The smile was transferred onto Admiral Young and grew positively radiant. “And I am quite certain that I’ve publicly labeled the entire Young clan as a herd of swine. Oh, on any number of occasions! Although—” Here the smile quirked an apologetic corner. “I can’t recall if I ever singled you out in particular, Eddie. But I assure you I will make good the lack at the very first opportunity. Of which I expect to have any number, since I’m planning a speaking tour immediately upon my return.”

It took a moment for the last few words to penetrate the indignation of the ambassador and the admiral.

Hendricks frowned. “Return? Return where?”

“To the Star Kingdom, of course. Where else? I feel a sudden overwhelming impulse to revisit my native land. Thinking of moving back permanently, in fact.”

She glanced at her watch. The timepiece seemed more like a mass of precious gems than a utilitarian object. It quite overwhelmed her slender wrist. “My private yacht departs within the hour.”

The smile was now bestowed on Captain Zilwicki. And what had been a radiant expression took on warmth as well.

“Are you ready, Captain?”

Zilwicki’s square head jerked a nod. “I believe so, Lady Catherine.” He peered at the admiral. “I think the admiral is finished with me. His instructions were quite clear and precise.”

Young gaped at him.

Zilwicki’s shoulders twitched in a minute shrug. “Apparently so. With your permission then, Your Lordships, I will do as I am commanded. Immediately.”

Young was still gaping. Hendricks found his voice.

“Zilwicki, are you mad? You’re in enough trouble already!” The ambassador goggled the tall and slender noblewoman. “If you return to Manticore in the company of this—this—”

“Peer of the Realm,” Lady Catherine drawled. “In case you’d forgotten.”

The smile made no pretense, any longer, of disguising its contempt. “And—in case you’d forgotten—I am thereby required to provide Her Majesty’s armed forces with my assistance whenever possible. That is the law, Lord Hendricks, even if that herd of Young swine and your own brood of suckling piglets choose to ignore it at your convenience.”

She laid a slim-fingered hand on the shoulder of the captain. As broad and short as he was, they made an odd looking pair. She was a good six inches taller than he. Yet, somehow, Zilwicki did not seem to shrink in the contrast. It seemed more as if Lady Catherine was in orbit around him.

“So—I must see to it that Captain Zilwicki is brought before the Judge Advocate General as soon as possible, to face the serious charges laid against him. And since I was leaving at once anyway, because of my other pressing responsibility to the Crown, I would be remiss in my duty as a peer if I did not provide the captain with transport.”

Again, it took a moment for the words to register.

Admiral Young finally stopped gaping. “What ‘other’ responsibility?” he demanded.

Lady Catherine’s eyes grew a bit round. “Oh, you hadn’t heard? It seems that the self-destruct mechanism in Manpower’s vault failed to operate properly. When those savage Ballroom terrorists wreaked their havoc on Manpower’s headquarters, they were able to salvage most of the records from the computers. I received a copy, sent by an anonymous party.”

She planted the hat back on her head. “I haven’t had time to study it fully, of course—such voluminous records—but it didn’t take me more than a minute to realize that the information needs to be presented to the Queen as soon as possible. You all know how much Elizabeth detests genetic slavery. She’s said so in public—oh, I can’t keep track of all the times! And in private, her opinion is even more volcanic.” She shook her head sadly. “Such a hot-tempered woman. I worry about her health, sometimes.”

The smile was back. “Elizabeth and I were childhood friends, you know. Did I fail to mention that? Oh, yes. Very close, at one time. Our relations have been strained for years, naturally, due to political differences. But I’m quite certain she’ll want to speak to me on this subject. And Lady Harrington also, of course. I’ve never met her personally, but my butler Isaac is an old acquaintance.”

She’d left them completely befuddled, now. The smile widened. “You didn’t know? How odd, I thought everyone did. Isaac was one of the slaves Lady Harrington freed—well, she wasn’t a peer in those days, of course, just another commoner naval officer—when she smashed up the depot at Casimir. I’m sure she’d agree to see him again, to allow him to present his overdue thanks. Along with a copy of these records. Quite certain of it.”

Her hand squeezed Zilwicki’s shoulder. “Captain?”

“Your servant, Lady Catherine.”

A moment later, they were gone. The two men remaining in the room stared at each other. Their faces were already growing pale.

“Records?” choked Hendricks.

The admiral ignored him. He was already scrabbling for the communicator. In the minutes which followed, while Hendricks paced out his agitation, Young simply sat there. Listening to his chief legal officer explain to him, over and again, that he had neither the legal grounds—nor, more to the point here on Terra, the police authority—to detain a Manticoran Peer of the Realm engaged in the Queen’s business.

Victor

As he leaned over the railing on the upper level of the terminal, studying the small party below getting ready to enter the embarkment area, Victor had mixed emotions. Which, sad to say, seemed destined to be his normal state. He almost felt regret for past simplicities and certitudes.

Almost. Not quite.

He heard a chuckle. The big man standing next to him, with the very pretty woman nestled under his arm, had—as usual—read his mind. Victor was almost getting tired of that also.

Almost. Not quite.

“Grotesque, isn’t it?” mused Usher. “All that obscene wealth, in the hands of a single person? You could feed a small town for a year on what a private yacht like that costs.”

Victor said nothing. He had learned that much, at least. One thing at a time.He didn’t want to hear the lecture again.

“What do you think he’s saying to her?” he asked.

Usher’s eyes moved, focusing on the girl below. She was giving a fierce hug to the small man who had accompanied the party to the terminal.

“Well, let’s see. He’s probably stopped chiding her for using the Owl By Night. And he’s probably already told her exactly which schools to investigate, once she gets to Manticore.” A large hand came up and rubbed his jaw. “So I imagine he’s simply telling her the kind of things which she really needs to know. Things from the heart, so to speak.”

Below, the embrace ended. With the quick motions of someone steadying loss with new determination, Helen Zilwicki marched her entire party to the gate. There were six people in the party. Her father and Lady Catherine and Isaac brought up the rear. In the front, nestled under Helen’s wings, her new brother and sister advanced toward a new life. Master Tye alone remained behind, simply staring.

Usher turned away from the railing. “And that’s that. Come on, Victor. It’s time for Ginny and me to introduce you to a new vice.”

Victor followed obediently. He didn’t even grimace at the gibe.

“Good lad,” murmured Usher. “You’ll like it, I promise. And if the elitism bothers you, just use the plebe word for it. Movies.”

He leaned over, smiling at his wife. “Which one, d’you think?”

“Casablanca,” came the immediate reply.

“Good choice!” Kevin draped his other arm over Victor. “I do believe this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”