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They’d said thethey possibly could The war real y was over now Osrasp the sense of finality

But there isn’t one If a handshake is all it takes to put everything right, we’d scrap thisherself that this was aIf the Arbiter real y could deliver peace, then she was doing everything in her power to stoke a revolt that would reoodwil of one individual What was that line that Parangosky never let her forget?

It’s not the enemy’s intentions that you have to consider It’s their capability

Os to have those damn words tattooed on her arm one day

"I’l taketo the door "One thing before I go, though If you stil hold any hu to release them They’re no use to you now"

The Arbiter walked with hi Osman, Vaz, and Phil ips to trail after them "If we hold any, I wil order them to be freed I doubt you hold any of our people, but I’m confident you would do the same for us"

"That I would," Hood said

The Arbiter paused to hold out his hand to Phil ips, but not to Oslowed There was no other word for it He shook the Arbiter’s hand as if he was a rock star, and then theback down that long, highly polished corridor toward the exit, partly amazed and partly disappointed at the sense of a pivotal uard at the end of the corridor didn’t even look at the pad and into the shuttle

A thought kept crossing Oso away Hoould she insert forces here? The place was locked down tight Anda tea thehelios doesn’t welcome careful drivers, then," Devereaux ht control er seeheili airspace as fast as he could and they were escorted wel out of orbit by two fighter craft, just in case anyone changed their mind

"Miserable bastards"

"Did we pul it off, Captain Osman?" Hood asked

"I think you did, sir"

He laughed to himself Vaz just sat there on the bench seat opposite the on his knees, and stared down at the floor between his boots Os to be celebrating tonight

"We don’t have any Sangheili prisoners, do we?" Hood asked absently, reainst the s one But who knohat Margaret col ected over the years?"

"I don’t envy anyone trying to handcuff one of those things" Osed a direct answer and wondered if she was si deniability until she perfected it, or if she just couldn’t bear to tel an outright lie to an honorable h They don’t tend to keep the much to pick over in terhtly folded across his chest, gazing in defocus at the bulkhead, so e-heads than she had When they docked with Iceni, there was already awhose expression suggested she wasn’t yet ready for Sangheili guests either

The Arbiter’s ements for the memorial ceremony and also to extend an invitation to Professor Phil ips--and only Professor Phil ips, no escort--to visit Vadanal and raised an eyebrow

"Oh, I say, the Arbiter real y likes you, " he said quietly "Are you inclined to accept that invitation, Professor? It would be very useful if you did, I think It’s not without its risks, of course, but I suspect it’s the only e’re ever going to get past the door stewards in that club"

Yes, it was one hel of a break Osround, but Phil ips, whatever his natural talent for espionage, wasn’t trained

And it was aboutopsec procedures She siht happen--being held hostage, being interrogated or tortured, and co the mission Phil ips would be down there total y on his own and she couldn’t even give hi the core matrix of an AI fal into as stil effectively ene about what she h And BB could alsoif push came to shove

But I like Evan He’s one of ours now See how easy it is to think the unthinkable, though?

ONI paranoia plunged her back into the infinite Byzantine layers of ht have been keen to put Phil ips on Sanghelios for his own purposes, or perhaps he was si social, or, as the ad so There was a spiral of speculation that didn’t stop until you’d ood, deep breath of common sense

"I need to talk to the captain about that," Phil ips said, suitably hu interpretation work for her"

"We’l discuss it," Osman said

Hood cocked his head on one side "If anyone would like a drink, we have a very wel -stocked wardroom You too, Corporal"

Osman headed that off at the pass "That’s very kind of you, sir, so perhaps we can take a rain check on that I have some maintenance issues in Stanley "

"I expect you at theconvinced "And I think we should talk more often"

Osman saluted, then shook Hood’s hand and wondered about the wisdo down a drink with the Admiral of the Fleet But that eakness She had priorities Closing the shuttle hatch behind her felt like blissful relief and she al owed herself to exhale properly for the first time in hours

"Maintenance, " Vaz said "Wel , if you end up in Hinge-Head Town, Evan, and things go wrong, at least we’l have a hostage to exchange for you"

"I’m up for it if you are," Phil ips said

Osive Phil ips a crash course in resisting interrogation and sending covert transh, but it wasn’t every day that the Arbiter of Sanghelios opened his doors

"Game on," she said

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

I DON’T DELUDE MYSELF THAT THERE ARE MORAL AMBIGUITIES IN MY JOB THE THINGS WE DID WEREN’T AMBIGUOUS, NOT AT ALL I KNOW I’VE DONE THEM AND HOW BAD THEY WERE, AND IF THERE’S A HELL, I’LL PROBABLY BURN IN IT BEFORE TOO LONG BUT THAT’S THE KIND OF THING YOU CAN FACE WHEN YOU’RE NINETY-TWO I’M PREPARED TO DO THE VERY WORST, AND BECAUSE I AM, MORE PEOPLE SURVIVE THAN GET KILLED BUT I’LL TAKE WHAT’S COMING TO ME--AND I’LL MAKE NO EXCUSES