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Updated: July 15, 2025
He had underestimated the man; perhaps Marguerre had spoken the truth earlier. Perhaps he had truly felt no dishonor in leading females into combat a thing that was difficult to believe, but so was his sudden change from a defiant Marine to a sobbing . . . what? "Not lost," Joste repeated thoughtfully. "Far worse, if what I begin to suspect is true.
He brought himself under control; the grammar and harsh sounds of Imperial English were difficult enough without having to fight emotion at the same time. "Yourself identify," he growled. "Major Horst Marguerre, Imperial Terran Marine Corps." It didn't look at all good for him, Marguerre thought grimly.
He had to activate the conditioning or buy his death with the information the Traiti wanted. For a Marine, that was no real choice but there was one thing he wanted to make absolutely clear before he went out. "Joste . . ." "Speak, human." "You said . . . I've got no honor." Marguerre raised his head, faced the sound of Joste's voice. "Maybe not . . . your kind, I don't know.
I'd . . . hoped you'd miscalculate . . . kill me clean . . . 'fore it came to this. Now I just want you . . . t'be certain . . . I do know what I'm doing." He straightened as much as he was able, drew in breath, and forced himself to speak the single short phrase he'd chosen. Hearing himself say it, deliberately, would wipe out Major Horst Marguerre. Nonsense syllables, Joste thought.
"'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves"? For a space of seconds, there was no sound then Marguerre collapsed with the heart-rending wail of a hurt, terrified youngling, to lie sobbing brokenly at Joste's feet. Stunned, the interrogator could only stare, then he dropped to one knee beside the bloody form. "Human . . . what wrong is?"
Joste was fully aware of human frailty, and was being far gentler than he cared to, but he was still startled at the amount of blood welling from such shallow wounds. He would have to be even more careful; if he weren't, this Marguerre might bleed to death before giving him the information he needed.
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