In answer, the legislator passed the scanner over the remnant slowly. And although Tennal sensed nothing—no noise, no temperature change—the remnant started to turn dull. As Tennal watched, a film of ice formed on it, sending tendrils across the tray below.

The high buzzing sound in Tennal’s head stopped.

As the legislator took the scanner away, the ice didn’t melt, even though the tendrils were tiny and the room was reasonably warm. The remnant just sat there, no longer white and iridescent but dull as a piece of pumice. It radiated cold.

“It’s nothing special. A temporary containment,” the legislator said. “It lasts a few hours and it was meant for transporting remnants. But we found a half dozen of these scanners and dispatched them to our best troops. You wanted to know the plan—I’ve sent them to find the remnants Oma stole and deactivate them. It might disrupt the brainwashing.”

“But you’re not sure because you’ve never dealt with brainwashing before,” Tennal said. “And you have no idea where her pile of remnants is, and she’s probably guarding them with her life. And there are thousands of them.”

“You haven’t been in the army long,” his aunt said dryly. “This is what we call a stretch operation.”

“Stretch as in, wildly optimistic, lots of people probably die?” Tennal said. “Give me the spare scanner. Maybe I can take the remnants out of action when I find Surit.”

His aunt narrowed her eyes. “No.”

“Have you got another team ready to go? Oma knows me. I can get close to her.”

“Not you,” his aunt said flatly. “As you said many times, you’re a civilian. You didn’t sign up for this.”

Tennal paused. There was an odd resonance in his memory as she said that. Surit had said almost the same thing.

“My esteemed colleague Basavi may listen to you,” Tennal said. “Surit Yeni may have listened to you, but he’s not here because of the little matter of you trying to murder him. I, however, don’t have to listen to you at all. I’m going back to Orshan. Give me the scanner and I might be able to help you anyway.”

“Why?” the legislator said. “Why can’t I stop you from taking yourself on a solo mission where you might die?”

“I really have to get Surit.” Tennal met her gaze and held his hand out for the scanner. There was something hard in her eyes that found an absolute mirror in his own, and Tennal thought for a moment they might be having some kind of belated connection before he realized: Oh yes. It’s that we’re both stubborn assholes. “Would a quid pro quo make you feel better?” he asked. “I want Governor Birimi restored. Exonerated. Put them back in charge of Archer Link Station.”