Eye shrugged and stepped into the shaft, letting himself be carried upward.

The trip was but seconds long before he stepped out into a small room. A single Imperial Marine stood before another portal.

"Lord Calendra, the Emperor will see you shortly. You may sit, if you wish."

Eye shivered. That the guard knew his real name even while he wore the privacy cloak and black shadow of Eye did not look promising.

He studied the guard, debating whether he should take on the single impressive specimen who stood between him and the portal or whether he should still opt for his chances in reasoning with the Emperor.

The almost unseen haze that stood between him and the marine decided him. That it was a screen of some sort was clear, but of what intensity was not. He decided to wait.

Frowning to himself, Eye tried to determine how he might have failed the Empire, or displeased the Emperor.

Could it have been the incident on Harkla? Or the uprising in Parella? The commercial war on El Lido? That had been messy. But a commercial war?

He shook his head. Could the Ursans have sprung something new on the Fleet? Or was the Dismorph resurgence more of a threat than he had reported?

"Lord Calendra, the Emperor awaits."

Eye stood, straightened his black cloak, and stepped evenly toward the portal as the Imperial Marine moved aside.

Once through, he found himself in a small study, scarcely larger than the formal office of a small commercial magnate. Solid wooden shelves lined the sides of the room, while the Emperor sat behind an apparent antique writing desk, his back to a full window overlooking the formal Palace gardens.

"Your pleasure, sire," Eye stated evenly as he inclined his head and waited.

"Have a seat, Calendra."

In private, His Imperial Majesty Ryrce N'Gaio Bartoleme VIII did not appear any more impressive than in public. His eyes were bulbous, bright green, and set too close together. His hair resembled plains grass scattered by the wind, and his fat cheeks gave him the air of a chipmunk. Only his deep bass voice was regal-that and the dark sadness behind the bright eyes.

Eye settled himself into the small chair and waited.

"This is something I would rather not do, you understand, Calendra, but it has been too long, and there have been too many Eyes, your predecessor among them, who seemed to feel that they represented another force in government besides the Emperor."

"I am not sure I understand, sire."

"I am not sure you do either, Calendra," answered the deep voice, resonating as if separate from the almost comical figure behind the desk. "I am not sure you do either."

The Emperor pointed a surprisingly long finger at the head of the Intelligence Service. "Tell me. What is still the one weapon that the people of the Empire fear most?"

"Nuclear weapons."

"And why? There are greater forces at man's command."

Eye shivered, but forced himself to reply. "I suppose it must be because of what happened on Old Earth."

"Exactly! And during your tenure, twice have those weapons been used. And you have yet to discover how those weapons were removed from Imperial control or by whom."

Eye looked down, then raised his eyes to meet the green glitter of the Emperor's gaze. "Neither has anyone else, sire."

"No. But they are not Eye. Nor are they specifically charged with insuring that such weapons do not enter private hands." The Emperor paused. "Do you have any idea as to who might have obtained them?"

"Ideas, yes. Facts to support them, no." Eye smiled a grim smile. "At this point, would it make much difference?"

"Not really, since we're being candid."

"Then, since he has brought me down, he may as well bring you down as well, sire."

With a calmness he did not believe he possessed, Eye triggered his own internal nerve destruction, trying to look alert even as his thoughts began to blacken, as the toxins poured through his systems.

Let the devilkid's revenge be Eye's as well.

His mouth dropped open in a chuckle that he never completed as the Emperor, His Imperial Majesty Ryrce N'Gaio Bartoleme VIII, shook his head sadly and pressed the console summons for the disposal squad.