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kitchen to fetch his master’s channa.
    â€œI wish, Nathu Rai, you would not amuse yourself at our expense.” Vadin Bel Adivaram studied the fluted stem of his wine goblet distractedly.
    â€œAt your expense?” Jaya asked, seating himself beside the opulent hearth. He chose a low, comfortable chair and chuckled inwardly when his guests both glanced toward the ornate and infinitely less comfortable throne he was expected to use on such occasions. “I fail to understand how Ari’s humor cost you anything.”
    â€œThen you fail to understand much,” mumbled Kreti Twapar. “Every time you elevate a das, by neglecting to use his varnal name, for example, you demean yourself in his estimation. When you make it a joke between you, you demean yourself even more—impair your dignity, impair the dignity of your station. In this instance, you have included us in the joke.”
    â€œI’ve impaired your dignity?” Jaya asked. His answer came in the form of two eloquent glances. “Well then, aren’t I demeaning myself even more by allowing you two to lecture me—a Sarojin?”
    Vadin Adivaram set down his goblet with a distinct click. “Nathu Rai, demeaning you was not our intention. Think of us merely as a couple of fond old uncles bent on imparting their wisdom to a favorite nephew.”
    â€œI’ll do that,” Jaya promised. “Now what brings my two fond old uncles out this evening?”
    â€œYou’ve read the petitions?” Bel Adivaram came right to the point.
    â€œYes.” That wasn’t quite true, and Jaya felt just a little guilty in professing that it was. He had read the Focus Document and scanned the individual petitions tendered by the several chapters of the Avasan Guild. Of the Consortium’s counter-petition he’d read only the synopsis.
    â€œAnd have you formed an opinion?”
    â€œNot one I should discuss.”
    â€œI’m not asking you to discuss your opinion,” returned Adivaram mildly, “just to comment on whether you’ve formed one.”
    Aridas’ return with his channa gave Jaya a moment to ponder his reply. Opinions, he didn’t have. He hadn’t read the petitions well enough for that, nor had he paid strict attention to their presentation in Assembly. He had leanings—an instinctual belief that if the Avasan miners thought they’d be better off without the over-lordship of a Mehtaran corporation, they were probably right—but nothing more solid than that. However, if the Consortium’s methods of dissuasion were what Anala claimed ...  
    â€œThank you, Ari. This is excellent, as always. No, I don’t have any opinions. I haven’t heard both sides in Session yet.”
    â€œWell,” drawled Lord Twapar, “I’d say we’ve all heard the Consortium side often enough. It’s rather hard to avoid it when every social event seems to center around bringing Kasi-Nawahr officers and stockholders together with Varmana. The Consortium, understandably, does not want the competition. Independents are one thing, united Independents are quite another.”
    â€œWhat do you think Kasi-Nawahr would do if the Vrinda Varma grants AGIM some form of legal status?” asked Jaya.
    â€œObviously, they’re hoping it won’t,” returned the Vadin.
    Jaya glanced at him. “Obviously, but would they do more than hope, do you think?”
    Kreti Twapar sat forward in his chair, clasping veined hands before him. “What do you mean by that?”
    Jaya shrugged. “They have a lot to lose. I wonder what they might do to protect their interests on Avasa.”
    â€œAre you suggesting something less subtle than lobbying?” queried Bel Adivaram.
    â€œSubtle? I’ve had to avoid too many growling, whining KasiNawahr associates at social gatherings to call it subtle. Although, very few of them go far enough to warrant a sanction