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I've offered him a commission in the Marines." "Permission granted," Davis said with a rare smile. "We would be most pleased to have one with the qualifications you told Us about yesterday in Our armed forces." "Thank you, sir." Tarlac turned to Hovan and said quietly, "Let's do this right. You face the crowd." Hovan did so, glancing over the brightly-dressed courtiers.
It was a long time since he'd worn the heavy garment with its silver trim and embroidered Imperial Seal, and he took a moment to arrange it so it would hold his shirt open instead of closed over his scars. Once he was satisfied, he made the introductions. "Crown Prince Rick Forrest, may I present the Traiti Supreme and First Speaker, and my sponsor, Team-Leader Hovan."
That does status bring, near what Ch'kara's oldest male enjoys, close to Ka'ruchaya Yarra and she who for the Lords speaks, Daria." Well, Tarlac thought with amused chagrin, there went his last night's speculation about females being property. He must have been tireder than he'd thought he should never have gotten that idea after Hovan had referred to a Clan Mother administering the death penalty!
"Speaking of Hovan I wonder what became of that pest he was supposed to have under control. He didn't bring the cage with him when he came out of the Tower, did he?" asked Rip. "If it gets loose in that building," Dane decided to give the powers who held them in custody something to think about, "they'll have trouble. Practically invisible and poisonous. And maybe it can reproduce its kind, too.
The Engineer-apprentice was bulky in a space suit, and two more of the unwieldy body coverings waited beside him for Rip and Dane. With fingers which were inclined to act like thumbs they were sealed into what would provide some protection against any blaster or sleep ray. Then with Hovan, conspicuously wearing no such armor, they climbed into one of the ship's crawlers.
"A story of the end times, ruhar, when all hinges on one man, for good or ill." "Me. I've known that since before I landed on Homeworld. So what? It looks like whatever I do, Traiti die." Tarlac was being rude and knew it, but he didn't particularly care. He was too caught up in an awful private vision of Ch'kara gone mad. Hovan spoke quietly, picking his words with care. "Yes.
"We took our only chance. Now it's up to them " He pointed to the wall and the teeming world which lay beyond it. Ali grinned wryly. "I note you left the what-you-call-it with Hovan." "He wanted one to experiment with," Dane replied. "I thought he'd earned it." "And now here comes what we've earned " Rip cut in as the hum of the riser came to their ears. "Should we take to cover?"
I took my oath as a Ranger of the Empire first, and that obligation will always be first for me." "Yes, I English speak," Yarra replied, "and I your reservation understand. I that expected, in one Hovan would worthy of adoption find. You must, of course, that first oath first honor." She smiled, and raised him to his feet. "I will to you later speak, ruesten. Now come.
One way or another, this was his last mission as a Ranger. He'd told Hovan what might happen if he returned to the Empire with a clan and family, but he hadn't really expected to have to leave the only group of friends he'd known. That would be a wrench. Still . . . he remembered the feeling of belonging he'd had at the altar, and Daria's undeniable concern for him.
The spaceport, so much like its Imperial counterparts, was behind them and they were approaching the capital city. Hovan had described it, so Tarlac knew what to expect: large, relatively low buildings, none over three stories high, set apart from each other in almost parklike surroundings.
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