"He believes that's the reason he was attacked, to stop him. And he believes G.o.dsen was killed on the a.s.sumption that Protocol must have been working with him. For the same reason, he believes I might be next." She shrugged slightly. "He felt he had to warn me, despite the risk."

Warden was too full of impatience: he couldn't stifle all of it. Cursing the raw edge in his voice, he demanded, "What risk is that?"

In response she lowered her gaze. Min wouldn't have done that; but in other ways Koina reminded him of the DA director in the old days-before he'd begun to inspire so much outrage.

"The risk that we might tell the Dragon," she answered. "The risk that warning me might give the UMC and the UMCP time to work against him together."

d.a.m.n! d.a.m.n it to h.e.l.l! h.e.l.l! Unable to contain himself any longer, Warden rose to his feet as if he were dismissing the PR director. Her qualms filled him with an acid chagrin, corrosive and bitter. Unable to contain himself any longer, Warden rose to his feet as if he were dismissing the PR director. Her qualms filled him with an acid chagrin, corrosive and bitter.

He watched her stand opposite him. Then he p.r.o.nounced harshly, "Hashi was wrong. We shouldn't be talking about this. We shouldn't know about it at all. As of right now, we don't don't know about it. You've forgotten everything Captain Vertigus said on the subject, and if you made any record of your conversation, I hope you believe in an afterlife, because I won't take pity on you in this one. know about it. You've forgotten everything Captain Vertigus said on the subject, and if you made any record of your conversation, I hope you believe in an afterlife, because I won't take pity on you in this one.

"If and when the question of a Bill of Severance comes to your attention through normal, public public channels, our position is one of strict and absolute neutrality. We have no opinion, for or against. Our only legal authority for what we do comes from the GCES, and it is the proper business of the GCES to make decisions about that authority. We accept those decisions, whatever they might be. We are the police, not the government. We have neither the competence nor the wisdom to sway the Council concerning a Bill of Severance. channels, our position is one of strict and absolute neutrality. We have no opinion, for or against. Our only legal authority for what we do comes from the GCES, and it is the proper business of the GCES to make decisions about that authority. We accept those decisions, whatever they might be. We are the police, not the government. We have neither the competence nor the wisdom to sway the Council concerning a Bill of Severance.

"Have I made myself clear?"

"Not completely." Koina didn't hesitate to use her beauty, when she needed it. Her eyes were limpid and kind, and her mouth smiled with an endearing quirk; even her tone suggested affection. Only her words themselves conveyed a challenge. "Are we going to take the same position with Holt Fasner?"

However, Warden was in no mood for her defenses-or her challenge. His shoulders hunched in a clench of disgust, which he deflected into a shrug. "Koina, do I look like a man who has the time to stand here lying to you?" Making a virtue of necessity, he let his exasperation show in his voice. "Of course course we're going to take the same position. It's the right position." Then he admitted frankly, "It's also the only one we can afford." we're going to take the same position. It's the right position." Then he admitted frankly, "It's also the only one we can afford."

At once-and smoothly, as if the transition were easy-she became all brisk professionalism. "Thank you, Director." Already she'd turned for the door. "I'll get out of your way now and let you do some real work."

Without his IR sight, he would have had no way of knowing that she'd been touched by his answer, or that she accepted it.

Muttering imprecations at his lack of self-command, he stopped her. Before he keyed the door-before he opened the security envelope which kept their conversation private-he told her quietly, "By the way, I don't think you're in any danger."

She raised a delicate eyebrow, smiling as if she considered the question purely academic. "Why not?"

"Because Captain Vertigus is wrong. That's not what this is about."

"I see." She considered his answer for a moment, then asked, "What is it about?"

He had no intention of telling her that; her or anyone else. "Watch the next GCES session," he returned. "It might give you some ideas."

To keep her from saying anything else, he keyed the door and waved her through it.

The instant she was gone he sat down and faced Min's message.

A tremor of anxiety he didn't bother to control afflicted his hands as he tapped his console. He could afford to be cryptic with Koina Hannish, but with himself he needed facts and accuracy. Without them he would never be ready to face the Dragon.

How much time did he have left before Holt summoned him to demand an accounting? Would he be left alone long enough to make his own decisions and act on them, or would everything that followed from this moment be directed and shaped by Holt Fasner's purposes?

How soon would the Dragon learn the truth about him?

Growling softly through his teeth, he forced his one human eye into focus on the readout.

He noted the time-stamp and origination coordinates-Min's message had taken roughly seven hours to reach him by gap courier drone from the far side of the Com-Mine belt-but ignored all the rest of the secondary codes and data. He wanted the substance of the transmission.

When he found it, however, his heart lurched; missed a beat.

The report began with a copy of a flare from Trumpet Trumpet to UMCPHQ. to UMCPHQ.

No doubt the original of that message was still in transit, being carried Earthward by the listening post's regular drone service. Min had used one of Punisher's Punisher's few courier drones because she felt her information couldn't wait that long. few courier drones because she felt her information couldn't wait that long.

Warden shut down his recognition of his unsteady pulse and trembling hands; shut down his fear; shut down his awareness of ticking time; and read.

Isaac to Warden Dios, personal and urgent urgent, the flare from Angus began. Mission to Thanatos Minor successful. Mission to Thanatos Minor successful.

Gabriel priority activated. Milos Taverner has gone over to the Amnion.

Personnel aboard include survivors from Captain's Fancy: Captain's Fancy:Morn Hyland, Davies Hyland, Nick Succorso, Mikka Vasaczk, Ciro Vasaczk, Vector Shaheed.

Amnion vessels in pursuit.

Urgent. The Amnion know about the mutagen immunity drug in Nick Succorso's possession. It is possible that they have obtained a sample of the drug from Morn Hyland's blood. The Amnion know about the mutagen immunity drug in Nick Succorso's possession. It is possible that they have obtained a sample of the drug from Morn Hyland's blood.

Urgent. Davies Hyland is Morn Hyland's son, force-grown on Enablement Station. The Amnion want him. They believe he represents the knowledge necessary to mutate Amnion indistinguishable from humans. Davies Hyland is Morn Hyland's son, force-grown on Enablement Station. The Amnion want him. They believe he represents the knowledge necessary to mutate Amnion indistinguishable from humans.

Urgent. The Amnion are experimenting with specialized gap drives to achieve near-C velocities for their warships. Nick Succorso and his people have direct knowledge of this. The Amnion are experimenting with specialized gap drives to achieve near-C velocities for their warships. Nick Succorso and his people have direct knowledge of this.

We will try to survive until new programming is received.

Message ends. Isaac.

Warden could have stopped then; wanted to stop so that he could take all this in and find s.p.a.ce for it among his complex priorities. He needed an opportunity to connect it to what he'd learned from Hashi; needed a chance to celebrate and worry. Morn was alive! Angus had gained that much for him, whatever else happened. But Min's report went on at much greater length, and he had to know it all.

What followed after Trumpet's Trumpet's flare was a literal extract from flare was a literal extract from Punisher's Punisher's datacore, beginning when the cruiser had reached her position near forbidden s.p.a.ce on the far side of the Com-Mine belt. Typical of Min: the data was unedited; devoid of commentary or interpretation. She refused either to do Warden's work for him or to risk slanting his perceptions. He had to consider every detail in order to pan out the nuggets. datacore, beginning when the cruiser had reached her position near forbidden s.p.a.ce on the far side of the Com-Mine belt. Typical of Min: the data was unedited; devoid of commentary or interpretation. She refused either to do Warden's work for him or to risk slanting his perceptions. He had to consider every detail in order to pan out the nuggets.

The nuggets were there, however. He identified them without trying to evaluate them yet.

Angus' programming still held: Trumpet Trumpet had reached human s.p.a.ce, flared a report, and activated her homing signal exactly according to his prewritten instructions. A ship from forbidden s.p.a.ce-presumably an Amnioni herself, or an Amnion proxy-was heading across the frontier very much as if she were in pursuit of had reached human s.p.a.ce, flared a report, and activated her homing signal exactly according to his prewritten instructions. A ship from forbidden s.p.a.ce-presumably an Amnioni herself, or an Amnion proxy-was heading across the frontier very much as if she were in pursuit of Trumpet. Trumpet. For that reason among others, For that reason among others, Punisher Punisher was leaving the belt to chase the gap scout. was leaving the belt to chase the gap scout.

And then there was the matter of Free Lunch Free Lunch, owner and captain Darrin Scroyle, an apparently legal merchanter drifting right on top of the listening post Angus had risked his ship and his life to reach. Free Lunch Free Lunch claimed that she had some kind of contract with Cleatus Fane-in other words, with Holt Fasner-to observe and report events from forbidden s.p.a.ce. Warden didn't dismiss that explanation, but he jumped to another of his own. claimed that she had some kind of contract with Cleatus Fane-in other words, with Holt Fasner-to observe and report events from forbidden s.p.a.ce. Warden didn't dismiss that explanation, but he jumped to another of his own. Free Lunch Free Lunch was Hashi's unexplained source for his knowledge of events on Thanatos Minor. This Warden deduced from the strange fact that Darrin Scroyle-or Cleatus Fane-had seen fit to route was Hashi's unexplained source for his knowledge of events on Thanatos Minor. This Warden deduced from the strange fact that Darrin Scroyle-or Cleatus Fane-had seen fit to route Free Lunch Free Lunch's transmission through UMCPDA.

It all looked like chaos; but Warden couldn't afford to think like that, couldn't let his conflicting emotions overwhelm him now. He'd put most of this in motion himself; perhaps all of it. If he lost his composure, if he failed to haul events into the kind of order he needed, then real chaos would result-pure, brutal, self-destructive anarchy.

Morn was alive. alive. And Angus would keep her alive as long as he survived himself. That victory lifted Warden's heart when he considered it. And Angus would keep her alive as long as he survived himself. That victory lifted Warden's heart when he considered it.

Milos' treachery didn't dismay him. From the first he'd planned to lose the former deputy chief of Com-Mine Security. Making it possible for Milos and his headful of knowledge to go "over to the Amnion" was the most insidious attack on them Warden could devise; a crucial gambit in his efforts to protect human s.p.a.ce while he betrayed Holt Fasner's trust.

Put baldly, his intent with Milos-as well as one of his several purposes for Morn and Angus-was to lure the Amnion to commit an act of war which he would be able to crush, thereby driving them into a psychological retreat just at the time when humankind was most vulnerable to a.s.sault.

Therefore he wasn't daunted by the prospect of an Amnioni in pursuit of Trumpet. Trumpet. His gamble with Milos was starting to pay off. His gamble with Milos was starting to pay off.

At the same time, however, he tasted a tentative alarm at the idea that Morn Hyland had a son; a son the Amnion would risk much to recapture. Force-grown on Enablement. Force-grown on Enablement. To some extent that explained Nick Succorso's unauthorized foray into forbidden s.p.a.ce. And it gave the Amnion more reason to risk an incursion. But how was it possible that the boy had any mind at all, not to mention a mind that To some extent that explained Nick Succorso's unauthorized foray into forbidden s.p.a.ce. And it gave the Amnion more reason to risk an incursion. But how was it possible that the boy had any mind at all, not to mention a mind that represents the knowledge necessary to mutate Amnion indistinguishable from humans? represents the knowledge necessary to mutate Amnion indistinguishable from humans? By what conceivable method were the Amnion able to "force-grow" a functional human consciousness? By what conceivable method were the Amnion able to "force-grow" a functional human consciousness?

The image of Amnion indistinguishable from humans Amnion indistinguishable from humans made his skin crawl. Genetic kazes of one form or another were the stuff of nightmare. Yet that idea was less immediately appalling than the bare thought that the Amnion might have gained the means to achieve near-C velocities. If that were true, his efforts to protect his species had already begun to go wrong with a vengeance. No quadrant of human s.p.a.ce would ever be safe again. made his skin crawl. Genetic kazes of one form or another were the stuff of nightmare. Yet that idea was less immediately appalling than the bare thought that the Amnion might have gained the means to achieve near-C velocities. If that were true, his efforts to protect his species had already begun to go wrong with a vengeance. No quadrant of human s.p.a.ce would ever be safe again.

As for Hashi's dealings with Free Lunch- Free Lunch- Just for a moment Warden gave in to an incendiary and betrayed rage. What was Hashi doing? doing? Working with the Dragon? Had he gone over to Holt's side behind Warden's back? Was it possible that Warden had been Working with the Dragon? Had he gone over to Holt's side behind Warden's back? Was it possible that Warden had been that that wrong about him? wrong about him?

You sonofab.i.t.c.h, I know you don't even know what the truth is is, but I trusted trusted you! I you! I need need you! you!

He couldn't afford that, however, absolutely could not afford to submit to fury; not now. now. Too much was at stake. His hopes, even his survival, depended on his ability to keep his head Too much was at stake. His hopes, even his survival, depended on his ability to keep his head right now right now, to understand what was going on and make accurate decisions about it. He'd set himself up for this; set Holt Fasner up, and most of humankind as well. If he faltered or failed, he might as well go over to the Amnion himself: the harm he did would be incalculable.

He brought his torn pa.s.sions under control just as what he called the "disaster light" on his console began flashing at him.

When he was in one of his secure offices, he officially ceased to exist. In theory no one could find him; no one could reach him. But in practice that was unworkable-not to mention irresponsible. His duties required that he could be contacted in the event of an emergency. UMCPHQ Center accomplished this by activating a signal in all his offices simultaneously.

It was too soon-but then everything was always too soon when so much hung in the balance. At least he'd been given time to read Punisher's Punisher's report. He could think about it on the way. report. He could think about it on the way.

Already he could see possibilities- Faced with a crisis, he mastered himself. His hands were as steady as stones as he toggled his intercom.

"Dios." He announced himself as if he were immune to panic. "What's going on?"

"Director," a young voice from Center answered quickly. "Sorry for the intrusion, sir. I didn't know what else to do." Too young: the officer on duty sounded like a kid. "Holt Fasner's been yelling at us. No disrespect, but I thought he was going to burst something. He said-" The officer stumbled momentarily on the words. "Sorry, sir. He said if you don't get your a.s.s over there in five minutes, he's going to feed your b.a.l.l.s to his mother." In chagrin the officer repeated, "Sorry, sir."

Five minutes. Well, that that was impossible, at any rate. No matter what the Dragon wanted, he would have to give Warden more time than that. was impossible, at any rate. No matter what the Dragon wanted, he would have to give Warden more time than that.

"Don't worry about it," he told the duty officer. "If I thought you were accountable for what the Dragon says, I would order you to wash his mouth out.

"Get my shuttle ready. Tell the crew I'm on my way. Then send CEO Fasner an ETA."

Warden clicked off the intercom and rose to his feet. If Holt could count, he would know that his UMCP director had responded to his summons immediately. Even a great worm-the term was Hashi's-couldn't demand more than that.

Now more than ever it was vital for Warden Dios to look like a dutiful subordinate.

UMC Home Security delivered him to the same office where he'd last faced his master. Nothing had changed physically, either in the room itself or in Holt Fasner. Aside from a utilitarian desk and a few chairs, the office contained no furniture: the remaining s.p.a.ce was thick with data terminals, display screens, and communications systems. And the Dragon wasn't discernibly older. He wore his one hundred fifty years as if they were sixty or seventy; his heart still beat strongly; the working of his brain had lost none of its legendary fierceness. His true age showed only in the odd ruddiness splashed like stains across his cheeks, the rapid blinking of his eyes, and the way his hands sometimes shook.

Warden was mildly surprised to see that Holt wasn't angry. The Dragon's IR aura conveyed a mortality which wasn't obvious to normal sight: it was shot with acrid hues and fluctuations which Warden a.s.sociated with hunger, distrust, connivance; an old and undifferentiated hate. None of that was new, however. Holt had roared at UMCPHQ Center with a vehemence he apparently didn't feel-or no longer felt.

Warden didn't wait for a greeting. He didn't sit down; didn't approach the desk. As soon as the door closed behind him, sealing the room with security screens and baffles, he said harshly, "I hope you had a good reason for yelling at my people. They don't need that, and I don't like it."

Holt fluttered a hand as if he were waving away the needs-or the reality-of Warden's people. "Sit down, sit down." His tone was calm, but it held no welcome. "Your 'people,' as you so naively call them, are more interested in protecting you than in doing their jobs. I had to get their attention."

"Why?" Warden countered. "I don't ignore you when you summon me. And I don't keep you waiting."

Holt leaned forward; strange hungers pulsed in his aura. "This is urgent. You know that as well as I do. You received a report from the Com-Mine belt-a report on what happened to Billingate. I want to know what it said."

Warden made no effort to disguise his bitterness. "I thought you already knew."

Holt reacted by jerking up his head. His eyes widened; for a moment they stopped blinking.

"Now how in h.e.l.l would I know that?"

Quickly Warden studied the Dragon's emanations, searching them for signs of falsehood. Routine data sharing between Home Office and UMCPHQ would have included only the fact of the report's arrival, not its content. But if Hashi had gone behind Warden's back to Holt- "There's a ship out in the belt," Warden p.r.o.nounced, "Free Lunch "Free Lunch, Captain Darrin Scroyle. He says he's working for you."

"Then he's a liar," Holt snapped. "I turned all UMC communications resources over to you. you. I haven't had either the time or the facilities to set up another net of my own. I haven't had either the time or the facilities to set up another net of my own.

"I'll have this"-he spat the name-"this Captain Scroyle's Scroyle's license revoked and his ship decommissioned by the time you get back to UMCPHQ." license revoked and his ship decommissioned by the time you get back to UMCPHQ."

"Fine," Warden growled. "You do that." Holt's disgust and indignation were plain; honest as far as they went. His aura didn't suggest calculation. He was trying to evaluate Warden, not conceal subterfuge from him.

So Hashi had not gone behind Warden's back. The DA director was playing a different kind of game.

Warden found no comfort in that.

It was certainly plausible that Free Lunch Free Lunch had lied to protect herself from had lied to protect herself from Punisher. Punisher. Having no conscience about the truth himself, Hashi liked working with people who dissembled well. He seemed to find a specialized pleasure, almost a kind of exaltation, in the challenge of defining and profiting from other people's falsehoods. Having no conscience about the truth himself, Hashi liked working with people who dissembled well. He seemed to find a specialized pleasure, almost a kind of exaltation, in the challenge of defining and profiting from other people's falsehoods.

"But in the meantime," Warden went on without pausing, "maybe you'll explain why you a.s.sume I wasn't going to send you a copy of that report?"

"Because," Holt retorted, "you don't look good to me right now. Your dependability is, shall we say, starting to fray around the edges?

"My sweet old mother, bless her malicious soul, thinks you're getting me in trouble. I always pay close attention when she tells me such things." Threats and distrust whetted his tone. "And you went out of your way to confirm her judgment in that appalling video conference with the GCES. But you didn't stop there-not you, in spite of your elevated reputation for good sense. You appointed this-this Koina Hannish-to replace G.o.dsen without consulting me. And you sent Joshua against Thanatos Minor under the control of the most accomplished double-dealing b.u.g.g.e.r you could find.

"I don't want to wait around until you think the time is right to let me know what's going on. I prefer hearing the truth in person."

Grimly Warden stifled an impulse to rasp back, Fine. Let's both both tell the truth. I'll tell you why I really sent Angus to Billingate. You tell me what you gain from this G.o.dd.a.m.n hostile peace with the Amnion. Tell me why you work so hard to make sure that nothing we do to protect ourselves is ever quite good enough. Tell me what's so absolutely important that you have to misuse and manipulate me to get it. tell the truth. I'll tell you why I really sent Angus to Billingate. You tell me what you gain from this G.o.dd.a.m.n hostile peace with the Amnion. Tell me why you work so hard to make sure that nothing we do to protect ourselves is ever quite good enough. Tell me what's so absolutely important that you have to misuse and manipulate me to get it.

He couldn't say that: he knew the Dragon too well. And yet in some sense he had had to tell the truth. There was no choice about it. Holt had too many other sources of information. As matters stood, he owned the UMCP. And he'd built Warden's domain to suit his own purposes. Data-sharing with UMCPHQ Center wasn't his only mechanism for gathering knowledge. If other means failed, he probably had a dozen strategically placed b.u.g.g.e.rs he could rely on. to tell the truth. There was no choice about it. Holt had too many other sources of information. As matters stood, he owned the UMCP. And he'd built Warden's domain to suit his own purposes. Data-sharing with UMCPHQ Center wasn't his only mechanism for gathering knowledge. If other means failed, he probably had a dozen strategically placed b.u.g.g.e.rs he could rely on.

"All right." To cover himself while he controlled his yearning for honesty, Warden took a chair and sat down opposite Holt; folded his heavy forearms over his chest. "You need to know this in any case. Some of it's out of my province." Carefully he prepared himself to offer the bait which he hoped would lure Holt into a mistake; the one mistake he needed. "And some of it's just too d.a.m.n scary to keep to myself."

He wanted Holt to let Morn live. But the Dragon would never do that unless he were given something that he thought was worth the risk.

Desperation or providence had supplied Warden with something that might suffice- "The report came from Director Donner," he explained, "but she got it directly from Trumpet Trumpet and flared it to us. It isn't remotely complete. You have to understand that Joshua is running for his life. He was betrayed by Milos Taverner, and he's got Amnion after him." and flared it to us. It isn't remotely complete. You have to understand that Joshua is running for his life. He was betrayed by Milos Taverner, and he's got Amnion after him."

Holt's gaze became a hard glare.

"I know you don't like the chances I took," Warden went on, "but Director Lebwohl and I haven't been stupid about this. We knew Milos couldn't be trusted. And we knew we couldn't foresee everything that might happen to Joshua. If we tried to write instruction-sets to control him completely in every situation, then any problem we hadn't foreseen might paralyze or kill him. So we gave him alternate priority-codes-codes Milos didn't know about-and programmed them to take effect automatically if Milos betrayed him.

"But if those codes went into effect, it meant the situation was worse than we thought it would be. Treachery adds dangers we couldn't predict. And without Milos to control him, Joshua might make decisions that multiplied the hazards. Under those circ.u.mstances, we knew we couldn't afford to let him come back here on his own. We wouldn't have any idea what kind of trouble he was bringing with him until it arrived.

"Director Lebwohl and I compensated by writing protections into his datacore. If he was betrayed, his programming requires him to send in a report, activate a homing signal so we can find him-and then go on the run. Keep himself alive until we decide what to do about him. That way we're covered. We can find out what's going on before we have to commit ourselves.

"Well, it all happened. Milos did betray him. His new priority-codes are in effect. His homing signal and his report confirm that. Now he's on the run because that's how we programmed him. And he's got Amnion after him because we sent him into a mess that was worse than we thought it would be."

Personnel aboard include- Warden paused to tighten the grip of his arms. He'd planned for this crisis, prayed for it; readied himself-Now he had to see it through.

He'd promised Holt that Morn Hyland would die. But Warden himself wanted her alive.

Deliberately he added, "Joshua has quite a few people with him."

"'People'?" Holt interrupted. "What 'people'?" Hints of IR fire licked through his aura. "This wasn't supposed to be a G.o.dd.a.m.n pa.s.senger run."

Now, Warden thought, gripping himself harder. This is it.

As if he weren't staring ruin in the face, he answered calmly, "Nick Succorso. Four of his crew-Mikka and Ciro Vasaczk, Sib Mackern, Vector Shaheed."

He almost hoped Holt would recognize Shaheed's name. The fallout would be awkward; but at least Holt would be distracted.