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"Argus Dahlgren?" I put down the datapad

"Yes, ma’am" He does not relax one iota

"Why don’t you take a seat?" I indicate the spot opposite ed the chair as a lie detector, using contact points I was all for doing it openly, but he pointed out that a skilled adversary can beat such devices pretty regularly, if they know it’s been hooked up So we’re running beneath the radar on this one

He looks very young and worried as he sits down I don’t know if Argus even left the spaceport He was under strict orders to stay on the ship, soto find out Itthat would give hihts back home

His pale eyes flicker to h h with silver ice Contrasted to his shock of black hair, it marks him as a juators tend to be governed by their i has been pretty close to hell forto drink?" I ask, noanting to set hiuy He’s not caught up in so with filthy alien scu in a way he probably doesn’t even understand yet

Before Argus can respond, Vel says, loo behind me, "You can attend the niceties later, ambassador He has soet it Well, it us seems half-terrified of hi yet Yep, welcome to the weird, orld, kid Untold wonders await

"Very well" I sit forward, inviting confidence "You want to telldirtside?"

To his credit, he doesn’t try to play it off "I was curious," he says with a touch of defiance "And bored with hanging around here"

A bored ju and focus his need to explore, but where? Right now, everything is in flux, and they’ve closed the academy on New Terra Shit Maybe I’ll wind up a teacher sos first

"What did you do while you were there?"

"Nothing," he ure out how to get out of the docking area"

I’lance at Vel to confirhtly Okay, him, too We’re in accord then I’ll switch tacks before we cut him loose

"Do you know of anybody who doesn’t approve of us being here?" I ask casually "Any cous shakes his head "No,the stars at so out from Lachion March handles most of our off-world runs, and he keeps a small crew"

"So as far as you know, there aren’t any dissident factions aenuinely bewildered "Any who?"

Despite the severity of my task, I bite back a s look "Further questions?"

"Nothing at this time, butwe knohere to find hi to rattle this kid’s cage--then again,irreparable could happen to hius sounds eager to get away from us

"Alator soene

"More than anything," he breathes

I try not to wince Mary, was I ever that young or that eager? I suppose I ainst my parents’ wishes indicates I was

"I’ll see what I can do for you" When his face brightens to near nova, I caution, "I’,you’ll be good at You realize things are in a bit of disarray just now?"

There’s no point in telling him about the dark side: the cori that kills you slowly, and the way you won’t, in fact, know just before your last jump Let him enjoy the thrill of the idea for a while first I certainly did