know How long it took any of us to learn to navigate through one of the big databases. And we can put a tag on him; it’ll be natural that we do. We shouldn’t seem to trust him.”

Sassinak laughed. “I do like a second in command who thinks like I do. See, Lunzie? Two against one: both of us see why Aygar is ideal for that job.”

“But he’s expecting something more from us—from me, at least. If he doesn’t get it . .

“Lunzie!” That was the command voice, the tone that made Sassinak no longer a distant relative but the captain of a Fleet cruiser on which Lunzie was merely a passenger. It softened slightly with the next words, but Lunzie could feel the steel underneath. “We aren’t going to do anything to hurt Aygar. We know he’s not involved in the plotting ... of all the citizens of the Federation, he’s one of the few who couldn’t be involved. So he’s not our enemy, not in any way whatever. Stopping the piracy will help everyone, including Aygar’s friends and relatives back on Ireta. Including Aygar. We are on his side, in that way, and by my judgment—which I must remind you is ten years more experienced than yours—by my judgment that is enough. We can handle Aygar; we have dangerous enemies facing all of us.”

Lunzie’s gaze wavered, falling away from Sassinak’s to see Ford as another of the same type. Calm, competent, certain of himself, and not about to change his mind a hairsbreadth for anything she said.