The chief of staff was too professional to glance at Commander Vinys as if to say, Look what I’ve had to deal with, but Surit felt she wanted to. Surit wanted to mentally shout at Tennal to stand up, to warn him the commander didn’t like readers out of control.

“Agent Fifty-Six,” Commander Vinys said, putting his elbows on the table, “it has been brought to my attention that you’re the nephew of the legislator.”

Tennalhin wasn’t dense, at least. He could feel the trap in the words as much as Surit could. Surit could see the tension radiating from him, but based on Surit’s limited experience, that didn’t necessarily mean Tennalhin was going to say anything polite. “I am.”

“My staff tells me you’re claiming that you’re a civilian adviser,” the commander said. “That right as well?”

“It is.”

Commander Vinys leaned back. “Then that’ll be news to your aunt,” he said, “because it sure wasn’t what she told me when she put you on my ship.” There was a moment’s silence before he continued. “But I hear you’ve got documents to back you up. Some nice regulations lawyering. That’s just fine. You’ll understand, though, that I can’t have a reader running around unsynced. A reader who’s read and blackmailed two people on my own ship.”

Tennalhin flinched with his whole body. “I haven’t done anything like that. I wouldn’t—obviously I—” Then, as Surit’s mind spun wildly, Tennalhin said, “Which two people?”

“Private Ashahil,” the Commander said, “whom you took to your cabin four nights ago to sleep with.”

“A normal bloody thing to do—do you think I needed to blackmail him to—”

“And Lieutenant Yeni,” the commander continued, “who had a perfect record right up until he boarded this ship.”

“No,” Surit said, in some shock. “Sir, that’s not it at all.” He wondered belatedly if his own actions could have been somehow manipulated. But he had had reasons, and those reasons were the same way he always thought.

“I have not fucking blackmailed Lieutenant Yeni,” Tennalhin said through his teeth.

“Both of you quiet down,” the commander said. He nodded to the chief of staff. “Let’s get some answers.”

The chief of staff looked slightly embarrassed. “I can’t, sir,” she said. “Lieutenant Yeni will need to do it.”

The commander pointed at Surit and indicated Tennalhin. “Go ahead, Lieutenant.” Surit realized the commander must be a neutral, with no architect abilities himself. He wanted Surit to write the information out of Tennalhin.

“Wait a minute,” Surit said. “Sir, please.” Tennalhin had put his head in his hands.