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was nagging at him. And Barrington had long since learned to trust his gut instincts. “Ukuthi didn’t strike me as the type that panics easily,” he said. “I don’t think he’ll cut and run if we’re a day or two late.”
    “And if he does?” Castenello demanded. “Captain, we need Qasama.”
    “No; we want Qasama,” Barrington corrected him. “We don’t need it. Don’t forget that we didn’t even know Qasama existed until we arrived and started going through Aventine’s records. If we can’t find them, we can still go back to the Dome’s original plan.”
    “My patron was never in favor of that plan,” Castenello warned. “Nor were many others. Deliberately setting up the Cobra Worlds to lure in the Trofts is more cold-blooded even than normal Dome politics.”
    “And doing it to the Qasamans instead is better?” Barrington asked.
    “Of course it’s better,” Castenello said contemptuously. “We sent out the Cobra Worlds colonists. The Qasamans got wherever they got on their own. The Aventinians are our people. The Qasamans aren’t.”
    “They’re still human,” Garrett murmured.
    “It’s us versus them ,” Castenello retorted. “At its heart, that’s really what politics is all about.” He gestured to Barrington. “The point is that if you have the chance to switch the bait from Aventine to Qasama, but don’t make that switch, the Dome will not be happy.”
    “The Dominion is either in the middle of a war, or on the brink of one,” Barrington said. “The Dome isn’t supposed to be happy.”
    “Don’t be flippant, Captain,” Castenello said stiffly. “I’m simply pointing out that we have obligations.”
    “I agree,” Barrington agreed. “And one of the foremost of those obligations is to protect the other members of our task force. If this trap is meant for one of our ships, we need to stand ready to give aid.”
    “Fine,” Castenello said. “If we want to assist the task force, let’s just destroy the net and move on. Even if the Trofts have the necessary equipment at hand it would take them several days to rebuild it. If, more likely, they have to go back to one of their other worlds for replacement parts, they’d be out of the picture for weeks.”
    Kusari stirred in his seat. “Except that destroying or driving them away now will lose us the chance to see exactly who they are. And whether the net was aimed at us or is simply some pirate’s merchant trap.”
    “And how do you suggest we distinguish between those options?” Castenello asked with strained patience. “A marauder spider ship looks pretty much the same as a military one.”
    “We’ll know from their reaction when the Hermes starts firing back,” Barrington told him. “A pirate isn’t going to stick around for a real fight. A military force will.”
    “ And the volume of fire Hermes sends back at the spiders should also draw out whoever they’ve got lurking in the glare,” Kusari added.
    “Exactly,” Barrington said.
    Castenello looked back and forth between them. “I’d argue the point further, Captain, but it’s clear you’ve made up your mind,” he growled. “With your permission, I’ll return to my station and start drawing up combat contingencies.”
    “An excellent idea,” Barrington said. “And with that, we’re finished here.”
    Garrett nodded and stood up. “Gentlemen: you’re dismissed to your posts,” he said in the proper formal tone.
    The others stood in turn and filed out. Garrett nodded a silent farewell to Barrington and started to follow.
    “A word, Commander,” Barrington called after him.
    Garrett stopped a meter from the door, allowing it to close in front of him. “Yes, sir?” he asked, turning back around.
    “Your take on the situation?” Barrington invited.
    “Militarily? Or politically?”
    “Either. Both.”
    Garrett gave a microscopic shrug. “It largely depends on what happens over the next few days. If it turns out the net was set for