A Matter of Oaths by Helen S. Wright Read Free Book Online Page A

to remove the blood monitor from his arm.
    “ Leave that, ” Joshim ordered. “ I ’ m going to give you a
pain-killer. ”
    “ You wouldn ’ t have a sleeper to spare? ” Rafe asked hopefully.
    “ You can ’ t take one tonight. Your system can ’ t handle it. ”
    “ It can. Another
effect of my near-human blood. ” Rafe
grimaced. “ Though I can ’ t prove it. ”
    “ Your medical
record… ”
    “ Is incomplete,
for obvious reasons. It notes that I ’ m
a hybrid, without giving details. ” Rafe shrugged. “ Forget I asked. I ’ ll have to sleep without help sooner or
later. Why not tonight? ”
    “ If you ’ re going to be Bhattya’ s First, I shall want a full metabolic work up for you, ” Joshim commented. “ Until then, I ’ ll take
your word about the sleeper. ”
    “ Is the offer
still open? ” Rafe asked
disbelievingly.
    “ Yes. On the
condition that this does not happen again. ” Joshim handed him a small cup of liquid. “ Drink
that. ” He took the cup away when Rafe
had finished, rinsed it out and shut it in the drug-pack. “ Lie flat. ”
    Rafe obeyed, feeling the drug starting to work. “ How in hell did you persuade Commander
Rallya to accept me? ” he asked
sleepily.
    Joshim laughed. “ One
day I may answer that. Go to sleep. ”

----
From the Old Empire Guild Bulletin, 200/5043
    In Aramas zone, ship losses to the
unidentified Outsiders continue. Convoys are being instituted on the routes of
greatest risk, and extra patrolships assigned to the zone. At the request of
the Guild Council, the Emperor Julur has dismissed Drevir Lord Rhamar as head
of the team of diplomats and historians attempting to make contact with the
Outsiders, and appointed Madjaya Lady Gremor, noted for her successful contact
with the Lam-ti-ranog system (now Dasnar zone).

     

----
Report by Palace Security Chief Braniya
to the Emperor Julur
    In the matter of your particular
interest, personnel changes in the Aramas zone will take effect shortly; a
preliminary report on the new situation is attached. Investigations into recent
events are continuing.

     

----
205/5043
ARAMAS ZONE, OLD EMPIRE
    “Glad to be back, Rallya?” As he spoke, Noromi, Commander
of Meremir , looked around the
conference room in disgust. “ Emperors,
we ’ ll never get this lot sorted out.
I doubt one of them has run in a convoy before. ”
    “ They ’ ll learn, ” Rallya told him. She did not envy Noromi his task as Convoy
Commander, in spite of the apparent authority it gave him over the other
patrolships. He was welcome to the tiresome business of keeping the cargoships
in some semblance of order and mediating between cargoship Threes who all
thought they deserved special treatment at each other ’ s expense. Far better to have Bhattya’ s
role, only loosely attached to the convoy and free to pursue Outsiders while
Noromi chivvied the convoy to safety.
    “ They won ’ t learn. Not until we ’ ve lost one of them, ” Noromi predicted sourly. He glowered
at the group of cargoship reps, congregated for mutual protection on the side
of the room nearest the door. “ Pity
we can ’ t pick which one. ”
    “ I don ’ t see Jomisa here, ” Rallya commented, changing the subject before Noromi could tell
her which of the cargoships had the distinction of being the first to annoy
him.
    “ She got promoted
into a Second ’ s berth on Sarasya . Just before they went for a
refit. The blond is her replacement. ” Noromi pointed carelessly towards the back of the room, where the patrolship
seniors, brought along to gain experience of strategy conferences, had
gathered. “ Talking to the half-sized
First. ”
    “ Rafe, ” Rallya informed him.
    “ Yours? ” Noromi turned for a longer look. “ Much experience? ”
    “ Enough, ” Rallya said vaguely. Enough to force
her to a draw in the web twice since their initial encounter, but she was not
going to admit that to