"No-not officially."

"Can I see your orders?"

With a look of concern for his arm, the man showed me his tapper. I nodded.

"Seems like youve got the right of it," I said. "Lead the way."

"Thats it? Youre happy now? Why didnt you just submit to us when we asked the first time?"

"Because you didnt ask, thats why. You tried to grab me."

He grumbled but led the way. I followed him into the Hall and up an escalator. Behind me, the hog with the broken arm staggered in the rear.

"Im going to have you up on charges, McGill," the injured man said.

"Uh-huh. You didnt identify yourself or your purpose. Im a member of an independent legion, and you tried to grab hold of me without cause. Thats a.s.sault, Hog. Look it up."

He shut his mouth but kept following. I wondered if he might burn a hole in my spine. If he did so, I would respect him for it-but I didnt think he had the b.a.l.l.s. Hegemony troops rarely did. The sort of man that opted for the softer duty of guarding Earth wasnt the kind to break the rules right here in the Mustering Hall.

We reached the Equestrians office without further incident. I was surprised to find a familiar face there, that of Tribune Drusus, overall commander of Legion Varus.

"Ah, there you are-d.a.m.n it, McGill," Drusus said, catching sight of the hog with the broken arm.

I couldnt recall ever having heard Drusus curse before in my presence. He was a naturally calm man despite his high rank.

"Sorry sir," I said, clearing my throat. "There was a misunderstanding."

Drusus shook his head. "Thanks for finding my Specialist," he said to the hogs. "Why dont you gentlemen go get yourselves fixed up?"

They looked at the Equestrian, who nodded. Then they disappeared, grumbling.

The Equestrian watched me for several seconds as he steepled his fingers. He didnt look like he had a sense of humor.

"Im Equestrian Nagata," he said with a slight j.a.panese accent. "You may have heard of me."

I hadnt, but I smiled and nodded. "Its an honor to meet you, sir."

Nagata grunted. "You are a violent man, McGill, from a legion of famously violent soldiers. Would you agree with that a.s.sessment?"

"Uh..." I said uncertainly. I glanced at Drusus for a hint, but he was wearing a poker face. I went with my gut. "Yes sir, I would have to agree. We wouldnt be much good otherwise. Were fighting men, after all. Thats why people hire us."

Nagata nodded. "Well said. All right then. Im going to give you and your renegades a chance to show us what you can do. But first, I need some truthful answers out of you."

"Okay, sir."

"Did you kill Chief Inspector Xlur?"

Again, I glanced at Drusus. He looked a little paler to me now, but that might have been my imagination. He gave me no help.

"Yes sir," I said. "I did."

Nagata nodded slowly. "Could you explain your reasoning for taking this drastic action-a move that might well result in the extinction of our species? I a.s.sume it wasnt because he didnt show you respect when he asked you to escort him to the roof?"

"No sir, that wasnt it at all. Galactics never show any human any respect."

"Hmmm...yes. I dont suppose they do. Could you elaborate?"

"Well sir, it went like this..."

I quickly explained the events that had transpired on the roof of Hegemony headquarters. I didnt edit or embellish-except for the part about using the Galactic key. Instead, I told him Id been trained in technical matters and explained how a recent revive could be deleted by a man with quick fingers on a tapper. That was mostly the truth.

What helped was Turovs visit the night before. Shed antic.i.p.ated this moment and had given me a script. About ninety-five percent of it was the truth. Really, I didnt think there was much point in trying to lie about it. Hegemony bra.s.s was full of weak, cowardly men. But they werent stupid.

While I spoke, I glanced now and then at Drusus. He looked like a man who was listening to his own eulogy.

"So sir," I finished up, "we didnt have much choice. Xlur had just ordered us all permed, and in addition, he was talking about erasing Earth. I took action because I had to."

"Such drastic action-taken without planning or forethought? Done alone?"

Hed touched upon something I hadnt made a big deal out of: Imperator Turovs part in the matter.

"Not entirely, sir," I said, as if Id left a detail out accidentally. "Turov helped me."

"Ah, I see! Did she not, in fact, order you to do this?" Nagata demanded, leaning forward and looking hungry all of a sudden.

Like a bolt of lightning, the situation was suddenly plain to me. They were after Turov, not a lowly specialist. Sure, they could perm me with a wave of the hand over their tappers if they wanted to. But a bigger head might be called for. A person who Id be willing to wager wasnt all that popular among her peers. Maybe, for all I knew, Turov was already bucking for Nagatas job. I knew Turov would never be satisfied until she reached the rank of Consul itself. After that, who knew what might be next?

"She did ask me to take action," I said carefully. "But I have to admit that I could have taken that in many different ways. Another man might have self-executed right then and there. After all, thats what Graves and Leeson had just done. Instead, I moved down the only path I could think of that might save all of us."

Nagata shook his head, staring into s.p.a.ce. "Such hubris. Such risk-taking. It is inconceivable that an individual like you was placed in that kind of position. You held the lives of billions in your hands."

"And he didnt hesitate," Tribune Drusus said, suddenly reentering the conversation. "He took bold action which turned out to be the correct choice."

Nagata kept shaking his head. "Insanity. I should by all rights move to disband your outfit, Drusus. People at Central have been saying so for years."

"Use us instead," Drusus said. "Why destroy your toughest unit in the face of an interstellar war?"

"Oh, I dont know...maybe because you helped start this war?" Nagata shouted the last part of his sentence at us.

"Again," Drusus said calmly, "I ask that you use us, Equestrian. Place us where well be most useful."

Nagata glared at Drusus, but then he began to nod slowly after a few seconds. His sudden anger appeared to dissipate.

"Very well. I know exactly where to deploy your legion of outcasts, Drusus. Youll serve us yet-even if your murderous specialist here doesnt feel like it."

-5-.

I bedded down that night on cold puff-crete in the sub-bas.e.m.e.nt under the tram station. This part of the Mustering Hall was dank and dimly lit. Most people didnt even know it existed. Overhead, the trams rumbled and squealed all night long.

Various people from my unit as well as many others filtered in and found a spot to camp nearby, but they barely looked at me.

Carlos didnt show up as Id expected him to do-maybe because he hadnt bothered to look for me. Others wandered by, and I recognized some of them, but they didnt stop to talk to me either.

The word must be out. Specialist James McGill was to be avoided at all costs. I was bad news, and somehow, everyone knew it.

I was in a bit of a blue mood myself. Camping out in the cavernous sub-bas.e.m.e.nt was quite a come-down from the pricy hotel where Id spent my previous night. There wasnt any beer to be had and precious little food. Once wed reported in down here we werent allowed to go back up into the Mustering Hall proper where we could at least buy a burger. We were informed that we were shipping out at dawn, and that wed best shut the h.e.l.l up and stay put in the meantime.

When a familiar face did finally find me, it was late. Most troopers were snoring, and Id joined them.

A kick in the ribs alerted me that I wasnt alone. I rolled to my feet and stared at my a.s.sailant.

"Is that a snarl I see on your face, McGill?" Veteran Harris asked. He looked amused, and his fists were on his hips. His eyes were tight and serious despite his light tone. He wasnt happy with me-he rarely was.

Veteran Harris was a big black guy who was as mean as cat dirt. He was an experienced soldier and the most senior noncom in my unit, but hed never quite gotten used to my style.

"Oh, its you Vet," I said. "Come to tuck me in?"

"Thats right. Me and my friends want to talk things over with you."

I glanced over my shoulder. Sure enough, three more veterans stood behind me with their arms crossed. They wore Varus patches, all of them. This made my heart sink a little. I couldnt pull any c.r.a.p on them about not being under their command. All of these men were from my outfit, and they had every right to give me an order.

"Whats this about, Vet?" I asked nonchalantly, even though I figured I already knew.

Veteran Harris and I had never quite seen eye-to-eye. In fact, hed killed me a few times, and Id returned the favor in my own way. When we were both in the path of a real enemy, wed always fought back-to-back-but if we were on our own time, well, we just didnt get along.

"We want you to refuse your advancement to candidacy," Harris said, coming right out with it.

"Why would I do that, Vet?"

"Because we dont think youre ready yet for that kind of responsibility."

"With all due respect, I disagree," I said.

One of the men behind me jabbed me in the left kidney at that moment. It was a sharp blow, not full-force, but it was enough to hurt pretty bad-and it kind of p.i.s.sed me off.

I grunted but didnt fall to my knees. I didnt even turn around.

"You want do this right now?" I asked Harris.

Harris face clouded in momentary confusion. "Do what?"

"The test. The trial. Whatever hok.u.m youve come up with to determine if a man is ready to be a veteran or not." As I said this, I stood at attention and clasped my hands behind my back. "Maybe beating on a man from behind is part of your hazing routine," I said.

I reached into my back pocket and retrieved a combat knife. I didnt draw it out into the open. The sub-bas.e.m.e.nt wasnt pitch dark, but it was pretty near it. The only light was shining into my face from a few scattered lanterns. As long as I kept the knife behind my back, I was pretty sure the guys standing behind me wouldnt see it.

"I dont think youre getting the message, McGill," Harris said.

I kept my hands behind my back and angled the blade of my knife toward the men behind me. I smiled at Veteran Harris.

"I dont think I am," I said. "But Im ready, and Ill take your best shot with my hands behind my back. Hows that?"

Harris got into my face. "Are you threatening me, Specialist? I think youre threatening me."

"No Vet. I just dont get it. Why dont you ladies explain it to me?"

This last I tossed over my shoulder toward the men behind me. A fist was driven at my back again in immediate response, targeting my right kidney this time. It came in harder-which was bad for the guy throwing the punch.

Id gambled dangerously this time. That punch could have come at another spot, for instance, but I had calculated that it wouldnt. This guy seemed fascinated with kidney-punches. He could have gone at the left kidney again-but Id guessed hed go after the right since his first shot to the left had failed to knock me down.

An odd, screeching sound came to my ears after I took that second punch in the back.

"What the h.e.l.l is wrong with you, Johnson?" Harris demanded.

"My fingers-two of them are off!"

Harris snapped his eyes to mine. He nodded appreciatively. I was still standing and there was blood all over the knife behind me. Fortunately, it was another mans blood.

"Were not Hogs," Harris said dangerously. "Were your superiors."

"I know that, Vet," I said. "Thats why youre still on your feet."

Harris threw up his arms in disgust. "All right, fine! You want to go for it, dont you? I dont know why I bothered to try to explain things to you. Im some kind of kind-hearted fool. I tried to come here and give you a friendly warning. I tried to do the right thing for a man Ive fought shoulder-to-shoulder with. What you dont understand is that this isnt about you being a good fighter, McGill. We all know you can fight. We just dont think youre ready to lead men into battle. As Varus veterans, its our responsibility to make that call. Do you understand what Im saying?"

"I hear you loud and clear, Vet," I said.

Veteran Harris sighed and stalked away into the night. "Pick up your d.a.m.ned fingers, Johnson," I heard him say, "and quit that whining!"

After they left me, I settled back down using my ruck as a pillow on that hard, cold floor. I closed my eyes, crossed my arms, and pretended to fall asleep again.

But I didnt sleep. I couldnt stop thinking about this trial and what it might entail. I got the feeling it wasnt going to involve a multiple-choice test and a good-natured round of arm-wrestling.

Still, I was more determined than ever to get through it. Call it a character flaw, but when people told me I wasnt good enough for something...well, I tended to get stubborn about it. I just had to prove them wrong.

-6-.

We were rousted out of our sleeping bags before the sun rose the next day. Hustling aboard early-morning trams, we were sent rattling down the tracks to the s.p.a.ceport.

There, waiting for us under the pink skies of dawn, we found a long line of lifters. I shuffled aboard the closest one and less than an hour later flew up into s.p.a.ce.

None of these events were new to me. Id been deployed on alien planets several times before and on each occasion Id been shipped off into s.p.a.ce to travel to the target world. This time, however, I had no idea where we were going or who we were supposed to fight...but come to think of it, that part wasnt all that unusual, either.

The only surprising element of the new campaign was the sight of two more ships following Minotaur in s.p.a.ce. In the past, the legion had always flown out aboard a single dreadnaught-cla.s.s ship, a starship capable of warp drive. One ship, one legion-that was how it had always been. This time instead of one dreadnaught there were three.

We found our bunks, and before we could stretch out on them Minotaur entered a warp bubble. We were quickly propelled right out of the Solar System.

At the first morning roll call the next day, I raised my hand to ask Centurion Graves about the other ships.

"Sir?" I asked when he reluctantly called on me.