From the view out the window, it looked to be somewhere out in the mountains; it seemed like a big on-planet office for a spaceside operation, but Kiem supposed the military had to find something to keep itself occupied.

She turned as they came in. “Your Highness,” she said. She waved a hand and the screens on the wall went dark. “Thank you for coming. Please take a seat.

Saffer, you too.”

Kiem warily sat on one of the uncomfortable chairs. The office was austere and chilly; he should have brought a jacket. Next to him Jainan turned his head to keep both of the officers in view. “You wanted to see us, Colonel?” Kiem said cheerfully.

Colonel Lunver put her hands formally on her knees and said, “I understand the Resolution has absolutely refused to instate you.”

Kiem felt a bit like he’d opened a door and found an unexpected pit of spikes.

“Er,” he said. “I wouldn’t say absolutely refused, as such. It’s more like a delay.”

“A delay,” Colonel Lunver said, her skepticism obvious. Kiem wasn’t sure why she was allowed to interrogate him—he would have expected that question to come from the Thean embassy—then he remembered that Kingfisher operated in Thean space. Jainan clearly thought she had the right to an opinion.

“They must do it eventually,” Jainan said, quiet and intense. “We both have the correct chain of authority. There is no legal reason to deny us.”

Beside him, Aren tipped his head and made a noise through his teeth. “That’s

assuming the Resolution thinks like humans,” he said, with an apologetic look at his senior officer. “Not sure that’s the case. Who knows what they’re actually looking for?”

Jainan gave a single nod and folded his hands in his lap. Kiem felt a moment of dismay. He’d been working under the assumption that this was a temporary hiccup. But Jainan was the one with diplomatic experience; if even he agreed they might not get instated, they could really be in trouble.

“We’ve been working on the Auditor from our side,” Lunver said. “I hardly need to explain military affairs to the son of General Tegnar—”

“You really do,” Kiem said apologetically. “I haven’t spoken to her in months.”

“—but we care about keeping the Thean treaty stable just as much as Jainan’s embassy,” Lunver said. “Just as much as the late Colonel Taam, in fact. We’re not the only ones who’ve been nagging the Auditor: Internal Security and the Emperor’s Private Office have also been in on the act. But we haven’t gotten far.

Given that, I have a suggestion for you.”

“Go on,” Kiem said. At this point he’d take any advice.

Lunver said briskly, “Step down.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Step down,” Lunver repeated. There was a thin window in the corner of the office; the light coming through it glinted off the flint brooch at her collar. “The Auditor doesn’t seem to like how rushed your appointment was. We can convince him to accept Jainan: he’s Thean, and he was appointed according to due process. The problem seems to be you.”