“The president,” he said dryly, “is being reincarnated now. There are a total of seven dead and nine seriously injured, including the two official historians, two corpreps, one senator, and the director of Thistledown. We haven’t suffered such losses since the Sundering. Fortunately, all are equipped with implants, and are expected to survive. Can you tell us what happened, Ser Korzenowski?”

The Engineer glanced at Olmy. There had been no time for the conversation Olmy had promised; both had been taken away by medical remotes for examination upon slipping into the staging area. They had not been alone since.

“I opened a test link with the Way. Something tried to pass through the link, and interfered with my attempt to close it.”

“Do you have any idea what the something was?”

“A Jart weapon, I presume,” Korzenowski said.

The presiding minister stared at him. “Is this merely a guess?”

“Vigilant Jarts, waiting for just such an opportunity,” Korzenowski said. “I don’t know what else it could be.”

The presiding minister asked if the representatives of the Thistledown Defense Forces agreed. They did; there was certainly no evidence to the contrary.

“Will it be possible to open another test link and learn for certain?”

“Yes,” Korzenowski said. “I can open an off-center link, in effect open a gate one hundred kilometers or so beyond the closed end of the Way. With proper shields and safeguards, we can make a reconnaissance and close the gate with little chance of detection.”

“How little?” the presiding minister asked.

“Little enough,” Korzenowski said. “But I recommend Thistledown be evacuated, all but for essential personnel and defense forces.”

The presiding minister stared grimly at him. “That would be a horrendous task.”

“It is essential,” the head of the defense forces said. “If we are going to reclaim the Way territories and establish a beachhead, there must be a buffer between the battle and our civilians.”

“What sort of buffer do you contemplate?”

“All civilians must be sent to the orbiting precincts or Earth.”

“Do you advocate removing just corporeals?”

“No, sir,” the head replied. “We advocate removing all corporeals, all residents in city memory, and all important cultural materials and data stores. Thistledown must serve as a buffer. In the unlikely event of our defeat, we must be willing to shut down the Way by destroying Thistledown.”

Hoffman glanced at Olmy. The expression on her bruised face was grim. “This is becoming an extravagant indulgence, isn’t it, Ser Olmy?” she murmured. “Nothing worth doing ever comes easy.”

Olmy didn’t reply. Second thoughts were more than ridiculous now.

“Is there substantial damage to the sixth chamber?” Dris Sandys asked.

“No, Ser,” Korzenowski said. “We can proceed.”