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“Why,” Trejo asked, as if Singh hadn’t spoken at all, “did the high consul place you here, do you think?”

“Sir?”

“Your educational credentials are i Duarte’s theories on eistical control And I’d bet even he was impressed You attributed some truly unique ideas to his text that I’m pretty sure aren’t actually in there”

“Thank you, sir,” Singh replied, trying to keep it fro

“But you did exactly one tour on a naval vessel prior to this posting And there are probably a hundred more like me and Tanaka on Laconia who have actual combat-command experience Why you and not any of them?”

Singh had wondered that himself “I honestly can’t answer that, sir”

“And that’s the only right answer, Sonny No, you don’t know But I’ive you a hint Do you kno to polish a rock?”

“No, sir”

“You put it in a tumbler with a lot of other rocks and some sand and you roll thees are worn off and they’re nice and shiny We’re taking control of thirteen hundred different worlds, and we’ve only got a hundred old farts like reenhorns like yourself”

Singh had no idea what a greenhorn was It sounded like a Mariner Valley idiom But the context was clear And so was the point

“Colonel Tanaka was placed here to—” Singh started

“To rub soents since before you were born She’s killed ot a Colonel Tanaka Putting her in charge doesn’t create anything new Hopefully this little dust-up has knocked soes off, or this will be a waste of everyone’s time Tanaka’s scheduled to fly out in an hour I think you owe her a conversation”

“Yes, sir,” Singh replied It tasted like ht

Trejo rose Thewas ended

“Diset back”