When her head came around slowly to meet his gaze, he added, “You make a lousy Guardian, but a remarkable woman.”

Suddenly she was angry—at him, at his perceptiveness, at his accurate guess about Travis, at the tears abruptly threatening to spill over. “Okay, Dr. Lloyd,” she said. “Now it’s my turn.”

Startled by her sudden bitterness, he nodded. “Have at it.”

“Who are you to sit in pious judgment on others?”

“I—”

“You puff yourself up with pride, telling yourself that your crusade is for the good of man, that you’re the great deliverer, the gallant rescuer of a society plunged into the dark ages of slavery. Hogwash! Your motives are as self-serving and self-centered as the Major’s.”

He rocked back slightly. “There’s no need to coddle me, doctor. Give it to me straight.”

She leaped up, her eyes blazing. “Don’t be cute, Eric! I listened to your little speech. I’m not as clever as you, but now it’s my turn.”

“I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. Go ahead, I’m listening. Why do you feel that I’m self-serving and self-centered?”

“Because you cloak your true motives in noble and altruistic clothing every bit as much as the Major does. A desire to save mankind is not what’s really driving you.”

“What is?”

“Revenge. The Major killed your father, destroyed your village, and carried your family here and implanted them.”

He broke in dryly. “How could I have gotten so angry over nothing.”

“I know that!” she cried. “I know you have reason to be bitter, but then admit it. Admit that that is what’s making you do all this. You want to get even. With the Major. With Travis. That’s why you kidnapped me and not just any Guardian, isn’t it.

He shook his head, but there was no stopping the torrent of her words. “You’re the destroyer, not a builder. You say the Major’s system is grossly evil. But what do you offer in place of it?”

“Freedom.”

“No! That’s not sufficient. In Shalev we have freedom. The implantation seems so drastic and terrible to you because it’s new and painful. But most people never even know it’s there or think about it. They live normal, productive lives. In a way, you could even say that implantation enhances their freedom.”

“Come on, Nicole,” Eric said, angry now too. “Get your head out of the Major’s propaganda booklet. Shalev is a festering sore. We’ve already got a dozen people who are willing to risk their lives to join us. That’s how much they prefer our brand of freedom over yours. Okay, I’ll grant you that the Major’s desires, though misguided, are sparked by noble sentiments. But what happens when he’s gone?”

“What do you mean?”