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illusions, either, about what Hreem intended with the Ogres, if he
once saw an opportunity on the Suneater. But he would be a useful
counterbalance to Vi’ya, if she awoke. And if she didn’t. . . .
    Hreem’s face resolved on the console.
    First to soften him up
with uncertainty and find out if the Fist can see whom he has talked to . For Barrodagh was sure that Hreem
would not have approached the Suneater without checking out the situation
first—he even had a fairly good idea with whom. The battlecruiser’s array might
reveal the truth.
    “Captain chaka-Jalashalal.” Barrodagh smiled. “I’ve good
news.”
    The Rifter scowled, not hiding his distrust.
    “The Avatar is pleased with your actions at Barca and with
your gift of Ogres. You’re to be honored with a personal interview.”
    Hreem stared. Then he smiled slowly. “So the Ogres really
tickled his . . . fancy, eh?”
    “Indeed.” Barrodagh expanded on the theme, feeding the
Rifter’s ego by appearing to confide in him the uses to which the Avatar
intended to put the Ogres.
    Midway through his mendacious litany, the comm vibrated
under his palm. The Bori acknowledged with a subtle twitch of one finger, and
when he paused to let Hreem speak, he read Juvaszt’s reply on the screen,
superimposed under Hreem’s image.
    Transponders along Satansclaw course reveal rendezvous with Flower of
Lith at 26:38, duration nine minutes.
    Satisfaction washed through Barrodagh. He had been right.
And so Hreem undoubtedly knew of the presence of Vi’ya on the station: Tallis
would have been unable to keep that news to himself.
    “And,” he finished, “as you no doubt have familiarized
yourself with the devices, there could well be an important role for you in
those efforts.” He saw in Hreem’s face that the other had heard the subtle
warning. Now to exploit the slight imbalance that had created. “As well, there
may be a role here for you. A further reward, as it were.”
    “What’s that?”
    “A certain acquaintance of yours is here.”
    Hreem’s pupils widened slightly, his only reaction.
    “Her name is Vi’ya, of the Telvarna . You have had dealings with her, I understand.”
    Hreem stared—then guffawed. Barrodagh heard the falseness of
the sound. He is surprised that I told
him. “Burned her mate down right in front of her for jackin’ me,” Hreem
replied harshly. “You could call that dealings.”
    Barrodagh nodded. “As you know, like all tempaths she has
been promised a large reward if she starts up the station. The reward the
Avatar intends, however, is somewhat different.”
    He watched a cruel smile curve Hreem’s mouth as he continued.
“And it might be that you will deliver it to her.” Barrodagh also smiled. “Or
her to it, as the case may be.”
    But when Hreem demanded approach instructions, Barrodagh
stopped smiling. “Ah, Captain, under the circumstances, it would not be safe
for you here, nor would it do to engage Captain Vi’ya’s suspicions, as your
presence would surely do. For now, the Avatar would have you join the pickets
around the system, until a more propitious moment. In the meantime, I will
detail a cutter to pick up two of the Ogres, to prepare them for the ceremony.”
    And give the Avatar
something to play with , he thought.
    “What about the rest of them?”
    “Those you will deliver.”
    Hreem didn’t argue much, a fact that convinced Barrodagh
that the Rifter had believed his little fable. “But none of this spin reactor piss
you’ve been pulling with the others. The Lith’s reactors stay on standby.”
    Barrodagh argued for the sake of authenticity, then yielded
with a show of anger that wasn’t hard to counterfeit. Once Hreem was off his ship,
the matter could be dealt with easily. He turned Hreem over to Juvaszt for
instructions, and started sorting through the pile of reports on his desk.
    A fresh surge of rage gnawed at his guts.
    It was merely the official report from the Syndics of