It wouldn't be easy ferreting out the identity of the field agent who'dsaved his bio-father's life twelve years ago. It wasn't supposed to beeasy--ideally, it would be impossible--and Nevan was sure he owed hisown life, perhaps several times over, to the Imperial safeguards he wastrying to break. More, he understood why those safeguards wouldn't berelaxed even to allow an ex-agent to search out a still-active one--buthe had what he considered two excellent reasons to do exactly that.
The first was that his bio-father had died, and had wanted Nevan togive the anonymous agent his personal weapons: two forearm throwingknives, a belt knife, and a needler. The one he had sworn fealty tohad agreed that his father's wish made it a matter of honor that hetry, and had given him permission--but on condition that he use onlyhis own training and skills, taking no advantage of the fact that hewas sworn to one of the most powerful people in the Empire. Nevan wascertain in his own mind that if he failed, she would see that the agentgot the weapons intended for him, but his thakur's overt reason foragreeing was that it would make a good test of IntelDiv's security. Ifhe were arrested, she would have him released and commend the peoplewho had done it; if he got through, she would have security procedurestightened. Neither paid serious attention to the fact that if he werecaught under certain circumstances she would have no chance to protecthim; he would be shot on sight.
Nevan thought that perfectly reasonable. He was a Sandeman warrior,after all, and his thakur was an Irschchan; risks were a normal part oflife for both of them, to be accepted and even savored for the spicethey added.
He had done all he could here, in the Records Section; he lowered hismind-shield and reached out. *Thakur?*
Her answer was prompt, and he smiled to himself, enjoying the coolclarity of her mind-touch. *What results, thakur-na?* she asked.
*About what we expected. Kelly told me the agent was Logistics Officerat a base on Piper's World during the Traiti counter-attacks there, buthe never told me which base, and the description he gave fits five ofthem. I was able to eliminate two of those because the LogisticsOfficers were female--but that still leaves three. I'm going to haveto go under cover to find the right one.*
He "heard" the amused purr that was the Irschchan version of a laugh.*A return to the field work you enjoy so must be a terrible sacrifice,my Nevan.*
Nevan let his thoughts lapse into High War Speech, chuckling. *Nay,Thakur, as thou knowest well--save that it does mean I must conceal thymark, lest it identify me and make thy object in this attempt no truetest.*
*Aye, but it should not be for long.*
*And I knew when I swore that I might have to do it,* Nevan agreed.*Until my success or failure, then.*
Three days later he was far from Terra, the violet-flower tattoo on hischeek concealed by synthiskin, in a small Kanchatka-class courier ship.That was a definite luxury for a private individual, though notunreasonable for a Sandeman warrior who'd done well securing privateemployment and wanted more--who was