The older Eickarie sniffed. "And would not a left-handed speaker also say he would never—?"

"Peace, Ha-ran," the Eickarie seated on the table cut him off. "His question about our hospitality, at least, is right-handed." He looked back at the stormtroopers. "I am Su-mil," he said. "And you?"

"I am called Twister," Twister told him. "These are my unit-mates Shadow, Cloud, and Watchman."

He turned to look at Ha-ran. "And with respect to your tribe and its princes," he added, "if you believe we're here to make any trades with the Warlord, you haven't been paying attention to the events of your world over the past eight months. Our people have been fighting tirelessly at the side of the Eickaries, working to tear the Warlord's grip from your throat."

"Then why do you physically assault his stronghold?" Ha-ran spat. "Why not simply destroy it with him inside? Why do you risk your lives to meet him face to face?"

Twister grimaced behind his helmet. Everyone on the planet seemed to be wondering the same thing tonight. "Why did you risk your lives to meet us face to face?" he stalled.

It was not, as it turned out, the best thing he might have said. "We called you here to learn what you are doing," Ha-ran said, his highlights turning nearly black. "And to perhaps seek an accommodation with you. Is that what you seek with the Warlord?"

"What sort of accommodation could we possibly want with him?" Watchman objected. "We came to this world to destroy him."

"Did you?" the old Eickarie retorted. "Or did you merely seek to conquer him?"

"For what reason?" Watchman persisted. "What could he possibly have—?"

"Watchman," Twister said quietly.

The other broke off. "We don't know why we're here tonight," Twister told Ha-ran honestly. "None of us is high enough in the counsels of our tribe's princes to be given such answers."

"They are called ‘generals,' not princes," Su-mil put in. "And you have no tribes, but only the single Empire of the Hand. Do not patronize us, stormtrooper."

Twister turned back to face him. There was something vaguely comical about the Eickarie's stance, a small part of his mind noted, sitting up there on the sealing table with his feet dangling half a meter off the floor.

But at the same time, there was a strength and resolve in his eyes and posture that silenced any inclination toward laughter. "You're right," Twister acknowledged. "I was merely attempting to speak in terms your people would be familiar with."

"We are familiar with many terms," Su-mil said.

"As I now understand," Twister said. "I ask your forgiveness for my unintended offense."

For a moment the other studied him. Then, his orange highlights faded to amber. "My forgiveness is given," he said. "You admit, then, that you seek to meet the Warlord face to face?"

"Our orders are to penetrate the fortress and take him alive," Twister told him. "As I said, I haven't been told the reason behind those orders."

"Then let me tell you what we think," Su-mil said. "We think your Empire of the Hand is hoping to make a bargain with the Warlord—a fool's bargain, which will bring ruin on all who raise a hand to it. We think you have united the Eickarie people this way solely to obtain a stronger bartering position for yourselves."

"That's ridiculous," Twister insisted reflexively. "I can't believe my prin—my generals would do such a thing."

"Why not?" Ha-ran demanded. "Are the plundered relics and treasures of the Eickarie people worth nothing to you who travel the stars?"

"Or perhaps the Warlord is already an ally of yours," Su-mil added. "None of the Eickaries has ever seen him outside his armor. For all the evidence we have, he could even be a human like yourselves."

Twister took a deep breath. Unfortunately, that was another very good point. As far as he knew, none of the Imperials knew what kind of being was walking around inside the Warlord's fancy armor, either.

But the possibility that it could be a renegade Imperial had never even occurred to him. "I don't know the reasons for my orders," he said. "But this is my third campaign for the Empire of the Hand, and I've studied the histories of many others. Certainly my leaders have made mistakes, but I have never known them to betray those who trusted them."

"So for you it comes down to a matter of trust?" Su-mil asked.

"Ultimately, that's what it comes down to for any of us," Twister told him. "Trust in your leaders and allies, and loyalty to those who have put their trust in you."

He gestured toward the door. "And right now, there are soldiers out there who have put their trust in us, relying on us to protect their flank from attack. I would humbly request that you allow us to leave and fulfill that trust."

For a long moment the room was silent. Su-mil eyed him, his highlights subtly changing shade as he considered. Then, suddenly, they returned to their original orange. "I offer a bargain of my own," he said. "In the dungeons of this fortress you seek to penetrate are hundreds of Eickaries who have been imprisoned over the years by the Warlord and his soldiers. Most committed no offense but to resist his tyranny. Will you commit yourself and your fellow stormtroopers to releasing them before you carry your battle to the Warlord's inner stronghold?"

Twister felt an unpleasant shiver run through him. He wasn't trained to negotiate with these people. He certainly wasn't authorized to make tactical arrangements with them.

Trained to walk that fine line between obedience and initiative ...

"I'm not sure I can commit to such a promise," he said carefully. "My orders are very clear, and the lives of my fellow soldiers lie in the balance. Most of the fortress's outer defenses are controlled from the Warlord's inner stronghold; the sooner we can capture it, the sooner the battle will be over."

"We will certainly release the Eickarie prisoners," Shadow added. "We just may not be able to do so before we face the Warlord."

"I understand your conflict," Su-mil said. "Let me perhaps make the bargain sweeter to your lips. If you will right-handedly make to me this promise, I will lead you inside the fortress along a path the Warlord knows nothing about."

A murmur rippled through the assembled Eickaries, an echo of the stir Twister could sense going through his own men. Apparently, Su-mil's offer had taken everyone by surprise. "What kind of path are we talking about?" he asked. "Is it nearby? Surface, aerial, underground?"

"Do not tell him!" Ha-ran snarled. "This is our fight, not theirs. Our responsibility, not theirs."

"It is nearby," Su-mil said, his large eyes unblinkingly on Twister.

"This is a fool's bargain, Su-mil—"

"Be silent, Ha-ran," Su-mil said calmly, cutting him off. "For here, and for now, I command. What say you, Imperial? I will not tell you more until you have agreed."

Twister took a careful breath. Obedience and initiative... "I have no authority to bind anyone but myself and my unit," he told the Eickarie. "But if you can indeed get us in past the Warlord's defenses, I pledge that Unit Aurek-Seven of the Five-oh-First Stormtrooper Legion will do whatever we can to assist in the release of your prisoners."

"And I'll bet we won't be helping you alone, either," Shadow put in. "The commander will definitely want to know about this."

"Yes," Twister said. "We can't risk using comlinks, but I'll send one of my men back to contact Aurek Company's commander and report on our situation and your offer."

"We cannot accept more delay," Su-mil warned. "Already this discussion has devoured precious time."

"Three of us can go with you right now," Twister offered. "If the commander decides to send in more forces, they can catch up." He gestured to Cloud. "Get back and report the situation, and strongly urge that he send in backup. Su-mil, can they come here to get directions to this secret back door?"