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"You need to be careful not to antagonize Councilor Karom By the best ofactively to entrap you He will be very pleased if you bring shaeneral unworthiness of humanity"

"What do you think about huards ular"

I give a half smile "In ay?"

"In every way Most of you are very illogical, but I find your loyalty to one another ad else?"

"I also find it curious the way you" She pauses, seeking a word "Bond"

That requires a little thought, then I realize she has to be talking about what happened between March and me So she’s not entirely different fro it up first

But I ask for clarification just in case I’ her in a way that doesn’t fit She could be talking about friendship "You mean the way I feel about March?"

Constance inclines her head "It is very strange that you illing to allow hier than you I do not understand why you would not sied to the point of being difficult to h sharply at the description "He was always difficult to e This is just a different manifestation of it"

She looks puzzled as only a droid can "I see"

Clearly she doesn’t I decide to get things back on track "What else should I note for tonight’s festivities?"

"You are doing very ith body language Keep ityour teeth while you eat"

"So I need to watch my behavior across the board then" I’ helpful, but I already knew that

She goes on, "You ical readings, if I have analyzed them correctly, indicate a certain excitement in your presence I have insufficient data to determine whether his interest is sexual"

Now that surprises the shit out ofattracted to soft-skins would certainly be considered a kink aine such a ht just be enthusiasm for the potential alliance," I offer

"Possible," she acknowledges "I would need to scan an Ithtorianof the elevated heat levels I noted in Councilor Devri’s anato"

Heh I don’t see us being offered that opportunity, noelse occurs to me "Did you notice similar elevations in any other Ithtorians?"

"Searching" She scans her records for me "Yes Councilor Sartha also exhibited siet of her scrutiny"

"Who was?" But I already know

"Velith Il-Nok"

I shake onna be a hell of a party

This trip is way more of a minefield than I expected Tarn er for this alliance as we are, particularly those of us who have seen the carnage that the Morgut leave at isolated outposts Instead, I’ainst the tide

Speaking of Tarn, I should check and see if he’s replied to the e I bounced to hi here that I wouldn’t play fast and loose, that I’d do this by the book And thatin touch

When Constance finishes with her review, I head for the terminal and inputmy user profile Because my correspondence has a certain security clearance, I’le as the thin green beam sweeps across my face

"Sirantha Jax, confires?"

"Please" I never can see "please" to ht even understand

Suni Tarn’s face co man with disheveled salt-and-pepper hair, but he offers me a pleased, politician’s slomerate’s symbol, a stylized sun croith a laurel wreath This is an official colad to hear you’re taking this task seriously, Ms Jax After the road you took getting there, I h and continues, "This e has been scrambled and encrypted so I think it unlikely anyone but you will ever hear this I have to risk a possible breach in the hope of conveying to you the weight of the responsibility hich you have been entrusted Perhaps I erred in not doing so before you left"