“You? How?”

Sassinak had been thinking of her own heavyworlder friends, but she hated to use any of them that way. It would be too risky for them if some agent within Fleet caught on.

“They don’t let many lightweights visit Diplo, but because of their continuing medical problems, genetic and adaptive, medical researchers and advisors are welcome. As welcome as lightweights ever are. I’d need a refresher course with a Master Adept ...”

Sassinak pursed her lips. “Hmmm. That’s reasonable, the refresher part. If anyone were watching you, they’d expect you to. You’ve gone a stage or so beyond your rating, haven’t you? And you people go back fairly regularly, once you’re in the Adept rating, so I’ve heard. ...”

She let that trail away, in case Lunzie wanted to ofier more information, but wasn’t surprised when Lunzie simply nodded and went on to talk about Diplo.

“Doctors are expected to ask questions. If I were on a research team, perhaps statistical survey of birth defects, something like that, I’d have a chance to talk to lots of people as part of my job.”

Sassinak cocked her head to one side; Lunzie barely stopped herself from making the same gesture.

4    

“Are you sure you’re not doing this just to exorcise your own heavyworld demons? From what you’ve said ...”

Lunzie didn’t want to go into that again. “I know. I have reason to hate and fear them. Some of them. But I’ve also known good ones; I told you about Zebara.” Sassinak nodded, but looked unconvinced. Lunzie went on. “Besides, 111 have time to talk to the Master Adept renewing my training. You know enough about Discipline to know that’s as good as any psych software. If a Master says I’m not stable enough to go, 111 let you know.”

“YouTl discuss it with him?” By Sassinak’s tone, she wasn’t entirely happy with that.

Lunzie sighed internally. “Not everything, no. But my going to Diplo, certainly. There are certain special skills which can make it easier on a lightweight.”

“Just be sure a Master passes you. This is too important to risk on an emotional storm, and with the trouble you’ve had ...”

“I can handle it.” Lunzie let her voice convey the Discipline behind it, and Sassinak subsided. Not really Impressed, Lunzie noticed, as most people would be, but convinced for the time being.

“That’s Diplo, then,” Sassinak gave a final minute shrug, and went on to the other problems. “You’re going off. And you don’t know how long that will take, either, do you? I thought not. You’re going off for a refresher course and a visit to Diplo, and that leaves us with digging to be done among the suspect commercial combines, the Seti, and the inner workings of EEC, Fleet, and the Council. It would be handy if we had our own private counterintelligence network, but...”