. But Hell+
that ! believe in1 only it doen.t happen a&ter you.re dead."
Mon traightened with a grin and tepped to the door. "!.m not going to put myel& in
Hell &or the whole ret o& my li&e+" he added over hi houlder+ "&rom remembering the
way ! old out Lieutenant Leary a&ter he gave me a break."
%dele watched the door cloe behind the lieutenant. !t truck her that he.d Hut+ &or
the &irt time+ heard a religiou philoophy with which he could agree.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER T2ENTY6ONE
%
the Matri, rippled and puled beyond the tip o& the
rincess Cecile. antenna+ it truck 'aniel that %dele. aving grace wan.t her immene
competence at the thing he did well. $o+ he urvived becaue he didn.t claim
competence where he had none.
%nd a the good Lord knew+ %dele wa even clumier outide a hip than he wa
within the hull.
'aniel touched helmet with her. "Look up along the tip o& the &orward doral
mat+" he aid. "Bou ee the ripple ahead o& one+ and between one and two1 the pattern
are the ame."
"!.m looking+" %dele aid1 obviouly a placeholder to indicate he.d heard him rather
than a claim o& comprehenion. She eemed to be looking in the right direction+ at any
rate. He.d learned by now not to take that &or granted.
-hey tood at the &irt Hoint o& 'oral 6+ a poition 'aniel had choen becaue '6.
top and mid ail were &urled on the preent heading. !& he were alone he.d be conning the
rincess Cecile &rom an upper yard or even the mat truck+ but with %dele . . . well+
'aniel didn.t know o& any cae where a a&ety line had parted e,cept when a whole
antenna wa breaking up1 but rigger generally didn.t ue a&ety line+ and thoe who did
weren.t regularly nubbed up by their a they went dri&ting o&& toward ome ditant
univere.
"$ow look between two and three+" 'aniel aid. He didn.t point. %ll the crewmen in
ight were watching him+ and thoe on the peripherie were ready to relay hi direction
to their &ellow tationed around the curve o& the hull. "-here. a &eathering o& the light+
do you ee) % herringbone. !& you look very care&ully+ it. three eparate pattern."
"! ee the light+" %dele aid. -hat wa along the line o& aying that he breathed air+
but 'aniel tried to keep &rom &rowning. %dele wa trying to undertand+ albeit trying to
undertand omething that wa obviou to him. "%nd ! ee what could be herringbone.
But ! don.t ee any di&&erence &rom what it look like between the other mat."
-he cold+ no(colored light urrounding the rincess Cecile wa the human eye.
repone to the Caimir(Bohr :adiation that bathed the entire como intead o& being
limited to individual bubble univere. -he antenna and the ail o& charged &abric they
pread controlled the preure o& radiation on the veel+ driving it through and between
univere whoe phyical contant di&&ered &rom thoe o& the idereal univere.
!mbalance in Caimir radiation were the pragmatic reality o& tar travel. -he light+
pure a nothing in the human univere could be+ wa alo beauti&ul beyond 'aniel.
ability to ay.
"Stay here &or a moment+ %dele+" 'aniel aid. "%h+ you might want to hold onto the
mat with both hand. ! won.t be a moment."
He paued to make ure that he wa taking hold o& the mat9which he didn.t do
until he reali8ed that 'aniel wa waiting and watching until he obeyed what he.d meant
&or an order though he hadn.t been willing to phrae it that way to a Mundy o&
Chatworth. Cerhap he wa being overly cautiou+ but he.d twice caught %dele. &eet a
they mied rung on her climb up the antenna.
Sure that hi &riend wa a&e+ 'aniel trode out to the tip o& the main yard. -he
magnetic trip in hi bootole gave him a poitive grip on the teel yard1 rigger tyle+ he
duckwalked o that hi intep &ollowed the curve o& the yard and ma,imi8ed the ur&ace(
to(ur&ace contact. -he added /uare inche greatly increaed the grip o& a pacer who
might une,pectedly have a par or a length o& heavy tackle catch him between hi
houlder blade. -hat e,tra could be the di&&erence between li&e and a low death in ome
univere not meant &or Mankind.
'aniel could ee &our rigger1 there might be more+ all but an eyelit concealed by
the hull and rig. Beneath him+ the hal&(&urled mainail /uivered minuculely to the
rhythm o& hi tep. %n e,pert eye9hi eye9could ee a re&lection in the Matri, o& even
that in&initely mall variation in the corvette. balance o& energy.
'aniel ignaled+ bending hi arm in rigger. code. -he &irt ymbol wa the antenna
&or which the command wa intended1 the ret o& the tring+ horter or longer a need
re/uired+ decribed the operation which were to be carried out on the antenna.
Dor the mot part the rigger were on the hull to e,ecute command tranmitted &rom
the bridge by mechanical emaphore. -he atrogation computer could proce more data
than any number o& human being in a li&etimeF the captain et a coure+ and the computer
tranlated that human deire into a path through the Matri,.
But the Matri, wa a variable a a cloud(wracked ky+ o a computer had only
appro,imation o& the reality through which the veel ailed. $o enor but the human
eye were available outide the hull+ but the eye wa a tool o& great ubtlety when ued in
the right &ahion.
'aniel. arm moved1 wi&tly+ preciely. He wa modi&ying the et o& i, antenna+
two o& them on the ventral row which wa completely hidden &rom him. -he pacer
watching him would relay hi command around and along the hull to thoe who were in
poition to carry them out.
'aniel couldn.t have navigated the rincess Cecile to Strymon or even acro the
Cinnabar ytem by himel&. He could re&ine the choice made by the atrogation
computer+ however1 and right now+ viewing aberration in the mooth whirl o& Caimir
radiation . . . and all right+ perhap they weren.t herringbone+ e,actly+ but they were
pattern that didn.t belong in the natural e/uence o& the Matri, . . . viewing those
marking+ 'aniel knew he.d &ound three hip travelling in cloe company.
Only naval &orce did that. *ell+ naval &orce and pirate coming to grip with their
merchant prey. Drom the coure and location+ o cloe to what 'aniel had plotted &or the
commodore+ he wa ure that he.d &ound the :C$ /uadron.
He grinned+ eeing a &aint re&lection o& himel& in the &aceplate o& hi rigging uit. O&
coure i& it did turn out to be a pair o& pirate homing in on an argoy+ that would be all
right a well. Much a 'aniel wanted to Hoin Commodore Cettin and mend &ence on hi
own behal& and that o& Lt. Mon+ a chance to ee o&& a pair o& pirate on the way would be
more than welcome.
'aniel &inihed hi erie o& command1 the ail o& Cort and Starboard -wo already
beginning to ripple. *hitling a tune he.d learned a "City the Coor Coacher"9in the
:C$ it wa ung a "City the Coor :igger"9he returned to the mat with hi arm
croed be&ore hi chet.
%dele tood like an awkward piece o& e/uipment clamped to the mat+ watching
'aniel with a tony &ace. She.d obviouly &elt inulted by the degree o& hi concern that
he.d do omething &atally &oolih.
-ouching helmet with her+ 'aniel aid+ "! appreciate your going along with my
whim+ %dele. -here. a rik to walking out along the yard9"
-here wa a rik the reproceing latrine would e,plode when he ued it too+ but in
neither cae wa it one that he.d bother to mention e,cept a a way o& oothing a &riend.
ru&&led &eather.
"9and having any other concern on my mind+ however unlikely+ would have added
to my danger."
%dele deliberately took one hand away &rom the mat and aid+ "Be+ it looked very
dangerou to me. *hat were you doing)"
'aniel could &eel the corvette tart to rotate beneath him. -he change wa minute+ a
degree or two. -he light o& the como &lared in great banner &rom the rincess Cecile.
mat truck+ highlighting the maneuver &or thoe to whom the motion o& the veel wa
too ubtle a cue.
"On our calculated heading+ we would have returned to the idereal univere within
optical range o& the /uadron+" 'aniel e,plained+ "but too &ar out &or communication
ince they won.t be e,pecting our arrival. !.ve made ome mall re&inement o that when
we drop &rom the Matri, three hour &rom now+ we.ll be within hailing range o& the
Winckelmann."
He grinned more broadly than he might have done i& there.d been anybody to ee hi
&ace. Since he wa leaned ideway into contact with %dele. helmet+ not even he could
tell hi e,preion. "!n &act+" he added+ "! believe that we.ll be within the regulation
twenty thouand mile+ which i coniderably cloer than either o& the detroyer i going
to manage on their preent heading."
"%nd you can ee all that &rom treak in the ky+" %dele aid. He could viuali8e her
wry mile. "*ell+ every pro&eion ha it uni/ue language."
'aniel cleared hi throat. "! can.t identi&y individual hip &rom their wake+" he aid.
"-hat. an aumption baed on probabilitie+ o in cae !.m wrong the rincess Cecile
will e,it with the crew at action tation. Cirate have the ame problem+ o& coureF they
rik dropping into idereal pace with a warhip intead o& the &reighter they thought they
were tracking. :ather than &ight a battle+ they.re alway prepared to lip at once back into
the Matri, and hope their opponent can.t &ollow them there."
"%h+" aid %dele. 'aniel waited &or her to decide how to raie the topic that had
brought her onto the hull with him in the &irt place. "'aniel+ !.ve been reading 'elo
#aughn. &ile+ a you know. One thing that appear &rom them i that hi niece Cleyna9
or at any rate the regent+ Driderik $une9really i intriguing with the %lliance. -hat
wan.t imply a tory to gain Cinnabar upport &or #aughn. return."
"! ee+" 'aniel aid. !t truck him that hi word were a per&ect echo o& %dele. when
he wa trying to point out wake in the Matri, to her. He.d heard what %dele aid+ but a
&or undertanding what he meant+ he could.ve been trying to communicate by
eyeblink. "%h+ do you mean that the rincess Cecile ha a political miion+ %dele) -hat
i . . . )"
He imply didn.t know how to go on. 'id he e,pect him to aid 'elo #aughn
openly) %nd i& 'aniel did+ how in heaven. name wa he going to e,plain hi action to
Commodore Cettin+ let alone the board o& the court(martial which would urely be
convoked on hi return to Cinnabar)
"! don.t ee that there. anything we could do directly+" %dele aid+ probably unaware
o& the relie& her word gave 'aniel. "! do think that we ought to warn Commodore Cettin+
however. !& you can think o& a dicreet way to do that+ which !.ll admit ! cannot."
"%h+" aid 'aniel. "Be+ ! can ee that. *ell+ perhap ! can &ind a way+ though
getting the commodore to liten to me i another matter. 2ven auming he doen.t order
me removed &rom command at our &irt interview."
'aniel &ound himel& miling &aintly. -here wa a real rik o& Cettin reacting with
e,ploive anger a oon a the rincess Cecile Hoined the /uadron+ but &or all that 'aniel
didn.t &ind himel& particularly concerned. -hi voyage+ even more than the record run
&rom Cinnabar to Se,burga+ wa a piece o& atrogation that 3ncle Stacey and hi &riend
would dicu &or hour over mulled rum in the o&&ice o& Bergen and %ociate.
*hatever happened to hi career+ Lt. 'aniel Leary had a name that real pacer would
alway mention with honor.
-hinking o& the coming interview with Commodore Cettin raied another /uetion in
'aniel. mind. "%dele)" he aid. "! gave you ome tiue ample collected on South
Land to run through the Medic. analyi when an opportunity preented itel&. Have
you . . . )"
"Be+" %dele aid. "Be+ o& coure. ! did that be&ore we li&ted+ but it lipped my mind
to give you the in&ormation with the butle ince then. %nd my own reearche+ o& coure.
Both were healthy at preent+ though Sample % howed ign o& a recent viral illne."
"! beg your pardon)" 'aniel aid. "-he ample ! gave you were &or '$% matching
to human being. % portion o& kull &rom the carnivore that attacked u+ and ome kin
cell that Sun &ound under hi &ingernail a&ter truggling with a+ an herbivore in the cave
we &ound."
"Oh)" aid %dele. "! miundertood+ then. ! imply checked them &or dieae. -hey
mut have been human to &ive decimal place or the Medic wouldn.t have been able to
proceed on the normal etting."
"Eood Eod+" 'aniel aid. Ceople couldn.t have reached Se,burga under their own
power back the &orty+ i,ty+ perhap one hundred thouand year ago. !t would.ve taken
that long to modi&y human into the creature the e,pedition had &ound in the burrow
under South Land.
Chicken hadn.t reached Se,burga under their own power either1 but there were
chicken there now.
"*hat do you think it mean+ %dele)" 'aniel aked.
She laughed+ the ound made metallic by being tranmitted through the ide o& their
helmet. "!.m a librarian+ 'aniel+" he aid. "! organi8e and retrieve in&ormation. % &or
what it mean+ !.m a&raid you.ll have to go to ome other kind o& pecialit."
'aniel thought &or a moment+ then clapped her on the houlder. "Let. go in+" he
aid. "! need to make ure my 4t Cla uni&orm i wearable+ becaue !.m /uite ure the
commodore i going to e,pect me to make a &ormal appearance on the &laghip."
P P P
'aniel had never erved on an %rchaeologit1cla cruier+ and thi viit aboard one
9even more than hi &irt in harbor on Se,burga9made him thank&ul o& the &act. -he
Winckelmann had been deigned during a period when compartmentali8ation wa the &ad
among naval contructor. -he reult wa a /uat cylinder divided into /uadrant
longitudinally a well a by deck on her vertical a,i.
!n theory the Winckelmann could continue to &ight with at leat a /uarter o& it
trength a&ter a direct hit by a miile anywhere e,cept on the power room. !n practice the
cla wa ine&&icient in action even when undamaged+ re/uired larger crew complement
than hip o& comparable &orce+ and broke down appro,imately &our time a o&ten a le
complicated deign.
% uually happen+ reality trampled a brilliant theory into the dut. %gain a uual+
the theory le&t behind detritu o& which the Winckelmann wa one o& the more prominent
clod.
'aniel grinned a a ignalman guided him up a third armored companionway+ thi
like the other hal&(lit and dank with condenate which ometime &ormed rut(bright
pool along the welded eam. He didn.t imagine he.d enHoy thi viit to the Winckelmann
i& he were out&itted and maintained like Corder Leary. townhoue.
"Here you go+ ir+" aid the ignalman+ tepping aide o that 'aniel could enter the
H Level rotunda erving the /uadron commander. -he armored hatch wa locked open
and howed rut on the hinge. 'aniel didn.t need a micrometer to tell that the Hamb wa
warped beyond any poibility o& ealing the hatch in event o& diater.
Dour o&&ice opened o&& the rotunda1 the hatche o& three were cloed. % enior
lieutenant in hi late thirtie at at the central conole+ looking at 'aniel with no
e,preion whatever. He poke into the intercom+ hi word mothered by the conole.
active muting &eature.
'aniel truck a brace be&ore the conole. "SirA" he aid. "Lieutenant Leary reporting
to the commodoreA"
"Cabin One+ Leary+" the lieutenant aid. He nodded minutely in the direction o& the
open o&&ice. "-he commodore re/uet you to cloe the hatch behind you."
'aniel tepped into the anteroom o& the /uadron commander. o&&ice+ cloing the
hatch a he.d been directed. Commodore Cettin watched him ilently &rom acro the
conole in the inner o&&ice beyond.
Cettin wa wearing 're *hite+ Hut a 'aniel wa. 'aniel didn.t know preciely
how to take that+ but he uppoed he.d call it a good ign. Optimim didn.t cot anything+
a&ter all.
'aniel trode through and topped two pace &rom Cettin. conole. -he room wa a
bare a a cell. He drew a deep breath and wa a heartbeat hort o& announcing himel&.
"Sit down+ Leary+" the commodore aid. He didn.t ound in the leat &riendly+ but
neither wa he narling. "!.m going to proceed in&ormally."
'aniel heitated. -here were two chair on hi ide o& the conole+ to hi right and
le&t+ and he didn.t know which would be the better choice. -he le bad choice. Beide+
the paranoid part o& hi mind wa in control at the moment+ and it had no di&&iculty in
imagining Cettin having him court(martialled &or itting down be&ore aluting and
announcing himel&.
"Sit down+ dammitA" the commodore aid. "'on.t you undertand 3niveral)"
'aniel plopped into the chair to hi right. Hi 4t Cla trouer didn.t train the way
they uually did1 marching acro South Land on cold ration had been good &or hi
waitline.
-here wa a moment. ilence. ;nowing the rik he wa taking+ 'aniel aid+ "Sir+ !
regret ! didn.t in&orm you be&ore ! gave Lieutenant Mon order to dimantle our &uion
bottle &or ervicing while ! wa abent. -he rincess Cecile. inability to li&t with the ret
o& the /uadron wa my own ole reponibility."
"Bullhit+ Lieutenant+" Cettin aid+ not unpleaantly. "But that. not what !.ve
ummoned you here to dicu."
'aniel &olded hi hand over the aucer hat in hi lap. "Be+ ir+" he aid.
"! uppoe !.ve got to decide you.re either the &inet atrogator alive+" Cettin aid+ "or
the luckiet on o& a bitch ever born. Or both+ o& coure. 'o you have anything to ay on
the ubHect+ Lieutenant)"
'aniel. mind mulled the repone+ "$o+ ir+" but he didn.t let the word reach hi
tongue. -hi wan.t the time to play a&e by keeping a low pro&ile1 i& there wa ever uch
a time.
"Sir+" 'aniel aid+ "my 3ncle Stacey i the &inet atrogator alive. ! don.t know o&
anyone who can match hi abilitie."
-he commodore laughedF brie&ly+ high(pitched+ and a bitter a wormwood.
"Commander Bergen+ ye+" he aid. "! think o& hi career o&ten when !.m contemplating
my own. *hatever you got &rom your uncle+ Leary+ you didn.t get hi luck9becaue he
never had any."
Cettin &ormed hi right hand into a &it but he didn.t lam it againt the top o& hi
ilent conole a 'aniel thought he might. He looked old and very weary.
"Bou were lucky+ damned lucky+ to Hoin the /uadron on our &irt e,it &rom the
Matri,+" Cettin aid. He rela,ed hi &it. "Bou know that+ don.t you)"
"Be+ ir+" 'aniel aid. "-he variable &ortunately cancelled one another out. *e
were .ery lucky."
Cettin nodded. "But you were going to Hoin be&ore we reached Strymon+" he aid.
"-hat wouldn.t have been luck. *e have i, intermediate e,it+ and you were going to
keep re&ining your data at each one until you were in communication range o& the
Winckelmann+ weren.t you)"
'aniel nodded. "-hat wa my intention+ ir+" he aid. This is as good a time as any
"ill *e. . . . "%dmiral -orgi aked me to Hoin you be&ore you entered the Strymon ytem
i& it wa humanly poible. He.d received ome intelligence data Hut too late to provide it
to you directly be&ore li&to&&."
"-orgi)" the commodore aid+ howing &or the &irt time during thi interview the
petulance that had been o characteritic a part o& hi peronality during 'aniel. pat
meeting with him. "*hat doe he have to ay)"
"-here. very credible in&ormation that the :egent o& Strymon i intriguing with
%lliance repreentative+" 'aniel aid truth&ully+ though the tatement would be new to
the admiral who wa it implied ource. "-here. a rik o& active hotilitie directed
againt the /uadron."
Cettin norted dimiively. "-orgi till like to pretend he. part o& the :C$+" he
aid. "Caing on harbor goip a i& it came &rom Euarantor Corra. private chamber i
hi way o& &orgetting he. in a Hob that a dancing bear could do with clothe and the right
barber."
'aniel ucked hi cheek in. $othing he could ay would have a deirable e&&ect on
the commodore.
Cettin aw and undertood the e,preion. "*hen you.re ne,t having a drink with
your good &riend the admiral+ Leary+" he aid with more analyi than rancor+ "you can
tell him that you delivered hi warning+ and that the /uadron pent it time on Strymon
a it would on a recently con/uered planet. ! don.t need drunken rumor to know that
there. no lack o& people on Strymon who hate and reent the :epublic."
Cettin. &ace twited into what 'aniel with di&&iculty identi&ied a a mile. "! might
add that ! undertand Mr. -orgi. wih to be omething more than a wall hanging a
well+" he aid. "! uppoe it would be unreaonable to e,pect him to be thank&ul that the
:epublic &ound some dutie &or him a&ter he retired &rom the :C$. Many o& u will not
be o &ortunate."
'aniel dipped hi head to how that he.d been litening+ but he aid nothing. He.d
had hi hare o& tupid urge in li&e+ but none that would be a inane a encouraging the
commodore to open hi heart about the way hi career had proceeded.
Cettin grimaced and drew himel& up traighter. "!t won.t urprie you to learn+
Lieutenant+" he aid brikly+ "that in the time ince you une,pectedly reHoined my
command !.ve been conidering what ! ought to do with an o&&icer o& your varied
capacitie. ! think !.ve &ound a mutually deirable olution."
He miled at 'aniel. !t hadn.t been a /uetion in o many word+ but 'aniel knew
better than to ignore it. "Be+ ir)" he aid.
"-he Winckelmann and her original conort will land on Strymon a planned+"
Cettin aid+ obviouly relihing the ituation. "Bour rincess Cecile+ however+ will
proceed to the naval bae on -anai. Bou.re &amiliar with -anai)"
"!.ve reviewed the Sailing Directions &or the entire Strymon ytem+ ir+" 'aniel aid
care&ully.
% though 'aniel hadn.t poken+ Cettin continued+ "!t. the atellite o& Eetica+ the
giant planet on the rim o& the ytem. -he rincess Cecile will pend the ne,t two week
in the naval dockyard there+ having her &uion bottle removed and re&itted by trained ta&&
o that we can be ure it. no longer a ource o& problem. %nd o& coure the o&&icer and
crew will remain with the veel out o& ecurity concern. 'o you undertand)"
"Be+ ir+" 'aniel aid. "! undertand per&ectly."
"%ccording to my undertanding+" Cetting aid+ "the night li&e on -anai tend to be
o& the baic ort. !t. an ice ball+ a&ter all. Crib girl and indutrial alcohol to drink. !
incerely hope thi won.t cramp the tyle o& a ocialite like yourel&+ Lieutenant."
'aniel miled &aintly. "! e,pect !.m going to be too buy with the power room re&it to
be concerned about ociali8ing+ Commodore+" he aid. "%h9may ! ak i& the /uadron.
atrogation plan ha been tranmitted to the rincess Cecile)"
"Be+ ye+" Cettin aid. He waved toward the hatch. "*e.ll enter the Matri, in an
hour and a hal&+ o you.d better get moving. ! &ear that your hip. company wouldn.t be
able to &unction without you to lead them."
'aniel &ro8e. "Sir+" he aid in a voice he hadn.t meant to ue+ "the o&&icer and crew
under my command are the e/ual o& any in the :C$. Sir."
Cettin grimaced. "$o doubt they are+" he napped. "$ow get the hell back to your
own hip. %&ter you.ve had two week &ree8ing your &eet on -anai+ !.ll ee i& your
deportment ha improved to the point that ! won.t &eel re/uired to mention it on your ne,t
&itne report. 'imiedA"
'aniel tood+ aluted+ and walked out o& the cabin a /uickly a he could without
running. He recloed the hatch behind him1 he.d had no order on the ubHect+ and it
certainly made him &eel better to know that there wa a teel panel between hi back and
the commodore.
He threw a mile toward the tartled lieutenant at the conole. 'aniel regretted being
ent to -anai &or the crew. ake+ but to be per&ectly honet the recreation available there
wa about what mot o& them would have choen on Strymon proper.
%dele might mi the lack o& mueum to tour+ but 'aniel wa pretty ure that her
real work wa e,pected to begin a&ter he reached the Strymon ytem. She.d be very
buy+ and the heart o& a naval bae wa at leat a uitable a ite &rom which to end out
electronic tendril a the capital would be.
% &or 'aniel himel&+ even two week on -anai would be a vacation compared to
the run &rom Cinnabar to Se,burga. He could take it eaily.
%nd it wa a great improvement over the career(ending e&&iciency report that Cettin
had probably planned to iue at the time the /uadron li&ted &rom Se,burga.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER T2ENTY6T2O
%
dele echoed the right hal& o& 'aniel. diplay9a chematic
o& the Strymon ytem rather than the atrogation data on the le&t portion9a a idebar
on her own creen. Drankly+ the icon on ghotly orbital track didn.t mean a great deal
more to her than the abtrue mathematic o& Matri, navigation+ but he knew 'aniel
would want to walk her through the diplay when he had a moment.
Her communication board wa a ilent a a nake waiting &or prey. *ithin the
Matri,+ there wa nothing to hear but tatic1 o the e,pert aid. -hough ometime the
tatic &ormed pattern that almot mimicked communication.
Once %dele imagined that he heard her iter calling+ "'dele . . ." %&ter that he no
longer litened to her e/uipment until the rincess Cecile reentered normal pace.
"Eoing to put her right in the lip when we e,it+ ir)" Bett called &rom the attack
conole. Hi diplay wa a ma o& overlying curve in many color.
%dele checked &or curioity. ake and &ound that the miileer had et up twelve
eparate attack &or each o& hi pair o& launcher. -he &irt &actor in each e/uation wa
blank. -he actual coure would be determined when the rincess Cecile e,ited the
Matri, and thu had a location in the idereal univere.
"$o+ we.re going to be very dicreet and not o&&end our hot+" 'aniel aid. He
leaned back in hi chair+ watching hi diplay but obviouly not called on to act at the
moment. "-hey deal with pirate who enter normal pace adHacent to their target and ue
plama cannon to trip the ail. % hip e,iting near -anai the way a pirate would i
likely to be hailed by eight(inch cannon intead o& a microwave dih."
-here wa general laughter on the bridge. -he corvette wa noiy with preparation
&or it return to idereal pace+ but the pacer were talking normally intead o& uing the
helmet intercom. %dele &ound communication ytem intereting+ though he &elt a mild
urprie whenever he remembered that he wa no longer merely an oberver.
"Eight minutes to e5it," rumbled the C% ytem in Lt. Mon. voice.
"%dele)" called 'aniel. "%re you9ye+ o& coure you are. 'o you want a rundown
o& the -anai control area)"
"Be+ 'aniel+" %dele aid+ care&ul to peak loudly o that he.d be heard. She wa
vaguely curiou about the place they.d be pending the ne,t two week+ but not nearly a
intereted a 'aniel wa in in&orming her. -he layout o& the Strymonian naval bae wa a
matter o& record. *hat %dele had been ent to the ytem to learn wa o& a ubtle and
immaterial nature+ not concrete and tunnel.
"The *ase has three or*ital forts, you see+" 'aniel aid+ now witching to intercom
to keep private a converation o& no general interet. Caret o& red light tabbed into the
diplay. "Because of tidal forces from the primary, that's (etica, they can't use an
automatic defense array7"
% contellation o& nuclear mine in orbit+ each ready to punch a light(peed rod o&
charged particle through a hotile veel.
"7unless they "ere "illing to rene" it e.ery "eek. The or*ital forts are po"ered, of
course."
"! ee+" aid %dele to indicate her preence. % he litened+ her wand called up a
catalog o& the &re/uencie and code on which the -anai &ort had operated in the pat.
-he in&ormation had been gathered by viiting :C$ veel over i, decade.
-he Strymon &leet didn.t pay nearly a much attention to communication ecurity a
it houldF when a code changed+ it generally reverted to one that had already been ued in
the pat. -he pirate who were the main threat to Strymon apparently didn.t concern
themelve with ignal intelligence.
"The Sailing 'irection gi.e a hailing point si5ty thousand miles short of Tanais and
in a direct line *et"een the satellite and her primary," 'aniel continued. Hi highlight
thi time &ormed a tiny phere in the blankne+ trundling lowly acro the creen in
concert with the large+ peach(colored Eetica and the maller+ bluih ball that wa -anai.
"We're going to e5it a little farther out than that Bust to *e safe. We're not e5pected, and %
don't "ant to startle some sleepy "atch officer into thinking he's *eing attacked."
%dele created a probability rota &or code and &re/uencie. -here wa no reaon to
hunt &or a olution i& one were already at hand. *ith the algorithm Mitre Sand
provided+ the rincess Cecile. main computer could turn any intercepted tranmiion
into plain peech within minute i& not econd+ but even hort delay could be
igni&icant.
% /uarter econd wa enough time &or %dele Mundy to draw her pitol and &ire a
pellet into the brain o& another human being+ &or e,ample1 even le on a good day.
"T"o minutes to e5it+" Mon announced.
"'h7it appears that (etica is on the other side of the sun from Strymon," 'aniel
went on in udden concern. "When "e arri.e and during the "hole period "e'll *e
docked there. Will that *e a pro*lem for you, 'dele8"
"-here. arrangement &or meage tra&&ic between the bae and Strymon+ urely)"
%dele aid. Her wand /uivered+ putting her /uetion into electronic &orm almot without
her conciou volition. 'ata prang to li&e on her diplay. "Be+ o& coure. % trio o&
tranponder tation at three hundred million mile. -here.ll be delay+ o& coure+ and
probably ome corruption+ but nothing that will prevent me &rom carrying out my tak."
"'s if anything could, short of death," 'aniel aid. -he intercom didn.t tranmit hi
chuckle+ but he heard it &aintly &rom acro the bridge.
"! like to think o+" %dele aid. She allowed herel& a mile+ though there wan.t a
great deal o& humor in it.
Her work &or Mitre Sand would be motly archival. Conpirator9competent
one+ at any rate9would hut down their operation while a Cinnabar /uadron wa in
port+ but there would remain vetige o& pat activitie that they couldn.t remove even i&
they reali8ed the need to do o.
-anai would have a uppoedly ecure link to all government databae on Strymon
proper. %dele would tap it within a &ew hour o& the rincess Cecile. arrival. Sorting &or
evidence o& treachery would take time+ but he wa con&ident that be&ore the /uadron
wa ready to leave the ytem+ the only thing that would prevent her &rom &inding what
he wa looking &or wa total innocence on the part o& Cleyna #aughn and her
government.
%dele. mile grew minutely broader without gaining much in the way o& humor.
She didn.t believe in innocence a a concept+ ave perhap in children like her late iter+
%gatha.
%ny reponible government in Strymon would have opened line o& communication
to the %lliance. But i& the preent one had done o+ it member would go the way . . .
%gatha+ ay+ had gone. 'amned i& you do+ damned i& you don.t.
")ne minute to e5it," Mon aid. -one echoed themelve up and down the rincess
Cecile. corridor.
"(ood, good, % "as sure you'd manage," 'aniel aid. !n hi o&&icial voice he
continued+ "Captain to ship. repare to enter normal space. Captain out."
-he tarhip huddered in a pattern that had by now become a &amiliar a %dele.
nightmare and very nearly a unpleaant to e,perience. Color inverted to their viual
reciprocal. Dor an intant %dele aw not one compartment but an in&inite erie o&
compartment+ each identical9almot9to the other.
She kept her eye open. She.d tried cloing them the &irt &ew time+ and the reult
wa even wore.
%nother hudder. !t wa a diconcerting a the previou erie even though %dele.
conciou mind knew that when he wa growing up this wa the only univere he.d ever
e,pected to know.
",alleluBah:" a pacer houted. Over the intercom+ Lt. Mon bellowed+ "By (od: %
don't think "e're the ship's length out of our calculated e5it. Three cheers for Captain
Leary:"
%dele heard the cheering with a ditant part o& her mind. -he ret o& her+ body and
oul+ wa buy with the glut o& in&ormation the rincess Cecile. communication uite
wa gathering.
Signal O&&icer Mundy wa at work.
P P P
":C$ corvette rincess Cecile re/uet landing clearance &or -anai Bae+" 'aniel
aid+ &eeling e,panive. "*e.ll need dockyard aitance in removing and re&itting our
&uion bottle+ but the hip will be able to li&t to another berth a&ter initial touchdown i&
neceary. Sissie over."
'aniel wa glad that Lt. Mon had told the crew about how preciely they.d e,ited the
Matri,+ becaue otherwie he might have aid omething himel&. 'aniel didn.t like
boat&ulne+ in himel& or in other+ but there were ome thing o uni/uely wonder&ul
that they houldn.t pa without comment.
"Tanais control to #C! .essel+" an agitated voice aid a&ter more than the normal lag
&or communication over a ><+<<< mile eparation. "We ha.e no information regarding
your arri.al here. 9ou are not appro.ed for landing. % repeat, you are not appro.ed for
landing: 9ou must land on Strymon and get authori0ation from the -leet )ffice *efore
you can land here. Tanais control o.er."
'aniel &rowned+ the e,preion o& an :C$ o&&icer and Cinnabar nobleman who.d
Hut been told what to do by wog. He glanced at the coure chematic which had
replaced the atrogation diplay when the corvette entered idereal pace. -he rincess
Cecile retained coniderable velocity &rom the bubble univere &rom which it had e,ited.
-he High 'rive wa braking at .7 gee+ the hardet a reaonable captain would tre a
veel with it ail et.
Lt. Mon had laid out a comple, powered orbit that would bring the rincess Cecile
around -anai alone intead o& looping the primary. He.d calculated it to give them time
to crub o&& momentum during the e,pected bureaucratic delay an unannounced veel
could e,pect be&ore being aigned a berth.
-he preent buine wa not at all to be e,pected.
"-anai control+ thi i :C$+ ! repeat+ #C!+ veel rincess Cecile+" 'aniel aid. He
wa handling the communication chore himel&+ both becaue he wa more &amiliar
with procedure than %dele and becaue her peciali8ed kill could be put to better ue
at thi moment than routine. "Bour repone i not ati&actory. Be advied that ! intend
to dock my veel at -anai Bae in accordance with Strymon. treaty obligation to the
:epublic o& Cinnabar. OverA"
Hi hand reached &or a red button et into the material o& the conole1 not a
holographic contruct. Be&ore he touched it+ Eeneral Juarter chimed through the
corvetteF Lt. Mon in the Battle 'irection Center had been a hair /uicker than hi captain.
"#C! .essel, "ait please," aid the controller. He ounded a though he wa on the
verge o& a coronary or a nervou breakdown. "lease "ait. Tanais out . . . ah, o.er."
-he bridge whipered with the motion o& o&&icer &ocuing on their individual
domain. !n the corridor the rigger who.d come in during e,it9it wa poible to make
the tranition with crewmen on the hull+ but phyical and pychological diorientation
made it very dangerou &or them9were locking their helmet hut in obedience to
*oetHan. order over the intercom.
'aniel witched the le&t hal& o& hi diplay to a real(time image o& -anai. -he
corvette. coure had already brought her within the &ort. interlocking orbit. -he whine
o& the High 'rive gained in volume a it maintained balance between the con&licting pull
o& Eetica and o& the maller but cloer atellite. -anai Bae wa a crawl within the ice
heet+ viible &rom di&&racted light. -hermal imaging would make the tunnel even more
evident.
"#CS Crince Cecile, this is Tanais Control," aid a new voiceF male+ &orce&ul+ and
very determined. "#eturn to the challenge point immediately and stay there until you
ha.e authori0ation to close. 9ou are in a restricted area at a time of national emergency.
#eturn to the challenge point or "e "ill fire: Tanais o.er:"
Eood Eod+ there wa a heavy battle /uadron down thereA $ot in the bae proper but
on the ice on the ide o& -anai which eternally &aced Eetica.
"-anai Bae+ we.re withdrawing immediatelyA" 'aniel aid a hi &inger typed
preet emergency code. -he &irt o& them returned control to the command conole &rom
the Battle 'irection Center. Lt. Mon might be able to handle thi a ably a 'aniel could+
but it wa Eod. truth that they couldn.t both be reponible at the ame time.
!& 'aniel had had time+ he.d have prayed that he didn.t mikey . . . but i& he.d had
time+ he.d have been able to check hi work. "! repeat+ :CS rincess Cecile i
withdrawing immedia9"
"Daniel+" aid %dele. voice over the intercom. She didn.t ound nervou but her
tone wa a Hoyle a a laughterhoue. "Base Command has Bust ordered the forts to
open fire on us."
*ith the command conole locked down the way it wa+ no one hould have been
able to break in. $o one but %dele could have.
"ShitA" 'aniel houted. -hat probably tartled -anai Control+ but a lot o& people
were getting urprie today. 'aniel. le&t hand chopped the High 'rive while hi right
engaged the e/uence that would return the rincess Cecile to the Matri,.
"ShipA" 'aniel aid. "Spacer+ we.re under attack by -anai Bae. !.m inerting u
into9"
-he &ort each mounted eight(inch plama cannon in turret on the north and outh
a,e. -he rincess Cecile. coure had carried her planetward between two o& the &ort.
-heir gun &ired a pair within microecond o& one another. -he bolt9dene+ thigh(
thick gout o& charged particle9tore through vacuum a hundred yard behind the
corvette. -hey made their own light+ like ection ripped &rom a tar. corona.
"9the Matri, where9"
'aniel could &eel the rincess Cecile tart to hi&t out o& idereal pace. -he hair on
hi neck tingled and a trembling in hi gut mimicked the onet o& panic.
"9we.ll be able9"
-he &ort mied becaue 'aniel had hut o&& braking thrut a he prepared to reenter
the Matri,. -he gunnery computer calculated lead baed on the rate o& change in the
corvette. progre9and there&ore &ired hort. -he delay between dicharge &or heavy
cannon wa &i&teen to twenty econd1 otherwie heat buildup in the chamber would
caue a catatrophic &ailure when laer compreed and detonated the econd tritium
pellet. -he rincess Cecile wa a&e &rom the gun that had already engaged her.
-he third &ort came around the curve o& the atellite on a combination o& the
corvette. momentum and the &ort. own orbital velocity. -he rincess Cecile. vector
above the ur&ace o& -anai carried her directly toward the &ort+ giving the gun a 8ero(
de&lection hot.
Sun couldn.t &ire hi own pair o& &our(inch cannon becaue o& the rincess Cecile.
ail. *hen et they draped the hull like hroud and would aborb the veel. own
dicharge in &iery cataclym.
"Dor what we are about to receive . . ." the gunner aid+ houting becaue word were
the only repone he could make to a ituation he appreciated even more clearly than hi
captain. "-he Lord make u thank&ulA"
-wo eight(inch plama bolt ripped through the portion o& the rincess Cecile which
hadn.t yet trembled out o& idereal pace. -heir couring impact &lared acro 'aniel.
diplay.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER T2ENTY6THREE
"*
ell+ thing could be a great deal wore+" aid 'aniel in a
pleaed tone+ leaning back in hi conole.
-he word and tone were per&ectly predictable+ %dele thought a he looked acro
the crowded bridge at the captain. 'aniel would ay the ame thing9and mean it9i&
he.d Hut had both leg amputated. !& 'aniel Leary had a motto+ it would be While there's
life, there's hope.
On duty+ at any rate. O&& duty hi motto would probably involve the age o& uitability
&or girl.
%dele miled &aintly. Her own motto would be more along the line o& While
Daniel's ali.e, there's hope. -he rincess Cecile. crew wa a normal aemblage o&
human being+ ome more anguine than other1 but not a oul o& them would diagree
with %dele there.
*oetHan and Caternak tood in the center o& the bridge. 2ven without Bett and
Sun at their conole9they were on the hull+ checking the launcher hatche and gun
turret repectively &or e,ternal damage9the chie& o& rig and hip &illed the
compartment. Condenate dripping &rom metal &itting o& their rigging uit hrouded
them in a clammy reminder o& the environment &rom which they.d Hut returned.
"!t. bloody well bad enoughA" *oetHan aid. "-he ail+ all right+ we can patch and
pair o that with the pare we.ve got pretty much a &ull et. -hey.ll be the devil to &url
where we.ve double(hung a yard to get &ull coverage out o& rag+ but we.ll cope. -he
mat+ though+ the mat are &ucked good."
"-he hull. a olid a the day he came &rom the builder+ though+" aid Caternak.
"-he bolt pretty much diipated on the ail9"
He glanced at the lowering *oetHan.
"9which i hard line &or the boun here. !.m not aying !.m happy about what
happened to her ail+ but we.re all better &or not having taken an eight(inch bolt /uare
on the hull+ right)"
*oetHan grimaced+ but he nodded agreement.
-he corvette wa &ull o& noie. She wa double hulled+ and the cavitie held pare
rigging along with other tore which cold and vacuum wouldn.t a&&ect. -he ound o&
hollow teel par being withdrawn through the outide hatche rang within the hull like a
tocin.
%dele. creen /uivered with pair o& converation+ ometime a do8en at the ame
time+ a pacer aeed the damage and tarted repair. -he rincess Cecile hung in
normal pace. Sun and Eanevoort had inerted intercom &rom the internal helmet into
prepared ocket in the rigger. uit+ though %dele a Signal O&&icer had to activate each
unit be&ore it could be ued.
% low(power radio ignal on the hull o& a tarhip in the Matri, would ditort
navigation by many light(year and in theory could rip antenna out o& their tep. -he
rincess Cecile wouldn.t be returning to the Matri, any time oon+ however+ o 'aniel
had approved hi chie&. re/uet &or /uicker communication on the hull.
Lt. Mon entered the bridge+ lipping between *oetHan and Caternak without
touching either o& them. "%ll the par are out o& torage or will be+" he announced.
"3nle the boun alvaged ome piece ! don.t know about+ though+ we.re hort i, mat
and &our more o& .em are going to hang horter yard than the tandard."
He glared at *oetHan. Mon alway looked angry+ on the verge o& a narling
e,ploion. Drom what %dele had een o& the man+ hi normal e,preion accurately
decribed the peronality beneath.
'epite that9becaue o& it)9Mon. bubbling anger in a crii wa Hut a bracing a
'aniel. cheer&ul inouciance. $o one eeing either man could imagine they thought there
wa anything to be a&raid o& in the preent ituation.
"$aw+ we.re crewed+" *oetHan agreed. "!t wa Hut bad luck that o many mat
were burned through or near through+ but becaue it happened when we were entering the
Matri, . . ."
She hrugged. "-he piece.re cattered through three+ maybe &our bubble. *e.d do
better to carve new pole &rom ateroid than we would to go earching &or the one we
lot."
"!& we hadn.t been entering the Matri,+ there wouldn.t .ve been enough le&t o& the
Sissie to make you nee8e+" Mon napped. "-he captain aved our *utts by hunting u
out o &at."
He rotated hi glance around the room in earch o& anyone to deny hi tatement.
%dele met the look with a cool &rown1 Mon. attitude a&&ronted her+ &oolih though he
undertood her reaction to be.
"! think we can count ourelve lucky+" 'aniel aid with a reminicent mile. "! don.t
believe many corvette have urvived a pair o& eight(inch bolt &rom uch hort range."
"*e.re a&e enough+" *oetHan aid+ "but it.ll take u a month to limp back to
Se,burga with the rig we.ve got le&t. 3nle9"
Her voice changed+ growing noticeably brighter.
"9you.re planning to punch u traight back to Strymon+ ir)"
"$o+ !.m not planning to do that+" 'aniel aid without loing hi mile. "But ! aure
you+ *oetHan+ the ne,t time ! need volunteer &or a uicide miion !.ll keep you in
mind."
He looked at hi o&&icer+ hi &ace /uite di&&erent &rom that o& the man with whom
%dele hared a two(room uite and who chatted about natural hitory and girl. Hi hand
touched a key. !n the air between him and the tanding o&&icer9Mon and *oetHan
tepped back9appeared a holographic image o& i, tarhip againt the icy ur&ace o&
-anai.
"-he battlehip i Der (rosser Darl+" 'aniel aid. "She mut be on her hakedown
cruie."
"-he bloody Winckelmann han.t been in &irt(line ervice &or twenty year+" Mon
muttered+ "and the Winckelmann. no bloody battlehip."
"Be+ that. o+" 'aniel aid. Hi tone wa neutral+ but Mon heard the reproach in it
and colored. Hi lip &ormed a ilent apology.
"-he heavy cruier i o& the Marhal cla+" 'aniel continued+ "but he in.t any o&
the previouly decribed member o& that cla. Creumably he. alo a newly built
veel on her &irt commiion+ o we can hope that he. crewed largely by green
peronnel and han.t been properly worked up a yet."
2verybody nodded. %dele didn.t need Mon. editoriali8ing to reali8e that the ame
could be aid about the crew o& Commodore Cettin. three veel.
"-he detroyer are : cla+ and they appear to have made a hard voyage to reach
Strymon+" 'aniel aid. "-wo are miing mat+ and a third ha hull damage that may
have been caued by thruter &ailure during landing. My gue i that the %lliance
commander plan to re&it hi /uadron on -anai be&ore proceeding to Strymon proper.
-he anti(Cinnabar &action in the government can eal o&& a naval bae+ but a oon a an
%lliance /uadron appear above Strymon+ there. a certainty o& word getting out."
"!& Cettin catche the %lliance hip on the ground+ he can handle them with even
what he. got+" *oetHan aid. "!t. uicide to li&t when the other guy. hooting down a
gravity well into your throat. 2ven a bloody battlehip."
"-here. the -anai &ort+" Mon aid. "Eo back on the hull and look around i& you.ve
&orgotten about them."
"More to the point+" 'aniel aid+ "there.re normally &our Strymonian &rigate in orbit
over Strymon. Becaue o& the orbital poition o& Strymon and -anai ! can.t be ure+ but
we have to aume that the conpirator are being at leat normally care&ul at thi time."
"One moment+" %dele aid. Her wand called up the data he.d wept &rom the
electromagnetic pectrum during the corvette. minute in the Strymon ytem+ then
orted it according to time and naval lug. %mong the o&&icer behind her wirled a
dicuion o& the danger even to a cruier i& he tried to li&t with hotile &rigate in orbit
above her.
-anai wa >4@ million mile &rom Strymon9omewhat cloer to their common un
9when the rincess Cecile had approached the bae. :ather than uing the relay
atellite+ routine in&ormation wa paed by courier veel which huttled back and
&orth through the Matri,+ uing microwave to cro the &inal 4<<+<<< to @7<+<<< mile leg
intead o& landing at either end. %dele. data included the latet pair o& tranmiion.
!t truck %dele that the crew o& the courier veel probably &ound the duty very
boring1 though her reali8ation wa baed on what the pacer he erved with would &eel
rather than any peronal ditate &or uch duty. So long a %dele had a u&&icient databae
to occupy her+ he really didn.t care whether he wa on the ground or in a hip moving in
a repetitive circuit.
%dele puled an amber caret acro the top o& 'aniel. cabin(center diplay. She
didn.t want to break into the dicuion+ but he did have in&ormation the pacer might
need.
"Be+ %dele)" 'aniel aid+ interrupting Mon. gloomy aement o& Cettin. chance
i& he met the %lliance /uadron on e/ual term.
"Here are the &our veel on picket duty above Strymon+" %dele aid+ replacing the
-anai diplay with her own. "Here are their o&&icer and crew lit."
%mber idebar hung beneath the hologram o& &our veel9>E>, >FF, >F@, and
FE=. 2ach wa the hape o& the rincess Cecile and appro,imately nine(tenth the i8e.
"Here are the armament inventorie &or the veel+" %dele continued. She &rowned.
"-hey appear to be complete+ but ! don.t ee any liting &or miile."
"%lmighty Eod+ ! wih % didn.t+" Caternak aid. "! &orgot thoe batard were
optimi8ed to hunt pirate."
'aniel touched a key+ highlighting in red a line in all &our table. "Strymonian
&rigate don.t carry miile the way you.re ued to thinking o& them+ %dele+" he aid.
He miled+ perhap thinking a he wa o& the concept o& %dele being ued to
anything naval. "*hat they have intead are chemical rocket that actually accelerate
&ater over the hort range re/uired than miile powered by the High 'rive. -hey carry
a great number o& them becaue the rocket are o much maller."
"%h+" aid %dele in undertanding. -hree hundred and twelve rocket apiece+
launched in cluter o& twenty(&our at a time. "Be+ well !.m glad that my data were
accurate."
Mon looked a though he were going to blow team out o& hi ear+ but *oetHan
gu&&awed and aid+ "By (od you.re omething ele+ mitreA"
"Be+ he i+" 'aniel aid through hi own laughter. "%nd he. pointed out why !.m
not going to go orbit Strymon to warn the ret o& the /uadron. *e can.t do that a&ely
until we.re able to clear the picket veel at the ame time a we give Commodore Cettin
the alarm. ! have the greatet con&idence in the &ighting ability o& my hip and crew9"
Hi voice trembled a little. 2motion wa never &ar &rom the ur&ace o& 'aniel. mind.
Sometime like a porpoie it broke into plain ight when he clearly would rather keep it
hidden. %dele miled with udden a&&ection.
"9but ! don.t believe we.d ucceed i& we alone engaged &our &rigate a well(crewed
and maintained a O&&icer Mundy how u thee are."
"Back to bloody Se,burga+ then+" *oetHan aid. She turned her head+ looking &or
omething harmle to lap with her gloved hand. -here wa nothing in arm. reach o&
where he tood1 Caternak watched the movement with more than idle interet.
"!& that wa the only other choice+ *oetHan+" 'aniel aid+ hi voice almot muical
with hi e&&ort to keep it calm+ "then we.d try the odd on Strymon. !.m not leaving
Commodore Cettin to be maacred by an %lliance /uadron during the time we limp to
Se,burga. Dortunately+ there are other option."
He witched the image to a navigational diplay. !t probably meant a little to
*oetHan and Caternak a it did to %dele+ but Mon nodded and lipped hi vior down
over hi eye.
"-he navigational computer ha located u+ !.m happy to ay+" 'aniel aid+ keying a
red highlight in the middle o& the proHected tar&ield. "Bou.ll appreciate9"
He grinned at %dele+ who hadn.t really given the matter thought.
"9that my concern at -anai wa to go away rather than to go omewhere in
particular. -he damage to our ail during entry would have thrown u o&& coure
anyway."
"Seven light(year &rom Strymon)" Mon aid+ howing that he hadn.t Hut been
making a how o& undertanding.
"Be+ and Hut over twenty(&our light(year &rom 'albriggan+" 'aniel aid. "-hat.
the eat o& government o& the Selma Cluter. ! make it appro,imately ninety minute to
'albriggan in the Matri, with our preent rig. Once repair are complete+ o& coure."
"'albriggan)" aid Caternak. "-he irate Cluter+ ir)"
"$ow+ &ive year ago the Selma Cluter became a client tate o& the :epublic+"
'aniel aid+ miling like a little boy given the gi&t o& hi dream. "-he treaty. /uite clear.
-hey.ve worn to echew piracy and devote themelve to trade and other wholeome
puruit."
":ight+" aid Mon. "%nd my little girl wa an immaculate conception+ being born
Hut be&ore ! got back &rom a two(year cruie."
"!.m aware that there may be /uite a di&&erence between what treaty ignatorie agree
to and what they.ll actually do+" 'aniel aid. He preed hi palm together and eemed
on the verge o& rubbing them in the pleaure o& hi thought. "But it alo eem to me that
not(/uite(re&ormed pirate might make willing allie againt a pirate(hunting world like
Strymon. 2pecially i& the pirate are told they have the weight o& the :C$ on their ide."
'aniel obered lightly. "$ot the &ull weight+ !.ll admit+" he aid+ "but they.ll have the
rincess Cecile."
"By EodA" *oetHan aid. She tepped ideway9Caternak+ prepared+ gave her
room9and lammed the bulkhead between the miile and gunnery conole with her
hand. Spacer paing along the corridor glanced into the bridge in concern.
"By Eod+ who wouldn.t that be enough &or)" *oetHan aid. "%nd by Eod+ be&ore
we.re done it.ll be enough &or thoe neaking batard that hot at u tooA"
"! certainly hope o+" 'aniel aid+ hi &ace beaming with anticipation. "! certainly
do."
P P P
-he rigger came inide with the thump and crahing o& even greater hate than
their uual. Be&ore the inner lock wa cloed+ *oetHan unlatched her vior and houted+
"SirA *e.re battle(rigged and ready to rollA"
'aniel looked at hi diplay9he.d trut hi boun over whatever the electronic aid+
but pacer become old pacer by double(checking everything9and aw that the
chematic too believed the corvette wa rigged &or immediate action. -he i,teen
antenna on the ring nearet the bow and tern9%+ B+ 2+ and D9were &olded along the
hull. -hat gave &ree travere to the gun turret and permitted miile launche without the
rik o& loing ail to the antimatter e,haut.
-he rincess Cecile would handle like a pig on entry and e,it &rom the Matri,+ but
thi wa a hop o& hort durationF S4+ the un about which 'albriggan rotated+ wa
noticeably brighter than other tar in a hullide view o& the corvette. urrounding.
'aniel had entered the ytem to within @<< million mile o& 'albriggan+ then paued to
rerig.
"Creparing to enter the Matri, . . ." 'aniel announced over the warning chime. He
&elt &orce hi&ting+ &inding a balance that wan.t o& the human univere. "!o":"
-he rincess Cecile and her crew entered the Matri,. -o 'aniel it wa the motion o&
a coin &lipping in ome &ourth dimenion+ o*.erse<re.erse<o*.erse<re.erse+ though he
knew other decribed the e,perience in very di&&erent &ahion. -he reality wa beyond
human undertanding+ o no analogy could be more than partial.
%lmot a the rincess Cecile entered+ the clock began counting down econd to
e,it. -he intermediate appearance within the S4 ytem didn.t contitute a rik o&
detectionF the rincess Cecile would be arriving above 'albriggan be&ore the light o& her
previou e,it had reached oberver on the planet.
"%ction tationA" 'aniel ordered+ but o& coure the crew had been at action tation
&or mot o& the pat hour. Bett and Sun were intent on their diplay1 %dele alone wa
watching 'aniel. -he tenion at the corner o& her eye wa due to the Matri,+ not
becaue o& &ear o& what they would meet when they returned to idereal pace. "Crepare
to e,it the Matri,A"
#ibration at hi nerve core+ the &eeling o& wire drawn to the point o& rupture9
2,itA
Eaping+ uddenly aware that he.d been holding hi breath &or the pat minute or
more+ 'aniel keyed hi tranmitter. !t wa et to 47kH+ the hailing &re/uency here in the
Sack in contrat to the 4<kH puh ued generally on the world outide.
":CS rincess Cecile to 'albriggan Control+" he announced. "*e.re crubbing
velocity with a circuit o& your planet+ then we.ll land at Council Dield. *ake your chie&
up. -hi i hi lucky day+ whether he know it or not. :C$ over."
-hey were a hundred thouand mile out &rom 'albriggan. -hey.d returned to
idereal pace /uarely over Council Dield+ which the Sailing Directions aid erved a a
capital &or a much o& the cluter a wa under uni&ied control at the moment. !t wa a
dry(land ite. 'aniel counted thirty(even hip on the ground+ though ome o& them were
probably hulk a incapable o& tar travel a hi own le&t boot.
$one o& the veel wa the i8e o& the rincess Cecile+ and &ew were more than hal&
her i8e. -hey britled with light plama cannon+ ometime in &i,ed mounting o& &our
and eight tube like a bank o& organ pipe. %t cloe range a rack like that could trip a
merchantman. ail in a matter o& econd without endangering the hull and valuable
cargo.
"#C! ship, this is Dal*riggan," reponded a voice promptly. "9ou "ant to "ake up
the 'strogator, you go right ahead. $ay*e if he's feeling kindly, he'll cut your throat
*efore he stuffs your *alls in your mouth."
-here wa a paue be&ore the voice continued+ "There's a ship lifting "hene.er
,esseltine gets her thum*s outa her ass, *ut % don't guess that'll happen *efore you're on
the ground. %f you don't set do"n on the first go1round, though, you *etter check *ack
"ith me. )ut."
":igger topideA" 'aniel ordered. -he boun had already opened the inner hatch o&
Bow 'oral airlock. -he High 'rive keened+ lowing the veel. *orking in a ha8e o&
not(/uite(complete matter(antimatter cancellation wa unpleaant &or the rigger+ but the
/uicker 'aniel wa on the ground con&ronting the %trogator+ the better. Surprie and the
name o& the :C$ were the bet weapon 'aniel had at the moment.
Coure vector &or landing &illed the right hal& o& 'aniel. conole+ et by Lt. Mon
&rom the Battle 'irection Center. 'aniel witched the real(time diplay on the le&t to a
Clot Coition !ndicator. -hree veel were in eccentric orbit around the planet. -here wa
no certainty that they were guardhip rather than hulk+ but 'albriggan Control eemed
/uite competent+ albeit eccentric by the tandard o& more ettled world.
"Captain, %'.e got set1ups on the three pickets," Bett aid a he concentrated on hi
attack conole. -he miileer. &inger continued to type in coordinate+ though hi word
had claimed the coure were already planned. "%f "e don't "atch out, they'll *e all o.er
us like stink on shit: ).er."
'aniel miled &aintly. Obviouly Bett hared hi belie& that the pirate were keeping
a proper guard. !ntead o& replying+ however+ he aid+ "'albriggan Control+ we.ll land
a&ter one circuit."
-he chematic howed all the ail were &urled and mot o& the mat had been
unlocked. *oetHan would have her rigger back aboard well be&ore the corvette had
completed it &orty minute orbit.
"Have you aigned u a particular berth) :C$ over."
'aniel wa emphai8ing hi aociation+ the :epublic o& Cinnabar $avy+ rather than
the name o& hi veel. -he &olk who ran the Selma Cluter didn.t care about hip name+
but by EodA they knew to care about the :C$.
"#C!, you can land any *loody place you "ant," the controller aid. ";ust remem*er
"e don't run to limousine ser.ice here, so if you don't ha.e your o"n ground transport
you're going to do a lot of "alking."
'aniel thought the controller had &inihed without igning o&&+ but a moment later
the voice added+ "The 'strogator says he'll meet you in the ,all and that you *etter not
keep him "aiting. )ut."
-he rigger were thundering back aboard. 'aniel checked the landing vector and
nodded appreciatively. % red(outlined overlay at the top o& hi creen howed the ground
plan o& the Council Dield with the large building along the north ide careted. -rut %dele
to have in&ormation waiting be&ore he needed it.
"'albriggan Control+" 'aniel aid+ "thi i Lieutenant 'aniel Leary o& the rincess
Cecile. %ure the %trogator that ! undertand him very well+ and !.m pleaed to ee that
he undertand me a well. :C$ outA"
-he whine o& the High 'rive gave way to the roaring pule o& plama thruter a the
rincess Cecile braked hard on it way into the atmophere. 'aniel wa miling. He had
a good &eeling about thi one.
-hough he didn.t uppoe he could e,plain why in word that didn.t leave everybody
ele thinking he wa out o& hi mind.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER T2ENTY6-O3R
-
he rincess Cecile came down on the patch o& dirt between
two 'albriggan cutter+ a hundred yard &rom the Hall. -hi wa a normal landing placeF
already blat(carred and eparated by a berm &rom the Hall which &aced it.
"$ormal" meant a berth &or a I<<(ton cutter+ however+ not a corvette &our time a
heavy. -he rincess Cecile. plama thruter lammed the veel to either ide o& her+
&linging rock and clod o& baked clay againt their hull.
*hen the rincess Cecile &inally came to ret+ 'aniel roe to hi &eet &eeling haken.
"%lmighty EodA" he aid to %dele becaue he tood &acing him. "! almot let re&lected
thrut &lip her over on her back. On water . . ."
He let hi voice trail o&& becaue he &eared he wa making e,cue. *hen a tarhip
landed on water+ a 'aniel had on every previou occaion+ a tilted thruter raied a
plume o& team which righted the imbalance gently. Drom a hard ur&ace+ the plama
re&lected in a violent hock wave. -he rincess Cecile had pogoed &rom outrigger to
outrigger in the hal&(econd it took 'aniel to cut thrut by three(/uarter.
"-he boarding party. waiting at the main hatch+ ir+" *oetHan aid. -he boun held
a tocked impeller and wore a bandolier o& reload beide her e/uipment belt. She didn.t
look any more concerned about the landing than %dele did.
"!ot be&ore the mater put on hi pretty white uit+" Hogg announced. He held the
Hacket and trouer o& 'aniel. 4t Cla uni&orm1 -overa+ miling &aintly+ tood behind
him with the hoe and hat. "Bou.re going to ee the high muckymuck o& the whole
cluter+ a&ter all."
%dele looked at Hogg curiouly. "-he %trogator i a pirate+ Hogg+" he aid+ an
obervation rather than an argument.
"%ll the more reaon+ mitre+" Hogg aid &irmly. "Bou.ve got to put on ide with
wog or they don.t repect you."
%dele grimaced9'aniel knew he didn.t like the ethnic peHorative that were
univeral with Hogg and mot o& the Cinnabar pacer. She turned up her palm and let the
ubHect drop.
'aniel changed clothe+ which motly meant moving hi limb a directed while
Hogg and -overa tripped o&& hi garment and put on &ancier one. "%dele)" 'aniel aid.
"*ill you be needed at your conole+ or . . . )"
"Certainly not+" %dele aid tartly. "!.ll be with you in cae the %trogator re/uire
detailed in&ormation."
'aniel miled. "Be+" he aid. "-hat too."
%dele looked uddenly worried. "! don.t have to change clothe+ do !) ! don.t have a
white uni&orm."
"0ut the mater dree up+ mitre+" Hogg aid with aurance. "-he ret o& u look
like a buncha cru&&+ but we carry enough hardware to blow a hole in the landcape. $ot
that ! e,pect hooting+ but we gotta blend in t. talk to thee type."
'aniel heard the main hatch undogging in a metallic choru. -he bolt withdrew
with /uick hammerblow that rang through the &abric o& the hip. He keyed the C%
ytem and aid+ "Mr. Mon+ you.re in command until ! return &rom a chat with the
%trogator+" he aid.
Starting &or the companionway+ 'aniel added+ "*oetHan+ ! think an ecort o& ten
crewmen under a petty o&&icer will be u&&icient."
"Bou.ve got twenty and !.m in charge o& them+" the boun aid a he preceded him.
"Beide your own party. Sir."
*hich amounted to9'aniel looked over hi houlder to ee who wa &ollowing9
%dele with Hogg and -overa both. -he pale pider whom %dele ued &or a ervant
carried the attachQ cae which contained her ubmachine gun. Hogg had lung a knapack
over hi le&t houlder1 on hi right hung a ubmachine gun mu88le(&orward in a patrol
ling.
"*e.re not going to &ight a whole planet&ul o& pirate+ Hogg+" 'aniel aid+ knowing
he ounded peevih. !& there wa &ighting at all+ it meant that hi plan had gone wrong.
"!& we look like we.re ready to+ young mater+" Hogg aid+ whee8ing down the
companionway behind him+ "then maybe we won.t have to. %nd anyway+ !.m not a ure
a you are Hut what. going to happen in that warehoue you.re taking u into."
'aniel grimaced but aid nothing &urther. !n all truth+ a gun&ight in the pirate.
council hall would be a lot le urpriing than the recent attack by the -anai de&ene.
-he guard in the entryway were alert+ which wan.t entirely a good thing. 'aniel
had been raied in the country and had handled gun &rom be&ore he could write in
curive. Mot o& the pacer were a ignorant o& &irearm a they were o& &ormal eti/uette.
-here wa a real poibility that a tene guard wa going to blow a hole the i8e o& a
dinner plate through 'aniel a he walked down the gangplank.
"Hogg+ remind me to intitute a program o& mall(arm training a oon a we.ve
orted out thi buine with Strymon+ will you)" he aid.
"-hat. i& none o& our good &riend have hot hole in our back in the meantime+ you
mean+" Hogg muttered.
"Be+ indeed+" aid %dele+ and even -overa wa nodding with her erpentine mile.
!t eemed to be a general concern among all member o& the community who really knew
which end o& the gun the lug came out o&.
-he crewmen o& the ecort waited in the B Level corridor to either ide o& the
entryway+ keeping out o& the way until it wa time to leave. -hey Hotled a they &ell in
behind 'aniel.
%ll were volunteer+ but virtually every pacer on the rincess Cecile would have
Hoined the party i& 'aniel had been willing to trip the hip. -hoe *oetHan had choen
were thoe he wanted to have at her back in a brawlF motly big+ invariably aggreive+
and &or thi miion armed to the teeth.
-he ground reradiated the heat o& it recent bath in plama. -he local time wa Hut
a&ter dawn+ and the blue(white intenity o& S4 cat harp hadow acro the Council
Dield.
"-hey.ve got ome de&ene here and no mitake+" *oetHan muttered+ nodding in
the direction o& a circular wall like a well coping+ one o& i, uch ranged in a diagonal
line acro the &ield. 2ach wa a cluter o& hypervelocity rocket which could kewer a
tarhip in orbit.
"!.ve taken over the central controller+" %dele aid primly+ "but each intallation ha
an optical ight and manual control that ! can.t touch. *ell+ &rom outide the intallation
itel&+ ! mean."
"! don.t believe we.ll need to aault the harbor de&ene+" 'aniel aid+ wondering i&
%dele had been eriouly conidering that. Council Dield wa nearly a mile /uare+
though the hip were motly at thi end+ near the Hall. Houe were cattered throughout
in the neighboring &oret. :unning over bare baked earth to attack the mot ditant rocket
pit didn.t trike him a a practical propoition.
He miled. *oetHan aw the e,preion and aid+ "Sir)"
"! wa Hut thinking+" 'aniel e,plained. "$eed mut when the 'evil drive. But !
really doubt he. going to drive u hard today."
-he ky rumbled with the arrival o& another tarhip. -he &lickering plama threw
&aint highlight into the long morning hadow.
"Ship to *oarders," e,plained the intercom in a &emale voice9#eey+ &or a &act.
")ne of the pickets is coming do"n. Se.en cutters ha.e lifted from outlying locations and
are proceeding to"ard the Council -ield "ithin the atmosphere. Ship out."
%ircar were approaching the Hall alo. % *oetHan led the dimounted party into
the opening through the berm9built out in an elbow to block blat &rom landing and
li&to&&9a big vehicle over&lew them at low level. !t had tarted li&e a a truck+ but the
addition o& armor and pintle(mounted weapon turned it into an aault vehicle o& ort.
-he Selma pirate attacked ettlement on the ground a well a preying on merchant
veel.
-he power&ul &an bu&&eted the pacer beneath+ knocking ome to their knee. !t wa
like being caught in a millrace. 'aniel glanced back. Hogg+ hi &eet braced wide apart+
held %dele like ca&&olding about a lender pole. Erit and larger pebble bit a they pun
about the narrow paage.
"Boarder+ don.t hootA" 'aniel aid+ uing the intercom to make ure o& being heard
over the aircar. roar. "*e knew they.d be playing game+ o Hut keep your temperA
Over."
"!t carce can keep in the airA" houted Barne+ who.d driven aircar both a a
civilian and under 'aniel. command. "-hey.re a load o& bloody &ool to load the bitch
that wayA"
-he aircar dropped below the berm and landed noiily Hut out o& ight. Other
vehicle+ imilar but not /uite o e,tenively modi&ied+ came &rom all direction to Hoin
the aembly. 'aniel wondered i& the car that had hammered them did o not a ha8ing
but becaue the entranceway wa the only place the driver &elt con&ident o& getting hi
overweight vehicle over the berm.
"Boarder+ they.re &or caring civilian+ not &or real &ighting+" 'aniel aid. He ued
the intercom again o that all hi crew could hear the calm in hi voice. "-hey know we.re
here to bargain and they.re Hut tarting the haggling early. Over."
"-hey come down on Bantry in them clown car and they.ll learn what real &ighting
i+" Hogg aid. He wa genuinely angry+ a very di&&erent thing &rom the loud bluter he
ued to cow people who were &rightened by open emotion. "Me and hal& a do8en o& the
boy.d take care o& the buine without having to reload."
Hogg had a cut on hi cheek &rom ome Hagged bit o& debri+ though he eemed to be
more concerned about %dele . . . who wa &ine+ a her /uick nod aured 'aniel.
"Dor the moment my priority i with the people who &ired plama cannon at u+
Hogg+" 'aniel aid+ coloring hi voice with the hint o& upercilioune which never
&ailed to remind Hogg that 'aniel wa hi mater in &act. "-here may be a chance to
dicu matter with the &olk who blew dut on u later+ but ! can.t ay it concern me a
great deal."
"Sorry+" Hogg muttered. "*on.t happen again."
"Carry on+" aid 'aniel mildly. $othing had really happened+ o& coure+ but 'aniel
knew hi ervant too well9and Hogg knew himel&9&or either o& them to take the
matter lightly.
-he Hall wa the i8e o& a maintenance hangar+ built o& wood on piling that raied it
three tep above the ground. % ounder o& lean gray pig+ -erran tock but &eral+ trotted
along the ide o& the building in the direction o& the garbage dump to the rear. !n the lead
wa a boar who clahed hi tuk at the tranger coming through the berm. -he pig
ignored the garihly dreed local waggering toward the Hall.
-hree aircar landed in /uick ucceion. 2ach driver tried to put hi vehicle cloer
to the Hall. entrance than the other two. *hat would.ve been a hoving match in human
meant creaming metal+ then a crah like a ack o& anvil &alling.
"-hey.re aving u e&&ort+ Miter Hogg+" -overa called in a clear voice. "Cerhap we
hould be thank&ul."
Hogg gu&&awed loudly. 'aniel leaned cloe to %dele and aid into her ear+ "! didn.t
know your ervant had a ene o& humor+ %dele."
"!.m not ure he doe+" %dele replied with cool amuement.
-he Hall. roo& had a high central peak and &laring eave. -hough the air wa dry at
preent and dut blew along the ground+ the tructure gave every evidence o& being built
&or downpour. *hich raied the /uetion o& re&illing the rincess Cecile. reaction ma
tank on a dry &ield+ but that could wait &or a more uitable time.
!ntead o& a door+ the whole end o& the Hall wa open. 'aniel looked upward and
aw+ &urled beneath the eave+ curtain o& bark &iber to hield the interior in event o& rain.
On the broad porch &ronting the entranceway tood 'albriggan in &lowing+ garih
dre. *eapon9knive+ gun+ and the occaional rocket launcher9were the univeral
acceory item. More local Hoined thoe already preent+ not overtly hotile but howing
no ign o& opening a paage &or the approaching Cinnabar.
"Barne+ 'ai+ Hogg+ &ront o& the line no"+" *oetHan ordered. Barne and 'ai
were the bigget men on the hip+ nearly a tall a the boun and with the male animal.
greater mucle ma.
Hogg+ hort and pudgy+ wa on the end oppoite *oetHan &or reaon other than
i8e. He reached into hi knapack+ came out with three &it(i8ed bundle+ and began
Huggling them. -hat wa an impreive trick while walking &orward with gear trapped
over both houlder.
-he Cinnabar tarted up the building(wide tep toward the Heering ma o& pirate.
'aniel aw the local brace themelve houlder to houlder to reit the pacer. impact.
Behind them+ their &ellow leaned &orward to add their weight to the line.
'aniel grinned &aintly. He wondered when it would be that a pirate noticed that
Hogg wa Huggling9
"Eaneh bugger meA" a 'albriggan houted over the catcall o& her &ellow. "-hat.
metallic hydrogen he. toing aroundA"
Hogg neatly revered the &low o& hi Huggling &rom clockwie to counterclockwie.
-hree identical item were nothing &or a Huggler a accomplihed a he wa. He.d kept the
young 'aniel amued &or hour with up to even obHect9egg+ tone+ or the cook.
knive+ it wa all the ame to Hogg9in the air at one time.
$ow it wa blating charge o& metallic hydrogen in 8ero(8ero inulation. Metallic
hydrogen had greater energy denity than any other e,ploive+ and more hattering power
9greater propagation peed9than anything but capacitor(dicharge unit.
-he charge had no &ragmentation e&&ect+ o& coureF the e,ploive. violence would
rupture any caing into it contituent atom. -he blat alone would puree everybody on
the porch and dea&en their neighbor hal& a mile away.
"Hey+ make way+ you rat&uckerA" called a &ront(rank pirate over hi houlder.
"-hee guy Huggle bombA"
"Hold upA" 'aniel called+ though the veteran around him didn.t need to be warned.
-hey.d already paued on the econd tep &or the meage to pread over the noie o& the
crowd.
% corridor opened through the crowd+ caued in part by 'albriggan going into the
Hall ahead o& the tranger. -he game wa over. -he local had puhed+ the Cinnabar
had puhed back1 there wa no longer any point in tanding out on the porch when the
real buine would take place inide.
%dele tepped cloe and aid+ "-hey aren.t &rightened."
'aniel nodded. "*ell+ no more than we are+" he aid with a grin. "! aure you+
toing around hydrogen charge care all thought o& in right out o& me. . . . "
He &elt hi grin broaden into a unny mile. "*ell+ perhap not all thought+" he
added. "'id you ee the little blonde in leather dyed the color o& her hair)"
"-he one with the right ide o& her calp haved and the hair on the le&t ide down to
her wait)" %dele aid. "Be+ a a matter o& &act ! did notice her. -hough ! obviouly lack
the eye o& a connoieur."
"Let. goA" *oetHan ordered+ tarting the party &orward again. Hogg had topped
Huggling. He lipped two o& the bomb into hi pocket and held the third in hi le&t hand
with hi thumb though the a&ety ring. Hi grin howed he.d gotten over hi ill(temper o&
a &ew minute be&ore.
-he Hall had a cathedral ceiling &orty &eet high at the ridgepole. Clear panel et in
the roo& lighted the interior during daytime+ but 'aniel noted that a ytem o& cold(
dicharge illumination ran along the roo&beam. -hough the Hall appeared rutic+ it
&itting were a advanced a thoe o& the Senate Houe in Geno . . . which alo held to
the appearance o& pat time &or tradition. ake.
-he Hall. only &urnihing were a curving+ &ive(tep dai at the end oppoite the
opening and a lectern at one ide o& it. % core o& 'albriggan tood at variou level o&
the dai+ a hierarchy that both 'aniel. interet in natural hitory and hi e,perience in
the :C$ &itted him to undertand. -he man alone in the center o& the top row wa tall+
thin+ gray(haired+ and a urely in charge a Speaker Leary at the height o& hi power a
decade be&ore.
"%trogator ;elburney+" %dele aid+ peaking into 'aniel. ear. She avoided uing
the intercom e,cept when there wa no other choice.
*ith the preading nonchalance o& water poured &rom an overturned bucket+ local
entered the Hall around and behind the Cinnabar. Occaionally a 'albriggan would Hoin
the leader on the dai+ but &or the mot part they tood in el&(de&ined grouping on the
open &loor. %t a /uick glance 'aniel Hudged about a third o& thoe preent were women+
though their number on the dai &ormed a lower percentage.
% middle(aged woman in evere black+ the only peron 'aniel aw who wan.t
armed+ tood at the lectern. She poke+ her voice &illing the vat room &rom core o&
peaker hidden in the roo&beam. "Captain and o&&icer to the &ront+ common crew in
the body o& the HallA $o e,ceptionA"
'aniel turned hi head with a mile. "Boarder+" he aid. -he Hall wa alive with
ound. "O&&icer Mundy goe with me+ the ret o& you take your place in the &ront o& the
crowd. Over."
"Sir+ !.m an o&&icerA" *oetHan aid+ her &ace crewed tight with concern. She held
the length o& alloy tubing that wa her weapon o& choice in any circumtance that
permitted it.
"Be+" 'aniel aid. "%nd !.m your captain. Carry out your order+ O&&icer *oetHan."
-hoe cloet could hear them+ but thi dicuion wan.t over the intercom.
*oetHan wan.t concerned about tatu. She imply wanted to be beide 'aniel i& trouble
tarted.
Hal&way up the pillar which upported the roo& at the open end wa a plat&orm
holding a li&e(i8ed tatue o& the man at the top o& the dai. !t wa o& gold1 not a
igni&icant cot increment to a pace&aring nation which could gather metal in any
volume in ateroid belt+ but nonethele an untarnihable aertion. !t blue(glinting eye
were &aceted apphire.
'aniel miled. Hi &ather hadn.t gone to /uite that length+ but he would certainly
have appreciated %trogator ;elburney. geture.
Hogg nudged *oetHan in the rib. "Hey+" he aid. "Stick by me+ cutie+ and !.ll let
you hold one o& my bomb."
-he boun looked down at him+ then barked a laugh. ":ightA" he aid+ macking the
tubing into her le&t palm with a ound like a whiplah. "Boarder with me. *e.re going to
get a good pot to ee Cinnabar. bet make monkey out o& a bunch o& wogA"
"Come on+ %dele+" 'aniel aid. Loud enough to be ure that everyone in hi party
could hear+ he added+ "*e.ll get a good view o& the room &rom the top tep+ don.t you
think)"
P P P
Mot o& the mell peculiar to thi part o& 'albriggan were un&amiliar to %dele+ but
they were pleaant enough. She particularly liked the picy weetne that eemed to
come &rom the wood o& the Hall itel&.
-he hog(cavenged dump wa downwind+ a coniderable improvement on her
apartment in Geno where the treet wa cleaned primarily by the heavy pring rain&all.
!t wan.t a matter o& great concern to %dele+ but he noticed it a he noticed many thing.
She walked &orward with 'aniel. -heir ecort had topped a pace back+ but there wa
no longer a cruh that *oetHan and her henchmen had to mucle through. -he
'albriggan had le&t room &or the ecort at the &ront o& the gathering1 the pace wa tight+
but the Cinnabar were no wore crowded than the local themelve.
"% the local repreentative o& the :epublic o& Cinnabar+" 'aniel declared at the
&oot o& the dai+ "my companion and ! will take our place beide the %trogatorA"
He.d tarted out peaking at ma,imum volume. % hidden directional microphone
picked up hi word and ampli&ied them around the Hall without need &or human e&&ort.
'aniel let hi voice drop and &ound that the public addre ytem compenated with no
more than a tutter.
He glanced at %dele and winked1 he kept a traight &ace+ concerned about what he
wa to do. -hi wa wore than a &ormal dinner in the rincess Cecile. wardroom. -here
at leat it wa unlikely that he could make a mitake which would lead to the maacre
o& all her companion.
She miled+ a re&lection o& the amuement he knew 'aniel would e,pre i& he.d
been able to peak the lat chain o& thought aloud. -hat wan.t practical+ o he had to
laugh on her &riend. behal&.
"Captain Leary tand by me+" aid the %trogator. Hi voice had a reonance that
could have &illed the vat building unaided. "Hi o&&icer tand on the bottom row where
he belong."
'aniel took the &irt tep and the econd at a meaured pace+ geturing %dele along
with a minucule crook o& hi inde, &inger. "*hen you come to Cinnabar+" he aid
ringingly+ "you &ollow Cinnabar cutom. *hen Cinnabar come to you+ %trogator
;elburney+ you till &ollow Cinnabar cutom. *e repreent the :epublicA"
'aniel took the third tep+ then the &ourth1 none o& the captain already on the dai
moved to bar hi way. %dele &ollowed+ watching her &eet. -he tread were deeper than
he wa ued to+ and it wouldn.t help the miion i& he were to &all on her &ace.
;elburney laughed1 it wa impoible to tell how much o& the humor wa real.
"Come up+ then+ Captain+" he aid. "%nd bring your bitch a well i& you.re o devoted to
her."
-hey took their place on the top level+ 'aniel to the %trogator. right and %dele
beide 'aniel. She turned and looked back the way he.d come. -he Hall had very nearly
&illed during the time it took the Cinnabar contingent to walk it length. -here were
everal thouand people preent+ more than %dele would.ve imagined poible &rom the
Hall. &oreted environ.
"Silence &or the cupA" aid the woman at the lectern. So many people in a ingle
room couldn.t be really ilent9their breathing alone wa a deep uurru like that o& a
leeping dragon9but the voice tilled. % pair o& ervant came &orward.
-hey were old+ and both were crippledF the man tomped along on one leg and a peg+
while the blat that carred the le&t ide o& the woman. &ace had alo burned o&& her arm.
She carried a winekin on a trap over her good houlder. -he man had a gold(mounted
cup in hi hand.
%dele. &ace hardened. -he cup wa made &rom the brainbo, o& a human kull. Dor a
moment %dele had permitted herel& to imagine that the able ue o& technology made
'albriggan a ophiticated planet.
-he woman &illed the cup+ li&ting the trap with her houlder and /uee8ing the
winekin between her elbow and toro. -he man handed the cup to the 'albriggan on the
end o& the bottom row. He drank+ an honet wallow+ and paed the cup to the o&&icer
beide him. She drank a well and paed the cup in turn.
Dour more had drunk be&ore the lat handed the cup to the ervant to be re&illed.
-he ceremony continued.
%dele didn.t let her mind wander1 rather he lipped into a world where no one could
touch her. !t wa a cold place and utterly colorle+ but it wa &amiliar to her. She.d pent
a great deal o& time in grayne ince the day he learned that her &amily had been
maacred+ leaving %dele Mundy a detitute orphan.
She could &unction in thi place but he couldn.t &eel a thing1 which wa generally &or
the bet.
-here wa a ound in &ront o& %dele. Her eye locked into &ocu with thoe o& the
cripple o&&ering her the re&illed cup. "$o+ thank you+" %dele aid in a clear voice.
'aniel reached pat her and took the cup. -he bone wa old1 yellow on the outide+
dark a the wine itel& on the inide &rom generation o& ue.
"$oA" aid ;elburney. He tepped in &ront o& 'aniel on the broad tread and put hi
hand over the cup be&ore 'aniel could li&t it. -he %trogator wa taller than he.d eemed
when the Cinnabar &irt entered the Hall+ and hi power&ul writ belied hi lender
appearance.
;elburney wore a cloth(o&(gold tunic over pantaloon o& the ame material. Hi wide
belt and croed bandolier were caly leather+ agging with the weight o& ammunition+
knive+ and pitol in open(topped holter. -he weapon howed ign o& hard ue.
"She.ll drink &rom the cup+ Captain Leary+" the %trogator aid+ "or he leave the
Hall. -hat ! wear+ though a Cinnabar &leet orbit above uA"
%dele tared calmly at the tall 'albriggan1 her mind analy8ed the ituation a coldly
a it would i& he were not directly involved. ;elburney. boat that he.d de&y a Cinnabar
&leet wa Hut that+ a boat. -he rincess Cecile wa the only :C$ veel preent+
however9and it wa /uite clear &rom ;elburney. e,preion that hi anger and
determination were real. -endon tood out on hi neck.
%dele miled. !t appeared that the ceremony o& the cup wa a maHor apect o&
'albriggan &aith. *ell+ &aith or not+ it wa e/ually important to %dele that he not up
with utenil made &rom human bodie.
"Bou miundertand me+ ir+" he aid. -he hidden director controlling the parabolic
microphone picked up her voice and ampli&ied it o the whole room could hear. "My
religion &orbid me to drink9"
% %dele poke+ her eye holding the %trogator.+ her le&t hand reached out and lid
the pitol &rom the cro(draw holter at hi le&t hip. She didn.t know the weapon+ but the
range wa too great &or the light proHectile o& the pitol in her own pocket.
"9and re/uire that i& ! do9"
;elburney &elt the weight o& the pitol withdrawing. He tried to grab %dele. hand.
'aniel caught hi writ. -he two men remained locked together motionle. ;elburney.
e,preion changed to ama8ement1 'aniel only appeared o&t.
"9! mut kill the peron who compelled me+" %dele aid.
She turned ide(on to the &ar end o& the Hall+ the pitol e,tended in line with her le&t
arm. She.d been trained a a duelit+ not a pitolero.
-he audience wa houting+ but %dele doubted anyone wa going to hoot at her o
long a he wa tanding cloe to the %trogator. -he captain nearby on the dai were
more o& a threat+ but they eemed willing to let matter take their coure. %nyway+ %dele
couldn.t control what other people did.
She could only control the pitol in her hand.
-he weapon wa tone(a,e imple+ with only a pot and ring &or ighting. %t thi
range+ a little over a hundred yard+ %dele wouldn.t have minded holographic
magni&ication1 but he.d make do.
-he power wa already witched to the coil. ;elburney wan.t the ort to let hi lat
act in li&e be &umbling to take hi pitol o&& a&e.
%dele /uee8ed the trigger a he e,haled+ both eye open. -he ound o& the room
departed like water vanihing down a drain. -he &ront pot wa harply &ocued1 her
target wa a blue glint in a gray(gold blur.
W,'CD:
-he napping dicharge through the impeller ring wa a urprie a uual+
accelerating the heavy lug to everal time the peed o& ound. -he pitol recoiled in
%dele. hand+ the mu88le li&ting. !t wa well balanced+ ettling back on target a naturally
a %dele. own &amiliar weapon would have done.
-he head o& ;elburney. tatue twited awry. *hether he.d hit the right eye or not+
he.d certainly torn the cating enough that the apphire &lew out o& it ocket.
W,'CD<W,'!(:
!n her concentration %dele hadn.t heard the ound o& the &irt lug. hammerblow on
the metal+ but he did the econd a gold ripped apart. Long plinter+ reddih againt the
age(blackened ur&ace wood+ tood out &rom the pot like a halo where the hot had
penetrated a&ter triking the metal.
-he top o& the tatue. head tumbled ringingly to the &loor. 'albriggan in the back
o& the Hall crambled to get out o& the way.
"! believe you have a econd cup now+ %trogator ;elburney+" 'aniel aid+ releaing
the older man and tepping back. "!& you.ll have omebody bring it up to u+ perhap you
and ! can ue it to drink to a new undertanding between your people and mine."
He miled toward %dele. "%t any rate+" he added+ "! believe you undertand O&&icer
Mundy better now."
%dele took the pitol by the receiver with her right &ingertip and o&&ered the butt to
;elburney. -he &lu, had heated the barrel to yellow heat in only two hot. !t wa a
power&ul weapon+ meant to punch through body armor.
"-hank you &or the loan+ ir+" %dele aid.
-he only noie in the Hall wa the continuing echo &rom the commotion moment
be&ore. -he 'albriggan o&&icer on the dai drew back with harp e,preion+ more tene
than they.d been while %dele wa aiming the weapon.
;elburney took the pitol e,preionlely. He looked at the truncated tatue+
obviouly Hudging the likelihood that he could duplicate %dele. &eat9and correctly
deciding that there wan.t a nowball. chance in Hell o& it.
"Here+ woman+" he aid+ handing the pitol back to %dele. "%nybody who can hoot
the way you can ought to have a gun o& her own."
'nd "hat in hea.en's name am % supposed to do "ith a cannon like this8 %dele
thought1 but he took the weapon with a tight mile. -hat wa the politic thing to do+ a&ter
all+ and it wa a .ery nice piece o& workmanhip.
;elburney turned to &ace the aembly and placed hi hand on hi hip. "Sibling o&
the tarA" he aid. "Dree citi8en o& 'albriggan and the univereA ! it your will that ! and
your council e,amine thee tranger and make policy baed on what we learn)"
-he hout built &rom a do8en throat to a hundred1 &inally the whole aembly hook
the wall with it bellowed repone. %t &irt there were a &ew crie o&+ "$oA" among the
general aent+ but a the volume built o did the agreement.
;elburney raied hi arm kyward. -he houting topped+ though the Hall till
rumbled with hu&&ling &eet and indrawn breath.
"SiblingA" ;elburney aid. "*ill you be bound by our deciion)"
-hi time there wa no oppoition. -he aembly. deciion wa implicit in it &irt
repone1 and thi would not+ %dele upected+ be a good environment &or people who
recalcitrantly epoued a minority view.
;elburney getured %dele and 'aniel both cloe. He houted into their ear+ "-he
Council Chamber. through the door behind u. !.m glad to learn the :C$ ha a
propoition &or me+ becaue a it chance ! have a propoition &or the :C$."
He getured them ahead. Other &rom the dai were already going into the room
beyond+ though the Hall proper till reverberated with the enthuiam o& the &ull
aembly.
% "onder, %dele thought+ if % should ask for a holster and *elt "hile %'m at it8

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER T2ENTY6-IVE
-
he Sailing Directions aid the Selma pirate took lave along
with their other loot+ o 'aniel wa urpried to ee that the only ervant in the
emicircular council chamber were a hal&(do8en adolecent and the two aged cripple
who.d brought the cup around at the aembly. Drom the &reedom with which they
bantered with the o&&icer+ all were &reeborn 'albriggan.
%dele walked beide him+ holding the heavy ervice pitol a gingerly a a pinter
with a baby. She could put it in a cargo pocket ince the barrel had cooled by now+ or he
could lay it on the carred table. 'aniel didn.t ay either o& thoe thing becaue %dele
wa a able to ee the poibilitie a he wa1 and a with the pinter+ there wa more
than a little pride in her e,preion.
She leaned cloe and aid+ "!ntereting. -hey don.t allow lave to be preent during
governmental deliberation. -hat how better Hudgment than mot laveholder diplay."
-he %trogator pointed to a eat in the middle o& the table and aid+ "!.d like you
there+ Leary+ &acing me. 3nle you.re cared to have your back to the door)"
'aniel chuckled. He getured %dele to the chair beide the one indicated and aid+ "!
doubt ! have a many enemie on 'albriggan a you do+ ;elburney. $ow that you.ve
raied the /uetion+ though+ !.ll try to control my &ear that omebody.ll hoot through me
to get you."
-he %trogator norted. He lowered himel& into the chair acro &rom 'aniel9
handawn wood o& imple deign like the other+ but the only one in the room with arm
9and aid without preamble over the ound o& the other craping into their eat+ "! aw
your hip when you landed. Look to me like you didn.t how the bet Hudgment in who
you mi,ed it with."
"-he &ight wan.t our choice+" 'aniel aid calmly+ "and it. not over yet. On my
honorA it. not. But ye+ the Sissie need ome work. My crew will handle the labor+ but
!.ll be purchaing upplie &rom your tore."
"*e run to mall cra&t here+" ;elburney aid. "-here. no mat on 'albriggan to &it
a corvette like your."
He turned hi right palm out to &oretall anything 'aniel might try to interHect. Dor
the moment at leat it appeared the &orm "! and your council" meant "!+ the %trogator."
-he hip. o&&icer ranged up and down the long table watched care&ully a they drank
&rom the mug ervant were handing out+ but they held their peace.
"*e can help you get what you need+ though+" ;elburney aid. He miled like a
hungry cat. "!& you.ve got the ball."
'aniel pread hi &inger on the tabletop a he conidered the %trogator. % boy put
a goblet carved &rom rock crytal on the wood beide him1 the mahogany(colored &luid
&oamed lightly.
-aley and the rincess Cecile. rigger could &ih and weld par meant &or
'albriggan cutter into a working et o& mat &or the corvette1 everybody in the room9
with the poible e,ception o& %dele9knew that. ;elburney wa o&&ering a plauible
e,cue a a bargaining ploy.
-hat wa &ineF 'aniel wa here to bargain. He miled back and aid+ "! think you.ll
&ind the :C$ alway ha the courage to do it duty+ %trogator ;elburney1 whatever the
circumtance. *hy don.t you decribe your plan o that ! can decide where my duty
lie)"
"Bring in the prioner+" ;elburney called. % door hidden behind hanging at the
ide o& the room opened. Si, concerned(looking pacer entered behind the black(clad
woman who.d preided at the lectern during the aembly.
'aniel watched the newcomer with no e,preion. -here were thing he couldn.t
permit. !& thi pirate chie& o overtepped himel& a to o&&er Cinnabar lave in return &or
:C$ help9
"$ot our prioner+ Captain+" ;elburney aid. -he warine in hi voice howed that
he.d picked up on 'aniel. change o& e,preion. "'itreed pacer+ put o&& in a li&eboat
in the 'albriggan ytem by pirate &rom Dalaa."
He getured to the cripple &illing mug &rom a tapped keg on the erving table
behind him. ";ephi+ Bradley9give our guet ome beer while they e,plain to Captain
Leary how well we.ve cared &or them a&ter their mi&ortune."
-he young ervant o&&ered the ne,t batch o& re&illed tumbler to the newcomer.
'aniel ipped &rom hi own goblet. -he beer wa dark and more bitter than he wa ued
to+ but an :C$ o&&icer didn.t look alcoholic gi&t hore in the mouth.
Dalaa wa the habitable planet o& tar S@. -he Selma pirate had generally operated
a a looe odality which choe it leader in common+ with the Council Hall here on
'albriggan a the eat o& government. % the Sailing Directions made clear+ there wa
nothing new about a hip+ a /uadron+ or one o& the three planet going it own way &or a
time+ however.
Maacre rather than reconciliation wa the pre&erred method o& repairing diviion.
'aniel miled &aintly. -he rincess Cecile had other important buine be&ore it+ but
he.d hoped when he received hi order that hi miion might involve &ighting pirate.
He could carcely complain about having hi wihe granted+ could he)
"My name. Slayter+" aid the balding &orty(year(old leader o& the pacer brought in
&or diplay. "!.m captain and owner o& the retty $ary out o& :ohaka."
Several o& the Sissie. crew had been born on :ohaka. !t wa a Cinnabar
protectorate with a long pace&aring tradition.
Slayter took a deep dra&t o& hi beer. He and hi &ellow were tarting to rela, at the
ight o& 'aniel in hi :C$ dre uni&orm. -hough the pacer eemed to have been &ed
well enough+ 'aniel could imagine that the chance o& being hot on a pirate. whim mut
have been a matter o& realitic concern to them.
"Was captain and owner+" Slayter aid. "*e were on route to Strymon with a cargo
o& &uel cell when three cutter hit u when we came out o& the Matri,."
He tried to drink again+ but hi hand had tarted trembling. "-hey hot my mate+" he
aid into the trembling cup. "He wa trying to hide hi private cargo in a mat+ not that it
would.ve mattered. -hey took the $ary."
Slayter preed hi arm to hi chet and eemed to get control o& himel& again. "!
thought they were going to kill u all+ hoot u or Hut pace u+ but they put u on our
lighter and dumped u here. -hey aid to tell all the ibling on 'albriggan that unle
they want to tarve on the crap ;elburney let them have+ it. time &or a new
%trogator."
;elburney waved Slayter to ilence. He aid to 'aniel+ "Captain %retine doen.t
think our treaty with Cinnabar wa a good idea+ Leary. She call herel& Overlord o&
Dalaa and he. got mot o& the captain baed there agreeing with her. -hey were
alway a &lighty+ &oolih lot."
%n o&&icer midway down the table pat ringingly into a pittoon againt the back
wall. He appeared to be undercoring hi %trogator. Hudgment o& the Dalaan.
"$ow+ ! don.t know what there may be available in hip chandlerie on Dalaa+"
;elburney continued+ "but ! &igure a twenty(three hundred ton &reighter like the $ary9"
He cocked an eyebrow toward Slayter. -he :ohaka captain Humped a though he.d
been Habbed with a cattle prod. "Be+ ye+" he aid. "-wenty(three hundred ton and a
clean9"
;elburney waved hi hand1 Slayter &ell intantly ilent. 'aniel kept hi &ace till+ but
he didn.t like to ee a man being trained like a dog.
"-he mat &rom a &reighter o& that i8e ought to be Hut the ticket to put your
corvette in apple pie order+" ;elburney aid. "%nd Slayter here would be more than
happy to o&&er them to hi avior."
"Oh+ ye+" aid Slayter. "Oh+ i& you.ll Hut get my hip back+ ir+ anything."
"Bou know where the retty $ary i held+ then)" 'aniel aked. He li&ted hi goblet
and wirled it+ watching pattern in the remaining bubble while hi mind pun kein o&
action.
"%ye+" aid ;elburney+ "he.d be at Homeland on Dalaa along with %retine and the
crew who back her. %retine. gathering hip &rom Horn9"
Horn wa the planet orbiting SI. -he three tar o& the Selma Cluter were within
&our light(year o& one another and &ollowed a common traHectory.
"9beide thoe &rom Dalaa+ and ! houldn.t wonder i& he had ome 'albriggan
captain wondering i& he didn.t have the right idea."
-he o&&icer who.d pat be&ore did o again. -hi time+ a the bucket /uivered with
the hollow peevihne o& titanium+ the &ellow aid+ "Bugger .emA"
Other nodded. $ot all did.
"-here.ll be veel on guard above Dalaa a there were here+ ! preume)" 'aniel
aid. Beide him+ %dele had her peronal data unit on the table beide her new pitol. -he
diplay wa a patel blur above the little bo,.
"Cutter on picket+" the %trogator aid. "-hat. no problem9we.ll take care o& them
&or you. !t. the ,ammer that you.ll have to handle yourel&. She. a hulked cruier+ no
mat but he ha her High 'rive and a &ull weapon uite. 'nd her crew.ll be awake.
*ith the noie %retine. making+ they.ll &igure that unle omebody here blow my head
o&&+ omething. going to happen on Dalaa."
He looked around the room+ miling grimly. "$obody. tried it here+" he aid. "Bet."
'aniel nodded twice while hi mind &inihed it erie o& conideration. He
e,changed glance with %dele1 he nodded criply. He didn.t know preciely what he
meant by the geture+ but it wa clearly poitive.
"#ery well+" 'aniel aid. "%trogator ;elburney+ a an o&&icer o& the :C$ it. my
duty to eliminate a band o& pirate operating againt citi8en o& the :epublic. ! direct you
under the term o& your treaty to aid me in thi endeavor."
"! aid we.ll take out the picket+" ;elburney aid. "%nd you won.t have to worry
about a thing on the ground. *e.ll take care o& that too."
-he pittoon rang again.
"-hat. well and good+" 'aniel aid+ ounding9deliberately ounding9like hi
&ather addreing client who.d gotten in over their head and begged hi help. "-here.ll
be a &ew other item a well. Dirt+ you.ll have to embargo movement &rom 'albriggan
until it. time to launch the operation. -hat may be everal day."
;elburney. brow &urrowed momentarily at 'aniel. tone1 then it cleared and he
lapped the table. "O& coureA" he aid. "'o you think we.re children) *e.ll party till it.
time to leave. %nybody who trie to get o&&(planet be&ore then wind up in pace without
a uit. ! that all)"
"$ot /uite+" aid 'aniel+ letting hi own mile widen. He.d been concerned by the
'albriggan.9by the pirate.9looe dicipline+ but that clearly didn.t e,tend to
operational matter. "O&&icer Mundy here mut have &ull acce to any log or other
record that have in&ormation regarding the movement o& the ,ammer over the period
he. been in orbit. -hat would be everal year)"
"-en+" aid ;elburney. "-he Dalaan bought her o&& o& 3mbro at crap price."
"-hat hould be a ati&actory ample+" 'aniel aid brightly. "*e.ll get to work
immediately+ then."
"She is a bloody cruier+" aid the o&&icer who.d been pitting.
"Be+ and we are a corvette o& the :C$+" aid 'aniel+ riing to hi &eet. "! conider
that a &air match."
He beamed at the gathered pirate. He wa boating+ o& coure1 but i& he hadn.t meant
the word+ he wouldn.t have poken them.
P P P
-he armored hatch o& the Battle 'irection Center /uealed a it opened outward into
Corridor C. *ithout taking her eye &rom her conole %dele aid+ "%re you blind or are
you imply too tupid to read the ign on the door) ;eep outA"
-he hatch tarted to cycle cloed again. Midhipman #eey looked up big(eyed &rom
the conole to %dele. le&t and aid+ "But mitre+ that wa the captainA"
Oh.
"'anielA" %dele called to the light opening which remained9a warhip. battle
door open and cloe with enthuiam. "!.m orry+ !9"
She got up+ bumped the edge o& the conole+ and promptly &ell on her &ace becaue
both her leg were numb. She.d at too long without moving. 'ort and #eey were
helping her to her &eet when 'aniel tuck hi head into the compartment again.
"%dele)" he aid. "! didn.t mean to diturb you+ but . . ."
"Be+ ! aked &or your input+" %dele aid+ "and then napped at you when you came
to the door. ! uppoe ! thought you.d reply through the diplay. *ell+ ! didn't think. !.m
obviouly not thinking clearly at all. ! apologi8e."
Her throat hadn.t been o dry ince he.d &ought her way out o& an %lliance prion+
breathing dut and air burned to o8one by electromotive weapon. She ounded terrible
and probably looked wore. 'ort handed her a drinking bulb. She ucked deeply on it.
$ot until the third wallow did he identi&y the content a milk9the per&ect choice
once he thought about it. % 'ort had obviouly already done.
"!.m very orry+" %dele aid+ irritated by the concern in the eye o& her three
companion+ and even more irritated becaue he couldn.t deny he gave them reaon &or
it. "'aniel+ we+ ah+ have provided ome alternative coure &or the guardhip and . . ."
Her knee were wobbling now. Ereat heaven+ what wa wrong with her)
"Mitre+" aid #eey+ "you haven.t had a thing to eat or drink in eighteen hour.
Cleae won.t you it and let u bring you ome &ood)"
'ort guided %dele back into the eat where he.d been working. She wa acceing
the hip. computer through the &amiliar pathway o& her peronal data unit. -he battle
computer. great holographic diplay howed what looked like a twited circle o& ribbonF
the track o& the guardhip ,ammer a it orbited Dalaa. 'ate variation were color coded
&rom violet to the deep red o& the mot recent.
'ort put another bulb o& milk in %dele. hand. #eey aid earnetly+ "Sir+ he. done
it all herel&. -he only help we.ve given i to calculate the orbit &rom the data he. &ound
in the log."
'aniel nodded. "Bou aked me to look over your plot+ %dele+" he aid. "! did+ and !
&ound them /uite ati&actory. !.m ama8ed that the orbit. been o conitent over a ten(
year period."
He getured1 obediently %dele drank more o& the milk. Dor a moment her tomach
threatened to rebel1 then the combination o& te,ture and &ood value went to work and he
began to &eel better.
She managed a mile. O& coure he till had /uite a lot better to &eel.
"! thought it wa rather like a moon+" %dele aid. "-he orbit tay the ame+ that i.
'oen.t it)"
"!t. a low orbit+ mitre+" 'ort aid. "-hey have to burn the High 'rive every &ew
day to keep atmopheric &riction &rom dragging them back to the ur&ace. But they want
to over&ly Homeland every orbit+ o they porpoie up and down without any lateral
motion to peak o&."
"Be+" aid 'aniel+ "and very ue&ul that i to u+ ! mut ay. !.ll have the coure
plotted to three decimal place+ though we.ll have to e,it+ ay+ &ive light(econd out &or
the &inal re&inement. ! Hut wanted to know i& you &elt that additional computation might
lead to igni&icant change)"
"*hat)" aid %dele. "$o+ no. *e had a per&ectly ade/uate data ample. %nd
anyway+ there isn't any more data. $ot that !.ve been able to &ind here on+ on wherever
thi place i. 'albriggan."
She cowled to hear her own word. Her mind wan.t working any better than her
body eemed to be. She.d been lot within the problem+ and now that it wa olved9her
tak wa complete+ at any rate9he couldn.t get back to normal.
%dele giggled. "Mitre)" #eey aid.
"! thought+ Mnormal+. " %dele e,plained. "But o& coure ! meant Mwhat pae &or
normal with me.. "
-he midhipmen looked aghat+ but 'aniel grinned at her. "#ery good+" he aid. "!.ll
have Lieutenant Mon dra&t a movement order &or the &leet while ! develop the actual
attack. %h+ will you have &urther need o& the 'irection Center)"
"Oh+ heaven no+" %dele aid. She heaved herel& to her &eet again and managed to
keep upright thi time. "! had to have #eey and 'ort with me9omebody who
undertood navigation+ at any rate9o ! couldn.t block o&& the people around me a !
uually would. But ! did need privacy."
'aniel o&&ered %dele hi arm. "! wa about to get omething to eat in the galley+" he
aid+ probably a lie. "*ill you Hoin me+ then)"
"Be+ !.d better+ ! uppoe+" %dele aid. -he milk had awakened a raging hunger that
he.d uppreed while he copied and collated data.
-he pirate cutter operated on uni/ue internal clock+ determined either by the whim
o& the captain or a an accident becaue the atrogation computer had been hut down and
reet to 8ero &ollowing repair. -hough %dele didn.t uppoe that had added much to the
comple,ity o& the operation. 2ven i& they.d all been :C$ warhip+ he would.ve &elt
contrained to check each time lug againt reported tar poition. -here wa no uch
thing a acceptable error in her univere.
-he galley wa on B Level oppoite the entryway. Between mealtime when the
rincess Cecile wa under weigh it erved a a lounge+ but uually when the corvette wa
on the ground the peronnel pent their &ree time in &acilitie ahore.
$ot here on 'albriggan. *hen 'aniel entered with %dele9the two midhipmen
trailed behind like nervou pet9thirty(odd pacer roe to their &eet in greeting. Mot o&
them were armedF many with weapon &rom the arm locker and bandolier o&
ammunition+ but the other diplayed le &ormal club+ knive+ and in one cae a wire
garotte.
"Sir+ can you tell u what they.re planning to do)" aked Liebig with a nod o&
greeting to %dele a well. "-hee bloody pirate+ ! mean. %re we going to attack)"
"% $umber Dour break&at &or O&&icer Mundy+ i& you pleae+ *harnockA" 'aniel
called to the pacer who wa getting a mug o& hot cacao &rom the me dipener. He
ettled %dele into a table vacated &or them and aid+ "-he &ree citi8en o& 'albriggan are
our &riend and allie+ Liebig. -hey.re going to help u &ind neceary upplie to repair
the Sissie. %nd Hut incidentally we.ll clean out a net o& real pirate at the ame time."
*harnock brought over the meal packet. He tripped the top o&& with a guh o&
team a he et it on the table be&ore %dele. She tared in udden horror at the bacon+
egg+ and grit9and a uddenly &elt another ruh o& hunger. She picked up the poon
attached to the container and began eating.
"Sir+ d.ye trut thee batard)" a pacer aked. %dele didn.t notice who poke1 he
wa balancing the poon&ul o& egg at the edge o& her lip+ blowing o&tly to cool the
content.
"-rut .em to cut our throat i& we turn our back+" another aid. "-hey ay they only
go a&ter %lliance hipping now+ but you kno" they don.t want u noing around to ee
what loot they really got hidden away here."
-hrough the choru o& "Beah+" and "-hat. Eod. truth+" 'aniel9who wan.t eating+
a %dele had upected9aid+ "% a matter o& &act+ ! do trut the 'albriggan to help u+
Swade. -he leader+ that. mot o& the captain+ not Hut ;elburney+ don.t want to be ruled
&rom Dalaa+ but they know that. what. going to happen unle they do omething &at.
Our coming here give them a chance to trike be&ore o much upport drain away to the
Dalaan that one o& ;elburney. &riend will have to hoot him."
%dele tarted on the grit1 to the bet o& her knowledge he.d never eaten bacon+ o
he wa leaving that &or lat+ i& at all.
'aniel. outline o& politic in the Selma Cluter mirrored %dele. reading o& the
cluter. hitory. She miled wryly. -here wa a great deal o& imilarity between Selma
and Cinnabar+ i& it came to that. Her parent would certainly have agreed with that at the
end.
"O&&icer Mundy)" 'aniel aked. "How do you ae the ituation &rom your
pecialit viewpoint)"
'aniel wan.t aking &or a real analyi. %t another time+ in private+ he.d certainly be
intereted in what %dele in all her di&&erent guie thought+ but what the two o& them
were doing now wa an e,ercie in theater to keep the crew. morale high. -hough9
%dele. private opinion would be preciely the ame a the one he o&&ered now.
"Speaking a a cholar who. tudied politic and the hitory o& the Selma Cluter+"
he aid+ "! agree with your outline. %nd peaking a a Mundy o& Chatworth9"
She tried to coop up a trip o& bacon but decided it mut be &inger &ood intead.
"9! mut ay that !.m pleaed to have Speaker Leary. on on my ide thi time."
-here wa general laughter+ ome o& it ama8ed. 2very member o& the crew knew
who 'aniel. &ather wa+ and by now rumor at leat mut have identi&ied %dele with the
leader o& the -hree Circle Conpiracy. !n thi cae by rare e,ception+ rumor wa
per&ectly correct.
#eey put a teaming mug o& cacao beide %dele. meal packet. %dele ipped. She.d
have pre&erred water+ but thi bitter+ timulant(rich drink wa the :C$. on(duty taple1
he uppoed he.d have to get ued to it.
"!.ve kept you aboard the Sissie to avoid accidental problem+" 'aniel aid+ glancing
around the room. "%trogator ;elburney. giving a party to keep hi crew occupied
while we9"
He nodded.
"*hile O&&icer Mundy and the midhipmen aiting her+ that i+ provided me with
the in&ormation ! needed to plan the operation. Bou all know the trouble drunken pacer
can get into."
He grinned broadly. -he crewmen broke into appreciative hoot and laughter. More
pacer were entering the galley+ ummoned by word9and how delivered)9that the
captain wa holding an in&ormal hip. meeting and giving everyone the coop.
"On the other hand+ ! thought it would be good to make ure nothing untoward wa
going on+" 'aniel continued+ "o ! ent Hogg to make purchae &or my private tore.
He.ll report back with anything he &ind intereting. %nd ! believe O&&icer Mundy.
ervant went out alo. *ith my bleing."
"*ith or without+" a pacer muttered. He wa &ar enough back in the room that
%dele couldn.t have een him i& he.d tried. "That one.d /uirm through a cable port like a
nake."
"Beah+" aid Liebig+ who.d watched -overa in action at the Captal da Lund.
&ortre. "But he. our nake+ Smokey."
%dele munched the lat o& her bacon. -overa would be amued.
"%ll right+ ir+" aid Matahurd. "*e.ll &ollow you anywhere+ you know that. But
what is it we.re going to be doing)"
-he cacao had cooled enough &or %dele to &inih the mug+ though he didn.t know
that doing o wa any better an idea than the bacon appeared to have been. !t wa taying
down &or now+ but the long(term prognoi wa no more than even. She tood+ needing to
tretch her leg.
"Dalaa depend on a dimated heavy cruier &or it de&ene+" 'aniel aid+ riing
beide her. "!t mount i,teen &our(inch plama cannon in /uadruple turret and carrie a
/uantity both o& miile and o& multilaunch rocket &or ue againt pirate cutter. *e.ll
eliminate her to permit the 'albriggan &orce to aault the planet proper. !.m going out in
a minute to in&orm %trogator ;elburney that we.re ready to li&t at hi convenience."
-here wa ilence in the galley. Sun+ tanding near the doorway where he.d Hut
entered with *oetHan+ aid+ "Beah+ all right+ we can do that. But when.re we going to
pay back them batard back on Strymon+ ir)"
"-hat.ll be our ne,t concern+ Sun+" 'aniel aid cheer&ully. "'fter we.ve hown thee
pirate that going into battle at the ide o& the :C$ i the hortet route to loot and
victoryA"
He getured %dele to the doorway with a li&t o& hi eyebrow. -hey e,ited together+
&ollowed by the cheer o& the aembled crew.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER T2ENTY6SI5
%
dele clumped down the companionway between two pacer
o& the ecort who.d been e/uipping &rom the arm locker. -hey looked wary+ but 'aniel
wa pleaed to ee that %dele wa getting the hang o& walking on the boot(polihed teel
ur&ace o& a warhip. interior.
He wa alo glad to ee Lott and -avatierna were looking a&ter her.
"%h+ i& you.d rather get ome leep+ O&&icer Mundy+" he aid+ "that. /uite all right. !
thought it bet to ee the %trogator in peron+ but the meeting houldn.t re/uire your
pecial e,pertie. %ny o& them."
%dele gave him a mile that could have paed &or a nervou tic. "! &ind it hard to
predict the &uture+" he aid. "%ccurately+ at any rate. ! Hut went back to my room to
dre &or the occaion."
She patted the butt o& the ervice pitol belted over her utility uni&orm in an open(
topped holter. %dele wore the weapon in the middle o& her abdomen intead o& hanging
by her hip. -here the holter+ canted &or right(hand draw+ would have inter&ered with her
peronal data unit in it pocket.
"Hogg &ound me the holter and belt+" %dele added. "%h+ do you think it.
appropriate)"
"!ndeed ! do+" aid 'aniel. "!.m ure ;elburney will appreciate the geture. Shall we
go+ then)"
;elburney+ having een %dele hoot+ would alo appreciate that the pitol wa more
than a geture when he carried it. 'aniel had aid that there houldn.t be any di&&iculty+
and there houldn.t1 but he agreed with %dele about the di&&icultie o& predicting the
&uture. He nodded to *oetHan.
"Liten upA" the boun aid+ weeping her &ierce glare over the ten pacer o& the
ecort detail. "*e.re here &or how+ period. ;eep your gun witched o&& till you.re told+
and remember9nobody hoot till O&&icer Mundy hootA 'o you all hear)"
"%nd what. going to be le&t to hoot at when he. done)" Bemih aid to general
laughter.
'aniel grinned alo+ but he aw that %dele. e,preion had tightened. -he change
wa minucule+ omething that only a &riend would have noticed.
"Let. goA" he aid+ louder than he.d intended. -he main hatch cycled open.
Hogg got up &rom where he.d been waiting beide the berm. He wa wearing a
broadly conical traw hat+ obviouly local though not a garment 'aniel had noticed the
day be&ore.
"-overa aid you were coming out to &ind the %trogator+" Hogg aid a the heavily
armed pacer approached him. "She ent me to guide you in."
He looked at %dele with an un&athomable e,preion. "Bou got a good one there+
mitre+" he aid. "-hough ! gue ! could teach her a &ew thing in open country."
!n %dele. ear 'aniel aid+ "! gather &rom Hogg. comment that -overa ha litening
device aboard the hip)"
%dele hrugged. "-hat. what ! aume alo+" he aid. "-overa like to gather data
even more than ! like to arrange it. Both activitie are bene&icial o long a we erve an
e,ecutive who in.t incapacitated by the ma o& in&ormation."
'aniel. grin wa delayed by a moment+ but when it came it melted all the concern
out o& hi mind. -he :C$. way wa to ue the tool at hand to achieve victory+ and he
couldn.t complain about the pat ue&ulne o& %dele. odd ervant. "Be+ !.d agree with
that+" he aid.
!n a loud voice he aid+ "$ow+ let. go &ind %trogator ;elburney o we can get on to
the real buine o& the :C$."
He looked around the ecort. "*hich i not+" he continued+ "depite what you might
have aumed &rom watching your captain+ a matter o& crewing a many di&&erent local
a poible on liberty."
-he bellowing laughter &rom every throat but %dele. broke the tenion. 'aniel
grinned at hi crew. -here were good o&&icer who were too proud to make a Hoke at their
own e,pene+ but that wan.t 'aniel. tyle. He kept hi pride &or other thing than hi
ene o& el&(importance.
Cerhap becaue o& the laughter+ *oetHan permitted 'aniel to walk at the head o&
the party alongide Hogg intead o& being urrounded by he&ty crewmen like glaware
wrapped &or hipping. *hen he aw that the cene on the occupied ide o& the berm wa
one o& repletion+ not riot+ 'aniel beckoned %dele up beide him alo.
"See the &un we mied by taying cooped up in the Sissie all day)" he murmured in
her ear.
"Be+" %dele agreed with the dry amuement he.d learned to e,pect &rom her. "! dare
ay ! regret the lo even more than you do."
'albriggan in variou tage o& undre prawled in the doorway o& building and
on cruhed(rock pavement which connected them more like the paage o& a ma8e than
a treet grid. Some held bottle+ ome twined with or tacked upon one another+ and not a
&ew lay crumpled like the dead o& a battle.
Other citi8en were upright+ more o& them itting than tanding1 the &ew who walked
did o with the awkward deliberation o& the aged. Some ditance into the &oret everal
voice ang in good harmony about the "Bouncing Boy o& Lyme." -hey ounded
cheer&ul+ though their tempo wa lower than normal &or that tandard o& paceport
acro the human univere.
Servant9well+ lave+ to give a thing it right name9puttered about minitering to
&allen citi8en. -he lave were eaily identi&ied by not carrying weapon and the &act
they were moving at all. 2ven o+ mot o& them looked the wore &or wear &ollowing the
debauch.
"Hogg)" 'aniel aid. "! it a&e &or the+ ah+ citi8en to party like thi when they have
o many lave)"
"-hey ain.t in /uite uch bad hape a they look+ mater+" Hogg aid a he tepped
over a 'albriggan with a beati&ic mile+ no trouer+ and her &it around a broad(bladed
kni&e. "! mean+ they are+ but !.ve knowed thi ort. -hey can get up i& they have to."
Hogg wa leading them toward a /uat cylindrical building ome ditance behind the
Hall. 3ni/uely+ thi tructure wa o& tone rather than wood. 'i&&erence in maonry
techni/ue and the aging o& the material ued indicated that there were weapon which
could blat through thick rock wall9and that they.d done o here in the pat.
"-he everal lave revolt o& pat centurie+" %dele aid+ "have all been put down
with great cruelty."
She gave 'aniel a tight mile. 's the Three Circles Conspiracy "as. "-here. never
been a uni&ied riing on all three world o& the cluter+ but Hogg i correct that the
ibling on the a&&ected planet have generally reacted promptly enough to handle matter
by themelve."
-hey kirted a youth cradling the head o& a bearded 'albriggan in hi lap+ o&&ering
ip &rom a chaed metal tankard. -he youth. large+ li/uid eye &ollowed the Cinnabar
warily.
"%nother apect o& the ituation+" %dele continued drily+ "i that captive can
become citi8en o& the cluter eaily enough i& they deire to. % a reult+ lave with the
ort o& drive and ruthlene re/uired &or ucce&ul rebellion are coopted into the ruling
elite."
She miled at 'aniel again+ with a little humor a be&ore. "One could decribe the
reult+" he aid+ "a a democracy not o very di&&erent &rom our own."
'aniel looked over hi houlder. -he youth wa till taring a&ter the Cinnabar.
-here wa hunger in hi e,preion+ but 'aniel wouldn.t have cared to gue what the
hunger wa &or.
"Be+ ! ee that now+" he aid aloud. "%nd thi i our detination+ Hogg)"
"Beah+ but we want to knock care&ul+" Hogg aid. "-hough it wan.t the party here
like what it wa everywhere ele around+ you know)"
'aniel tepped into the receed entrance o& the %trogator. dwelling. Beyond
/uetion there were ophiticated enor and weapon pointed at him+ but tain
indicated the lit in the roo& arch had been ued to pour bla8ing &luid.
2lectronic were well and good in their place+ but an enemy o& %dele. kill could
turn them againt the original uer. % gallon o& pitch or napalm+ lighted and tipped into
the opening+ had it ue in the mot modern etting.
-he door chime wa a ection o& omium tubing &rom the barrel o& a proHectile
weapon. Centurie o& ue had given it a ur&ace like hammered gla. 'aniel truck it
with the piton rod hanging alongide &or the purpoe.
"%trogator ;elburneyA" he called. "-he :C$ ha a propoal &or youA"
-he door opened in two halve be&ore he.d &inihed peaking1 'aniel had to tep
back /uickly. $ot urpriingly+ the 'albriggan leader ued the hatch &rom a tarhip.
airlock &or hi portal.
;elburney wa dreed in a pacer. Humpuit1 he wore only a ingle holtered pitol
intead o& being a walking arm locker a he had during the aembly the day be&ore.
%nformal gar* for a pri.ate gathering, 'aniel thought with a mile.
% do8en member o& the Council got to their &eet in the room beyond. Several held
drink+ and the girl who went campering out o& the &ield o& view wan.t dreed &or a
policy dicuion. $onethele+ the %trogator and hi paramount chie& hadn.t been
involved in anything that would.ve gotten one thrown out o& a ociety party in Geno.
"Bou took your time+ CaptainA" ;elburney aid. "Bou.d have to calculate coure
&ater than that to make the grade with our /uadron."
"!& your /uadron were capable o& doing the Hob you re/uire+ %trogator+" 'aniel
aid with a pleaant mile+ "! don.t uppoe we.d be having thi converation. !n the :C$
we pre&er to do a Hob right1 a ! believe we.re prepared to do."
;elburney looked at him harply. "Bou.re ready to take out the ,ammer)" he
demanded. -hoe member o& the Council who were preent watched the principal
narrow(eyed+ even when they drank their li/uor.
"Be+ indeed+" 'aniel aid. He &elt a tingling all over hi body. This is happening,
it's really going to happenA "!n &act !.d bet my li&e on it."
-he burly captain who.d been pitting &or emphai during the Council meeting
made a gagging ound. 'aniel blanked hi &ace &or an intant+ uncertain o& what wa
going on. Beer prayed out o& the 'albriggan. notril and he lapped hi thigh with hi
&ree hand.
"'amn your bone+ ;elburneyA" he bellowed through hi hacking laughter. "!& you
won.t have him in your bloody crew+ !.ll take him in mineA"
;elburney miled a hi ubordinate laughed. "Bou might do a&ter all+ Leary+" he
aid.
Hi e,preion hardened. !n thi mood the tall pirate had the look o& a aint or an
in/uiitor. "Bou have the coure plot in a &orm you can tranmit)" he demanded.
"Be+" 'aniel aid+ pro&eionally curt. "*hen will your &leet be ready to accept it)"
"*e.re bloody ready now+" aid ;elburney. Over hi houlder he boomed+ "Mineo+
end out the call. Li&to&& in hal& an hourA"
-he burly captain grimaced+ then walked through a ide door with a gait between a
waddle and a aunter. Other member o& the Council toed o&& the lat o& their drink and
prepared to leave a oon a ;elburney got out o& the doorway.
"Bou going to be ready to li&t+ :C$)" the %trogator aid with a cant o& hi
eyebrow.
%dele gave 'aniel a tiny nod+ indicating that the rincess Cecile had already been
alerted. "Be+" he aid.
He turned and aid+ "Let. go+ SiieA"
"Hey+ :C$)" a 'albriggan called. 'aniel looked back over hi houlder but didn.t
peak. -he peaker wa Mineo+ who.d returned to the main room.
"Eood huntingA" he aid.
"Bou got that rightA" aid *oetHan+ lengthening her tride on the way back to the
corvette and the hadow o& battle.
P P P
"repare to e5it in one minute:" 'ort announced &rom the Battle 'irection Center+
hi power&ul baritone deepened and blurred by the hip. C% ytem. -he light puled
their verion o& the warning.
%dele turned &rom her blank diplay. -he pacer all around her were motionle but
a tene a wire tretched to within a &eather. weight o& breaking. -he rigger prepared
to go topide+ while the gunner and miileer poied to &ight the rincess Cecile out o& an
ambuh by %lliance &orce or by the Dalaan+ or indeed by their el&(tyled 'albriggan
allie.
'aniel wa running reentry cenario in e/uence+ changing the parameter
according to thi or that aumed degree o& damage &rom the enemy attack. Similar
preparation had aved the rincess Cecile at -anai when her armament could not have
done o.
"E5it:" and yet again %dele reali8ed+ with per&ect clarity+ that i& he put her pitol in
her mouth and pulled the trigger he would never+ e.er have to &eel that nauea again.
-he &it paed a /uickly a it came. She returned to being O&&icer Mundy+ with thing to
live &or and reponibilitie to other.
She miled &aintly+ remembering a natch o& ancient dialogue called "-he %rkana
-raveller." "! can.t &i, the roo& when it. raining+ and when the un come out the roo&
don.t leak no more."
-he commo diplay wa alive with converation among tarhip which had
emerged within a hundred thouand mile o& one another. % do8en hip had arrived
already+ and more popped into the idereal univere every &ew econd &ollowing the
rincess Cecile.
*hether the veel poke through microwave or modulated laer+ the hull o& the
receiving hip re&lected part o& the energy in econdary radiation. -he rincess Cecile.
enor and correction algorithm were enitive enough to turn the leakage into coherent
peech.
-he plendid :C$ communication uite iolated and recorded pair o&
converation. %dele checked each one+ &inding they were uni&ormly the chatter o&
captain eeing which o& their &ellow hung in pace around them. *hen he.d heard
enough to allow the o&tware to review the remainder9there wa a new burt o& empty
mall talk every time a hip appeared9he leaned back in her chair and ighed.
"'dele)" 'aniel aid over a two(party intercom link. "% gather e.erything's under
control from your .ie"point8"
%dele miled. She.d have liked to turn and call her anwer acro the bridge+ but he
repected 'aniel. deire to keep the dicuion private.
"$obody. aying+ M$ow let. cut the throat o& thoe dog &rom Cinnabar+. at any
rate+" he aid+ letting the intercom direct her word to mot recent ender in lieu o& a
peci&ic recipient. "!t. more along the line o&+ M*hat+ han.t that wreck you.re ailing
&allen apart yet). "
-here were more than thirty hip on her diplay now. -hey continued to appear+ but
the rate had lowed coniderably.
"They're certainly astrogators," 'aniel aid muingly. "They kno" their o"n region,
of course, *ut e.en so, to manage such precision *oth in time and place on short notice is
remarka*le. 'n #C! s+uadron so "ell handled "ould *e highly commended."
"'aniel)" %dele aid+ uncom&ortable in peaking but unwilling not to ay omething
about a matter o& uch importance. "! upect that ome o& the captain accompanying u
may be in league with the Dalaan rebel. !& !.m correct9"
"(ood hea.ens, of course you're correct," 'aniel aid in bree8y ama8ement.
"There'll *e se.eral captains in a fleet like this "ho'.e pledged themsel.es to 'retine *ut
stayed on Dal*riggan as spies, and %'d guess there's a do0en others "ho'd go o.er on half
an e5cuse. Del*urney's "rit may run *eyond the length of his arm7*ut not a lot *eyond,
%'d Budge, not at a time like this."
"But i& the Dalaan are warned . . . )" %dele aid+ trying to make ene o& what
he.d Hut been told. !& thi wa a head(on attack againt a heavy cruier without
urprie . . .
"% said some of the Dal*riggans support 'retine," 'aniel e,plained. "%'m confident
that no ship left the planet after Del*urney em*argoed liftoffs, though. 9ou pro*a*ly
noticed that one of the cutters in or*it "as replaced Bust *efore the assem*ly."
%dele wondered i& that wa imply a kindly e,aggeration or whether 'aniel really
did think the movement o& tarhip to and &rom a planet meant omething to her. She
ighed. !t addened her to reali8e that he would never glimpe more than the ur&ace o&
many ubHect which the knowledgable &ound o& great internal beauty.
"The captains left on guard "ould *e Del*urney's closest associates," 'aniel aid.
"'nd there "ere three, you notice, Bust in case."
He chuckled and went on+ "We should shortly *e a*le to identify the "ould1*e
traitors. They'll *e the ones attacking "ith the greatest enthusiasm to pro.e their loyalty."
"Oppoition to the current ruler doen.t make one a traitor to the tate+" %dele aid
/uietly. On that at leat her parent and Speaker Leary could have agreed.
-he matter o& %lliance backing &or the -hree Circle Conpiracy remained+ a did
%gatha. childih &eature taring over Centacret #ale &rom the bloody tump o& her
neck. But that wa a long time ago. !t wa no buine o& :C$ o&&icer Leary and Mundy
today.
%dele heard the hudder and clang o& hatche cloing. -he rigging crew had come
back within the hull+ but they remained crowded into the airlock in cae they were
needed intantly. -hey mut have gone topide a oon a the rincess Cecile reentered
idereal pace+ but %dele. own ignal concern had ti&led any awarene o& other
people. activitie.
"There's forty1three ships out of forty1fi.e+" 'aniel aid abruptly. Hi word were
light but hi tone wa a pro&eional a an organi8ation chart. "Time to get *ack to "ork.
,a.e you %Ded Del*urney's ship8"
"Be+" aid %dele+ trying not to ound hurt. 'aniel in hi pro&eional perona wa
no colder than he herel& wa at all time. 'aniel witched &rom one guie to the other
with the uddenne o& an a,e &alling+ however+ and the e,perience alway took %dele
aback.
Her wand highlighted the numbered icon on the diplay that repreented the
%trogator. &laghip+ a I<<(ton cutter like the ret o& the 'albriggan &leet. !denti&ication
tranponder returned only an alphanumeric without peronal in&ormation+ and the pirate
hadn.t bothered to upply the code to their new Cinnabar allie.
%dele didn.t need the code+ though he wondered whether they.d been withheld or i&
the /uetion had been ignored. % matching program combined each alphanumeric with
data gathered &rom eavedropping on interhip converation.
"#C! to Selma Command," 'aniel aid. He.d deliberately keyed the tranmiion to
include %dele+ though he would o& coure have litened regardle. "We're ready to
e5ecute the second and third portions of our task as soon as you inform me that your
force is also ready. #C! o.er."
-he %trogator. cutter wa a hal& light(econd ditant+ enough to create noticeable
lag in converation. -here wa no additional delay+ however+ be&ore ;elburney.
neering tenor voice replied+ "Selma to #C!. (i.e us a time hack and e5ecute in thirty
seconds. 9ou "on't ha.e to "ait for us the "ay you "ould for people "ho think a fancy
uniform makes a spacer. )ut:"
On a whim+ %dele inet a head(and(houlder view o& 'aniel in a corner o& her
diplay. He wa miling &aintly+ perhap remembering a %dele did that the %trogator.
cloth(o&(gold cotume at the %embly wa even more ornate than 'aniel. 're *hite.
He touched a key and aid over the C% ytem+ "Crepare &or entry+ e,it+ and reentry
to the Matri, in one minute."
-he chime and light echoed hi word. "Crepare &or immediate action+" 'aniel
went on. "Captain out."
Hi eye in the little inet eemed to meet %dele.. 'id he know that he wa uing
the broad bandwidth re/uired &or viual in thi completely needle and un(naval
&ahion) He mut+ becaue he winked.
"#C! to Selma Control," 'aniel aid. "We'll go into action in thirty seconds
from . . . no": #C! out."
%dele. diplay whirred1 the %trogator. &laghip wa relaying the ynchroni8ation
data to hi whole &leet in a ingle multirecipient burt. -wo more icon had Hoined the
&orty(three o& a moment be&ore+ meaning that every hip which li&ted &rom 'albriggan
had arrived within minute o& chedule at a point two light(year ditant.
"%f they can fight the "ay they sail," 'aniel aid on hi ecure link to %dele+ "then
this should go .ery "ell. )f course, their -alassan kin may *e e+ually a*le. That'll mean
a real *attle."
He ounded /uite cheer&ul at the propect.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER T2ENTY6SEVEN
$
ormally entry and e,it &rom the Matri, made 'aniel a
/ueay a they did any other pacer+ no matter how e,perienced. -hi time he wa aware
o& the enation but couldn.t really be aid to &eel them. Hi body had become no more
than the apparatu hi mind ued to e&&ect hi plan.
"7reenter normal space:" Lt. Mon. voice wa aying a the light puled.
-he rincess Cecile dropped into conenu reality+ then &luttered back into the
Matri, like a butter&ly with a damaged wing. -hey.d appeared &ive light(econd &rom
Dalaa+ cloe enough to determine the guardhip. e,act location.
-he attack conole held a hundred preet launch pattern1 the &inal choice depended
on where the ,ammer really wa. %dele. data howed a conitent pattern+ but a pattern
wan.t a bull.(eye9and nothing hort o& a bull.(eye would u&&ice when the rincess
Cecile wa on the wrong end o& uch a diparity o& &orce.
Bett wa running olution+ one &or each o& the two ready(launch miile. 'aniel
did the ame at hi command conole+ not /uite o /uickly but with an aurance that
urpried a dipaionate part o& hi mind.
'aniel wa no longer the rincess Cecile. captain+ giving order to the crew and
controlling the machinery which would e,ecute hi will. He.d become part o& the veel.
Hi awarene o& the rig+ o& the output &rom the &uion bottle9even o& the hum and
cling and whine o& the part working in concert9wa ubconciou. He no more
thought about the command hi &inger typed than he thought about breathing. !t wa all
one+ and it wa all 'aniel Leary.
-he diplay plotted a miile track in red+ another track in blue+ and between them a
treak o& purple merging the olution which 'aniel and the Chie& Miileer had both
picked. -he attack computer would e,ecute the choen pair when the rincess Cecile
ne,t e,ited the Matri,. 'aniel didn.t trut human dioriented by the tranition to launch
miile with the plit(econd timing thi attack re/uired.
*ithout heitation+ 'aniel entered hi olution intead o& Bett..
Bett turned &rom hi conole to look at hi captain. 'aniel wa aware o& the
miileer a a portion o& the compoition Ship and Crew+ but Bett no longer had a
eparate e,itence in which hi thought and &ear could have meaning.
Mon had already et up the light neceary adHutment to the ail plan. He and
'aniel together had planned the rincess Cecile. coure &rom 'albriggan to thi point
within the S@ ytem with the attack in mind. Modi&ication o& the charge level rather
than the area and angle o& the ail would take the corvette the &inal tage to her target.
-he e,ternal electric o& a well(maintained tarhip operated properly ninety(&ive
time in a hundred. -he hydromechanical gear and pump that moved the mat and
ail &ailed9&ro8e+ broke+ or imply dragged9ten time a o&ten. On an ordinary voyage
the rigger would &i, the trouble and the atrogator would compenate &or the divergence
during the ne,t leg.
Having rigger topide on thi hop would condemn mot o& them to death+ although
that wa a relatively minor concern. %&ter all+ an error in the location and vector o& the
corvette. return to idereal pace thi time wa probably a death entence &or the whole
crew.
'aniel looked at Mon. plan+ then raied the charge on both ail o& the tarboard
row by a &ew milliamp. -hat would give the rincess Cecile a light a,ial tor/ue a he
e,ited the Matri,+ preading her miile a they le&t their tube. -he dipaionate part o&
'aniel. mind reali8ed that thi adHutment wa why hi launch olution had di&&ered
lightly &rom the miileer.. Dor thee &ew moment+ the rincess Cecile wa a creature
o& oul and body+ not an obHect crewed by men.
'aniel engaged the e,it e/uence on the atrogation computer. "Ship+ prepare to e,it
the Matri, in thirty econd+" he announced. ":eentry will &ollow immediately. S((
captain out."
Hi tongue had wanted to identi&y him a the Ship. -he mall part o& 'aniel. brain
that remained obHective wouldn.t permit hi mucle and ubconciou to con&ue hi
crew that way. He miled+ amued at himel& and trembling with anticipation.
-he rincess Cecile began to hiver. Caimir energy /uee8ed the tarhip in three
mutually e,cluive direction+ &orcing it out o& the intertice between bubble univere
and back into the univere o& men.
Still miling+ 'aniel witched &rom the navigational and attack creen to a imple
real(time diplay. -he other data were attempt to predict and modi&y the &uture. !& he
hadn.t done hi Hob correctly+ there "as no &uture &or the rincess Cecile.
2ntry into the idereal univereF gut(wrenching+ mind(wrenching. %dele looked
acro the bridge at him. Her &ace wa that o& a cruci&ied aint.
-he ,ammer &illed 'aniel. diplay.
-he 3mbran had the reputation o& building handome veel+ but the guardhip in
it preent &orm looked like a pair o& hulk progreing through the breaker yard. -he
,ammer had been dimated or nearly oF the lower ection o& three &orward antenna
remained to upport the communication gear+ and thoe o& the &inal ring ternward9
when a heavy cruier+ the ,ammer wa an eight(row veel9were tubbed out to attach a
bladder holding additional reaction ma.
% an 3mbran heavy cruier the ,ammer had weighed 4@+<<< ton+ but the
cylindrical bladder the Dalaan had added wa nearly hal& the volume o& the original
hull. -he part were connected by eight tenioning cable around the rim a well a by
&i&ty &eet o& rigid tubing+ giving the whole the &orm o& an unbalanced dumbbell.
-he ,ammer wa elevating the plama cannon in her /uadruple turret1 the hutter
were liding back &rom her rocket and miile tube. 'aniel had hoped the rincess
Cecile. initial in(and(out appearance would have paed unnoticed+ but the Dalaan crew
wa de&initely alert.
-he corvette. hull rang a Het o& uperheated team eHected one and then the other
loaded miile &rom her tube. -he miile were thirty(&oot pacehip containing an
antimatter converter+ reaction ma and twin High 'rive unit1 e,haut would devour the
launcher i& they were lighted within the veel itel&.
-here wa no warhead+ though at burnout the miile would eparate into &our
egment to increae the coverage area. *hen a miile e,hauted it reaction ma+ it
wa travelling at a igni&icant &raction o& light peed1 a warhead+ even a thermonuclear
device+ would add nothing to the e&&ectivene o& a kinetic energy weapon.
-he guardhip wa le than ten mile away &rom where the rincess Cecile
reentered idereal pace. /ncle Stacey "ould *e proud of me.
"Crepare to reenterA" 'aniel aid+ houting in an unconciou attempt to peed a
proce that would take it own time regardle. % matter o& econd+ no more+ but live
end in a &raction o& that. . . .
-he corvette had rien into idereal pace+ launched her miile+ and now wa
dropping back into the Matri, like a &ih training to hide again below the ur&ace. -he
,ammer. turret couldn.t lew on target in the moment available+ but her rocket
coure(corrected by angling their thruter in accordance with data upplied by the
targeting computer. Ea pu&&ed &rom port all along the guardhip. &lank a he &ired a
deperate alvo.
-he rincess Cecile. miile hitF one gra8ing the ,ammer. tern and then
rupturing the tank o& reaction ma into a guh o& team the i8e o& a planetoid+ the other
taking the guardhip /uarely in the bow. -he miile weren.t anywhere cloe to their
potential velocity when they truck the ,ammer+ but the impact o& thirty ton accelerating
at twelve gee wa enough to mah through the cruier. hull and out the other ide.
-he econd miile. e,it plume wa brightly corucant. Carticle o& uncombined
antimatter &rom the e,haut raged merrily in the ,ammer. interior. -he hip. bow
canted at an angle to the remainder o& the hull+ on the verge o& eparating.
#eentry+ and never wa the wrenching diorientation more welcome. -he guardhip.
rocket had become a &lurry o& park welling in the &inal image on 'aniel. diplay a
the corvette departed idereal pace.
Spacer cheered. Bett blubbered with Hoy1 beide him Sun pounded the gunnery
conole with both hand. 'aniel hadn.t allowed the gunner. mate to rake the target with
hi plama cannon &or &ear the bolt would inter&ere with the rincess Cecile. miile+
o he wa wild with a combination o& &rutration and triumph.
'aniel checked hi tatu creen. 'ort wa already houting hoarely over the
intercom+ "'ll green: 'll green: !o damage:"
"-hat+" aid 'aniel aloud+ "wa very cloe1 but then+ it had to be."
He wan.t peaking to anyone e,cept the part o& hi mind that analy8ed hi action
a&ter the &act. !t wa with urprie that 'aniel reali8ed %dele wa watching him through
the curtain o& hi holographic diplay+ and that he wa nodding in agreement.
He grinned and keyed the C% ytem. "Crepare to enter normal pace in one minute+"
he ordered+ hearing the electronic echo o& hi voice &illing the whole o& the veel.
"Crepare &or action. Captain out."
'aniel engaged the reentry e/uence+ et up like the previou two be&ore the
rincess Cecile le&t 'albriggan. -heir e,it a&ter launching miile hould have moved
them ten thouand mile out &rom Dalaa with 8ero motion proper to the planet. !& they.d
utained damage during the attack+ he and Mon would have had to modi&y the plan1 but
there.d been no damage.
*hile the C% ytem chimed and the crew continued cheering+ 'aniel allowed
himel& &or the &irt time to think about the maneuver he.d Hut directed. He.d learned the
art o& precie atrogation &rom hi 3ncle Stacey+ true enough+ but it hadn.t been Stacey
Bergen who.d howed 'aniel how to pick an opponent. weak point and then to pre
home hi attack regardle o& cone/uence.
!t wa poible that Corder Leary would alo be proud o& what hi on had Hut
achieved.
P P P
%dele grimaced a the rincess Cecile. thunderou plama thruter cut in. -he
High 'rive. keening vibration wa even more unpleaant in it way+ but %dele had &ound
that while working he could tune it out the way he did hunger pang. -he thruter.
thumping ba and the atmopheric bu&&eting which inevitably accompanied the pule
were impoible to ignore.
Beide+ when the ion o& the e,haut changed tate and recombined+ they created
omniband inter&erence. 2ven the commo uite. ophiticated o&tware couldn.t harpen
more than a &raction o& the tranmiion into intelligible &orm.
%dele continued litening to interhip ignal+ o& coure1 it wa Hut harder.
-he lat o& the rigger were tripping their uit o&& with cheer&ul animation. -wenty
&eet &arther down the corridor+ their /uicker &ellow were catching the impeller and
ubmachine gun which Eanevoort toed them &rom the arm room.
*oetHan+ with an impeller in her hand and a ubmachine gun lung acro her chet+
puhed her way onto the bridge and tood behind %dele. conole. "Mitre)" the boun
aid. "Can you tranmit the how o& the cruier getting it in the neck to the tarboard
watch. helmet) *e were in the airlock and couldn.t ee /uat."
%dele looked up+ ready to narl that he wa buy. She looked at *oetHan+ who.d
pent the critical moment o& the attack in a teel bo, tighter than a co&&in9and a co&&in
indeed i& anything had gone wrong. *oetHan+ whoe preent concern wa that her rigger
get a tate o& the rincess Cecile. victory be&ore they went out with mall arm to &urther
rik their live.
"Be+ o& coure+" %dele aid. She blanked her diplay+ then earched the current
imagery &ile &or the et in /uetion. "Signal to #eeyA" he aid a her wand &lahed.
"-ake over communication dutie immediately. Signal ov9no+ ignal out."
2ither midhipman could handle the commo chore1 in &act the uite. routing
o&tware could probably manage unaided+ little though %dele cared to admit the &act.
She.d picked #eey rather than 'ort &or the duty becaue a markman o& 'ort. ability
had other ue during a battle on the ground.
Hogg+ wearing :C$ utilitie and a knapack o& munition+ tood cloe to the
command conole where 'aniel continued to make coure correction and talk with hi
diviion chie&. Hogg carried hi own weapon+ a tocked impeller. He held hi mater.
e/uipment belt+ which included a holtered pitol+ but nobody took 'aniel. Hob to be that
o& gunman.
Which reminds me. . . . "-overa+" %dele aid+ keying the intercom+ "bring me my belt
e/uipment now. !ncluding the new pitol+ i& you pleae."
She.d &orgotten to ign o&&+ but with -overa that wouldn.t9
*oetHan crooked her &inger in a tiny geture. %dele Herked her head around.
Wouldn't matter, he.d been thinking+ but in &act -overa already tood behind the conole+
miling &aintly. %dele. e/uipment belt wa in her le&t hand.
-overa wore a moke gray Humpuit with croed bandolier o& ammunition and
grenade. She didn.t have the attachQ cae becaue today he carried her ubmachine gun
openly. -he weapon wa ubtly di&&erent &rom thoe being iued &rom the arm roomF it
wa o& %lliance manu&acture+ a relic9like the ociopath. training9o& the time he
erved a Di&th Bureau pymater.
%dele tranmitted the guardhip. &inal moment+ then called up the erie howing
the 'albriggan aault on Homeland a recorded during the rincess Cecile. run back to
Dalaa in idereal pace. -he rigger were topide at the time+ taking down the antenna+
but they wouldn.t have been doing any ighteeing. %part &rom in&orming her hipmate+
the boun might be able to e,plain detail that pu88led %dele.
-he econd e/uence began to run on the diplay. -he imagery had been gathered
under high magni&ication and blown up &urther by the computer. %dele pointed with her
inde, and middle &inger together at cutter looking like i, bright park a they
appeared &rom the Matri, in the upper reache o& Dalaa. atmophere.
"Here+" he aid. "-hey came too cloe and tore themelve apart9but 'aniel ay
the 'albriggan are very able. *hat . . . )"
*oetHan bent to get the bet viewing angle. "Bugger meA" he aid. "-he batard
are goodA"
%dele winced at the thought o& omebody trying to odomi8e the boun. 0ut a &igure
o& peech+ but an un&ortunate mental image nonethele.
-he i, 'albriggan cutter had entered idereal pace with coniderable motion
relative to Dalaa. -he rigging that propelled them through the Matri, ripped away in
long trail o& &ireF even the attenuated atmophere &orty mile above the ur&ace wa too
dene &or antenna and ail to withtand at tranorbital velocitie.
"-hey.re hitting the port de&ene+ mitre+" *oetHan aid. "!& they came in normal
they.d be itting duck+ but9"
*hen %dele &irt aw the pu&& o& hal&(burned gae envelop the 'albriggan cutter+
he.d thought all i, o& them had e,ploded. $ow he reali8ed that they.d intead launched
their &ull maga8ine o& chemical rocket. She wa eeing the e,haut+ not the debri o&
an e,ploion.
"-hey.re trading their rig &or real urprie+ you ee)" *oetHan aid. %dele did ee+
now that it wa e,plained to her. "-hey can tep new antenna a&ter the &ight+ but i& they
don.t knock out the miile pit on the ground9"
"-he miile+ not the enemy hip)" %dele aked+ her eye narrowing.
*oetHan neered. "$ot with thi lot+ mitre+" he aid. "-hey ain't enemie+ they.re
all on the ame ide9once they ort out who. the top dog+ you ee) !t. not like it i with
u."
%dele aid nothing aloud. 'ctually, it's +uite a lot like the Three Circles Conspiracy
and its aftermath. But of course WoetBans meant "not like the #C!."
-he cutter which had attacked in the tratophere kipped up &rom the dener layer
o& atmophere intead o& trying to land. One diintegrated in a &ireball which continued
on it previou coure like a brie& comet.
"Eround de&ene+" *oetHan e,plained1 he wriggled her &inger momentarily in the
hologram+ dirupting the &ive ilvery treak which lahed up and pat the vanihed
cutter. "One o& the miile crew wa /uick enough and lucky enough to get home."
She chuckled. "$ot lucky enough to be home in bed when about a do8en rocket
landed on their pit+ though+ !.ll wager+" he added.
-he remainder o& the 'albriggan &leet appeared in orbit with the uddenne o&
raindrop pattering a dry ur&ace. 3nlike the initial attacker+ thee cutter had ued the
Matri, to greatly reduce their relative motion. Clama thruter &lared+ braking them
down to Dalaa. ur&ace.
"See the antenna come down already)" *oetHan demanded in a mi,ture o& envy
and delight. "-hey had their rigger topide when they tranitioned. -here.ll be a empty
&ew berth tonight or !.m a virgin."
-he boun hook her head and added+ "But Eod love me+ mitre+ what pacer
thee batard areA"
-he guardhip+ wrecked beyond repair but till motly complete+ paed through the
image area. Several o& the gun turret were intact. -he plama cannon had been elevating
at the moment o& the rincess Cecile. attack1 %dele noted with urprie that now the
weapon were lowered and realigned with the guardhip. a,i. -hat meant that portion
o& the ,ammer. crew and armament were in &ull working order.
%dele highlighted the guardhip in red+ uing a &lick o& her wand intead o& poking
her &inger through the image. "!n.t it dangerou to leave the Dalaan that way)" he
aked. "Couldn.t they hoot)"
-he boun. eye narrowed. "'amn i& !.d want an %lliance cruier where the
,ammer i+" he aid+ "but !.d gue it. a matter o& local rule. -hey could make themel&
unpleaant+ but they couldn.t change anything much9not with their central &ire control
crewed &or ure. -hey.re being /uiet o omebody.ll take them o&& the wreck be&ore they
run outa air. *hich won.t be long+ not the way they been hit."
"On the ground in three minuteA" the C% ytem blared in 'aniel. voice. "Boarding
party to the entrywayA"
*oetHan traightened. "-hat. u+ mitre+" he aid. She patted the length o& tubing
under her belt.
"Be+" aid %dele+ riing and taking her own e/uipment rather than permitting
-overa to buckle it about her. -he boun. cudgel eemed uper&luou+ given that the
tocked impeller would make a ati&actory club i& one were re/uired1 but more than logic
determine the choice one make when etting out to kill or be killed.
%dele checked the little pitol in her ide pocket+ making ure that it wa till eaily
acceible. !t wa.
":eady+ %dele)" 'aniel aked+ adHuting hi helmet lightly. He wore hi vior down
a a matter o& coure+ a practical techni/ue that made %dele &eel caged.
"Be+ o& coure+" %dele aid. Sandwiched between *oetHan and 'aniel+ he trotted
toward the companionway. -overa and Hogg had gone ahead. -he corridor wa clearF all
crewmen who weren.t neceary to the immediate need o& the veel tood on B Level+
armed and ready &or ground combat.
"*e.re landing at the north ide o& the Homeland community+" 'aniel e,plained
cheer&ully. "-he 'albriggan came down at the paceport to the outh and ecured the
hip there. -hey.ll be puhing what reitance there i toward u+ ! upect."
"Make way &or the captainA" *oetHan bellowed. -he entryway wa crowded. !&
there.d been an attempt to leave an aile+ pacer e/uipped &or ground deployment had
&illed it like and in a mold.
!n the delay be&ore hoving wider the crack the crewmen tried to &orm+ *oetHan
aid over her houlder+ "Bou don.t think the &ighting.ll be over by the time we.re on the
ground+ ir)"
!& 'aniel anwered+ hi word were lot in the blat o& the thruter doubled by
re&lection &rom the ur&ace. -he corvette bucked violently. %dele would have &allen and
then been bounced like a ball e,cept &or 'aniel. &irm hand on her houlder.
She miled+ an e,preion he knew by now would have &rightened anyone who aw
it. !n thi cruh+ nobody would.
2ven a a child+ %dele Mundy had known the &ighting would never be over. !& there
wan.t a battle raging at thi place no"+ there were battle going on elewhere and would
alway be battle until there wa no longer a pecie called Man in the univere.
% a child+ though+ %dele hadn.t imagined that he would be one o& thoe who
&ought.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER T2ENTY6EIGHT
%
oon a the main hatch tilted &orward enough to break the
eal along the upper edge+ moke and ahe wirled into the rincess Cecile. -he
automatic impeller &i,ed to the wardroom hatch on the level above cut looe with a long
burt+ making the hull ring a it recoiled. %n incoming proHectile whanged o&& the
corvette. bow.
"Boarder+ pread out and &orm along the road on thi ideA" 'aniel houted. "OverA"
-he hatch thumped down in o&t oil+ rolling up park &rom the weed and bruh
ignited by the rincess Cecile. e,haut. % ridge o& lightly higher ground upported a
grove o& tree+ but the river a hundred yard north o& the corvette &looded o&ten enough to
rot the root o& large vegetation on the &lat. -he road Hut beyond wa built on a levee
and made a good blocking poition.
'aniel tarted &or the grove+ well behind the rigger in hi &i&ty(trong party. -hey.d
Humped while the end o& the ramp wa till ten &eet in the air. -he thruter had baked the
ground olid. -he mud wa more organic than mineral+ o the tench wa wore than that
o& a &ire in a charnel houe.
-here wa a bright white &lah in the direction o& the ditant paceport. %lmot
immediately the ground huddered+ but the crah o& rending metal wa many econd
delayed. -he bow o& a pirate cutter tilted up+ then toppled again below the line o& the
caueway. -here wa no way to tell which ide had been reponible &or the detruction.
"Boarders, gunmen are taking position on the other side of the7" -overa aid. Her
cold voice wa little changed by the compreion o& the helmet radio link.
% tocked impeller began to &ire behind 'aniel+ the lug paing cloe overhead. He
tumbled on a root that remained tough depite the charring. :ighting himel& he glanced
backward. Hogg wa eated cro(legged on the top o& the ramp. Hi arm were braced
on hi knee and the impeller. ling+ locking the weapon on target.
2very time Hogg &ired+ a head lipped out o& ight behind the caueway. Sometime
there wa a plah in the air behind where the head had been.
Midway between the road and the corvette+ the ground wa till oggy. 'aniel. right
boot ank ankle deep+ throwing him &orward. Spurt o& mud and pulped &oliage leaped
high+ drawing a diagonal acro the line o& advancing pacer. -he man to 'aniel. right
crumpled+ holding hi belly and creaming. Hi e/uipment belt twited away &rom him a
he &ell+ evered by the lug.
-he rincess Cecile. upper turret roared+ raking the caueway with pule o&
plama. -he bolt were hammerblow o& pure heat on the back o& 'aniel. neck and bare
hand. Several o& the pacer &ell9unharmed+ or he hoped o+ but thrown to the ground
by the crahing dicharge.
'aniel. vior blacked out the &lahe that would otherwie have detroyed hi
retina. *hat he aw a he continued to tagger &orward wa an inviible giant chewing
hunk out o& the roadway. *et ilt e,ploded in team and the dark red &lame o& carbon1
rock ballat blew to glay hard or white+ earing calcium &lame.
-he Dalaan gun&ire ceaed. "Boarder+ &orm along the roadwayA" 'aniel whee8ed.
"OverA"
Sun ceaed &ire a&ter hi twin cannon had devoured three hundred yard o& roadway.
-hrough the moke o& the new &ire+ 'aniel aw people running back toward the town to
the outh or tanding with their hand in the air.
Several o& the pacer were hooting wildly a they advanced. -hey weren.t going to
hit anything9well+ they weren.t going to hit any Dalaan+ though their &ellow were at
rik9and the local eemed to have topped &ighting anyway.
"Boarder+ ceae &ireA" 'aniel ordered. He thought again about hi notion o& mall(
arm training &or the crew. -here.d have been time &or it during re&it on -anai. -he
Siie would.ve been e,cited to have omething real to be doing on a barren iceball.
!ntead9
%nother e,ploion hook Homeland. %n orange &ireball li&ted a metal roo& and a
human body. -he &igure wa pinwheeling1 the arm and leg had eparated &rom the toro
be&ore it all dropped out o& ight.
This cause"ay "ould make a good target *ackstop, *ut this pro*a*ly isn't the time.
'aniel reached the caueway and tepped care&ully into a moldering divot gouged
by the plama cannon be&ore pauing to take tock. % &igure in coverall prawled on the
road to the right. -he only thing moving wa the row o& ribbon ewn along hi eam+
&luttering in the bree8e.
%dele at beide 'aniel on a chunk o& rock &ill. -hermal hock had cra8ed the
ur&ace+ but either it had cooled or thi wa another e,ample o& %dele. unconcern &or her
phyical com&ort. She took out her peronal data unit.
'aniel eyed the traggling mi,ture o& wood+ wire(&enced garden+ and tone houe
to the outh. -he terrain wa rolling+ and the houe were generally built in clump on the
higher ground. 2arthen mound raied the two warehoue near the road ten &eet above
the ur&ace.
#ehicle &ull o& armed peronnel moved on the path between building. 2ven with
hi vior magni&ication at 4=<, 'aniel couldn.t ee any current &ighting. -wo houe
burned ullenly+ and occaionally park gouted &rom the paceport well to the outh.
"! can get you imagery &rom ;elburney. command car i& you like+ 'aniel+" %dele
aid. Her voice broke in mid(entence &or a cough+ but he didn.t ound winded. "-he
turret ha an electronic ight. *hich !.ve tapped."
,o" in hea.en's name . . . 8 But the method didn.t matter+ and the in&ormation
certainly did. "Be+ pleaeA" 'aniel aid. "%h+ Juadrant One."
He didn.t want omebody ele. &ield o& view covering hi own completely. %
compreed image on the upper le&t corner o& hi vior would give 'aniel the in&ormation
he re/uired without preventing him &rom doing whatever might uddenly be re/uired.
Shooting an une,pected enemy+ &or e,ample1 though with %dele and -overa both in the
hole with him+ that wa o& vanihingly low probability.
Several hundred people were coming toward the caueway on &oot. *ere they
attacking+ or9
"Boarder+ don.t hootA" 'aniel aid in udden horror. Much o& the crowd wa
children+ and many o& the adult carried in&ant or toddler a well. Hi &irt thought wa
that all o& them were unarmed+ but that wan.t technically true. % number o& the &igure
wore holtered pitol+ and one &emale carried a ubmachine gun lung acro her back.
She.d preumably &orgotten about it1 her arm were tretched out to hold the hand o& a
pair o& three(year(old twin.
"Boarder+ don.t hoot+" 'aniel repeated. "-hey.re urrendering to u intead o&
taking their chance with ;elburney. lot. On your honor+ don.t hootA"
-he 'albriggan image echoed onto the corner o& 'aniel. vior provided a
travelogue through the treet o& Homeland. !t wa o mooth that he thought &or a
moment that ;elburney wa in an aircar or at leat an air cuhion vehicle+ but the &orehull
bobbled repeatedly into the bottom o& the &rame.
-he gun wa tabili8ed both in a8imuth and de&lection. !t wa mounted in the turret
o& a car armored o heavily that only a &irm connection with the ground could upport it.
'aniel had brie&ly con&ued the moothne o& the ight picture with that o& the vehicle
itel&.
-he &ighting wa over1 'aniel wanted to catch the %trogator at the moment o&
triumph to have the bet chance o& ucceeding with the ne,t tage o& hi plan. "Lieutenant
Mon+" he ordered. "Have omeone bring the Heep to me immediately. ! need to peak to
%trogator ;elburney. Out."
"! can reach him+ 'aniel+" %dele aid+ looking up with a &rown o& concern. She mut
wonder i& he believed he wa incompetent.
'aniel laughed at the aburdity o& the unpoken thought. "! believe &ace(to(&ace
would be the better choice+ %dele+" he aid. "!.m going to have a hard ell+ !.m a&raid."
-he ringing whine o& the &an li&ting the little vehicle out o& the rincess Cecile.
tern hold &ollowed 'aniel. re/uet by only moment. #eey. voice aid+ "Captain
Leary, the Beep's on the "ay to your position+ out+" but the driver mut have been not only
prepared but cued into the command net.
Mon had cut corner to ave time hi commander might need. "% very good o&&icer+"
'aniel aid aloud. -o %dele. raied eyebrow he added+ "Lieutenant Mon+ that i."
;elburney. gunight teadied on a low circular tructure whoe tone wall had a
pronounced lope. !mmediately lug &rom an automatic impeller rang &rom the car.
armor. -he heavy(metal proHectile ricochetted with green+ purple and magenta park+
vivid even in &ull daylight. One round mut have truck the turret becaue the ight
picture Holted kyward even a the car backed to a&ety behind a reidence.
'aniel witched away &rom the remote image and overlaid hi vior with a i,ty(
percent mak howing Homeland. topography. -he circular building wa nearly in the
center o& town1 it wan.t imply a building but a thick ring urrounding a central citadel.
"-he Dalaan chie& depend more on phyical protection than the %trogator and hi
predeceor on 'albriggan do+" 'aniel aid with a grim mile. "-hat. a con&eion o&
weakne+ o& coure. !t appear that we.ve picked the right ide."
*oetHan had come over to report. "*hichever we pick i the right ide+" he aid.
Her tone made the pronouncement ound rather like a comment on the weather. "*e.re
ecuring the prioner+ ir. -hat all right)"
-he corvette. mall utility aircar landed at the back o& 'aniel. poition. Eramercy+
one o& the power(room tech+ wa driving. He howed a gentler touch on the control
than 'aniel had come to e,pect o& :C$ driver1 but then+ perhap he.d gotten lucky.
"Be+ carry on+ boun+" 'aniel aid. "Signal and ! are going to dicu the ne,t
tage with the %trogator."
He walked toward the idling vehicle. %h &rom the recent bath o& plama piraled in
the wah &rom the drive &an.
"Sir+ !.ll come with youA" *oetHan aid. She kne" he had to remain here to
command the ground party+ but her re/uet wa a certain a unrie.
"-here in.t room &or you+ mitre+" -overa aid a he tepped between *oetHan
and the aircar. "But i& you like+ !.ll kill one o& the local &or you)"
'aniel got into the &ront eat beide the driver. He.d never thought he.d ee *oetHan
with a hocked e,preion1 but he knew e,actly how he &elt.
P P P
-he 'albriggan didn.t have a command channelF they had even eparate
&re/uencie on which ubchie& and their &ollower gabbled order and nonene in their
e,citement.
"'on.t &ire at the :C$ aircar approaching &rom the northA" %dele aid. She ued her
peronal data unit to cue the corvette. power&ul tranmitter &or a multiband rebroadcat+
hoping9another peron would have thought "praying"9the meage would reach every
one o& ;elburney. gunmen.
She.d found even &re/uencie. *hat i& there wa an eighth that he.d mied+ that o&
a guntruck whoe weapon were even now winging on the Heep)
%dele. mouth /uirked in light humor a he repeated+ "'on.t &ire at the :C$ aircar
approaching &rom the northA" !n that cae he wa unlikely to live long enough to be
tortured by &ailure. -he univere had a kindly ide a&ter all.
'aniel witched on the Heep. kla,on a the driver took them low through the treet
o& Homeland. *hen the vehicle wooped up on edge to lice between a building and a
car with an automatic impeller welded to each o& it &our corner+ %dele wihed angrily
that they.d li&t high enough to hold a teady coure acro the community.
-he thought didn.t reach her tongue+ &ortunately. !t had carcely &ormed when he
reali8ed that would mean a traight coure down the throat o& the Dalaan holdout. She
had her dutie and area o& competence1 which were di&&erent+ &ortunately+ &rom thoe o&
the pacer who wa driving.
%dele could hear the ound o& gun&ire over the kla,on and the howl o& the drive &an.
% red park hrieking like a banhee curved out o& the ky and banged the car. bow+ Hut
ahead o& the open cockpit. -he driver houted and Herked hi control yoke. 'aniel reached
pat and teadied the vehicle be&ore they wobbled into the building to the le&t.
"% ricochet+" he e,plained9to everyone in the car+ but %dele wa the only one who
might not have known without being told. "*ar are dangerou place+ aren.t they) But
o& coure+ you can lip in the bath and break your neck."
%dele uppoed he wa only acting the part o& a good commander in calming hi
troop+ but on re&lection he couldn.t be ure. $othing eemed to &a8e 'aniel.
%dele didn.t care about her own li&e to peak o&+ but he &ound the notion o& being
nu&&ed out at random wa oddly di/uieting. Logically it houldn.t matter whether he
wa killed by a niper. deliberation or intead by a &ew ounce o& impact(heated omium
plunging &rom the ky. She obviouly wan.t a much a creature o& logic a he pre&erred
to believe.
-he Heep rounded a knoll on which tood everal houe+ one o& them a&ire. -he
wale beyond wa a pla8a o& ort with a triumphal arch and a number o& plinth &rom
which the tatue had been recently hot away. Dive armed vehicle parked on the
pavement+ with a group o& heavily armed 'albriggan hunched behind them.
One o& the 'albriggan aw the Heep out o& the corner o& hi eye. He houted and
leveled a tocked impeller.
-overa li&ted lightly to aimF the light pellet o& her ubmachine gun wouldn.t
penetrate the windcreen o& the open car. Be&ore he could &ire+ 'aniel roe to hi &eet
and raied hi hand high.
"Juite all rightA" 'aniel houted+ keeping hi balance even though the driver reacted
to the threat by landing in what wa virtually a controlled crah. "Captain Leary here to
peak with the %trogatorA"
;elburney tepped &orward+ holding a drawn pitol. -he man with the impeller
looked heitant and didn.t lower hi weapon. ;elburney backhanded him with the pitol
butt &rom behind+ knocking him &ace(down to the ground.
"LearyA" he houted+ advancing to give 'aniel a bear hug. "Bloody good work with
the guardhipA -here aren.t i, captain in my /uadron who.d have been able to e/ual
thatA"
!n the aembly+ ;elburney had been a monarch1 in the council meeting later he wa
the canny man o& buine. Here on thi &ield o& moke and blood+ %dele aw a much
more primal &igure that he upected wa the tu&& &rom which the %trogator had
molded hi other perona.
%utomatic impeller opened &ire &rom omewhere out o& ight. CroHectile bounced
kyward like a neon &ountain. 'nd "here are they going to come do"n8 %dele wondered+
but with detached curioity. -he near mi had inoculated her againt &ear o& death &rom
that ort o& randomne.
% white &lah lit the ky to the wet. -here wa a harp e,ploion and the &iring
topped.
"! gather Captain %retine ha gone to ground in the circular &ortre Hut over the
hill)" 'aniel aid+ pointing in the direction o& the hooting. -he air tank o& o8one and
moke &rom burning &uel+ platic+ and &leh.
"*e.ll get.er out+ never &earA" aid a hulking gunman. -he &olk around ;elburney
now were bodyguard+ not the o&&icer o& hi inner circle. -hoe &olk would be directing
their own contingent o& &ighter+ here in town and back at the paceport.
"$o doubt you will+" 'aniel aid in a cool tone and a glance that meant+ "'on.t
interrupt when your better are peaking+ dogA" He cleared hi throat and continued to
;elburney+ "! think ! might peed the proce a good deal+ %trogator. -hat i+ i& you
don.t care what happen to the de&ender with the e,ception o& Captain %retine herel&)"
Several automatic impeller opened &ire imultaneouly. Orange &lame muhroomed
over the houe+ li&ting a gunhield &rom one o& the makehi&t &ighting vehicle. -he
&iring topped.
"Care)" ;elburney aid+ hi brow &urrowing. "Eod rot my bone+ boy+ ! don.t care
what happen to her eitherA Bou can burn her . . ."
Hi e,preion changed into a cat. mile. "%h+ ! ee+" he aid. "Bou mean+ do ! mind
letting them live a&terward)"
"Be+ that. right+" 'aniel aid. "! reali8e that they.re pirate+ but regardle+ !
wouldn.t care to talk them out o& their poition and have them maacred a a reult."
'h: %dele undertood now. She at on a cracked marble paver and began etting up
the link. She.d ue the tranmitter in the %trogator. command vehicle rather than going
through the rincess Cecile. communication uite. -he peronal data unit wa cloe to
the limit o& it unbooted range &or reaching the hip &rom here in the middle o&
Homeland.
;elburney laughed. "! could ay you were a o&t batard+" he aid+ "but the truth i !
don.t ee reaon to kill a lot o& good people i& ! don.t have to. Eo ahead. !.ve got a
loudpeaker on the car. Or are you going to chance your uni&orm to keep them &rom
blowing your head o&&)"
'aniel duted the breat o& hi tunic with hi &ingertip. "-hank you+ %trogator+" he
aid+ "but ! believe O&&icer Mundy ha patched me9"
%dele nodded+ her wand &lickering. -here were three eparate node connecting
diplay in the Dalaan trongpoint. She wanted to be ure 'aniel. addre would
blanket all o& them.
"9through to the communication network within the &ortre. ! think that will be
the mot e&&ective way o& proceeding."
"%nide)" ;elburney aid. "-here. no bloody way he can do that9it. all hielded."
"O&&icer Mundy doen.t give me advice on ailing a tarhip+ Captain+" 'aniel aid+
every inch a Cinnabar aritocrat again. "%nd ! allow her the ame &reedom in dealing
with communication tak. !t work out /uite well."
"'o you want the &eed through your helmet+ 'aniel)" %dele aked. "Or would you
pre&er a larger diplay) -here. /uite a modern one in the command vehicle."
She nodded.
"-he helmet will be &ine+ %dele+" 'aniel aid. He /uared hi houlder
unconciouly and &aced wetward+ although there wa a hill and a building between him
and the Dalaan head/uarter.
%dele made a &inal adHutment. She.d opened the circuit by aping the power
management command o& the Dalaan. tandby batterie. -hat portion o& the ytem
had no a&eguard whatever in place+ but it wa connected through the tranmitter to
every computer inide the tone wall.
"!.ve put you through+" he aid. -overa wa looking at ;elburney with much the
ame mile a i& he watched him over a gunight. "Eo ahead."
%dele. diplay gave her the image o& the operator eated at each o& the eventeen
eparate unit within the &ortre. Si, were gunnery diplay controlling the weapon
emplacement in wall turret+ and &ive conole were unued at the moment.
%t one o& the i, remaining at a woman in her mid thirtie. % car ran &rom her chin
into her calp+ kirting her le&t eye by very little. Her hair wa a bright+ arti&icial red
e,cept &or where it grew over the car1 there the dye didn.t take.
"*artungA" he creamed to omeone out o& the image area. "*artung+ you batard+
they.ve entered the ytemA"
2ven without the car+ no one would have called %retine attractive. Her &eature
were too harp+ and her eye glinted like the point o& icepick.
"Sibling o& the Selma CluterA" 'aniel aid. "!.m Lieutenant 'aniel Leary o& the
:C$ with a propoition that will ave your live."
He.d intinctively raied hi voice+ though o& coure %dele wa controlling the
volume o& the output peaker. She.d turned the command circuitry to her own purpoe.
Short o& hooting the unit to piece+ the Dalaan couldn.t a&&ect their own e/uipment.
"My corvette+ the :CS rincess Cecile+ mount &our(inch plama cannon+" 'aniel
continued. "!& ! have to+ !.ll hover over Homeland and ue them to burn your little &ort
into a pool o& lava. ! believe that will take about a minute and a hal&+ but perhap le."
%retine and a mucular young male with a metal pincer in place o& hi le&t hand were
trying to block the electronic intruion &rom eparate conole. -hey had a little ucce
a they.d have had gnawing through rock. -he Dalaan at the other conole+ including
three which had been unued until 'aniel began to peak+ litened intently to the
propoal.
"!.ve arranged &or your live to be pared+" 'aniel aid. "On my honor a an :C$
o&&icer and a Leary o& Bantry."
He turned hi head toward the %trogator. 'aniel. e,preion le&t no doubt in
%dele. mind that he meant hi word in the mot direct ene poible. !& ;elburney
went back on hi word+ there would be Hell to pay. % Cinnabar gentleman had promied
a much.
;elburney probably undertood the term being o&&ered and the price that would be
e,acted &or noncompliance on hi part. -overa certainly did. She miled like a tatue o&
ice a her eye counted the 'albriggan nearby1 the target+ it might be+ that he would
kill in a &ew minute. Dor the moment+ her ubmachine gun lanted up at an angle that
threatened no one.
"-he condition i that you arret Captain %retine and hand her over to the authoritie
&or trial on treaon charge be&ore %trogator ;elburney+" 'aniel aid. "-he :epublic o&
Cinnabar doen.t preume to dictate legal procedure and penaltie to the government o&
allie like the Selma Cluter+ o ! peci&ically e,cept Mitre %retine &rom my guarantee
o& a&ety."
%retine had le&t her conole. % 'aniel poke he reappeared at one o& the gunnery
diplay+ wrenching the man there aide and itting down in hi place. -he unit wa
uppoed to control three o& the automatic impeller in unmanned barbette on the outer
wall. !t wa a dead a a pile o& gravel now1 the Dalaan commander Herked at the
Hoytick uelely in &rothing &ury.
%dele &rowned+ reali8ing that he could have hut down the &ort. active de&ene
much ooner than he did+ thu aving live among the 'albriggan attacker. -hough . . .
looking at the thug guarding ;elburney+ that wan.t a propect &or which he could
ummon much enthuiam.
"! reali8e you.ll need to dicu thi among yourelve+" 'aniel continued. He
ounded utterly incere+ but he winked to thoe watching him &rom the interior o& the
&ortre. -hey.d have thought he wa imple(minded i& he hadn.t. "Bou have &ive minute
to accept or reHect my o&&er1 and i& the latter+ a tri&le longer to make your peace with Eod.
:C$ out."
-he %trogator looked down at %dele. "Bou+ Mundy)" he aid. "Can you make all
my people hear me the way you warned about you Cinnabar driving up in the car)"
"Be+ ! can do that+" %dele aid+ keeping her tone neutral. !& another Cinnabar
aritocrat had poken to her in o bruk a &ahion+ he would have called him out1 but
;elburney wa clearly being polite in hi own &ahion. The custom of the country. . . .
"'o it+ then+" ;elburney aid+ "and !.ll warn .em about the prioner. *e don.t want
any lipup."
He nodded toward -overa with a grim mile. -ruly+ the %trogator wan.t a man
who mied much.
%dele pulled o&& her :C$ helmet and toed it underhanded to ;elburney. "3e
thi+" he aid.
"*ould to Eod ! had you on my hip+" ;elburney muttered a he ettled the helmet
on hi head. -he lining adHuted automatically to hi larger kull. He nodded toward
'aniel+ engroed in the interplay viible through the &ort. eventeen diplay. "! thought
he wa blind to pick a girl&riend like you."
"! pre&er not to be called a girl at all+ Mater ;elburney+" %dele aid. "Bou can
addre your peronnel now."
On the range o& miniature creen monitored through the peronal data unit+ the one(
handed Dalaan turned with a narl and grabbed the bell(mu88led weapon beide him.
-hree plahing hole in hi chet &lung him back into the conole. !t went dead when a
econd burt ripped through the man. body and the bo, itel&.
"-hi i the %trogatorA" ;elburney aid. "Liten upA -he batard who holed up in
the HJ are gonna urrender in a minute or two. *e.re gonna let .em. Hear meA Bou.re
gonna treat .em all like they wa your long(lot iter+ you hear) %nybody hoot a
prioner+ he goe out an airlock without a uit+ ! don.t care who you areA"
%retine wa no longer viible. -he Dalaan weren.t looking at their diplay1 ome
o& them remained at their conole+ but they.d rotated the eat outward and held weapon
ready. Spark crackled &rom the wall in &ront o& an unued diplay+ ubmachine gun
proHectile diintegrating on concrete.
;elburney gave %dele a lopided grin. "Digure that.ll do the Hob)" he aid.
She hrugged. "Bou know your people better than ! do+" he aid. "!t eemed clear
enough to me+ certainly."
;elburney /uatted beide her+ hi eye on 'aniel who appeared obliviou. "-ake a
lot on him &or a young &ellow+ doen.t he)" ;elburney aid.
-hree Dalaan carrying pitol ran through the image &ield o& the conole at which
%retine had at when 'aniel began hi peech. One o& them threw hi hand in the air and
toppled &orward.
"He. acted a hi &ather. envoy ince he turned i,teen+" %dele lied in a
converational tone. "-hi i a relatively minor matter compared to ome he.
undertaken."
"*hat)" ;elburney aid in ama8ement.
'aniel walked a little apart a though he were completely lot in the event within
the &ort. He and %dele hadn.t had a chance to plan thi+ but &rom their &irt meeting they.d
hown an aptitude &or counterpointing one another. !o", if only 'retine "ill hold out for
a fe" minutes longer.
"*hy ye+ 'aniel i Speaker Leary. on+" %dele aid. "Bour oppoite number in the
:epublic+ one might ay1 though we too have our &action."
She nodded in the direction o& the &ighting with what he hoped wa a good(natured
mile. Eood nature wan.t a ubHect on which %dele Mundy had a great deal o&
e,perience.
"! hope that you didn.t think that 'aniel. come to you a a Hunior naval lieutenant)"
he aid. "-he :C$ i completely apolitical+ ! aure you. Bou.ll be negotiating with a
Leary o& Bantry+ ir."
% Dalaan inide the &ort began houting into what had been %retine. diplay. Hi
bearded &ace wa contorted with emotion. %dele had hut o&& the ound pickup along with
all the unit. other &unction.
"! ee+" aid ;elburney without in&le,ion. "-hat. intereting+ O&&icer Mundy. !.m
glad you told me."
-he Dalaan gave up trying to peak into the conole. He and a &ellow reached down
and together li&ted %retine by the hair into the image &ield. -he rebel leader. eye bulged
and dribble o& blood ran &rom her ear. She.d probably been hot in the back o& the head+
but it wa impoible to tell &rom thi angle.
"Cue me+" the %trogator aid with a curt nod to %dele. "%ll right+ ibling+ the
&ighting. overA :emember what ! told you about the prioner. $ow it. time to partyA"
He took o&& the :C$ helmet and returned it to %dele a 'aniel came auntering
back. Several o& the bodyguard tarted hooting glee&ully at the ky.
"%trogator ;elburney+" 'aniel aid+ "now that the buine here ha been taken care
o&+ ! want to dicu a matter that will greatly increae the in&luence o& your cluter in the
Cinnabar Senate."
"-hey.re coming outA" houted a 'albriggan who had a direct view o& the &ortre.
"$ot Hut yet+ Leary+" the %trogator aid. "*e.ll talk tomorrow a&ter you.ve got your
hip rerigged+ and you won.t be orry &or the reult. But not Hut now."
%dele ighed+ gathering her trength to tand up again. She and 'aniel had aved
/uite a number o& live by ending the battle in thi &ahion. She uppoed he hould &eel
cheer&ul.
But the air tank o& blood and detruction+ and %dele &elt only digut9at herel&
and at the pecie o& which he wa a part.

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER T2ENTY6NINE
"B
ou appear to be getting the retty $ary nicely back in hape+
Captain Slayter+" 'aniel aid a the glum(&aced merchant captain walked up a he
urveyed the rincess Cecile. "Have you made headway in locating your miing &uel
cell)"
'aniel Hudged that the corvette wa about three hour hort o& being able to li&t with
her rig in inpection order+ but *oetHan had urpried him in the pat with the peed her
crew could work. O& coure the readine o& the rincess Cecile wan.t the /uetion that
mot concerned him at the moment.
"Oh+ we &ound mot o& them+" Slayter aid. "-here wa a pile o&&(loaded right beide
her+ le&t right out in the weather+ the la8y batard. Bour lot o& pirate ay they won.t top
u+ but they don.t help u reload the hip either. *e.re a merchant hip with an economic
crew+ not an army o& &olk itting around in cae there. a cargo to be hi&ted without
tevedore."
"!ndeed+" aid 'aniel+ auntering toward the corvette. tern. !t hadn.t ecaped hi
notice that Slayter re&erred to the 'albriggan a "your lot o& pirate+" implying 'aniel
wa reponible &or their action or inaction+ nor had he mied the wipe at :C$ crew
paid by ta,e and tribute.
-he Homeland paceport wa a plain blated to purplih ceramic by thouand o&
tarhip movement. Canal &ed by the river to the north cricroed the land and
provided reaction ma+ but the Selma pirate didn.t &avor water harbor the way mot
tar&arer did.
-heir cutter didn.t ink deeply into bare oil a heavier veel would+ but there wa
another practical reaon why the pirate weren.t &uy about where they landed. Beide
capturing hip a they e,ited the Matri,+ the Selma cutter raided outlying ettlement
where tarhip didn.t normally land. -hey were ued to the tricky buine o& landing on
hard ground+ and the practice they received at home made them le prone to error when
repeating the proce under &ire.
"Bour crew took away all my mat+" Slayter aid+ &ollowing 'aniel. *ell+ there
hadn.t been much chance the :ohakan would take the hint o& a turned back and leave.
"$ot Hut a couple to replace your damage."
Other people9though not many :C$ o&&icer+ come to think9might have
apologi8ed to Slayter or de&enively brought up the civilian. promie during the council
meeting. 'aniel turned like a gun training and aid+ "*e.ve replaced the i, antenna that
were lot at -anai+ Captain Slayter+ and in addition we.ve replaced the pare we ued to
make good a much o& the damage a we could at the time."
%n aircar overloaded with hoghead o& li/uor &lew acro the &ield &rom the outh.
!t &our &an were lugging in ynchrony+ o the vehicle. progre toward Homeland wa a
ba thrum . . . thrum . . . thrum . . . % naked man danced on the cargo.
"My undertanding wa that the retty $ary wa being re&itted with par &rom the
tock available on Dalaa+" 'aniel aid. "-hey won.t be &ull length+ but they.ll get you
home. Slower+ perhap+ but you.re hort(handed o the leer ail area i an advantage."
Slayter had tarted to peak+ but 'aniel continued raiing hi voice to keep the &loor.
He took a tep toward the civilian. Slayter held hi ground momentarily+ then tepped
back.
"-hat. my undertanding+ a ! aid+" 'aniel continued+ "but my only concern at thi
moment i to prepare my warhip in the mot e,pedient &ahion &or action againt the
enemie o& the :epublic. -he loyal citi8en protected by Cinnabar are obligated to help in
any way poible to achieve that end. $ow9"
'aniel placed hi hand on hi hip and glared at the civilian.
"9i there any apect o& your dutie to the :epublic that you &ail to undertand+
Captain Slayter) Or i it your loyalty that. in doubt)"
"!.m loyalA" aid Slayter+ who.d hrunk i, inche during 'aniel. polemic. He knew
the penaltie &or treaon to the :epublic+ and he mut have upected that 'aniel wa
willing to e,ecute them9and him9out o& hand. "Look+ !.m Hut a loyal captain trying to
have a &riendly converation with a &ellow citi8enA"
'aniel beamed. "!.m very glad to hear that+ Captain+" he aid+ again a picture o&
&riendline. "!t help thoe o& u in the &ighting &orce to know a we ready &or battle that
the civilian we leave behind in a&ety undertand and appreciate u."
Slayter /uivered between relie& and reent&ul anger. %bove on the hull *oetHan
bellowed+ "%nother inch+ another inch9put your back into it+ you buggering womenA"
'aniel glanced up. % team wa tepping a new mat+ the lat o& the i, being
mounted. -hey.d ued the hydraulic winch to get the heavy tubing roughly into poition+
but the &inal adHutment had to be made by hand. Dive rigger were hauling on a i,(block
tackle+ while the boun herel& knelt holding the pivot pin in place with her le&t hand and
a heavy maul hort(gripped in her right.
"One9hold itA" -he maul crahed down like the impact o& a lug.
*oetHan tood. She aw 'aniel watching and waved her maul in triumph. "-wenty
more minute+ irA" he called. "Bou can li&t any time a&ter thatA"
'aniel waved back. -hat wa only true+ he upected+ i& he li&ted with crewmen on
the hull reeving the lat o& the cable and mounting the ail. But i& he gave thoe order+
neither *oetHan nor any o& her rigger would complain about the danger.
Slayter had ued the ditraction to head &or hi &reighter in the berth acro the canal
to the eat. *hen 'aniel moved the rincess Cecile &rom her blocking poition by the
river+ he.d landed ne,t to the retty $ary o that hi crew wouldn.t have &ar to tranport
the mat and par they were commandeering.
'aniel preened himel& mentally. He wa learning how to et down on dry land
without bobbling dangerouly on re&lected thrut. !t wan.t a kill an :C$ commander
o&ten needed+ but omeday it might be the di&&erence between li&e and death.
-overa tepped out o& the main hatch. She looked oddly nondecript+ even when
carrying a ubmachine gun lung o that the butt wa in her hand beide her right hip.
-overa aw 'aniel and nodded minutely. -wo pacer coming back &rom town
carrying a rolled carpet between them tepped harply to the oppoite ide o& the ramp+
care&ul never to make contact with the ervant.
'aniel. &ace became till. -he nod meant that -overa wa bringing him a meage
that %dele didn.t chooe to end over the air.
He.d have walked toward the ramp to meet the ervant hal&way e,cept that the howl
o& a two(troke engine racing &rom the town drew hi attention. Hogg had liberated an
air(cuhion cooter &or the duration o& hi tay on Dalaa. !t bounced acro a canal.
Hogg wa driving in a beeline toward the rincess Cecile with the little engine punched
out. 'aniel upected he.d make better time i& he croed at the culvert intead o& driving
over the canal imply becaue he could+ but Hogg had a &ondne &or the direct
approach.
% &ondne that had rubbed o&& on hi charge+ Boung Mater 'aniel. Subtlety had it
place+ but there were wore tendencie in an :C$ o&&icer than the willingne to go
traight &or the throat o& a problem.
'aniel tood where he wa+ &lipping a coin mentally a to which meenger would
reach him &irt. -overa did+ a &ew econd be&ore Hogg tried to top the way he would in
a truck and learned that redirected &an don.t give nearly the braking e&&ort that tire
againt a olid ur&ace do. -he cooter lid twenty &eet pat 'aniel on a choru o& cure
&rom it driver.
"Mitre Mundy wihe to tell you that the %trogator ha called an aembly o& all
ibling in hal& an hour+" -overa aid with her uual look o& cool amuement. "-wenty(
even minute+ now. He. told everyone to gather in &ront o& the Cinnabar corvette."
"%h+" aid 'aniel. He touched the witch on hi helmet+ cuing it manually rather
than uing an oral command to engage the intercom. "Lieutenant Mon+ pleae recall all
peronnel to the hip without delay. Captain out."
"Mater+ the whole load o& pirate. coming here &or a meetingA" Hogg cried a he
leaped o&& hi vehicle. "-hat. the Dalaan+ the one till alive+ beide all the lot we
come with and any odd and od &rom the third bloody planet beide+ whatever the
bloody name iA !t don.t ound like anybody. pied o&&+ but there. going to be a hitload
o& .em warming out hereA"
"-he third planet o& the cluter i Horn+" aid -overa without e,preion.
'aniel looked up at the rigger. "*oetHan)" he called+ uing hi lung intead o&
technology. "'on.t be concerned about the viitor who.ll be arriving hortly. 0ut keep
working till you.re done+ becaue ! very much want to be able to li&t &rom here on a
moment. notice."
P P P
%dele &elt 'aniel. preence behind her and turned. -o her urprie+ he.d changed
into hi 're *hite ince he lat noticed him. She.d been buy+ o& coure.
"%dele)" 'aniel aid. "! don.t like to bother you+ but could you make ure the
e,ternal peaker are cued to my helmet) -he imple way to learn would be to tet the
link+ but ! don.t want to look uncertain in &ront o& our viitor."
"Be+ !.ve connected you+" %dele aid. She got to her &eet+ &eeling a tri&le wobbly.
She hadn.t actually been at her conole o very long+ but he.d been .ery &ocued &or the
lat hal& hour. "*ould you like me to run the %trogator. word through our ytem
alo)"
-he hip wa retive though /uiet ave &or the ound o& machinery. -he crew wa at
action tation. %long with all the normal aignment+ 'ort had a /uad o& markmen in
the wardroom ready to Hoin their &ire to that o& the automatic impeller at the open hatch. !&
thing went wrong.
";elburney ha peaker on hi armored car+" 'aniel aid. "! aume he intend to
ue them . . . but i& you can diconnect thoe and witch hi voice through our+ ye+
pleae do it. -he ymbolim would be ue&ul."
%dele turned and entered a preet command+ uing the conole. virtual keyboard
intead o& taking her peronal data unit out o& it pocket. !& she could do it, indeed:
"-wo minute to go+" 'aniel aid. "! believe ! hould be punctual even though the
%trogator han.t directly in&ormed me o& the aembly. %lthough9"
He miled broadly a %dele &ell in beide him on their way &rom the bridge. -overa
waited at the hatch with %dele. gunbelt1 Hogg had gone to Hoin the /uad o& markmen.
"9! don.t imagine that he believe that ! won.t hear whatever he ay that pertain to
the :C$."
"-here. been nothing to ugget an attack+" %dele aid. "But there. been no reaon
at all given &or the aembly+ Hut the order decreeing it. !.m truly orry+ 'aniel. !.ve
litened to converation between ;elburney and hi cloet aociate+ and there wa no
hint o& thi till it happened. -he only peron whoe opinion matter in an autocracy i the
autocrat."
"Speaking a the captain o& a warhip+ ! wouldn.t have it any other way+" 'aniel aid+
tretching with the care that hi uni&orm. trait limit re/uired. He grinned.
%dele walked down the companionway behind 'aniel and with -overa &ollowing
her. He glanced back and aid+ "%dele+ i& you would+ pleae arrange that the %trogator
doen.t peak until ! have."
"Be+ ! took care o& that+" %dele aid in the dry tone he ued when omeone told her
to do omething obviou. When a Cinna*ar aristocrat attends a gathering of *ar*arians,
of course he takes precedence.
She hook her head in el&(amuement. She.d thought o& herel& a an egalitarian
when he worked in the %cademic Collection on Blythe. -here+ o& coure+ he.d been
urrounded by other well(born intellectual.
% boarding party with ubmachine gun and grenade &illed Corridor B in both
direction &rom the entryway. *oetHan and Barne headed the ection.
"Bou how .em+ irA" a pacer called.
*oetHan narled vainly &or ilence+ but the whole party wa cheering a 'aniel and
hi companion walked into the unlight. %nd perhap that wan.t uch a bad
accompaniment a&ter all.
-he corvette and the captured &reighter were at a corner o& the port ditant &rom other
veel. -he plain be&ore the rincess Cecile. main hatch had &illed with pirate and the
vehicle that had brought them to the aembly. -here were everal thouand o& them+ a
taggering number in comparion to the empty purple wateland %dele had een a &ew
hour be&ore.
She at on the deck+ her back againt the Hamb o& the main hatch+ and brought her
data unit live. %t the top o& the diplay %dele put a panorama o& the crowd+ but her own
concern were with matter that might not take place openly.
-overa wa acro the hatchway+ canning the thouand o& &ace on the ground
below. She too had peciali8ed concern.
;elburney had parked hi armored car at the bottom o& the ramp. He tood with hi
back to the vehicle+ behind a line o& hi bodyguard. On eeing 'aniel appear+ he tarted
hi oration.
-he noie o& the crowd+ mot o& it drunk or till drinking+ completely covered
;elburney. unaided voice. % technician with a deperate e,preion tuck hi head out
the rear hatch o& the vehicle.
'aniel raied hi hand in greeting. "Sibling o& the Selma Cluter+" hi voice
boomed. "! greet you in the name o& Cinnabar and the :C$. %trogator ;elburney+ !.m
particularly glad to ee you."
He beckoned ;elburney &orward with hi le&t hand. "Come+ Hoin me and addre
your people &rom the deck o& a Cinnabar warhip."
!t truck %dele that i& the %trogator hadn.t been o determined to avoid in&orming
'aniel o& hi plan+ 'aniel wouldn.t have choen to embarra him in thi &ahion. -he
&act that only ;elburney and a &ew o& hi cloet aide knew what wa happening now
made the inult bearable but all the deeper.
;elburney. &ace went white+ then red. Dinally he rocked &orward in a gut o&
laughter. Cuhing through the line o& hi tartled bodyguard+ he trode up the ramp and
took hi place beide 'aniel.
"! wihed &or a while that you were one o& my captain+ Leary+" he aid in a low
voice. "$ow !.m glad you.re not+ becaue ! ee !.d have to hoot you and your tech o&&icer
there9"
He nodded toward %dele.
"9be&ore the month wa out."
%dele looked at him. ;elburney wan.t a tupid man+ but living in thi milieu o&
drunken pirate had led him to the habit o& making tupid boat.
"%nd !.m not ure ! could+" ;elburney added+ in the ame whimical tone.
'aniel claped him+ &orearm to &orearm. "%trogator ;elburney+" hi ampli&ied voice
aid. "-ogether we.ve put down a rebellion againt your authority and an a&&ront to the
:epublic o& Cinnabar. ! now re/uet that you and your ibling Hoin the :C$ in teaching
a leon to thoe on Strymon who think to revolt againt Cinnabar overeigntyA"
*here %dele at+ hielded by the curve o& the corvette. hull+ 'aniel. voice through
the peaker on the doral ridge wa merely loud. !n the &ront rank o& the aembly it
would be pain&ul+ though o& coure mot o& thoe litening had numbed themelve with
ethanol.
"Eod. *lood you.re a clever batard+" ;elburney whipered. He &aced the aembly+
raiing hi hand a 'aniel had done a moment be&ore. %dele nodded to him.
"Sibling o& the tarA" ;elburney thundered. "*e.ve lived with the libel o& the
anctimoniou merchant o& Strymon &or a many generation a we.ve gone into pace.
-heir lie+ their treachery+ thee are well known to you."
He held out hi le&t arm toward 'aniel a though demontrating a pri8ed poeion.
"!.ve dicued thee matter with %dmiral Leary here+ the on o& Speaker Leary+ the
2mperor o& Cinnabar. He ha agreed to put the reource o& the :C$ at our dipoal+ to
chatie the hypocrite o& Strymon once and &or all. %re you with me+ ibling)"
'aniel glanced aide toward %dele and mouthed+ "'oe hit tink)"
He could have houted hi Hoke through the corvette. peaker and till not been
heard. -he aembly. cheer o& agreement had a avage undertone+ like the growl o&
great carnivore e,pecting to be &ed momentarily.
-he %trogator &aced 'aniel. "%dmiral Leary+" he aid+ "how long will it take you to
prepare &or thi great Hoint enterprie)"
"%trogator ;elburney+" 'aniel aid. "My hip and crew are ready to li&t
immediately+ but !.ll need twenty minute to tranmit the coure and attack intruction to
your veel. ! await your readine."
He and ;elburney were playacting &or a group o& adult with the implicity and
cruelty o& children+ but there wa nothing in it to raie a mile. 2,cept perhap a rictu
like that which li&ted %retine. lip the lat time %dele had een her. . . .
"-o your hip+ iblingA" ;elburney aid+ haking hi right &it. "*e li&t in hal& an
hourA"
-he cheer o& the dipering pirate were lot in the narl and whine o& their vehicle.
engine. -hey were in motion+ warming toward their cutter+ be&ore the lat echoe o&
the %trogator. voice had died away.
;elburney looked at 'aniel with an e,preion compounded o& admiration and
pi/ue. "Bou.ve really got a battle plan)" he aked.
"! had to do omething while you were planning your charade+ %trogator+" 'aniel
aid. "! think you.ll &ind it ati&actory+ but &rankly !.d have pre&erred to have gotten your
input be&ore ! impoed it on you. %nother time+ perhap you won.t chooe to keep
yourel& incommunicado when there. work to be done."
"%nother timeA" ;elburney aid. -hen he grinned at &irt 'aniel+ then %dele+ and
added+ "But you do make li&e intereting+ :C$."

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER THIRTY
-
he i,ty(even Selma cutter plotted on 'aniel. diplay
vanihed and reappeared+ moving toward Strymon in hort hop through the Matri,. !t
wa like watching a warm o& locut leap&rogging one another a they advanced. -hough
there eemed no organi8ation+ the motion wa a ine,orable a the riing tide.
-he &our Strymonian &rigate orbiting the planet hook out their ail+ then lipped
into the Matri, themelve rather than contet with a &orce ten time uperior to them.
-he rincess Cecile wa already above the planet+ broadcating her warning to
Commodore Cettin. hip below.
"' .ery pretty play+" aid Lt. Mon+ who wa viewing the ame imulation &rom the
Battle 'irection Center. "!o", if "e can only get the other actors to follo" the script.
%nd if the ne5t scene isn't the 'lliance s+uadron thundering do"n on us *ecause our ne"
allies didn't destroy the relay satellites *efore the guardships got a message off to Tanais.
That's going to take some tricky astrogation."
'aniel cratched the hair over hi le&t temple where the rim o& hi cap rode when he
wa wearing one. Dor no obviou reaon+ he tended to itch there when he wa in the
Matri,.
"-he atellite are on a chedule+" 'aniel aid+ "and the Selman are e,cellent
atrogator. *oetHan believe they.re capable o& the neceary preciion+ at any rate."
"Scre" that:" Mon aid. "% *elie.e they can do it too4 *ut %'ll *e a damned sight
happier "hen % can say they did do it."
"Be+ ! wouldn.t look &orward to &acing an %lliance battlehip either+" 'aniel aid.
"Still+ even i& a warning make it through we can hope an :C$ /uadron can get under
weigh &ater than anything wearing %lliance color. Commodore Cettin and ! may not be
oulmate+ but my e,perience o& him bear out hi reputation a an able man."
"-i.e minutes to e5it from the $atri5:" 'ort. voice noted. -he midhipman wa
peaking louder than neceary+ a ign o& hi tenion.
"$on out, sir+" Mon aid+ returning to hi immediate dutie.
'aniel wan.t a dreamer+ not really+ but he had hi reverie. Dor a moment he let hi
mind wander to the inevitable :C$ punitive e,pedition that would retake Strymon and
put paid to the %lliance interloper. *ould the rincess Cecile be a part o& it) %nd
would+ &or that matter+ Lt. 'aniel Leary till be in command o& the rincess Cecile)
'aniel chuckled+ calling up the ail plan+ power output+ conumption+ and all the
core o& other diplay that were the ame a they.d been be&ore he and Mon dicued
the attack. *ith near certainty they.d remain the ame until the rincess Cecile returned
to idereal pace. 'aniel wa till better o&& looking them over once more than he.d be
building catle in the &airyland o& the &uture.
%dele had rotated her eat away &rom the opalecence o& her empty creen and wa
looking acro the bridge. She nodded minuculy when 'aniel caught her eye1 but he
hadn.t been+ he reali8ed+ looking at him or at anything ele within the tarhip. limited
con&ine.
%dele wa uncom&ortable in the Matri,. Drom the little he.d aid+ he diliked
tranition even more than mot o& the human who had to undergo them. She didn.t have
work to occupy her o he wa ending her mind into another place entirely.
'aniel tood and walked over to hi &riend. He didn.t have any dutie &or the moment
either+ o uing hi time to raie the morale o& a valuable member o& hi crew wa clearly
called &or.
"! hope Commodore Cettin can get hi whole /uadron into orbit within an hour o&
our warning+" 'aniel aid converationally. "!.d e,pect him to li&t the Winckelmann
immediately on her anchor watch and &erry the remainder o& the crew up aboard the
detroyer+ but it. poible that he.ll do it the other way around. !n any cae+ we houldn.t
be alone above Strymon &or very long."
"T"o minutes to e5it from the $atri5+" the C% ytem announced+ thi time in Mon.
voice. -he atmophere o& the hip didn.t change+ but omeone on B Level began inging+
" M% "alk in the garden alone . . .. " in a whee8y ba.
%dele &ocued on 'aniel. Her &ace would never look o&t+ but ome o& the edge o&
tenion over her cheekbone eaed. "*ill we be &ighting other hip)" he aked1 a polite
/uetion rather than a matter o& peronal concern.
"-he guardhip ought to run intead o& &ighting+" 'aniel aid. "!& they do &ight+
;elburney. &leet will weep them away without needing our help. -here. no guarantee+
o& coure+ but ! don.t anticipate that ort o& trouble."
He grinned. "*hich i not to ay that Bett and ! haven.t prepared &iring olution &or
up to twelve target+ Hut in cae Cleyna #aughn increaed the number o& picket veel.
*e don.t know what. been happening on Strymon."
%dele miled the way a cat doe be&ore biting. "! hope that we "ill know a&ter we.ve
been in orbit &or a &ew minute+" he aid. "!.ll be9we.ll be+ that i9entering the
databae o& the Minitry o& the $avy and the Creidential Calace both. !.ve programmed
the computer to ort &or recent in&ormation bearing on the rincess Cecile in particular
and the :C$ more generally. !.ll be reviewing the data a it come in. -hat hould give u
an idea o& the government. intention very /uickly."
")ne minute to e5it from the $atri5," Mon announced.
'aniel &elt a urge o& anticipation. -here wa nothing in the world like it. -he
moment that a girl drop her pretene o& modety and coo+ "*ell+ maybe one ki+"
wan.t in the ame league.
"Showtime+" 'aniel aid with a grin. He /uee8ed %dele. houlder and trode back
to hi conole with the economy o& a captain who know every inch and ounce o& hi
hip.
Bett continued obeively running miile olution+ but Sun turned &rom the
gunnery diplay and gave 'aniel a thumb(up. %dele had her peronal data unit where
the conole. virtual keyboard would normally be proHected. She raied her wand1 a
ripple ran acro the patel blankne o& the diplay.
"Entering normal7"
!mage &lipped in 'aniel. mind. He aw himel& &rom &our angle1 a trail o& &uture
elve tretched to in&inity &rom each poible e,itence.
"9space+" Mon cloing in a gap rather than the intended hout+ a though he.d been
punched in the tomach while the word wa till in hi throat.
Strymon+ a blue ball with more land than water+ hung 4I+<<< mile below the
rincess Cecile. -hree &rigate were in geoynchronou orbit at @6+<<< mile1 the
calculated poition o& the &ourth put it on the other ide o& the planet &rom the corvette.
'aniel hrank the real(time view o& Strymon to a idebar and e,panded the Clot
Coition !ndicator &rom the right hal& to hi whole diplay. He.d et the CC!. &ield &or
I<<+<<< mile above the planetary center. -hat wa an unuually large volume &or the
purpoe+ but it allowed him to view the pirate cutter a they entered idereal pace.
"Strymonian veelA" 'aniel ordered+ uing modulated laer beam directed at the
three viible hip. "Surrender at once to the &orce o& the :epublic o& Cinnabar. !& you
attempt reitance+ the i,ty(eight hip o& my &leet will repond with overwhelming
&orceA"
-he rincess Cecile had e,ited directly above the capital+ Calia+ and the harbor
erving it. Lt. Mon had the Hob o& contacting the hip o& Commodore Cettin. /uadron
on high(power microwave while 'aniel warned o&& the guardhip. 3nder the
circumtance+ 'aniel didn.t think the commodore would obHect to being le&t to an
underling+ though you could never be ure.
-he CC! glowed+ the pattern hi&ting like tinel dri&ting in till air. Several+ then a
core+ o& the pirate cutter had vanihed into the Matri, only moment &rom their &irt
appearance in idereal pace. $ow they reappeared+ le than hal& their previou ditance
&rom Strymon.
"Strymonian &rigateA" 'aniel aid. -he &ourth veel had edged up &rom the planet.
hadow1 the rincess Cecile. commo uite directed a laer emitter at the Strymonian
without &urther input &rom 'aniel or %dele. "*e have no /uarrel with the loyal citi8en
o& Strymon+ but the traitor who.ve intrigued with the o(called %lliance o& the tyrant
Corra will be rooted out and punihed i& they don.t give up immediately. Surrender to the
:epublic o& Cinnabar to ave your live and your honorAA"
Creciely how urrender wa an honorable option &or the picket veel wa a
/uetion beyond 'aniel. ability to anwer+ but it eemed a ue&ul phrae to throw in at
the moment. Hi &ather would.ve nodded with undertanding.
-he High 'rive whined at ma,imum output to hold the rincess Cecile in poition
above Calia. Becaue the corvette wa well below geoynchrony+ that meant braking
againt it initial orbital velocity. Cray heaven that Mon had a clear link to the /uadronA
Only a hand&ul o& the pirate cutter remained where they.d originally appeared+ well
out &rom Strymon. % gaggle o& thirty trembled &rom the Matri, within 6<+<<< mile o&
the planet. -hough there wa nothing eemingly organi8ed about the pirate &ormation+
'aniel noted with delight and ama8ement that the hip were in preciely the ame
relative alignment a they had been be&ore they entered the Matri, a &ew minute be&ore.
*oetHan and both rigging watche were on the hull+ depite the danger and the &act
they had no Hob to do at the moment. 'aniel wan.t going to land o there wa no need to
take the antenna down+ but he didn.t know9couldn.t know9what the corvette. ne,t
coure might be. -he rigger waited in cae an emergency re/uired an immediate
adHutment to the ail.
$ot+ a&ter all+ an unlikely occurrence under the preent circumtance.
"Strymonian veelA" 'aniel repeated. "Surrender to the :C$ or dieA"
He.d inet real(time imagery o& the &rigate acro the bottom o& hi diplay. -he
Strymonian orbited with eight antenna partially e,tended+ permitting them to hi&t into
the Matri, on hort notice but alo able to maneuver in normal pace. Dor the mot part
they e,pected to deal with muggler or merchantmen li&ting without paying their port
dutie+ not actual war&are above their homeworld.
Several Selma cutter came out o& the Matri, within Strymon. gravity well. $one
were particularly cloe to the guardhip+ though their varying altitude and orbit meant
that the partie could have volleyed rocket at one another i& they.d choen to do o.
%nother core o& pirate appeared in near pace. 'aniel hrank the cale o& hi CC! to
a normal hundred thouand mile1 i& he.d halved the radiu again+ he.d till contain the
entire Selma &leet.
Mot o& ;elburney. captain could have e,ited within pitol range o& the &rigate i&
they.d choen to do o. -he Strymonian would have &ired rocket out o& re&le, be&ore
there wa time to parley1 and then would have died in alvo &rom the remaining core o&
pirate cutter.
Dew captain+ no matter how brave+ would throw their live and hip away uelely
againt overwhelming &orce9and thoe &ew would be retrained or hot by their own
crew i& they attempted uch general uicide. By howing the Strymonian that reitance
wa pointle+ 'aniel wa letting them ave their live.
;elburney had accepted the plan with laughing agreement. 'aniel didn.t doubt that
the pirate would lug it out at kni&e ditance i& &orced to+ but their wa a buine rather
than a cruade. 'eath meant the end o& the party and wa there&ore to be avoided.
"#C! .essel, this is -rigate )ne1T"o1Se.en," aid a high(pitched &emale voice
which came to 'aniel on a direct link. "We ha.e declared for resident Delos 3aughn.
Welcome, allies: % repeat, "e are allies of the #C! in suppressing the tyranny of the
pretender leyna 3aughn. What are your re+uests8 )ne1T"o1Se.en o.er."
Creident 'elo #aughn) Eood Eod+ what had been happening on Strymon during
the pat &ew day)
-wo o& the &our &rigate vanihed+ their icon &rom the CC! and the real(time image
&rom the idebar a well. -hey.d haken out ail on their partial rig and were ecaping
into the Matri, rather than trut the mercy o& the warming pirate &leet.
'aniel had e,pected and intended all &our o& the picket to &lee during the
opportunity he.d given them. 4@>.9urrender) claim o& alliance)9wa a pleaant
urprie+ leaving only the &ourth9
"#C! .essel, this is T"o1)h1-our:" a male voice bu88ed through a poorly
modulated laer link. "Long li.e resident Delos 3aughn: Long li.e the Cinna*ar !a.y:"
'aniel cued hi conole to repond to both o& the urrendering patrol veel and alo
to the %trogator. &laghip. -he rincess Cecile wan.t e/uipped to contact all i,ty(
even hip o& the pirate armada in a ingle tranmiion1 he could only hope that
;elburney wa.
"Strymonian veel One(-wo(Seven and -wo(Oh(Dour+" 'aniel aid. "-hi i :CS
rincess Cecile+ %dmiral Leary commanding. Make all your weapon a&e+ withdraw
your gun turret into your hull+ and hold your orbit. Bou will not be harmed i& you obey
thee order to the letter. :C$ out."
-here wa alway a rik that ome pirate would ettle an old grudge by rocketing
itting duck like the Strymonian &rigate+ but that wan.t 'aniel. maHor concern at the
moment. *hat happened+ happened.
-he CC! wa alive with cutter circling Strymon+ in a many orbit a there were
hip. -he pattern had the chaotic comple,ity o& a kaleidocope+ eemingly random
motion which wa nonethele a precie a a word dance. Serving alongide the pirate
provided memorie any captain would cherih. %nd other memorie a well+ o& coure.
;elburney. own veel wa in the ame orbit a the rincess Cecile+ braking hard to
hold poition ten mile atern. Like the ret o& the Selma cutter+ it tepped a &ull et o&
antenna depite the tree o& maneuvering in normal pace. -he pirate &avored
horter+ thicker mat than the tarhip o& more traditional tate1 even o+ the %trogator
mut be riking hi rig in hi deire to be able to race o&& through the Matri, without
delay.
"Sir, Commodore ettin re+uests to speak "ith you," Lt. Mon aid. "Do you "ish me
to take the conn8 $on o.er."
% the rincess Cecile truggled to hold poition over Calia+ it wa dropping toward
the ur&ace o& Strymon. 2ventually 'aniel wa going to have to gain altitude or enter the
atmophere9and he certainly wan.t going to enter the atmophere. Still+ he didn.t have
to make that deciion /uite yet.
":ight+ hold poition a long a you can+ Mon+" 'aniel aid. "%nd Mon) *arn me i&
our allie do omething ! need to know about+ even i& that mean breaking in on the
commodore. Out."
%dele. body wa rigid. Her hand danced like a pair o& balletomime+ and her
diplay wa a ma o& data. !t meant no more to 'aniel than hi atrogation vector would
have meant to her+ but o long a %dele wa at the ignal conole he knew he.d have all
the warning there could be &rom that ource.
He witched to the /uadron command &re/uency that Mon had ued to alert the
hip on the ground. "SirA" he aid. "Lieutenant Leary reporting+ overA"
Cettin wouldn.t have heard 'aniel claim to be an admiral to overawe the guardhip.
*ith luck9and a Signal O&&icer who wa preternaturally adept at wiping record9he
never would learn about that.
"Leary, "hat the hell is going on, o.er8" Cettin aid+ hi voice beginning to break up
in the higher regiter.
"Sir+ you.ve got to9" wrong word+ Hunior lieutenant don.t tell commodore what
they.ve got to do "9get your peronnel aboard and li&t hip oonetA" 'aniel aid. "!.ll
e,plain a oon a9"
-he command link wa dual &re/uency+ with the emitting and receiving antenna at
bow and tern repectively. -he eparation wan.t enough on a veel a mall a a
corvette to end and receive imultaneouly through an atmophere without inter&erence+
but it did allow Cettin to mani&et hi &ury in a roar o& tatic that ilenced 'aniel.
"7the *inckelmann "ill *e in or*it in ten minutes, Lieutenant," the commodore
wa aying in the en&orced ilence. "%'m asking you no", "hat the hell is going on8
).er:"
'aniel let out hi breath in a igh o& relie&. :egardle o& what happened to the
career o& Lt. 'aniel Oliver Leary a&terward+ the Winckelmann and her conort would be
a&ely out o& the Strymon ytem within the hour. !t might be month or even year
be&ore circumtance allowed the :C$ to reenter the Sack with a &orce u&&icient to deal
with the power&ul %lliance /uadron now baed on -anai+ but at leat the Cinnabar hip
and a thouand trained pacer had avoided maacre.
"Sir+" he aid+ "we were attacked when we dicovered an %lliance battlehip+ heavy
cruier+ and &our detroyer on -anai. *e repaired our battle damage on 'albriggan and
returned immediately to warn you o& the danger. %h+ we.re accompanied by a /uadron o&
allie &rom the Selma Cluter. Over."
"(od help me," Commodore Cettin aid. -he word ounded heart&elt. "Leary, "e'll
discuss this at a time of greater leisure, and % don't ha.e to tell you "hat "ill happen to
you if you're lying. #ight no" %'.e got my hands full gathering up the se.enty percent of
my cre"s "ho're on detached duty thanks to the re*ellion you started. S+uadron out:"
"'nd if you "ant to kno" a*out that re*ellion, Daniel," aid %dele over the
intercom+ "% ha.e some information for you here."
P P P
Strymon wa a developed world with a highly organi8ed in&ormation in&ratructure.
!t occurred to %dele a he viewed clip o& the chao below that he could probably &ind
imilar record o& the Crocription &ollowing the -hree Circle Conpiracy.
She.d heard her parent had been hot againt the wall o& the garden behind their
townhoue. %dele hadn.t been an outdoor child+ but her room wa at the back o& the
houe. She had &amiliar memorie o& ivy growing againt the un(bleached red brick.
"-en day ago . . ." aid %dele+ uing a two(party link to the command conole.
":umor were circulating that Cinnabar had decided to upport 'elo #aughn. -he ecret
police couldn.t determine preciely who wa tarting the rumor. $une+ that. the
Euardian+ Driderik $une+ had hi agent tir up a mob to attack the Cinnabar Oberver.
reidence. He thought Oberver Mariette wa behind the rumor and hoped the threat
would make him top."
%dele brought up imagery o& citi8en wearing bright Strymonian cotume marching
up three avenue to the /uare on which the Cinnabar :eidence tood+ one o& everal
ornate building behind walled &orecourt. -he pavement wa platici8ed clay+ eamle
and unable to provide miile+ but the leader o& the mob had thought&ully provided
themelve with ack o& &it(i8ed tone.
"Why "ould they imagine Cinna*ar "as *ehind rumors like that8" 'aniel wondered
aloud. "That's scarcely our style. Thinking "e "ere a*out to send a plenipotentiary to
order a change in the go.ernment, no", that might ha.e happened."
-wo uni&ormed police at the entrance ambled away a the mob approached. One o&
them even tipped hi cap to a woman in the &ront rank.
"-he ecret police provided the leader and hired a number o& additional thug+"
%dele aid. "-here wa /uite a lot o& pontaneou repone+ though. % large element o&
the civilian population hate Cinnabar almot a much a they &ear u."
"They'll ha.e reason to fear one day soon," 'aniel aid /uietly.
Dour chattering women came out a ide door o& the reidence and tarted down the
treet. -hey were member o& the houekeeping ta&&+ %dele knew &rom the record o& the
incident. %ll were born on Strymon+ though they came &rom country ditrict rather than
Calia itel&.
-hey aw the oncoming mob+ heitated+ and tried to get back through the door by
which they.d le&t the building. !t had locked behind them. -he women tarted running in
the oppoite direction+ only to meet another limb o& the mob.
Stone &lew &rom both direction. -he women hunched+ trying to protect their head
with their arm. Member o& the mob knocked them down with club+ then &inihed the
Hob with boot.
"$o Cinnabar citi8en were inHured+" %dele aid without e,preion. "%ll the
window on the ground and econd &loor o& the :eidency were broken+ but the leader
o& the mob didn.t permit invaion o& the ground. !t wa meant a a warning."
'aniel ighed audibly. "%t takes a particular sort of person to kick an old "oman to
death," he aid. "Well, politics is no proper *usiness of an #C! officer."
"-he ne,t day+" %dele aid+ "'elo #aughn appeared at one o& hi &amily. etate
three hundred mile outh o& Calia. *ith him wa a &orce o& eight hundred o&&(planet
mercenarie+ paid &or by a conortium o& hipper and landholder. Bou met many o& the
conpirator at the Captal da Lund. dwelling on Se,burga."
She called up a montage o& image+ ome &rom new media and other gathered &rom
the conpirator. own &ile. -hough the mercenarie had been hired a individual on a
do8en di&&erent world+ they were out&itted with battledre o& a tandard pattern bearing
the badge and houlder patche o& the Land Dorce o& the :epublic+ Cinnabar. army.
-hey carried tocked impeller and ubmachine gun o& Cinnabar manu&acture+ with a
limited number o& crew(erved weapon.
One o& the image howed 'elo #aughn addreing a crowd o& civilian. -he ound
bite attached to the clip rang+ "$y people, the #epu*lic of Cinna*ar has sent me to regain
my rightful position as resident of Strymon and to free you from the tyranny of -riderik
!unes and his puppets:"
"-he ecret police believed the troop really were &rom Cinnabar+" %dele aid. She
hook her head in digut and ama8ement. "-hey alo believed there were i, thouand o&
them."
-he rincess Cecile wa maneuvering contantly to optimi8e it poition above
Strymon. $either the changing vector nor the whine o& the antimatter engine diturbed
%dele now that he had real work to do.
"What "as the position of the army8" 'aniel aked. ")r does Strymon e.en ha.e an
army, come to think8"
"-here. a Creidential Colice :eerve+" %dele aid. She.d earched &or army
deployment+ &ound none+ and &inally worked back &rom clip o& the &ighting to learn
what the government troop were called o that he could determine their trength. "!t.
about twenty thouand peronnel at &ull trength+ but there wa /uite a lot o& deertion a
oon a word got out that 'elo #aughn had returned with Cinnabar backing."
"% see "hy the commodore *lames me for the trou*le," 'aniel aid. "'nd % greatly
fear that he's more right than not."
%dele elected an imageF government troop with violet collar &lahe arriving in
twenty(place aircar on the outkirt o& a village. -hey began to advance down the main
treet+ till mounted on the vehicle which &lew low+ uing ground e&&ect &or upport.
% podium with a do8en chair+ many o& them knocked over when the peaker
hatily &led+ had been erected in the town /uare. % the lead vehicle approached+ a man
in the clock tower opened &ire with an impeller. Slug punched through the aircar.
aluminum body and parkled o&& the cobbletone pavement.
More gun &ired &rom baement window1 the houe were &rame with wooden
hingle+ but they had tone &oundation. -roop on the vehicle returned &ire wildly+
occaionally dropping their &ellow with ricochet. Civilian &lung roo& tile to hatter on
vehicle and the pavement.
-he aircar turned and raced back the way they.d come+ till hugging the ground.
One o& the building wa beginning to burn. % civilian. body lay in the treet+ and hal&
the troop in the back o& the lat vehicle out were prawled or writhing in mear o&
blood.
"-here wa a good deal o& kirmihing like that+" %dele aid. "$une wa a&raid to
trike with hi &ull trength becaue he couldn.t trut even the troop which hadn.t
deerted. He called &or aitance &rom the %lliance /uadron that had Hut arrived at
-anai. %dmiral Chatelaine+ the %lliance commander+ re&ued. He didn.t ay why."
",is ships must ha.e *een "ithout port facilities for at least thirty days, perhaps
t"ice that," 'aniel aid. "% don't imagine many s+uadron commanders under those
circumstances "ould delay their refit *ecause some "og "as "orried a*out riots."
%dele. lip tightened+ but that wa a precie decription o& Chatelaine. probable
attitude. -hat it wa alo very likely 'aniel. own attitude wa incone/uential &or the
time being.
"Our &riend 'elo wa continuing to gather upport on the bai o& hi Cinnabar
backing+" he reumed+ "o he didn.t have any reaon to puh &or a /uick concluion.
-hen Commodore Cettin arrived."
-he Winckelmann dropped maHetically toward the bay around which Calia wa
built. % merchant hip wa li&ting at the ame time. Many o& the veel which had been
in the harbor at the tart o& the riot had already le&t.
"% am surprised that !unes permitted our ships to land, though," 'aniel aid. !t mut
have been going through hi mind a it wa %dele. that while the remainder o& the
/uadron wa ettling peace&ully onto Strymon+ the rincess Cecile had been raked by
the -anai de&ene.
"Oberver Mariette contacted the commodore in orbit and demanded he land
immediately to provide protection &or Cinnabar property during the riot+" %dele aid.
"% the trouble appeared to be an internal Strymonian matter+ the commodore bruhed
aide obHection &rom the harbor controller and landed a re/ueted."
"'nother officer might at least ha.e left a destroyer in or*it," 'aniel mued. "%
suppose he "anted all the a.aila*le personnel to *olster his guard detachments."
"Oberver Mariette wa very initent+" %dele aid+ though part o& her wondered
why he wa bothering to make e,cue &or the commodore. She wan.t the one to Hudge
the military reaon that had put the whole Cinnabar &orce on the ur&ace+ but it wouldn.t
have taken in&ormation(gathering kill nearly a ophiticated a her own to warn Cettin
that more wa going on than the Oberver reali8ed.
"Then 3aughn "ould ha.e claimed the s+uadron had arri.ed to support him,"
'aniel aid. "Which a reasona*le Strymonian citi0en "ould find easy to *elie.e."
He wa tating hi analyi rather than aking a /uetion. %dele aid+ "-he whole
planet e,cept &or Calia and a &ew region where $une had &amily connection declared
&or 'elo. Calia i le pro(Cleyna than imply &ull o& rioter looting anything they can.
Dor the mot part they haven.t attacked propertie guarded by :C$ detachment+ but
there.ve been niping incident every day ince the /uadron landed."
%dele pured her lip+ then aid+ "'aniel+ $une aked &or help again when Cettin
arrived+ but %dmiral Chatelaine till re&ued. Surely he in.t going to imply ignore an
:C$ /uadron)"
"'h+" aid 'aniel. "!o, he "ouldn't ignore us, *ut *y the same token he "on't
.enture out of his fortified *ase *efore he's certain his ships are fully repaired. Dully
prepared."
"But 'aniel+" %dele aid+ truggling to undertand a ituation devoid o& logic. "-heir
hip are bigger and newer and there. more o& them. Surely %dmiral Chatelaine know
that)"
"9es, 'dele," 'aniel aid. "But he also kno"s that "e're the #C!. !o 'lliance
commander e.er forgets that."
"%h+" %dele aid. "Be+ ! undertand."
"Sir, there's a ship rising from the surface," Lt. Mon aid. "%t's a pri.ate yacht, the
%chille, and resident Delos 3aughn's a*oard. ,e says he's coming up to meet "ith
you. ).er."
He.d broken in on a dedicated link &rom the Battle 'irection Center to 'aniel.
command conole. !t didn.t pa through the ignal conole+ but %dele had et the ytem
to echo everything to her unit regardle o& provenance. -here wa no in&ormation that
he might not need+ ome time+ ome where.
"Does it indeed, $on8" 'aniel aid. "% can't imagine "hat $aster 3aughn "ants of
me, *ut % certainly ha.e some matters %'d like to raise "ith him. % suppose "e'd *etter
*ring him a*oard. $ake the necessary arrangements. Captain out."
%dele had called up the meage and wa running the peech attributed to #aughn
through voice recognition o&tware when 'aniel aid+ "What do you think a*out this
de.elopment, 'dele)"
"! don.t have the &aintet notion+" he aid. "2,cept that it really i #aughn1 and the
head o& Driderik $une and Cleyna #aughn have been tuck on pole in &ront o& 'elo.
head/uarter in the uburb o& Calia+ o ! uppoe he. Creident o& Strymon a well."

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER THIRTY6ONE
-
he 'chilles looked to be a dumpy little veel at preent
becaue her rig wa towed. 2ven when &ully telecoped+ the mat o& the &irt and lat o&
her &our ring tuck out beyond the yacht. hort hull. 2,tended and wearing a &ull uit o&
ail+ thoe mat would give her an area(to(ma ratio e/ualled by &ew i& any other hip
o& 'aniel. ac/uaintance. -o him+ that wa a mark o& great beauty.
-he cale o& the image wa too mall to how the boarding line connecting the yacht
to the rincess Cecile+ though 'aniel could have directed the conole to emphai8e it i&
he.d had any reaon to. #aughn had aked to board via a tube and to bring everal o& hi
aide with him. 'aniel had granted neither re/uet.
-he outer airlock dogged home1 a moment later the inner valve opened. *oetHan+
her &acehield &lung open+ hal& dragged+ hal& guided+ 'elo #aughn into Corridor C.
#aughn. e,preion through the ynthetic apphire o& hi vior wa both irritated and
&rightened.
'aniel glanced again at the image o& the 'chilles. -o %dele acro the bridge he
aid+ "-hat yacht. &ar too &ine a veel to be ued &or an orbital &erryboat the way our
guet Hut did. -hey could.ve &ound a cargo lighter eaily enough."
%dele hrugged. "Bou can.t hold a landman to a pacer. tandard+ 'aniel+" he
aid. *ith the boun. help+ #aughn wa truggling out o& a rigging uit meant &or
omeone a i8e larger+ hooting &rutrated look toward her and 'aniel but &or the
moment unable to Hoin them. -here wa too much ambient noie &or him to overhear. "!
doubt whether he could+ let alone doe+ undertand that he. done anything /uetionable."
"Be+" aid 'aniel+ "but that. rather a picture o& hi li&e+ don.t you think) -he ability
to do whatever. e,pedient without knowing or caring about anyone ele. viewpoint)"
#aughn kicked out o& the uit. right leg and tepped to the hatchway. "Cermiion to
enter the bridge+ Captain Leary)" he aid in a clear voice.
"Bou may enter the bridge+ Mr. #aughn+" 'aniel aid. -hen+ becaue he didn.t want
to eem petty+ he corrected himel&F "Creident #aughn+ that i."
" MMiter. i /uite u&&icient between old hipmate+" #aughn aid with hi &amiliar
engaging mile a he trode &orward. "%nd preent allie+ !.m pleaed to ay."
Sun looked over hi houlder+ then went back to hi diplay1 Bett never paued in
obeively computing miile coure. %dele continued to liten to the nip o& interhip
and ur&ace communication which her o&tware culled out &or her+ but her eye and her
primary attention were on 'elo #aughn.
"! didn.t e,pect to ee you again+ ir+" 'aniel aid. "$ot a&ter the way you le&t u on
Se,burga."
Dacing #aughn+ he &ound it hard to be ure o& how he &elt about the man. $ot hatred+
certainly+ nor even anger. -here wa a ort o& admiration+ 'aniel had to admit+ &or a
peron who wa o pure an e,ample o& the thing he wa1 and digut a well+ at what that
thing wa.
"! won.t bother to apologi8e &or the way ! tricked you+ Captain+" #aughn aid+ blu&&ly
diarming. "$othing ! could ay would be enough+ and you wouldn.t accept it anyway. !.ll
make up &or the trouble in every way poible+ however. One o& the etate $une
con&icated ha been put in your name already. Bou may well want to pread the large
among thoe o& your ervant who were le&t on South Land with you. Bou.ll be able to
make them very happy without noticing the cot+ ! aure you."
-overa watched &rom Hut inide the captain. uite1 her right hand reted lightly on
the grip o& her ubmachine gun. Hogg wa in the bridge hatchway+ toying with a loop o&
&ihing line and grinning.
"!.m a Leary o& Bantry+ ir+" 'aniel aid /uietly. "*e undertand cot very well+ but
the term rarely ha anything to do with money when we ue it."
"! take your point+ Captain+" aid #aughn1 and he did+ the tightne around hi
notril howed that clearly. "!.ve come &or help clearing up the &inal patche o& reitance
to my aumption o& the preidency. -he two on o& the uurper $une are &orted up in
the &amily reidence in the -atrig Mountain. -hey.ll re/uire heavy weapon to blat
them out+ and9"
"Creident #aughn+" 'aniel aid. "!.m aware o& your claim that the :epublic backed
your rebellion. Bou and ! both know there. no truth to that. ! won.t become involved in
what i clearly an internal Strymonian matter."
#aughn. mile wa crytal hard. "*ell+ Lieutenant+ o &ar a Strymon know+ your
Oberver Mariette included+" he aid+ "you.re already involved. Cleyna #aughn came out
o& Calia to dicu ettlement term becaue my military liaion+ Lieutenant 'aniel Leary
o& the :C$+ guaranteed her a&ety. O& coure !.ll be able to correct thi miapprehenion
a oon a you9"
Sun roe &rom hi conole in a &luid movement. Hi &ace wa red. %dele grabbed hi
writ. Sun Herked looe+ but Hogg now tood between the pacer and #aughn+ and -overa
wa behind him with her gun. mu88le a millimeter &rom hi pine.
2veryone wa looking at 'aniel. "!.m not concerned with the lie o& &oreign rabble+
O&&icer Sun+" he aid mildly. ":eturn to your dutie+ pleae. -he Winckelmann. lighted
her thruter+ o we can e,pect &urther order hortly."
#aughn wa a brave man to have boarded the rincess Cecile now. 'epite that+ he
wan.t a &ool+ o he mut need 'aniel. help very badly.
"% combination o& thoe who oppoe the new preident . . ." %dele aid. Her le&t
hand came out o& her pocket1 Sun wa at hi conole again and the two ervant had
backed o&& the bridge.
" . . . and the large percentage o& the population who reent their preident being
choen by Cinnabar+" he continued+ her eye on omething &ar ditant in time+ "will
make it di&&icult &or the regime to tay in power i& there. a center o& armed reitance."
She looked at 'aniel+ then at #aughn. She added+ "*e on Cinnabar know omething
o& conpiracie alo+ Miter Creident."
#aughn wallowed. He aid+ "%ll ! want &rom you+ Captain+ i a word to the &rigate
who.ve urrendered to you. -he Dleet wa thoroughly in $une. camp9and intriguing
with the %lliance a well+ that's no &able. !& thoe hip enter the atmophere and ue their
rocket againt the $une poition+ my mercenarie will have no di&&iculty in mopping
up what remain. ! don.t trut the captain to obey me+ however+ and there.re no other
Dleet element on Strymon. -hey all li&ted &or -anai when your commodore landed."
%dele looked at 'aniel harply. He nodded. #aughn knew hi rival had plotted with
the %lliance+ but he didn.t reali8e that %dmiral Chatelaine had reached the Strymon
ytem.
"Creident #aughn+" he aid+ "you.ve entered a realm o& politic that. properly the
buine o& the Cinnabar Oberver. !& you pre&er to raie the matter with Commodore
Cettin+ my uperior+ &eel &ree to do o9hi &laghip will be in orbit hortly. Dor my part+ !
mut re/uet you return to your own veel immediately+ becaue ! have9"
"'anielA" %dele aid. She.d rotated her eat to &ace her conole again. "!.m cuing thi
to youA"
#aughn. mouth opened+ probably to protet. He wa uddenly between Hogg and
-overa+ backing /uickly to the hatchway. *oetHan and the rigger with her in the
corridor watched in amuement+ but they didn.t get involved where they would o clearly
be uper&luou.
"#C!, this is Del*urney," aid the %trogator. voice. "% left the cutters "here the
relay satellites used to *e, Bust in case something came through that %'d like to kno"
a*out. Ten minutes *ack, Strete outside Tanais Base picked up a transmission saying that
'dmiral Chastelaine "as lifting for Strymon "ith his "hole s+uadron. % guess you kno"
more a*out "hat that means than "e do, *ut "e kno" it means "e're headed *ack home
soonest. %f you're smart, *oy, you'll do the same. Del*urney out."
'aniel glanced at the Clot Coition !ndicator. -he pirate cutter were beginning to
vanih like dewdrop in the unlight. Captain Strete had brought word through the Matri,
to hi &ellow+ then &led only moment ahead o& them. 'aniel really couldn.t blame the
Selman1 not that it would have mattered i& he had.
He hit the alarm button. "Ship+ general /uarter+" he ordered. "%ll rigger topide.
:igger will remain on the hull during tranition until recalled. Captain out."
-he Winckelmann. plama thruter covered the :D &re/uency with thunderou
white noie+ but the laer communicator hould punch through the e,haut iridecence
clearly enough to get the point acro. %nother hour would have been enough1 but the
:C$ didn.t depend on luck or prayer+ either one.
"%dele+" 'aniel aid. "Eive me ma,imum emitter output and a tight &ocu to the
&laghip."
He cleared hi throat and continued+ "rincess Cecile to S/uadron. *e have an
emergency. . . ."
P P P
Somewhere behind %dele+ 'elo #aughn /uealed brie&ly. She.d gue that Hogg
wa truing and gagging the preident rather than cutting hi throat. Hogg being Hogg+
you couldn.t be ure1 nor wa it a /uetion about which he could raie much concern.
Both Strymonian &rigate were ending increaingly hrill /uetion toward the
rincess Cecile a they watched the pirate cutter diappear into the Matri,. -he
'chilles. captain ounded /uerulou alo+ but ince the yacht wa unarmed9%dele had
looked up the regitry decription9that wan.t a matter &or preent concern.
-he patrol veel were. 'aniel and the o&&icer in the Battle 'irection Center were
concerned with the hip and Commodore Cettin1 but %dele wa the ignal o&&icer+ a&ter
all.
"Strymonian veel -wo(Oh(Dour and One(-wenty(Seven+" he aid+ uing
microwave becaue 'aniel wa on the modulated laer. "-hi i :C$ Dlaghip rincess
Cecile. Bou have your order. !& you violate them+ we will detroy you without
compunctionA %h+ outA"
*ere you uppoed to ay "&laghip" i& you were claiming to be a &laghip) She.d
ak when there wa leiure+ o he.d know the ne,t time the /uetion aroe. Dor now+ the
terri&ied babbling o& the Strymonian o&&icer wa u&&icient.
"7the Crince Cecile "ill therefore proceed to the neigh*orhood of Tanais," 'aniel
wa aying+ "and screen the remainder of the s+uadron "hile your cre"s *oard. Leary
o.er."
-he corvette hivered a hydraulic Hack e,tended the antenna and pread the ail.
Dor a moment %dele heard clang1clang+ clang1clang. :igger on the hull were &reeing a
Hammed tube with their maul.
"Leary, this is ettin," a voice replied on a laer beam &rom the Winckelmann.
'epite the initial tight &ocu and the voice harpening provided by the rincess Cecile.
communication uite+ tatic roared through the commodore. word. "9ou are not, %
repeat, not to engage the enemy. 9ou "ill proceed "ith utmost dispatch to Cinna*ar and
"arn the authorities there of the situation in the Sack."
%dele glanced at the image o& 'aniel inet at the top o& her creen. Hi &inger
hammered at hi virtual keyboard while hi eye &licked back and &orth at the data
appearing on the diplay be&ore him. 'aniel wa a ure and reaonably &at typit+ but he
put a much e&&ort into hi keytroke a he would in plitting log.
"Leary, there's nothing a cor.ette can do to affect a s+uadron of that "eight," Cettin
continued. "9ou'.e sho"n ho" fast you can push your Crince Cecile. (et home, get
help, and tell 'nston to get *ack here *efore the 'lliance has the Sack se"ed up.
'ckno"ledge and get mo.ing: ettin o.er."
")ne minute to entering the $atri5," Midhipman #eey. voice warned over the C%
ytem. -he ignal light puled.
"Crince Cecile to s+uadron+" 'aniel aid. Hi &inger and eye continued to move
a though controlled by an entity outide the peron who reponded to Commodore
Cettin. "Sir, your transmission is *reaking up. %'m therefore maneu.ering as pre.iously
descri*ed. Crince Cecile out."
He broke the connection. -he eye o& hi image met %dele..
"'aniel)" he aid. "!.ve downloaded a report on the Strymon ytem into both our
meage cell. !& you et them &or Se,burga+ there. a i,ty percent chance one will arrive.
-he authoritie there can end a courier veel to Cinnabar."
"-hank you+ %dele+" 'aniel aid+ calling acro the noiy bridge o that the other
o&&icer could hear a well. "But that.d mean hi&ting the ready(ue miile out o& their
tube. ! believe we.re going to have more ue &or them than Cinnabar ha &or a meage."
"Entering the7" #eey aid+ and %dele. world everted itel& in what wa becoming
a &amiliar &ahion.
P P P
"Lieutenant Mon+" 'aniel aid+ "!.m going topide. Cleae take the conn. Out."
He tood+ &eeling the rincess Cecile heel through the ole o& hi &eet. -he hip wa
a living ape, o& the in&inite direction and &orce o& the Matri,. %dele turned &rom her
conole and aid in a tone o& inward(directed anger+ "-here. nothing to add to the bare
meageA !& Captain Strete had any imagery o& the %lliance &leet+ he didn.t tranmit it to
the %trogator1 and now he. gone."
"Come up on deck with me i& you would+ %dele+" 'aniel aid. "*e have twenty
minute be&ore the ne,t e,it+ and the Sissie. wearing almot her &ull uit o& ail. !t. not
omething you.ll o&ten have a chance to ee."
"Dor a variety o& reaon+ perhap+" he added. He tried to ound olemn+ but he didn.t
manage very well. ":egardle+ it. a lovely ight."
"Captain)" Bett aid+ looking over hi houlder a 'aniel &ollowed %dele toward
the uit locker. "Bou.ll be taking down Dour 'oral and Dour #entral to clear the tube+
right)"
"! won.t know till we have a plot o& the enemy &ormation+ Bett+" 'aniel aid. -overa
and Hogg were in the corridor+ readying %dele. rigging uit. Hogg. &ace wa a
thundercloud1 -overa eemed+ a uual+ mildly amued. "! will ay that !.ll launch through
a ail i& neceary+ though. Make your olution regardle o& the rig."
"Bou.ve got no buine going out right nowA" Hogg narled to 'aniel+ hi &ace
turned aide a he li&ted %dele without ceremony &or -overa to pull on the leg o& the
uit. "-hat. *oetHan. Hob. Bou.re Hut &ull o& yourel& .caue you pit in Cettin. &ace+
you know. Bou.re going to take a chance too many one o& thee day+ young materA"
"!.m checking the rig+ Hogg+" 'aniel aid /uietly a he donned hi uit in a practiced
re&le,F leg+ arm+ and then cloe the platron1 three imple movement that he could do
in the dark or o hungover that he could carcely tand. "*hich is my buine."
He cleared hi throat and added+ "Bou.ll recall that ! topped telling you where we
hould place our nare be&ore ! turned i,."
"Bou didn.t top being a mart aleck then+ though+" Hogg aid. He /uee8ed the rigid
houlder o& 'aniel. uit be&ore turning away again. He muttered+ "*ih there wa some
&ucking thing ! could do."
"Bou.ve already done it+ Hogg+" 'aniel aid. "Bou raied me to be a man."
He getured %dele into the airlock+ then tepped through and dogged the hatch.
'aniel tarted to clamp %dele. helmet &or her. She raied her hand. "'aniel)" he
aid. "*hy aren.t you plotting miile coure now) %nd don.t tell me becaue that.
Bett. Hob+ competent though !.m ure he i."
'aniel hrugged and pured hi lip. -here wa no reaon he houldn.t know+ a&ter
all.
"*e.re going to be too cloe &or the miile to coure(correct a&ter they.re
launched+" he aid. "-he hip. vector and attitude are going to determine whether the
round hit or mi+ not whatever we program into the attack conole. But Bett is very
good at hi Hob+ and he.ll be more com&ortable i& he. able to &ocu on it."
%dele gave him an odd mile. "Be+" he aid. "%nd ! dare ay !.ll be more
com&ortable trying not to &all o&& the hull than ! would taring at the &act ! completely
&ailed to gather ue&ul in&ormation."
'aniel chuckled. He cloed her helmet+ cloed hi9ordinarily a pair o& pacer
going topide would check each other. &itting+ but that wan.t going to work here9and
opened the outer hatch onto the hull.
'aniel paued a tep &rom the coaming. % alway+ the beauty o& the Matri, brought
a lump to hi throat.
-he rincess Cecile trembled through veil o& light more delicate than piderweb+
bathed in color that had no name in the world o& landmen+ and &ormed pattern that
reproduced themelve all the way to an in&inity not o& one univere but all univere.
'aniel Oliver Leary wa a part o& thi plendorA
He handed %dele onto the hull and touched helmet with her. He aid+ "*hat do you
ee when you look out+ %dele)"
'aniel &elt her uit tir againt hi1 he.d probably hrugged. "-he light+ you mean)"
he aid. "!t eem gray where ! look+ but at the corner o& my eye it eem . . . patel) !
couldn.t put it more clearly than that."
%h+ well1 he &ound an e,citement in databae that eemed likely to continue
eluding him.
'aniel hooked %dele. a&ety line to a taple+ then cloed the hatch behind them. -he
rincess Cecile. twenty(&our mat were at their &ull e,tenion1 topail himmered on
all o& them+ and the huge lower coure were et on the doral a well.
He and %dele tood ilent9he entranced+ he . . . well+ polite and docile might be
the correct decription o& her &eeling+ but in the hrouded anonymity o& the uit he could
at leat imagine that ome o& the wonder reached her below the level o& awarene. -he
rigger were carcely noticeable even when they were in direct view. -he ail were huge
and alive with the energy o& the como preing them+ while the human who walked the
yard to make &inal adHutment in the pread and lay were mere hadow againt the
e&&ulgence.
-he mainail on ring C and ' hi&ted clockwie. -he rincess Cecile trembled+
then ank &rom one bubble univere to another. -he atrogation computer had choen the
latter. phyical contant a mot uitable &or thi tage o& the voyage. -o 'aniel it wa
a i& the heart o& a un had opened momentarily+ blinding in it beauty.
*hatever %dele &elt or aw caued her to natch at him o violently that her boot
lot their magnetic grip on the hull. 'aniel. arm encircled her and guided her back to
&irm &ooting.
"*e.ll make three more hi&t be&ore we e,it &or a look at our colleague &rom the
%lliance+" 'aniel aid. "*e.ll be three light(econd unward o& -anai1 a /uick in(and(
out+ the way we et up &or the Dalaan guardhip."
'aniel cleared hi throat+ li&ting hi helmet away &rom %dele. momentarily o that
the ound wouldn.t pa. "! want to get the &eel o& the region we.re ailing in be&ore ! et
up the attack+" he went on. "-he mot precie calculation in the world will leave you
&i&ty mile out i& the Matri, i low. . . ."
He &rowned+ thinking about the way %dele had tried to decribe the enation o&
Caimir radiation on human retina a gray or patel. "Slow" wa a word whoe normal
meaning had nothing to do with the interplay o& &orce between the univere1 but 'aniel
had no better word+ o he ued what there wa to give &ale meaning to a concept that
even many atrogator wouldn.t have undertood. -here were thing that you could only
e,plain to omeone who already knew.
"Di&ty mile in.t important i& you.re making planet&all+" 'aniel went on with a igh.
"Bou tart your braking e&&ort a little ooner+ a little later. But &or our preent
purpoe . . ."
-he topail o& 2 :ing &urled &orty percent. On 'oral+ the ail &luttered but Hammed
well hort o& the programmed amount. 'aniel took a tep &orward9and caught himel&+
&eeling illy+ becaue with both watche on duty there wa omeone at the antenna
already.
He watched the rigger climb tay hand over hand+ throw a leg over the yard+ and
then kick the parrel with hi other &oot. -he ail. taut &abric &luttered looe+ then drew
tight again a the Hack hauled it into poition.
"Beauti&ul+" 'aniel whipered. "0ut beauti&ul. %ny captain would give an arm to
have a crew like mine."
"'aniel+" %dele aid+ all e,preion /uee8ed out o& her voice by the helmet(to(
helmet contact. "-hank you &or making me a part o& your crew+ part o& your &amily.
:egardle o& what happen ne,t."
By re&le, 'aniel opened hi mouth to ay+ "$ow+ don.t count u out yet . . ." but that
wan.t the right repone &or a &riend.
"Be+ well+" he aid. "! e,pect the Sissie to give a good account o& herel&. Beyond
that+ the &uture. rather in the lap o& the Eod. -here. ome reaon to hope that
Chatelaine. crew won.t be in the bet condition a&ter what mut have been an unuually
di&&icult voyage."
He tepped lightly apart to tare at the Matri, between the ail o& the corvette. %
and B ring. %ll time and pace danced in that himmering wonder.
Helmet to helmet again with %dele but peaking a much to himel&+ 'aniel aid+ "!
uppoe ! came out here &or a . . . &or another+ let. not ay lat+ look at the Matri, be&ore !
et up the ne,t erie o& maneuver. Juite wonder&ul+ don.t you think)"
"! too think my preent ituation i wonder&ul+ 'aniel+" %dele aid with the
undertated preciion that wa even more a part o& her than the peronal data unit.
'aniel laughed and hugged her through the rigid bracing o& their uit. "Let. go
below+" he aid. "*e.ll have buine with the %lliance very hortly. %nd by (od+ the
%lliance ha buine with uA"
P P P
Lt. Mon came up Corridor C &rom the Battle 'irection Center+ moving like an angry
bo,er. Somebody called to him &rom a compartment9Hoagland+ the technician who wa
going over the Medic again be&ore it might have to be ued. Mon ignored him and glared
at %dele when he looked up to watch hi approach.
"Cermiion to enter the bridgeA" Mon aid loudly. He didn.t ue hi knuckle but
lapped the hatch &lange twice with hi &ingertip to make it ring.
"Eranted+ Lieutenant+" 'aniel aid+ muting hi holographic diplay to only a
himmer like dut mote between him and Mon. 'aniel. &ace howed very little+ but to
%dele he appeared a pu88led about what Mon wa doing here a he wa herel&.
"Captain+" Mon aid. 2ven Bett turned brie&ly &rom hi conole be&ore going back
to hi &antay o& miile track. "*e won.t have much time a&ter we e,it &or obervation
o ! thought !.d ay thi now. Eoddam little in my li&e went the way !.d have liked it to+
not till ! met you. ! gue on average !.ve come out ahead."
Mon thrut hi hand through the diplay area o& the command conole. 'aniel leaned
&orward and li&ted lightly &rom hi eat to clap arm with hi econd in command.
"!t. a mutual pleaure+ Mon+" he aid. % &amiliar mile lit hi eye and made the
right corner o& hi mouth /uirk upward. "! hope+ however+ that the aociation won.t
continue on the atomic level a&ter today."
Mon looked blank+ then gu&&awed. He lapped hi le&t hand over 'aniel. right+
andwiching it againt hi bicep mucle+ then unclaped and tepped away.
"Sun+ all o& you)" Mon aid. "! alway &igured !.d die in bed with my wi&e. -hank to
Eod and the :C$+ ! may be pared that. Eood luck to all o& youA"
He turned and trode back the way he.d come1 an angry little man who alway aw
the wort in a ituation and who never did le than hi duty. %dele &elt a urge o&+ well+
&riendhip &or him.
'aniel tarted to bring up hi diplay+ then grinned more broadly at %dele and
activated the C% ytem intead. "-ello" spacers:" he aid. "We'.e sho"n the #C! ho"
to sail and the Selma pirates ho" to na.igate the $atri5. !o" "e're going to sho" the
'lliance ho" to fight. Three cheers for the Crince Cecile: ,ip1hip7"
",ooray:" the hip anwered. 3naided voice+ everal houting on the intercom+ and
Midhipman 'ort uing the C% ytem itel& &rom the Battle 'irection Center.
",ip1hip7"
",oorayA"
",ip1hip9"
2veryone aboard the rincess Cecile wa cheering. !lliterate engine(wiper+ women
whoe &amilie had been :C$ &or every generation in living memory+ men whoe idea o&
patriotim wa that anyone not &rom Cinnabar wa a wog with no honor and no right.
%ll thoe people cheered1 and o did Mitre %dele Mundy+ the cion o&
Chatworth+ a woman whoe culture wa a broad and deep a all human hitory.
",ooray:"
Lt. Mon+ returned to the Battle 'irection Center+ announced+ ")ne minute to reentry
to normal spaceA"

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER THIRTY6T2O
-
ransition. 'aniel. diplay came live with imagery1 he adHuted
the cale o that the edge o& the &rame encompaed without wate volume the %lliance
/uadron &orming above the huge dik o& Eetica. !n 'aniel. preent tate+ the dicom&ort
o& being lowly diemboweled wouldn.t have prevented him &rom &unctioning.
":eentering the Matri,A" he aid+ peronally decreaing the charge level o& the
rincess Cecile. current et o& thirty(i, ail. !n 'aniel. mind+ negative image o& the
bridge and hi companion were proHected in in&inite erie "up" and "down" through a
nongeometric dimenion.
Mon+ the midhipmen+ and an arti&icial intelligence within the atrogation computer
were all working on an attack olution. !& 'aniel dropped dead in the ne,t ten minute or
o+ perhap one o& thoe coure would be choen. Otherwie+ Lt. 'aniel Leary would be
truting hi own intinct with only the baret regard &or other opinion. % warhip wan.t
a democracy+ and a captain who didn.t lead wa a &ool and a diater &or thoe whom he
commanded.
% red(lit idebar appeared at the top o& hi diplay. He glanced at it in &uriou
annoyance+ thinking+ What a *loody time for the screen to malfunction7
%nd noticed to hi ama8ement that the i, tiny image there were the hip o& the
%lliance /uadron+ rotating to how what appeared to be their current ail plan rather
than the ma,imum theoretical rig. Optical data gathered at three light(econd ditance
wan.t good enough to provide uch detail.
'aniel enlarged the image+ looking through the ha8e o& coherent light toward
%dele. -hrough the intercom her voice aid+ "'dmiral Chastelaine *elie.es in keeping
tight control of his formation. The flagship, 'er Eroer ;arl, micro"a.ed full rigging
instructions to the other .essels, and %'.e copied them to you. Do they help8"
"*ell+ dear one+ they may Hut ave our live+" 'aniel aid. He &elt an odd elation.
He.d e,pected to die in the ne,t &ew minute . . . and it might till happen+ o& coure1 there
were no guarantee in li&e. But now that 'aniel knew the angle &rom which the
battlehip. econdary batterie would be creened by the e,pane o& her ail+ he would
give hi command opportunitie &or urvival that couldn.t be e,pected &rom pure chance.
Oh+ ye. -he ail plan helped.
"%ttack o&&icer+" 'aniel aid+ cuing the meage to Bett+ Sun+ and the Battle
'irection Center1 and %dele o& coure+ but not by his determination. "-he attachment i
the rig the %lliance /uadron will be wearing. %dHut your olution accordingly. Our
deired reentry to idereal pace continue to be one mile+ plu or minu one hal& mile+
&rom the %lliance battlehip. Out."
Bett nodded without looking away &rom hi conole and continued working. Sun
looked around in ama8ement+ however. Sun had been a rigger in the merchant ervice
be&ore enliting in the :C$ and &inding a new &ocu in gunnery. He knew+ though not a
well a 'aniel himel&+ how di&&icult it wa to navigate through the Matri, with that
degree o& preciion.
-he rincess Cecile hi&ted again between univere. % veel couldn.t remain at ret
within the Matri,+ o to hold poition it moved &rom one bubble to another+ balancing
&low againt time to return to it original poition.
-he %lliance /uadron had almot certainly noticed the rincess Cecile. brie& return
to normal pace. % merchant veel wouldn.t have been able to tranition o /uickly+ o
even though 'aniel had turned o&& the corvette. identi&ication tranponder %dmiral
Chatelaine would know that a warhip had potted hi hip.
*hoe warhip remained an open /uetionF Strymonian &rigate+ Selma pirate+ or Hut
poibly an :C$ hip like the one which the -anai de&ene had mauled or detroyed a
week previou) Chatelaine would paue to make ure hi hip were in &ull &ighting trim
be&ore he et o&& &or Strymon to put down the rebellion there.
'aniel grinned a he tarted a new et o& coure calculation. -he %lliance admiral
wan.t the only one wondering about the &uture.
-overa tood at the wardroom hatch+ looking in all direction without appearing
either nervou or &urtive. She and Hogg mut have moved 'elo #aughn &rom the uit
locker to there. ;nowing Hogg+ #aughn wa trued to the clamp that held the table leg
during meal.
'aniel miled a he calculated potential9on the atrogation diplay+ not the attack
creen. !& he.d had time+ he.d have had to order a more polite &orm o& con&inement &or
their guet and ally. Dortunately+ 'aniel wa very buy.
$aroon a Leary of Bantry in the desert, "ould he8
-he attack involved three apect o& the rincess Cecile. coureF velocity+ vector+
and location in idereal pace. #elocity wa a mere mathematical converion o& &orce
applied through the phyical contant o& the univere which the corvette had travered
a&ter entry to the Matri,. #ector wa more di&&icult+ the real buine o& atrogation1 but
there were thouand o& atrogator who could achieve an appro,imation that would be
ade/uate to the need o& the preent attack.
%bolute location+ though . . . that went beyond cience+ perhap beyond art. !t
re/uired that the atrogator9that 'aniel9read the Matri, &rom topide and keep it in the
back o& hi mind a he viewed the gauge on hi diplay.
-he weight o& Caimir radiation a&&ected the potential o& the ail reiting it to thrut
the rincess Cecile through the Matri,. -here were ongoing e&&ort to develop o&tware
which could chart deviation &rom the calculated mean and adHut the ail to take
ma,imum bene&it &rom the actual condition. %ll the program to date had &ailedF they
overcorrected+ inducing a pyramid o& error into the ytem until the computer had to hut
down &or reprogramming.
% human being who.d een the &low o& univere beyond the ail and who &elt each
tre+ each charge+ o& the hip he captained could hope to do what no electronic mind
could encompa. !t wa no more than a hope+ o& coure1 but &or the crew o& a corvette
preparing to attack a battlehip+ hope wa an unuual boon.
"Battle 'irection Center+" 'aniel ordered. "Bring &orward your olution."
"Sir, %'.e not complet9" 'ort began to ay.
"$ow+ spacerA" Mon aid be&ore 'aniel could o&&er hi e/uivalent o& the ame
thought. ;nowing Mon+ i& 'ort wa within reach at the time he tarted hi e,cue there.d
been a lap a punctuation.
!& that.d happened+ 'aniel hoped 'ort would have better ene than to reent it. -he
midhipman wa big+ young+ and healthy+ but Mon wa too e,perienced a veteran to &ight
&air. He.d literally mop the deck with 'ort. &ace a&ter kicking him in the ball a &ew
time to induce the proper &rame o& mind.
-here were thing you learned in the %cademy+ and there were thing you learned
&rom the Mon and *oetHan and Hogg o& thi world. Bou needed both to be a credit to
the :C$.
Lt. 'aniel Leary wore a mile a he viewed the olution o& Mon+ #eey+ the
computer+ and 'ort. own partial. -he lat wa a good tart+ but the boy had to learn that
ometime having the anwer right wa le important than having the anwer no".
-he computer. coure would re/uire &ourteen hour in the Matri, and two
intermediate return to normal pace to &i, the corvette. location. $o other procedure
could achieve the re/uired accuracy parameter.
#eey had done omething /uite original+ plotting back &rom the target. !t wouldn.t
work in the real world becaue the mall change in the rincess Cecile. coure during
the plotting couldn.t be &actored in1 the whole olution had to be recalculated. 'epite
that+ it wa an intelligent attempt to deal with re/uirement that one o& the mot advanced
computer in the human univere &ound beyond practical reolution.
Mon. olution wa practical and practically uicidalF wham+ bamA -hank you+
%dmiral Chatelaine. Dollowing e,it+ the rincess Cecile would have to reenter the
Matri, within thirty(one econd to avoid plunging into Eetica. upper atmophere.
'aniel wan.t ure o /uick a tranition wa poible+ and he kne" it wan.t poible i&
they received battle damage during the run(in.
*hich le&t 'aniel. own olution+ the one he.d probably have choen even i& he.d had
%dmiral bloody %nton a well a Commander Doulke+ the %cademy. intructor in
tactic+ in the B'C weating over their alternative. Lt. 'aniel Leary commanded this
veel.
'aniel chuckled a he entered the choen coure into the active &ile. -he chematic
o& the corvette. ail changed1 potential &luttered+ piking be&ore dropping to 8ero a the
rincess Cecile lid dimenionally side"ays into another univere. -he et o& the ail
immediately began to change &or the econd o& the three leg o& the approach.
"Ship+ thi i the captainA" 'aniel aid. Hi voice ounded vaguely bored when he
heard it over the C% ytem. "*e will reenter normal pace in three minute thirty . . .
&ive econd. Crepare &or action. %ll peronnel don emergency uit."
He and %dele9he under protet9were till wearing their rigging uit. Sun had
lipped on hi emergency uit o& thin &abric while 'aniel wa topide. Bett+ looking at
hi diplay with anguih &or the per&ect olution he till couldn.t &ind+ tood. He Herked
open the drawer in the chair eat and pulled out hi.
-overa had diappeared into the wardroom. -here were emergency uit there+ o
he and Hogg9
%lmighty Eod+ what about 'elo #aughn)
"*ardroomA" 'aniel aid. -he ervant and their prioner were probably the only
one preent in the compartment+ but 'aniel needed to get the meage to anyone who
could poibly help. "Eet Creident #aughn into a uit oonetA Hogg+ do you hear me)
Cut him looe and uit him upA"
-he rincess Cecile made another tranition+ thi the one that brought her onto the
long &inal approach. On 'aniel. diplay the ail chematic changed again.
-he topail o& #entral = rotated to @I5 degree intead o& the programmed @7>
degree1 abruptly it leaped another &ive degree+ then warped around the remainder o& the
way in tiny Herk. 'aniel thought o& rigger ignoring the tranition and hauling around by
main &orce the &ro8en tackle.
-he rig wa aligned. 'aniel checked the chematic again+ then &ed to the ail the
charge that would caue them to react againt the preure o& Caimir radiation. -he
rincess Cecile canted in pace(time.
'aniel preed a dedicated ignal button on hi conoleF %LL C2:SO$$2L
*!-H!$ -H2 H3LL. -he i, arm o& every emaphore tation on the hull now tuck out
like the petal o& a daiy+ a clear ign to the rigger that they were to come in
immediately. -hoe who couldn.t ee a tation themelve would be warned by hand(
ignal &rom their &ellow+ but veteran like the rincess Cecile. crew knew without
being told that the corvette wa making her attack run.
"T"o minutes to reentry into normal space:" 'ort announced in a &irm+ normal(
ounding voice. 'aniel would be able to praie the lad to hi grand&ather without
heitation. Both midhipmen were aet to the rincess Cecile. crew.
-he rigger weren.t coming in.
'aniel cleared the emaphore control+ then hammered it with hi &it. -hat wa wate
e&&ort+ he knew+ but he had to do it anyway.
"%dele)" he aid deperately. "! there anything wrong with the topide ignal
apparatu)"
!& there wa+ he could end a man out9could go himel&+ he wa wearing a rigging
uit9and bring the crew down with hand(ignal.
%dele brought up a diplay+ checked it+ and /uickly checked it againt three column
o& imilar data9the recorded value &rom pat occaion when the emaphore were
known to be working properly. He.d known there wouldn.t be anything wrong.
"!o, Daniel," he aid without in&le,ion. "The e+uipment's in order. %s there a
pro*lem8"
")ne minute to reentry into normal space:"
"*oetHan. keeping her crew topide+" 'aniel aid. He &elt a udden depair+ though
he knew he.d have done the ame thing i& he.d been the Sissie. boun. "She want them
ready to clear battle damage immediately o that we can maneuver a /uickly a
poible."
-he urvivor would be ready.
"Thirty seconds to reentry:" aid Lt. Mon. "(od *less the #C!:"
Transition.
P P P
-he &irt miile releaed with a thump o /uick that %dele thought it wa part o& the
bu&&eting o& the corvette. return to idereal pace. -he econd+ launched &ive econd
later o that it wouldn.t be damaged by the e,haut trail o& the &irt+ corrected her
miapprehenion.
$ot that %dele cared. She wa in the ea o& in&ormation which &looded &rom the
hip o& the %lliance /uadron and -anai Bae. %dmiral Chatelaine wa organi8ing hi
&orce and imultaneouly trying to learn what the Strymonian bae peronnel knew about
the recently ighted warhip.
:eading between the line o& the /uerie+ Chatelaine didn.t trut hi new allie even
though he.d le&t a &orce o& %lliance peronnel both on -anai and in the orbital &ort
de&ending the bae. She miled grimly. -he only certainty with traitor wa that they.d
tab you in the back alo i& they &ound it e,pedient.
"(od the mother of us all:" omebody creamed over the C% ytem.
%dele &licked her le&t wand+ a hair. breadth &rom cutting acce to the idiot who.d
miued the ytem &or babble at a time o& crii. She aw &or the &irt time the image
echoed &rom 'aniel. creen to the top o& her diplay.
!t wa till a miue o& the C% ytem+ but thi time he.d let it pa. She tared
tran&i,ed at the image.
Der (rosser Darl. ma hid all but an edge o& -anai becaue the corvette viewed
her at uch cloe vantage. %dele had een the 'ristotle &rom cloer yet+ but that had been
in dry dock with the 'ristotle. ail removed and her antenna &olded againt the hull.
-he bulk o& Der (rosser Darl. eventy thouand deadweight tonne wa increaed by
&ully e,tended eighty(meter antenna and enough hectare o& electroconductive ail that
a mall city could hide beneath them.
"Entering the $atri5 in9" 'ort wa announcing.
*orking &orward along the battlehip. hull+ a topail+ a midail+ and lat the
mainail o& three ucceive antenna bulged againt their original tre and tore. Spark
o& antimatter e,haut danced through them+ devouring more o& the &abric. -he miile had
gra8ed Der (rosser Darl+ but without eriouly a&&ecting the target. ability to ail and
&ight.
"9thirty seconds+" 'ort aid.
-he maincoure o& an antenna near the battlehip. tern vanihed in a rainbow
&ireball. The second missile, %dele thought+ but then two more ail+ amidhip to port
and tarboard+ ruptured. -he battlehip. plama cannon were clearing their own &ield o&
&ire+ blating away rigging that had been in the way. -he rincess Cecile Holted ideway
in a bath o& &lame.
% deep+ three(hundred(&oot(long gouge opened along Der (rosser Darl. bow in a
rootertail o& corucance. :ed+ yellow+ and white park erupted into vacuum. Metal
burned where u&&icient air ecaped to upport combution1 otherwie it merely radiated
away the &rictional heat that had ripped it apart.
%lliance hip were ignaling wildly. %dele noticed with a grim mile that two
detroyer were ending in clear and that the heavy cruier. meage were encrypted
according to two eparate ytem9apparently depending on whether they originated on
the bridge or in the Battle 'irection Center. She wa /uite certain that the %lliance
veel were having more trouble undertanding their own communication than he wa.
"Entering the $atri5 in fourteen seconds:" a voice aid+ 'aniel.. %dele cut in an
image o& hi &ace+ et and a little redder than uual. -he recalculation to adHut &or lo o&
ail area to the battlehip. plama bolt mut have been a train both mental and9a
%dele well knew9phyical in the need &or abolute preciion in typing in the command
that alone could ave the corvette.
"Entering9"
Der (rosser Darl &ired another rippling volley+ but the miile. gra8ing impact and
damage to everal High 'rive no88le caued the great hip to lew. -he bolt mied the
rincess Cecile. %n antenna in the battlehip. ternmot ring e,ploded+ the uppermot
ten meter hooting o&& a a proHectile driven on a hockwave o& the portion vapori8ed by
plama.
Transition.
Ceople were houting+ perhap everyone aboard the corvette e,cept %dele herel&.
She orted the data her e/uipment had gathered during the rincess Cecile. econd
within normal pace.
Mot were ordinary communication+ the ah and trah o& the %lliance /uadron
leaving port &or the &irt time a&ter a di&&icult voyage+ but there wa alo the erie o&
meage dealing with the brie&ly potted unknown warhip. -hen+ like hout o& "DireA"
in a crowded theater+ came the dibelieving reaction to the corvette. reappearance in the
middle o& the /uadron9
%nd nothing+ becaue the rincess Cecile wa again within the Matri,+ a&e &rom
attack and probably beyond puruit by thoe aboard the %lliance hip. -hey weren.t
Selma pirate.
%dele gave a nort o& laughter. -hey weren.t 'aniel Leary+ either.
-he alarm that had been puling cut o&&. Lt. Mon aid on a dedicated channel
between the Battle 'irection Center and the bridge+ "!o hull penetration, % repeat, no
penetration. Damage on Dorsal Three1-our1-i.e, the mainsails fucked and masts
se.ered *elo" the topsails. $inor damage on Star*oard T"o *ut the topsail is still eighty
percent. Shall "e start repairs immediately8 ).er."
"!egati.e+" 'aniel aid a he typed+ hi troke a hard and e,act a a hammer
driving nail. "We'll make our second run "ith the present rig. $on, % "ant you to go out
on the hull and tell WoetBans this time she's to *ring her cre" in "hen % gi.e the order.
Break. ,ogg8"
"Standing at your ide+ mater+" Hogg aid+ not houting but peaking loudly enough
to be heard over the ound o& a hip at war. Miile rumbled on their loading track+
making the whole veel vibrate. -he remaining round in the maga8ine added their
thunder a well+ each rolling into the pace vacated by the one ahead o& it.
"Eo with Mon+ he won.t let you dri&t away+" 'aniel aid. Hi voice ounded like
wind roaring through a long tube. "Eo out with a pitol in your hand. -ell *oetHan that
you.ll hoot her i& he diobey my order. ! won.t ak that o& Mon1 but ! will o& you+
Hogg+ and 2llie know that you.ll obey."
"Beah+ all right+" Hogg aid. He turned to watch Mon coming up Corridor C+ dreed
in a rigging uit. "But ! tell you+ he better not let me &loat away."
Sun tared without e,preion at the ervant. back a he went to Hoin the lieutenant.
He &elt %dele. glance+ nodded+ and &orced a mile to her. "She.ll bring .em in+" he aid.
"She know the captain mean buine."
%dele looked at her &riend. She didn.t remember ever having een 'aniel o bleak. !t
wa a though he were again taring up the bore o& the 'ristotle. great plama cannon
in Harbor -hree.
She hand(cued the intercom and aid+ "'aniel)"
'aniel. &ace changed in a way he couldn.t have decribed even though he watched
a it happened. -he plane o& mucle over bone &ractured into minucule liver+ then
re&ormed into the miling young man he.d known9&or month only+ but the mot
important month o& her li&e.
"We'll *e making four shifts on this approach," he aid. "The last 'll *e a long one,
four minutes t"el.e seconds4 "e'll *e *uilding .elocity for our return to normal space.
'fter "e e5it at the end of the run, "e "on't need riggers topside, and % won.t thro" them
a"ay."
% he poke+ the rincess Cecile trembled between univere. *ithin the bubble o&
pace(time &ormed by the hip. electric charge+ nothing palpable changed1 but the
preure o& the univere beyond wa di&&erent.
"'aniel)" %dele aked. "!+ !.m glad that you.re bringing the rigger in+ ! don.t mean
that. But are you ure that you won.t need them on the hull)"
-hey hi&ted again. -he &irt three tage mut be intended imply to align the
corvette with it target. %dele no longer noticed the &eeling o& her body &alling into &our
eparate in&initie.
'aniel miled again+ though there wa a rue&ul /uality to it thi time. "Chastelaine
"ill *e ready for us this time," he aid. "We "on't need riggers topside *ecause after
those eight1inch cannon hit us, "e "on't ha.e any sails left."

Back K $e,t
Content
CHA4TER THIRTY6THREE
'
aniel whitled "Been on the 0ob -oo Long" a he computed
track &or the eighteen miile remaining aboard the rincess Cecile. !t wa /uite a
cheer&ul tune+ though the word were another matter. -hat wa true o& a lot o& catchy
ong+ come to think.
When the "omen all heard that Ding Brady "as dead7
-he rincess Cecile would pa through the %lliance /uadron at high velocity. -hat
wouldn.t a&&ect the plama cannon+ o& coure+ e,cept to minimi8e the corvette. e,poure
to the bolt+ but it did mean that %lliance miile would have a long time catching up
even at twelve(gee acceleration.
They "ent *ack home and they dressed in red.
-he convere wa that the Sissie. own miile+ ave &or the pair already loaded in
the tube+ would be &ighting a great deal o& negative inertia a they truggled back toward
their target. Der (rosser Darl would be able to avoid them eaily.
%ll 'aniel. miile were aimed at the battlehipF i& Der (rosser Darl were
damaged+ the power&ul remainder o& the /uadron would be more concerned with
de&ending the cripple than in chaing down Commodore Cettin. &orce. % big "i&+" o&
coure.
They come slippin' and aslidin' up and do"n the street7
Light &lickered a the rincess Cecile hi&ted onto the &inal leg o& her approach.
'aniel. coure calculation had taken &i&teen minute+ three time a long a o hort a
voyage would re/uire+ becaue he.d added a &ourth parameter to the mi,.
3ually an attack wa made with a minimum o& rig alo&t o that the veel could
maneuver on High 'rive without damaging it antenna. -hi time 'aniel wanted every
poible9every urviving9mat raied to it &ull height and all ail pread. -hat wa a
trikingly ine&&icient way to navigate the Matri,1 but in a portion o& normal pace bathed
with the point(blank output o& eight(inch plama cannon+ it wa the corvette. only hope
o& urvival.
%n their old $other ,u**ards and their stocking feet:
'aniel paued in hi calculation9&or round &i&teen and i,teen+ and i& the Sissie
urvived to launch them he and her crew would be very &ortunate indeed9to watch the
ail chematic change to re&lect the new rig. Starboard -hree and Dour didn.t budge at the
thrut o& the Hack. -hough undamaged at the /uick glance which alone wa poible a&ter
the initial attack+ a plah o& plama had welded their bae hinge.
*oetHan mut have e,pected that+ becaue at leat i, maul lammed rhythmically
into the mat within econd o& the Ham. Both began to li&t. SI continued normally+ but
the pump preure driving S6 &latlined when the antenna had only elevated a &ew degree.
% hydraulic line9cored by plama+ &ractured by an inHudiciou hammerblow+ or imply
&illed with the cued determination o& machine to &ail9had broken.
Brady, Brady, Brady, don't you kno" you done "rong8
-he mat reumed it rie+ again within econd o& the initial &ailure. -he boun mut
already have rigged tackle to block at the head o& adHacent+ previouly e,tended+ mat.
'aniel &elt a ruh o& a&&ection. By EodA he wan.t going to let *oetHan throw her
li&e away. $ot even i& aving her re/uired a incerely o&&ered threat to blow her head o&&
i& he didn.t obey.
%ntenna Starboard 6 locked into place and+ without &urther heitation+ un&urled it
uit o& ail. -he rincess Cecile wa wearing nearly eighty percent o& her rig+ an unuual
event made more remarkable by the battle damage that alone prevented the &igure being
even higher.
%tom tripped o& electron and accelerated by repulion up the bore o& a plama
cannon had velocitie little hort o& light peed+ but negligible ma. -heir ravening touch
would detroy the &irt layer o& any matter they collided with+ but they wouldn.t penetrate.
'amage beyond the target. outer layer wa a reult o& tranmitted impact9which in the
cae o& ail &abric wa almot 8ero.
%&ter the battlehip. initial volley had removed the ail+ &urther bolt would cour
the hull. %t point(blank range+ &lu,e intended to change the coure o& miile
approaching at .= C would make hort work o& a corvette.
9ou *ust into my *ar "hen the game "as on . . .
-he atrogation computer changed the ail. potential a programmed1 'aniel
checked the reult againt the plan and hi intinct. %ll wa well.
He grinned. !& that wa the phrae to ue under the circumtance.
"Three minutes to reentry to normal space:" 'ort aid.
-he rigger+ their Hob completed+ were clanging back within the Sissie. hull. -he
inner airlock opened outide the bridge. One &igure tepped through+ Lt. Mon li&ting o&&
the helmet o& hi rigging uit. He cloed the hatch behind him.
9ou sprung my latch and you *roke my door . . .
Catching 'aniel. eye+ Mon houted+ "Hogg. taying in the lock with *oetHan.
Say it. a good a place a the ne,t+ he &igure."
'aniel thought o& hi hort+ dumpy ervant and the rangy boun. 3nder the
circumtance the two were an ideal pairF they undertood one another per&ectly. Mied
communication had killed more people than ever malice dreamed o& doing.
"Daniel)" %dele aid. She.d waited until he aw hi attention drawn away &rom the
calculation on hi diplay. "When "e return to normal space, % intend to direct the other
ships, the escort ships8 Direct them to return to Tanais in the name of 'dmiral
Chastelaine. % dou*t they'll o*ey, *ut % thought it might confuse them. %s that all right8"
'aniel opened a window in hi holographic diplay o that he could meet %dele.
eye without a &og o& light between them. She looked worried+ concerned about having
overtepped her proper authority.
"Ereat heaven+ yeA" 'aniel aid. "But won.t they9oh+ ! ee. Bou "ill be ending it
in the proper %lliance code."
%dele miled &aintly. "9es, that's my greatest +uestion+" he aid. "Less than half the
flagship's communications are encrypted properly, so it might *e more *elie.a*le if %
introduced errors in my transmissions. Doing that offended my sense of rightness,
ho"e.er, so unless you re+uire me to . . . 8
"Juite all right+" 'aniel aid. "!.d hate &or your lat act in thi li&e to be one you
&ound to mack o& impropriety."
")ne minute to reentry to normal space," announced Mon. "repare for action."
"*hat do you mean+ prepare &or action)" houted omeone9houted 'elo #aughn
coming up the corridor toward the bridge. -he helmet o& hi emergency uit wa hinged
open+ bouncing on hi chet. "*e.ve ecaped+ ! aw u ecapeA *e.re a&e nowA"
-here wa a diplay in the wardroom. -overa mut have et it to receive real(time
data during the attack. She.d have known how+ a&ter all.
'aniel &rowned. He.d ordered Hogg to releae the preident+ but it hadn.t occurred to
him that #aughn would then chooe to inter&ere with the buine o& war.
He noted with &urther irritation that -overa walked Hut behind #aughn. Her mile
could eaily be decribed a mocking+ though one had to admit that -overa. e,preion
were pretty much a blank late &or the viewer to color with emotion.
"Miter #aughn9" 'aniel began.
#aughn trode onto the bridge+ either obliviou o& 'aniel. order or in de&iance o&
them. He aid+ "! won.t let you kill u allA"
"Secure the civilianA" 'aniel aid.
He actually didn.t ee -overa. hand move+ gripping #aughn by the le&t ear and
twiting. #aughn creamed+ then topped a he+ turning hi head to reduce the pain o& hi
ear+ brought hi right eye into contact with the mu88le o& -overa. ubmachine gun.
-hey backed o&& the bridge. %dele nodded to 'aniel and put her pitol away.
"#eentry into7"
Der (rosser Darl+ broadide and apparently huge a a planet+ &illed the real(time
diplay. Her ail were ragged+ torn both by the miile and by gout o& plama &rom her
own cannon. She wa o& the latet %lliance deign+ mounting thirty(two @4CM plama
cannon in /uadruple turret.
Thump: Dirt miile away.
Hell&ire vapori8ed the rincess Cecile. ail and antenna+ dreing her in a glowing
ball o& her own rig. Clama continued to rip &rom at leat eight yawning mu88le+ but the
vapor o& detruction protected the corvette &rom wore.
Thump:
-he rincess Cecile yawed with a world(&illing crah. Her hull whipped+ &rame
warping and plate in the double hull gaping apart. Cabin preure dropped and 'aniel
re&le,ively cloed hi &acehield.
-here hadn.t been enough time &or the battlehip to plot traHectorie &or her own
miile+ but at uch hort range the heavy cannon had virtually the impact o& olid
proHectile. % the corvette punched clear o& the e,panding cloud+ one bolt or poibly
two had truck her well &orward on the underide.
-he &irt miile entered Der (rosser Darl amidhip+ like a pin through the thora,
o& a &at(bodied butter&ly with tattered wing. Ea pu&&ed &rom the point o& impact1
parkling &ire e,ploded where the remain o& the miile+ li/uecent &rom &riction+ tore it
e,it. % gun turret+ almot complete+ li&ted &rom the hull. -hree o& the heavy iridium gun(
tube pun away on eparate traHectorie.
'aniel. diplay &lared+ but the volley that overloaded the hull enor didn.t actually
trike the corvette. Cloe doen.t count9
-he rincess Cecile. econd miile clipped the battlehip. tern and converted
itel& and a thouand tonne o& it target into white &ire. -he corvette had e,ited the
Matri, at .4 C1 her miile added that to the kinetic energy o& their own acceleration
when they truck.
-he rincess Cecile wa through the /uadron+ dimated and with hal& her High
'rive no88le unerviceable. She wa going nearly directly away &rom Der (rosser Darl
and hould have been an eay+ low(de&lection+ target &or the battlehip. cannon.
Der (rosser Darl had topped &iring.
'nd no" you're lyin' dead on my *arroom floor:
'aniel witched hi diplay to the Clot Coition !ndicator. -he rincess Cecile wa
already o&& her programmed coure. % glance at the ytem idebar howed whyF red
dot &or nine o& the i,teen High 'rive no88le+ red circle &or three more. -he &our
no88le which the leet o& ion had pared weren.t u&&icient to warp the corvette around
the curve o& Eetica and out o& line with Der (rosser Darl.
-he rumbling o& miile within the corvette. belly had topped. 'aniel knew
unconciouly there wa omething wrong. Hi own mind hadn.t put a caue to it till a
heartbeat later when Bett leaped up &rom hi conole and houted over the general
channel+ "The fucking outer doors are fucking "elded shut: 'll fucking missile personnel
to the fucking tu*es: We'll dra" the fucking ready rounds and *lo" the fucking doors
open:"
-he Chie& Miileer diappeared down the &orward companionway. Hi lip were
till moving+ but hi word no longer &illed the general channel. 2ither he.d witched hi
helmet to hi unit puh or9more likely9%dele had witched it &or him.
2ither way+ both Miile and Signal were in good hape1 at any rate+ a good a
human e&&ort could make them. % &or the rig . . .
-he battlehip hadn.t reumed &iring+ and the remainder o& the %lliance /uadron wa
too ditant &or plama weapon to be a eriou threat. -here wa till rik1 but then+ there
wa alway rik.
":igger topideA" 'aniel ordered. "*oetHan+ do what you can9!.m not e,pecting
much. Break. 2ngineering+ end a many tech topide a you can pare. ! want the three
no88le with minor damage repaired oonet+ and i& it. poible to replace any o& the
other+ that too. Captain outA"
'aniel doubted replacement would be poible. -he roette o& no88le mut have
taken a direct hit. Caternak had hown himel& to be a good man in milder condition1
now he.d have a chance to tet hi mettle againt battle damage.
Sun wa twited around in hi chair+ taring at 'aniel in anguih. He aid on the
command channel+ "Sir, % could'.e raped her sails, raped them: % can still hurt her *ad,
sir."
'aniel looked at hi gunner. "Could you have done Der (rosser Darl a tenth the
harm he did herel& trying to claw u) Bou know you couldn.t. %nd ! know that i& we
need your cannon+ ! won.t want their bore hot out &rom playing game."
More gently 'aniel added+ "*e.ve almost got maneuvering way+ Sun. Luck and your
gun are the only thing that.re going to keep u alive &or the ne,t hour."
Sun bit hi lip and nodded. "Sir+" he muttered+ turning back to hi conole.
-here wa nothing &atal about Der (rosser Darl. inHurie+ though he.d be a year in
dock repairing them or 'aniel hadn.t learned anything in the time he.d pent hanging
around the premie o& Bergen and %ociate. He undertood why the battlehip. crew
wa wholly concerned with it own problem intead o& acting to &inih o&& the crippled
corvette. *hat he didn.t undertand wa why Chatelaine9or the acting /uadron
commander i& Chatelaine wa a caualty9hadn.t detailed a pair o& detroyer to that
tak.
3nle9
'aniel hrank the cale o& hi CC! to encompa a phere nearly a million mile in
diameter. -here hould have been i, hip in that volume beide the central pip o& the
rincess Cecile herel&. !ntead there were nineF the %lliance /uadron+ and three veel
more at the outer edge o& the coverage area. -hey had their identi&ication tranponder
witched o&&+ but 'aniel knew who they were a urely a the %lliance commander mut.
Commodore Cettin hadn.t &led in the breathing pace the rincess Cecile had
provided him. !n the bet tradition o& the :C$+ he wa coming to &ight.
P P P
%dele kept her &ace e,preionle a he viewed the corvette. outer hull through
imagery provided by *oetHan. uit. !& he hadn.t known better he.d have gueed he
wa looking at a nickel(iron ateroid+ pitted and hal&(melted by a pa through the upper
reache o& an atmophere.
-he internal air preure wa beginning to rie. 'amage crew &illed pace with
/uick(etting &oam+ blocking leak through torn plate and ruptured eam. !t wan.t up to
eight pound yet+ and %dele had been repeatedly warned during drill that there could
till be catatrophic hull &ailure at thi tage o& the proceeding.
She unlatched her helmet anyway. !t contricted her mind+ and that wa &ar more
worriome than the chance o& death.
"-hey.re launchingA" Sun aid. He.d opened hi helmet alo1 hi voice wa /ueaky
but clear to %dele in the ne,t tation. "Look at thoe batardA *ell+ we didn.t get their
&ire control+ that. &or ureA"
-he %lliance hip e,changed coure data on what they aumed were ecure link.
%dele intercepted and decrypted the ignal+ then &orwarded them to 'aniel. Creumably
he wa doing whatever could be done with it+ hi &ace intent a he typed &uriouly.
#oice communication within the %lliance /uadron were properly %dele. own area
o& reponibility. -hey paed through her ear and he &iltered them &or content.
Occaionally he ummari8ed them &or 'aniel and the Battle 'irection Center.
%dmiral Chatelaine hadn.t panicked+ but he wa in a &ury9an e/ually diruptive
tate o& a&&air in repect to the good governance o& hi /uadron. He.d announced he wa
proceeding by gig to the 9orck+ the heavy cruier+ to tran&er hi &lag1 had cancelled that
order and ummoned a detroyer to carry him &rom the damaged battlehip to the 9orck1
and had &inally+ at leat &or now+ determined to direct the battle &rom aboard Der (rosser
Darl. %dele had no idea o& what wa going on inide the %lliance veel+ but he very
much doubted that the moral atmophere reembled the ordered enthuiam aboard the
rincess Cecile.
%dele. ear were given over to duty+ but her eye were her own. She echoed Sun.
diplay in a corner o& her+ replacing the wateland o& the corvette. hull.
%t once he &elt her pirit li&t9not &or what he aw+ but becaue he no longer
viewed the rincess Cecile. mutilated e,terior. %dele wan.t the ort o& entimentalit9
the ort o& &oolA9who imagined machine have li&e+ let alone peronalitie. 2ven o+
there are tool which erve their uer o well that it could be reaonable to &eel regret
when they break.
Sun. attack creen looked imilar to 'aniel. CC!+ ave that it howed miile a
colored track rather than point. -he computed coure were orange+ with the portion
already travered in carlet.
%dele undertood the gunner. ama8ement. Der (rosser Darl had launched twenty(
&our miile+ more than the corvette. capacity at &ull load1 and a %dele watched+
another do8en rippled &rom the battlehip. tube.
"'dele:" 'aniel napped a hi eye and hand continued their eparate work. "Can
you transmit the 'lliance courses to Commodore ettin. Soonest:"
"Be+ 'aniel+" %dele aid mildly. "!.ve been doing that."
She didn.t add+ "O& coure." -hi wa no time to play &oolih game.
-here "ere proper time &or punctilio+ o& coure. She wa a Mundy o& Chatworth
and had no intention o& brooking a deliberate inult1 but he.d have been e/ually curt with
'aniel i& he needed omething &rom him and &ailure would be the price o& delay.
'aniel opened hi helmet. %dele upected the delay had been becaue he wa buy+
not that thin air or the rik concerned him. !nternal preure had rien to over ten pi+
enough that %dele. lung no longer &elt a though they couldn.t &ill.
"%dmiral Chatelaine know he. not very maneuverable+" 'aniel aid. He poke
converationally+ but %dele noticed that hi eye were on the data+ not her &ace. "He.
uing hi maga8ine to do what hi High 'rive can.t+ keep our hip away &rom Der
(rosser Darl while the ret o& hi /uadron detroy them."
He miled brilliantly and met %dele. eye &or an intant. "%nd a your intercept
how+ he. mad enough to chew rock."
-he three Cinnabar veel9point undi&&erentiated in i8e at thi range9vanihed
&rom the diplay a &ew econd apart. !ntead o& lowering their antenna to maneuver in
normal pace+ they.d reentered the Matri,.
-he rincess Cecile. miile began to move on their trackway. % metallic creech
/uivered through the hip+ bringing a violent cure &rom Sun. %dele had no idea o&
whether or not the ound had anything to do with the miile.
'aniel brought up real(time imagery o& the %lliance hip. %dele heitated a
moment+ then echoed the veel in a line acro the top o& her diplay.
*hen the rincess Cecile appeared+ %dmiral Chatelaine had been preparing to
enter the Matri, on a hort voyage &rom Eetica to Strymon. $ow the 9orck and two o&
the detroyer were taking down all their antenna to ready themelve &or battle+ and the
remaining pair o& detroyer were lowering all but the ring at their &ar bow and tern.
": Cla detroyer+" 'aniel aid in a tone o& pro&eional approval. "Juite good
hip. -heir ordinary maga8ine capacity. i,ty round."
"-hey.re the %hn and Stein*rinck+" %dele aid+ e,panding a idebar to check the
name. "-he other two are the Doellner and (iese1 and ye+ they reported maga8ine &ull
at i,ty miile each."
-he %lliance hip were re&orming in a hollow globe thirty thouand mile in
diameter. 2ach veel wa under power at a contant one(gee acceleration. -he coure
chematic made it look a though they were in orbit+ but in &act they circled a point in
empty pace. -anai. orbital motion wa carrying the moon lowly away &rom the
/uadron+ though the hip were already beyond range o& upport by the bae de&ene
when the rincess Cecile attacked.
"Chatelaine. marking time+ waiting to ee what the :C$. going to do+" 'aniel
aid. "He.ll react then9you ee that he. ready to repond either to an attack or to dog u
with two detroyer until the ret o& the /uadron can reHoin i& Cettin trie to run. -hough .
. ."
He pured hi lip Hudiciouly+ peering at the &laghip. image.
"! don.t think the admiral would either leave hi battlehip without ecort or engage
with hi &orce divided+" he aid. "*ith Der (rosser Darl in it preent condition+ hi
/uadron would have a very long chae to run down even a crock like the Winckelmann.
But ! really doubt that /uetion. going to arie+ becaue Commodore Cettin will9"
-hree hip coaleced out o& the Matri,+ again within econd o& one another. -hey
were driving toward the %lliance /uadron+ perpendicular to the plane o& the Strymon
ytem. 'aniel had programmed hi diplay to include them without &urther inputF the
Winckelmann+ 'cti.e+ and etty+ broadide to their a,i o& movement o that their miile
tube amidhip were clear. -hey began lowering their antenna at the moment they
reappeared in normal pace.
-he hip were gloy with &ale preciion. -he rincess Cecile. o&tware wa
integrating real(time image with archival &ile to re&ine view o& veel which were
more than @<<+<<< mile &rom the corvette.
Sliver eparated &rom &irt the Winckelmann+ then the two detroyer. -hey were
launching miile.
"Look what he. doneA" 'aniel aid. "Look+ look where the 9orck i+ %deleA -hat.
your doing+ letting the commodore plan hi attack like thiA"
%dele tared at the diplay. She didn.t undertand. She wan.t ued to thinking
patially+ o the &act that the %lliance heavy cruier wa near the a,i o& the Cinnabar
/uadron. motion didn.t mean anything to her. Some veel wa bound to be+ a&ter all.
%lliance hip were launching miile alo1 ome econd behind the attacker but
in greater number regardle. Der (rosser Darl alone pamed a do8en+ then a econd
do8en &rom her doral and ventral batterie repectively. %dele knew &rom the tranmitted
mani&et that there were hundred more round available behind a &irt alvo that by itel&
outdid the total output o& Commodore Cettin. &orce.
Beide %dele+ Sun hrieked in delight1 both Mon and #eey were crowing happily
over the command channel. "'aniel+ ! don.t seeA" he aid.
-he hip were maneuvering+ though their initial velocitie9particularly thoe o& the
:C$ veel9were much higher than the increment added or ubtracted by their High
'rive. Miile track pread acro the diplay like wip o& colored hair+ the orange
prediction changing to red a the econd paed.
'aniel hammered key+ adding the hip. proHected coure to the diplay. "Oh+" aid
%dele in udden undertanding. "OhA"
-he 9orck wa ailing into the Hunction o& not only the :C$ miile but thoe &rom
Der (rosser Darl. capaciou maga8ine. Commodore Cettin had maneuvered the
%lliance heavy cruier into an in&erno o& &riendly &ire.
-he rincess Cecile. hull rang+ a ound a harp a that o& the rigger. maul but
much louder. Moment later a econd blow made the &rame clang.
"Bridge, that's Tu*e 'lpha clear:" Bett. breathle voice announced. -he low(
&re/uency grumble o& miile moving tarted again. "She'll *e reloaded in a minute
thirty, and *y the Lord "e'll ha.e Beta ready in fi.e minutes more: $issiles out:"
'aniel. Hubilant &ace uddenly hed all e,preion. He began again to type with grim
determination.
"CaptainA" Lt. Mon reported &rom the Battle 'irection Center. "-he battlehip Hut
launched a round at u. Over."
%dele &rowned. What does one missile matter against the scores they'.e already
fired8
She looked at the diplay and &ound it uddenly clear. -he geometry wa imple
enough that even he could ee the relationhip.
-he rincess Cecile wa heading directly away &rom the battlehip it had lahed at
point(blank range. By now the ditance wa very great due to the velocity the corvette
had built up in the Matri,+ but the two hip. proper motion wa nearly 8ero. -he
computed track o& the miile and the corvette. proHected coure were identical.
%nd+ with the damage to her High 'rive+ there wa virtually nothing the rincess
Cecile could do to change that relationhip.
P P P
Caternak wa topide. Many chie& engineer would have denied that it wa their
duty to clamber about the hull o& a hip while it wa under weigh1 they weren.t rigger. !&
the thruter or High 'rive no88le needed looking a&ter+ why then there were technician
to take the rik o& dri&ting toward in&inity while the hip accelerated away &rom them.
!& Caternak had &elt that way+ he.d have been looking &or a di&&erent berth at the end
o& thi voyage+ and he "ouldn't much like the character 'aniel o&&ered when dicuing
him with other captain.
'aniel looked again at hi coure calculation. Mind+ the rincess Cecile. preent
voyage might end very abruptly and under uch condition that none o& her crew need
worry about the &uture. Still+ there wa hope.
"Miter Caternak)" 'aniel aid. Had the Chie& 2ngineer thought to &it hi uit with a
radio be&ore he went topide) Cray Eod he had+ though need mut 'aniel would ue
Hogg or a rigger to relay hi meage. "*hat. the tatu o& the damaged no88le)
Captain over."
"Sir, "e're Bust finishing !um*er -i.e," Caternak came back intantly. "The
sheathing7" the electromagnetic tape that kept the tream o& antimatter centered until it
reached the no88le to interact with the pray o& normal matter "9*urned through *ut the
tu*e and no00le "ere all right. The feeds to Ten and T"el.e are fine, *ut they shouldn't
*e run till the no00les 're replaced. -ifteen minutes apiece if "e're lucky, *ut if the ion
stream "elded the fittings "e'll ha.e to cut them loose. % can't promise much then. ).er."
'aniel looked at hi calculation. *ith three more no88le on line+ Hut poibly . . .
%loud he aid+ "Caternak+ &inih up on Dive oonet and bring your crew aboard.
Break. *oetHan+ we.ll be increaing thrut to one point i, gee a oon a engineering
ha $o88le Dive ready. $o88le -en and -welve may &ail at any moment+ o watch
yourel& around Drame Si,ty."
'aniel tared at hi diplay &or a moment+ then added+ "*oetHan) ! recommend you
bring your crew aboard now+ unle you.re convinced their work over the ne,t &ive
minute i crucial. !t. poible that we.ll be maneuvering violently. Over."
"#oger+" *oetHan aid. -here wa phyical train in her voice. 'aniel upected the
boun wa bracing herel& with the grip o& one hand and uing the other to put a much
&orce on the end o& a come(along a three ordinary crewmen could.ve managed. "9ou
handle the *loody course, "e'll handle the *loody rig. )ut:"
"Task accomplished, coming a*oard," Caternak aid criply. "Engineering out."
'aniel cut in the additional High 'rive no88le. -he icon &or -en and -welve went
olid green under dint o& 'aniel. overriding command+ but they puled to how the
computer. dipleaure.
'aniel miled &aintly. -hey.d never build a computer that could &ight battle
ucce&ullyF to win+ ometime you had to do thing that made no logical ene. Bou had
to be willing to die a well+ but an :C$ o&&icer wa Hut a willing to die a any machine
wa.
On the attack creen+ three %lliance miile track interected that o& the etty. -he
detroyer wa braking at three gravitie+ thrut that wa certain to ripple plate and tart
eam. -he cale wa too mall &or certaintyF to the lat 'aniel wa able to hope that what
looked like a hit wa in &act a narrow mi.
-he etty. image de&ormed. % ball o& ga pu&&ed around the detroyer like blood
pooling beneath a corpe. -he &uion bottle &ailed then+ devouring everything atern o&
the blat wall in a white &lah. 'ebri &rom the bow ection hotgunned away. Some o&
the &ragment might be uited crewmen+ but there wa no poibility o& them being
recued.
"Sir:" Mon aid urgently. "We're accelerating on our pre.ious course. %'.e figured
thrust to produce the greatest possi*le tangent. Shall % take the conn8"
"$egative+ negativeA" 'aniel aid. "Mr. Mon+ !.ll determine the Sissie. coureA"
He checked hi diplay to make ure that he hadn.t handed o&& control to the B'C at
ome pat moment and &ailed to retrieve it. !t wa abolutely critical that the coure
remain e5actly a he.d et it.
2ven i& he.d gueed wrong. % hip could have only one captain+ and 'aniel Leary
wa the rincess Cecile. at preent.
One o& the tern airlock cycled with a heitation noticeable to a pacer e,perienced
in the rincess Cecile. pattern. -he inner valve had warped+ though it mut till be
ealing ade/uately or Caternak. crew wouldn.t have been able to ue the lock without
authori8ation &rom the command conole.
%n :C$ miile hit the 9orck &orward. -hree econd later+ a miile &rom Der
(rosser Darl pitted the %lliance heavy cruier at virtually the ame &rame but &rom
tarboard intead o& the port ide.
-he 9orck continued on it previou coure. % bubble o& atmophere urrounded the
veel+ e,panding lowly. -hat the cruier tayed centered in the ball o& ga howed that
it High 'rive had hut downF until the double impact+ the 9orck had been braking hard
in a deperate attempt to avoid the kill 8one.
-he Winckelmann wa o ditant &rom the %lliance battlehip that miile the hip
launched at one another burned all their &uel+ then continued on ballitic coure. %t
burnout the miile eparated into &our egment+ cloely paced but nonethele
increaing the coverage area coniderably. -hough the di&&erence didn.t how at the cale
o& 'aniel. diplay+ he knew that the miile about to interect both &laghip were more
likely to achieve hit than thoe launched at cloer target.
"Tu*e 'lpha ready:" Bett houted. 'aniel. &inger wa already troking the &iring
witch. -he thump: o& the miile launching wa imultaneou with the "hang: o& Bett.
team breaking &ree the outer door o& -ube Beta with a charge o& e,ploive.
"Sir+ permiion to &ire)" Sun begged. He wa poied over the key that would trigger
the &our plama cannon.
Der (rosser Darl. Carthian hot continued it track toward the Sissie. !t wa very
cloe to burnout now+ but it twelve(gee acceleration had given it more than u&&icient
reidual velocity to overhaul the corvette in another ninety econd.
"$egativeA" 'aniel aid. "!.ll give the order. $ot till ! give the orderA"
Der (rosser Darl ran through the path o& the Winckelmann. &irt alvo. -here were
even miile1 the eighth had ruptured the 9orck. 2ither Cettin or hi Chie& Miileer had
done a brilliant Hob o& targeting. !t wouldn.t have been poible without %dele.
intercepted coure data+ but not every o&&icer would have thought to aim o a to threaten
two enemy hip at a coniderable ditance &rom one another.
% egment truck the battlehip. port outrigger+ retracted ince li&ting &rom it berth
on -anai. -here wa a bright &lahF metal blated to vapor by kinetic energy. -he
econdary hock wave9the ball o& glowing ga e,ploding &rom the impact at a
igni&icant &raction o& light peed9hammered Der (rosser Darl. hull+ whipping the
veel depite it enormou ma.
-hough the battlehip. targeting had been both hatier and le kill&ul than the
Winckelmann.+ her multiple tube made up the di&&erence. -he Winckelmann.
acceleration allowed her to pa well wide o& all but three o& the twenty(&our miile o&
the initial launch1 regardle+ a egment caught her /uarely amidhip. -he &lah had an
electrical /uality to it+ high in the ultraviolet.
-he miile aimed at the rincess Cecile reached burnout and eparated. 'aniel
plotted the &our track+ then careted one and ordered+ "$ow+ SunA 2verything you.ve gotA"
-he corvette. plama cannon rang &rom both turret. Surge o& ioni8ed nuclei
purted at light peed through the ole opening in the laer array and down the iridium
bore.
!nevitably there wa ome leakage which the re&ractory gun(tube had to contain. Sun
had the weapon on high rate+ the &our tube cycling at a combined rate o& i, pule per
econd. -hat couldn.t be utained &or long period becaue it didn.t leave the gun long
enough to cool between dicharge.
!t wa the only chance the rincess Cecile had o& urviving &or a long period+
however.
'epite the gun. enormou energy output+ they couldn.t hope to detroy ton o& olid
metal thouand o& mile away. *hat they could do+ i& kill&ully directed+ wa to nudge
miile aide by ubliming material o&& one ide a reaction ma.
-ube %lpha howed ready. 'aniel launched another miile at Der (rosser Darl.
*ith luck+ %lpha would be reloaded again in time &or another round+ a lat round i& luck
or the Eod decreed. -he Sissie. crew might never know i& thee miile too had truck
9but they had three certain hit on a battlehip+ not a bad record to take to a pacer.
heaven.
-he Winckelmann wung into a low tumble through the void. Her High 'rive hut
down momentarily+ then retarted a Cettin or hi replacement aligned the no88le to
counteract the thrut &rom the miile impact.
-he crippled cruier launched two miile+ then two more. By (od he didA
"'aniel+ the enemy. going to enter the Matri,A" %dele aid. Had he ever heard
%dele hout be&ore) "Chatelaine. ignaled M%ll unit hape coure &or Sonder&ell
immediately.. 'aniel+ they.re runningA"
-ube %lpha "as loaded. Bett mut have et the tranport roller to overpeed.
'aniel launched again+ &eeling the miile in B maga8ine alo tarting to move.
*ith -ube Beta in operation+ the rincess Cecile wa in &ighting trim9e,cept &or
mobility.
Segment o& the incoming miile arrived. #apor glowing with the &ury o& Sun.
cannon bathed the corvette &or an intant+ a &lah like lightning acro 'aniel. real(time
diplay. -here wa a click like a ditant whiplah1 a &ew gauge Humped.
-he rincess Cecile wa end(on to the miile+ howing minimal cro(ectional area
to the threat. 'aniel had aligned her with the center o& the pattern &ormed when the
miile eparated. -hree o& the egment mied o& their own+ and Sun. plama cannon
thrut the lat enough to the ide that only thin(pread ga e,panding &rom the &lank o& the
proHectile touched the hip.
Der (rosser Darl blurred o&& the diplay. Moment later the detroyer %hn and
Stein*rinck vanihed alo. -hey.d rerig in the Matri, be&ore they tarted the long voyage
to Sonder&ell.
'aniel hook hi head. Sonder&ellA -hat route to the Sack wa &our month o& ailing
&or well(&ound veel. $o wonder Chatelaine. /uadron had managed to avoid being
potted en routeA But how &riendly the ;han o& Sonder&ell would be to a &orce o
obviouly de&eated . . . )
'aniel miled. He had a degree o& ympathy &or Chatelaine a a &ellow captain and
pacer1 but he couldn.t ay he wa orry about the reult+ no.
-he admiral. deciion made per&ect ene. Der (rosser Darl wa a new battlehip+
many time more valuable than the entire :C$ /uadron. She.d been badly damaged
already and could with &urther bad luck9Chatelaine would think it wa luck9be
detroyed. !t wa hi duty a a prudent commander to avoid &urther loe by
withdrawing.
% computer would have agreed to the depth o& it electronic oul.
-he order to &lee caught the Doellner and (iese with their antenna towed. Both
detroyer cut their thrut to 8ero to make the rigger. Hob eaier+ proceeding on a ballitic
coure. -he (iese lipped into the Matri, within three minute+ a very creditable time+
but her iter hip barely truggled out ahead o& the miile that the Winckelmann and
'cti.e launched at them &or want o& a better target.
'aniel hut down the High 'rive+ then let out hi breath and &elt all the trength
drain &rom hi body. Eoodne+ he.d merely been itting at hi conole &or the pat hour.
!t &elt like he.d been breaking rockA
He witched the intercom manually. "Lieutenant Mon+" he aid. "-ake the conn i&
you pleae. Coordinate with 2ngineering a to the bet way to proceed toward the
&laghip while re&itting our High 'rive and plama thruter. Break. Mr. Caternak+ you
may reume repair. Coordinate with Lieutenant Mon."
-he rincess Cecile wa till treaking toward the rim o& the Strymon ytem and the
void beyond. -he velocity at which he.d entered idereal pace would take day to brake
with the High 'rive+ even i& all the no88le were operating. !& *oetHan couldn.t get ome
ort o& rig operable with the corvette. own pare+ 'aniel would have to beg help &rom
the 'cti.e.
"'aniel)" aid %dele. "-he 9orck i ignalling that it urrender. Commodore
Cettin. hip are much cloer than we are+ but !.m not ure they.re monitoring the open
channel at the moment. *ould you like me to retranmit on the /uadron. command
link)"
"*hat)" aid 'aniel. "Be+ i& you would pleae+ %dele. -here. no point in having
hundred more o& the poor devil die when there. no reaon &or it."
"Captain8" *oetHan aid. -he boun wa breathing hard. "We're getting three
antennas on each of the aft rings rigged. -or"ard "e're fucked, may*e e.en in a
shipyard "e're fucked, *ut you'll *e a*le to cra"l into the $atri5 inside of ten. ).er."
'aniel beamed. "*oetHan+ !.d marry you i& ! thought ! were worthyA" he aid.
"Break. Lieutenant Mon+ the Chie& o& :ig ay we.ll have partial ail available in ten
minute. Clot a coure toward the &laghip+ i& you pleae1 and alo a coure back to
Strymon+ where ! e,pect we.ll be directed a oon a the commodore learn who our
paenger i. Captain out."
'aniel tood care&ully+ uing the back o& hi chair a a upport until he wa ure that
hi leg weren.t going to &ail him. *hen he at at the conole he locked one leg under the
chairpot. 'uring the battle Hut over+ he.d clamped it &irmly enough that he.d cut o&&
circulation.
"%dele)" he aid. "*ould you care to come with me to the wardroom) ! think it.
time to releae Creident #aughn and o&&er our apologie. !.d like ome company."
O&&ering %dele hi hand+ 'aniel added9miling but truth&ul nonethele+ "!n
addition+ ! pre&er to have you beide me when ! talk to -overa."
'aniel had le&t a hort imagery loop running on the command conole. Der (rosser
Darl hung in a black &ield+ gouting plama &rom it turret9
-hen pewing ga and &lame &rom both &lank a the rincess Cecile. &ourth miile
truck.
Cinnabar &oreverA

Back K $e,t
Content
E4ILOG3E:
5ENOS
B
arne and 'ai+ hired to bring %dele. peronal gear &rom Har(
bor -hree+ walked ahead o& her like a noble. retainer. -hey were Hoking with one
another and whitling+ either man able to carry both du&&le bag without noticing the
weight. Civilian watched them curioulyF thi wan.t a ditrict that aw many o& their
ort.
*oetHan and Caternak both had o&&ered %dele a real ecort+ a many pacer a he
wanted &rom the crew o& Drigate FE@9renamed Little Sis while in :C$ ervice. She.d
re&ued. %dele had an increaing didain &or empty tate+ and to appear with &orty or more
ervant would be making a boat to her neighbor that the reality o& her pure couldn.t
live up to.
"! wa a &ool to ak &or thi houe back+" %dele aid to -overa beide her. "! can.t
a&&ord baic maintenance+ let alone the kind o& ta&& it re/uire to be run properly."
-overa hrugged noncommittally. She might not have reponded even i& he.d been
aked a real /uetion. Money imply wan.t omething that -overa cared about.
%dele miled &aintly. -overa wa /uiet+ el&(e&&acing+ and abtemiou. #iewed &rom
the correct angle+ he wa a aint.
"-he one with the guy in blue out &ront+ ma.am)" 'ai aked. He getured with hi
&ree hand+ an underhanded motion a though he were lobbing a ball.
%dele leaned to look pat the two burly pacer. -here houldn.t be9
But there wa+ a well(et(up man in a tunic o& blue with ilver piping. %dele hadn.t
hired ervant to replace thoe who.d le&t with the :ol&e. -he deed to Chatworth Minor
had been waiting &or %dele in a meage locker at Harbor -hree+ along with the9
e,pected and unneceary9ummon to ee Mitre Sand at her earliet convenience+
day or night.
"Be+ that. the houe+" %dele aid.
-he doorman+ eeing %dele coming up the treet+ tepped back and rapped on the
panel. "-he mitre ha arrivedA" he aid in a voice that could be heard &rom one end o&
the block to the other. 'oormen who.d neeringly ignored the paing entourage now
&ocued on the :C$ warrant o&&icer and her companion.
-he door panel wa now plain beewood+ andblated to emphai8e the ditinctive
grain. !t opened &rom the inide1 a blue(liveried &ootman bowed 'eirdre Leary out.
"Cerhap it. not my place to welcome you to your own home+ Mitre Mundy+"
'eirdre aid with a weep o& her hand. "But welcome anyway. !.m delighted to be here
when you arrive1 !.d been held up by buine and wa a&raid ! wouldn.t be able to greet
you."
"! alo had buine to take care o&+" %dele aid without emphai. Chance were
that Corder Leary. daughter knew %dele wa connected with Mitre Sand+ but i& o
that wa an even better reaon not to dicu it. "*ith that out o& the way+ ! decided to
viit the houe1 though ! wan.t ure what !.d &ind when ! arrived."
"Ma.am)" Barne aid+ bouncing the laden du&&le bag in the palm o& hi hand to call
attention to it.
"Hokin+ how Mitre Mundy. ervant where to put her thing+ i& you will+"
'eirdre aid. -he word and even the tone were polite+ but 'eirdre. manner brooked no
more dicuion than her brother would when napping out order in a crii.
Smiling+ another peron a Barne and 'ai &ollowed the &ootman into the
townhoue+ 'eirdre went on+ "May we be %dele and 'eirdre+ mitre) ! pre&er term o&
&riendhip with thoe &or whom ! act."
%dele topped on the threhold. -he hideou moaic wa gone and the ancient
&looring hone with a high glo. She didn.t even want to think about what that mut have
cot.
But he didn.t grudge the e,pene+ not even i& it meant he had to mi meal again.
% Mundy tood again in Chatworth Minor. *hat did money matter in comparion with
that)
"!.m not ued to in&ormality+" %dele aid. "Still+ your brother. been training me into
an appreciation o& it+ and ! dare ay !.ll be able to e,tend the proce to you. 'eirdre."
%dele wa &inding it hard to peak through the lump in her throat. Things don't
matter: But at one time not o &ar in the pat+ he.d thought people didn.t matter either+
only knowledge. Ceople did matter. %nd it eemed that Chatworth Minor mattered a
well+ at leat to %dele Mundy.
She tood in the entrance hall+ entranced by the rich &amiliarity o& the beewood
under&oot. !t wan.t home any more+ but it wa a urely a part o& her a the kill and
knowledge he.d gained in the year he.d lived here.
-hat thought led to another. %dele aid+ "%h+ ! don.t know how much you.ve heard
9" how much 'eirdre undertood wa the real /uetion1 he certainly had acce to the
bare &act "9about your brother. ituation. -he hip he command+ the rincess Cecile+
wa eriouly damaged in action and i being repaired by the -anai hipyard. 'aniel
accepted a temporary appointment to bring Commodore Cettin. dipatche to Cinnabar
aboard a Strymonian veel commandeered &or the purpoe."
%dele could ee &urniture through the door opening o&& the hallway1 not the :ol&e.
&urnihing. -hee were tate&ully choen anti/ue and e5tremely e,penive. She cleared
her throat and added+ "-he dipatche credit Lieutenant Leary with a maHor part o& the
victory our &orce won over an %lliance /uadron. *ell(deerved credit+ !.m happy to
ay."
"Hi &ather will be pleaed+" 'eirdre aid. "% am !."
She too cleared her throat be&ore he continued+ "!.ve prepared account &or you9"
'eirdre made a light geture toward the upper &loor. % li&etime ago %dele had at
in one o& the room up there and cribbled a note to 'eirdre Leary.
"Bou.ll want to review them at leiure+ o& coure+" 'eirdre aid. "But i& you wouldn.t
mind+ !.d like to take a moment now to go over the main head o& my action a your
agent."
"Be+" aid %dele criply. She hadn.t intended to hand over general control over her
aet+ but he didn.t doubt that 'eirdre. lawyer would be able to how that he had. 'id
he have any money at all le&t) "! think that would be bet."
'eirdre paued &or a moment+ perhap wondering i& %dele wanted to adHourn to one
o& the drawing room. %ll %dele wanted wa to learn her preent &inancial condition in
the /uicket+ baldet &ahion poible.
":eali8ing that your preent houehold doen.t re/uire all the available pace+"
'eirdre aid+ "! leaed the econd &loor to a bank. !t will ue the room &or con&idential
meeting and may ometime houe client who deire complete privacy while taying in
Geno."
She getured around her+ then continued+ "3nder term o& the leae+ the bank i
reponible &or renovating the building. !t alo provide both ordinary ta&& and ecurity."
%t the word "ecurity+" -overa. mouth bent in what %dele had learned to call a
mile. -here wa humor o& a ort in the e,preion.
'eirdre tarted minutely+ a though he.d touched omething that gave her a tatic
park. Her voice remained &irm a he reumed+ "!& you obHect to the bank. choice o&
decor9"
"! do not+" %dele aid. -he word came out like the ward o& a lock &alling.
"#ery good+" aid 'eirdre. "Bou retain power o& veto+ however+ whether or not you
chooe to e,ercie it."
"*hen you ay Mbank+. " %dele aid+ "you mean the Shipper. and Merchant. -reaury+
do you not) Bour bank."
"!.m an o&&icer o& the Shipper. and Merchant.+ ye+" 'eirdre aid with a cool mile.
"!n the preent cae+ however+ ! wa acting olely a your agent when ! dealt with the
preident and maHority hareholder."
"-hat would be Corder Leary+" %dele aid. She hadn.t thought to look up the bank.
ownerhip+ but realitically he had no need to do o. "Bour &ather."
"Be+" aid 'eirdre. "!t would."
Men were coming down the treet. One o& them bawled out the houe number a
they paed in a voice better uited to calling cattle home.
"-he bank. ue o& the premie will be in&re/uent+" 'eirdre aid. "! undertand
they.ve employed a blind agent to ublet their portion to a young naval o&&icer who need
room while he. in Geno. Mot o& the time he.ll be away on naval buine. :C$
buine+ ! believe you.d call it)"
"Be+" aid %dele. "-hat. what we call it. %nd i& !.m not mitaken+ 'eirdre+ here
come that young naval o&&icer right now."
She turned to look down the treet.
"*hy look+ HoggA" cried 'aniel Leary. "-here. %deleA *hat are you doing here+
%dele) %nd by heaven+ in.t that my iter 'eirdre)"