After being arrested, debriefed and reluctantly released, I was placed back into a

hospital bed. I had new rips in my flesh to prove how hard a day I was having.

The real Zye showed up three hours later, after the sun had fallen below the
horizon outside my window.

I eyed her warily. She looked me over in return with equal concern.

Are you all right? she asked. I heard there was trouble.

Where have you been, Zye? I asked, unable to hide my new, distrustful attitude
toward visitors.

Behind Zye in the hallway two of my fathers agents stood with their hands in their
jackets. The leader was Jillian, a mean woman who would kill anyone who threatened
me. Her male partner was large, expressionless and all business.

Im sorry, Captain, Zye said. Please believe me. We were rescued by emergency
air cars. Medical people helped you into a car. I let them take us, and I traveled
with you to this hospital. It was here in this building they lied to me. They
convinced me I must undergo an examination in order to continue working in Star
Guard.

For a moment, she hung her head in shame. I cant believe such a simple trick
fooled me as a Rogue, I find this humiliating.

I repressed a smile. Zye fancied herself a master of deception. In truth, her

tricks were always heavy-handed in nature.

Its not your fault, I said. Youre new to this planet and to Star Guard. They
wont fool you again.

Zye stepped closer and moved her face close to mine. She spoke in a hushed voice.

Out in the hallway, my fathers agents frowned, and they too leaned into the
doorway to watch her closely. They werent about to let another assassin make an
attempt on my life.

What of the two outside? Zye asked me. Are you sure theyre legitimate?

I know them from my fathers estate. Besides, I dont think the enemy has had the
time to come up with a third plan to put into action yet.

Zyes face registered confusion. A third plan?

Yes, I said. I think the attack on the sky-lift was an elaborate attempt to kill
me while making it look like an accident. The second plan failed as well, a direct
kidnapping and slaying.

How could that have worked? Zye asked thoughtfully. No, wait, dont answer that.
I know how I would have done it.

How? I asked, honestly curious.

Zye shrugged. A simple thing, really. They had only to get the three of you into
an air car and drive it into the ground.

I blinked at her in surprise, but then I nodded slowly.

The Stroj, I said. She would have done it. The Beta might not be so keen on
self-destruction.

No, probably not, Zye admitted. She must have known she was kidnapping you, but
not how it was going to end.

Thinking that over, I realized the enemy Stroj had a strategic advantage. They
didnt mind dying for their cause if they could do significant damage through self-
sacrifice.

Zye, I said, I was under the impression that there were no other Betas or Stroj
on Earth.

So was I, she said. But the Stroj are tricky. Even trickier than I am.

That might be the case I began but then there was a commotion out in the
hallway.

Zye immediately moved to cover the door. Painfully, I climbed out of the hospital
bed. Fortunately, the Stroj assassins explosion had been too far from my person to
do serious damage. Id suffered only burns and contusions. I was, however, heavily
sprayed with nu-skin. The fast-growing flesh substitute tore in places when I moved
quickly.

Jillian pushed her face into the room. Zye and she eyed one another coldly for a
moment.

Its a Star Guard officer, Jillian said. Should I let him in?

Yes, if hes passed the metal detectors.

That may not be good enough, Zye interjected quickly. They vary in composition.
Some have polymer-based internal components.

Jillian glanced at Zye, then at me. Its your call, sir.

Let him in.

There was some rough complaining in the hallway as the man was inspected and
ushered into the hospital room.

I almost hoped the visitor did turn out to be a Stroj imposter when I saw who
theyd been patting down and irritating. A red-faced Admiral Halsey confronted me.
He was my superior, one of the top commanders of Star Guard.

Private goons, Sparhawk? he demanded. Youve got the balls to doubt your own
commanders?

Im sorry, sir, I began.

Well, dont be, he said, cutting me off. With all the shit youve been through,
I can hardly blame you. May I come in?

As he was already standing in my hospital room, I made a gracious gesture. He began

to speak then, and while he did so Zye and Jillian both gave him suspicious glances
now and then.

Fortunately for you, Im not a Stroj, Halsey assured me. They dont seem to love
you much do they?
They dont seem to, Admiral, I said. Theyve gone to a lot of trouble to take me
out. It seems excessive.

This time I think the enemy is playing the game right. They know youre one of our
best and brightest. Sure, the Guard has always leaned on you. Youre a man from a
Great House invading the ranks of Star Guard. Its bound to make jealousy and envy
spring up in the hearts of every mean-spirited man.

I thought of reminding him hed been quite high on that list of distinguished
doubters, but I passed on the idea.

Again, my apologies, he said. Its clear there are forces here on Earth, forces
allied with colonists, who dont want us to leave this star system.

Turning that thought over in my mind, I quickly decided he was right.

Youve got a point, sir, I said. Ive been wondering about that for some time
now. Why havent we attempted to leave the Solar System again?

Political reasons, mostly, Halsey admitted. People were burned by the loss of
all contact with other star systems. The Cataclysm triggered an economic and social
collapse. We turned inward, and we began to think that was a good thing. Powers
arose who benefited from the status quo.

He eyed me significantly.

Youre talking about the Great Houses, I said.

He nodded slowly. Think about it. Weve got longevity combined with legal cloning
and the ability to pass on that power to progenyweve become a planet controlled
by dynasties. Long term familial power has become institutionalized with the help
of our technology.

I shifted uncomfortably and began to dress as he spoke. He caught my mood.

Heretical talk, I know, he said. But now that weve made contact with other
worlds, people are wondering again, questioning. Thats precisely what the Great
Houses didnt want.

Do you think it was a conspiracy? I asked. Or maybe just an evolutionary shift

in thinking over time?

He shrugged. It could have been either. Im a student of history did you know
that, Sparhawk?

No sir, I said, pulling my sleeves on painfully. They rasped over my flaking

skin. My teeth bared themselves in discomfort.

Well, I am. History teaches us that every society has its blind spots, evils they
perform without question. They come to believe their barbaric practices are
hallowed traditions. Think of the Romans with their blood-sports in the coliseum.
Or the Mayans, who sacrificed thousands of innocents to please their heartless
gods. Even the Americans, more recently, came to believe in

Sir? I interrupted, now fully dressed. May I ask what this has to do with the
matter at hand? We have Stroj agents on Earth again, sir. That much is clear, and
they appear to have Betas helping them.
Eh? Yes, well youre obviously correct. The general belief at Central Command is
that this was an isolated sleeper cell. A group of undiscovered enemy agents that
took action to exact revenge upon the man who defeated them in battle last time.

I looked at him. Is that what you believe? I asked.

Hell no. Two renegades cant hack implants, blast holes in the umbilical and break
into a hospital bent on assassination. It takes an organization to do all that.

I nodded. I agree, Admiral. I agree.

Good! he shouted, clapping me on the back.

The blow was painful, but I kept a wincing smile on my face.

Now, he boomed, get back up to that ship. Get her underway and get the hell out
of this system. Find your way to Beta. The emissaries are waiting aboard your
vessel now.

My expression shifted into a frown. Emissaries, sir?

He laughed. What? Did you think the government would let you represent Earth? What
if you started a fight with the first colonist you met? Youre good at thatat
least, thats your rep.

I see, I said unhappily. Ill transport these emissaries to a colony world and
make contact. Now, if youll excuse me, sir

There will be no excuses this time. Theres a color guard waiting out in the
hallway, and a pinnace on the roof.

That startled me. A pinnace, sir?

Yes. To hell with the umbilical. Take my personal transport up to your ship and
get going.

Nodding, I walked down the hallway. With great effort, I managed not to limp.

Behind me followed a grim-faced group. Jillian, her partner, Zye and a team of four
marines all walked with visible tension. They were looking everywhere at once, and
eyeing everyone but me.

How had I become the center of controversy again? Why had the enemy singled me out?
After all, even if they did manage to kill me, Star Guard was certain to appoint a
new captain to my post aboard Defiant and send him out into the unknown to explore.

There was more to this situation on Earth than I understood, that much was clear. I
decided to put it behind me as best I could. At this point, I relished a nice calm
journey into the wilds of interstellar space.