“I will pretend,” he said, after a moment, “that I didn’t hear that last remark. As for your questions as to why I asked only for the observation station, that was all you had said you wanted. As to why I did not wipe them out—wanton killing is not my trade. Nor the needless expenditure of my own men in the pursuit of wanton killing.” He looked coldly into Bright’s eyes. “I suggest you could have been a little more honest with me, Eldest, about what you wanted. It was the destruction of the Exotic power, wasn’t it?”

“It was,” gritted Bright.

“I thought as much,” said Donal. “But it never occurred to you that I would be a good enough commander to find myself in the position to accomplish that. I think,” said Donal, letting his eyes stray to the other two black-clad elders as well, “you are hoist by your own petard, gentlemen.” He relaxed; and smiling slightly, turned back to Bright. “There are reasons,” he said, “why it would be very unwise tactically for the Friendly Worlds to break the back of Mara and Kultis. If you’ll allow me to give you a small lesson in power dis—”

“You’ll come up with better answers than you have!” burst out Bright. “Unless you want to be tried for betrayal of your employer!”

“Oh, come now!” Donal laughed out loud.

Bright whirled away from him and strode across the gray room. Flinging wide the door by which Donal had entered, and they had exited, he revealed the three elite guard soldiers. He whirled about, arm outstretched to its full length, finger quivering.

“Arrest that traitor!” he cried.

The guards took a step toward Donal—and in that same moment, before they had any of them moved their own length’s-worth of distance toward him—three faint blue beams traced their way through the intervening space past Bright, leaving a sharp scent of ionized air behind them. And the three dropped.

Like a man stunned by a blow from behind, Bright stared down at the bodies of his three guards. He swayed about to see Donal reholstering his handgun.

“Did you think I was fool enough to come here unarmed?” asked Donal, a little sadly. “And did you think I’d submit to arrest?” He shook his head. “You should have wit enough to see now I’ve just saved you from yourselves.”

He looked at their disbelieving faces.