"Thank you," she said. "But I require details on their condition. How soon will they be released?"

"Their prognosis is excellent, considering. We should be able to determine a release date in a few days."

"When can I see Jindigar?"

"He's under heavy sedation. I'm not permitted to authorize visitors for him."

"Jindigar is to be debriefed as soon as possible, by order of the Emperor," she said, hating herself for using such an excuse. But she knew Finemar had been reprogrammed to accept nothing but such authority. "I must object to any delays."

"But I have it on highest authority that Jindigar and the other two survivors of Kamminth's are not to be allowed visitors, and are to be held as long as possible."

What?! "Who issued that order?"

Finemar began to answer, went slack-faced, then puzzled. "I can't locate the source of my orders, but it's Highest Priority. 1 must have a malfunction, Krinata. I'm sorry. I will attend to it immediately."

His image began to fade, but then the screen split in half and a Dushau simulacrum came on the screen, facing Finemar, profile to Krinata. "Excuse me, but I couldn't help overhearing my master's name, Jindigar. I'm Arlai, Onboard Sentient of Ephemeral Truth assigned to Kamminth's Oliat. Please provide me a briefing dump."

Finemar turned to Arlai, saying, "My pleasure, but a great deal of the information is under priority seal. Is this sufficient?" In those seconds, Finemar had sent Arlai the open files.

"By no means," answered Arlai in Jindigar's tone. "I require complete information on my master. I have the priorities."

"In Reception," answered Finemar looking down. Then he raised his eyes, saying, "I'm sorry, your key is not sufficient. You haven't been reprogrammed since Emperor Rantan's coronation."

Krinata knew the verbal discussion was for her benefit alone. The two computers were conversing in their own time frame. She said, "Arlai, I have need to bring your master out of the infirmary within the next few hours. He did request it, and so did the Emperor. Would he be in danger if he were released today?"

Arlai turned to face her, flashing healthy Dushau teeth. "By the data I've been given, no. If he wore my telemband, I could monitor his health as well as Finemar. I have field-medic training, as well as Dushau specialization. I would not have placed the Oliat survivors under sedation."

Krinata wondered if Finemar's malfunction could explain Fedeewarn's death. She said to Finemar, "You've admitted a malfunction. It makes sense to lighten your caseload under such circumstances, so on my authority, transfer the Dushau to Arlai as a specialist physician." She appealed shamelessly to Finemar's physician's programming. "It's the best way to insure the well-being of the Dushau in your care."

Finemar blinked expressionlessly. Krinata had never seen a Sentient take so long to make a decision. But then he said, "A sensible suggestion. I feel it is wrong to follow it, but I do not know why. Undoubtedly, the malfunction is impairing my judgment. Arlai, send your instrumentality to me at once. I'm beginning to waken the patients who will be remanded to your care."

Again he began to sign off, but this time Krinata stopped him. "I think it would be wise if I were present when Jindigar wakes. Several times he expressed gratitude for my presence. It seems to stabilize him somehow."

Arlai looked surprised, but said, "That can happen on rare occasion, and if so, then it is crucial that you be present."

Finemar looked from one to the other of them, perplexed as no machine ever should be. "I have data that this is true. But I also have specific instructions."

Arlai replied, "It is unwise to follow sourceless instructions, for how will you explain your actions in the event of disaster?"

In evident distress, Finemar agreed to permit Krinata's presence, and the two Sentients vanished from her screen. She snatched up her leptolizer, deactivating the screen, tucked the piol under one arm and headed for the infirmary.

The hospital section was on the top floor, in a far wing of the oldest part of the structure. She set her leptolizer to home on the infirmary, and followed its colored light display until she was thoroughly disoriented. At last, she found herself in a pleasant reception area, wide windows providing a spectacular view of the sunset over the crystal and ebony spires of the Allegiancy capital.

She paused, breath caught in her throat, once again ensnared by the upwelling of emotion she'd felt before the throne. The Allegiancy, for nearly two thousand years, had utilized the best within each of those who served it, remaining impervious to their inevitable, mortal pettiness. The greatness of the Allegiancy was in the way it also captured the dedication of people like Jindigar. Such an organization was worthy of her devotion, even her life.

As she approached the monitor screen to announce herself to Security, she felt purified by her perception of the glory outside those windows. A small scurry passed her, three packages on its deliver}' platform. As Security admitted her to the corridor of in-patient rooms, she set her leptolizer to home on Jindigar, and found herself following the scurry right to the end of the hall and into a large room with three beds and a heart-stopping view of the city and the sunset.

There were just a few puffs of cloud scattered about the purple sky, arranged to complement the capitol buildings as if by the Celestial Artist.

Two attendants, a Holot and a Lehiroh, were working over Jindigar and the other two Dushau. As the scurry delivered the packages, the Holot said, "I don't like this. The last time we wakened a traumatized Dushau, she died!"

"But that was before Dissolution, and we told Finemar it was unwise to allow an interview with anyone but an Outreach."

The Lehiroh spotted Krinata and broke off. "You must be the programming ecologist." When she affirmed that, he asked, "Is your debriefing worth risking this man's life?"

"I'm no medic," she answered, "but Arlai, the Sentient medic who usually treats these Dushau, and I agree the risk is less this way. Hook up Arlai before you wake them, and listen to what he says."

She seated her leptolizer in the corn-slot near the bed and evoked Arlai. "They're about to connect you."

"Prepared to receive telemetry."

The Holot had one cuff secured around a Dushau arm. He turned to the screen and asked, "Receiving?"

"Perfectly," answered Arlai. "The others?"

The Lehiroh sealed another cuff on Jindigar's arm while the Holot attended the third Dushau. Arlai began running their stats across the screen.

The Lehiroh said, "Finemar, are you with us?"

"Checking. Arlai's stat readback differs from mine. Stand by." In a moment, the screen split and they could see another set of numbers crawl up the screen.

Krinata stood in shock. This was virtually impossible. Computers like Finemar just never, ever distorted like this. "Arlai, run your Standardizing Comparison Test. Finemar, do the same."

The two medics looked at each other in total disbelief. A moment later, Arlai said, "I am clear, up and functioning. Scum's life-stats are too low, the others are low but acceptable."

The numbers on Finemar's side of the screen cleared and Finemar's visage came on, funereal grimness on his countenance. "I am not clear, though up and running. I must shut down the infirmary. I've called Doctor Phips, and he will be here within the hour. I suggest you revive the Dushau by hand, or wait for Phips."

The Holot said, "We'll wait."

Simultaneously, the Lehiroh said, "Arlai can guide."

Krinata said, "I believe it's imperative to revive them as soon as possible. Arlai, can you trust your monitoring? Are you in orbit above this point, or relaying?"