The grand admiral's jaw jutted in thought. His gaze was on his richly patterned carpet, no doubt without seeing it. "As for negotiation," he said, "it has no precedent; the fleet would never accept it. To propose it would court rebellion. A coup."

Again Qonits answered carefully. "It might accept it, your lordship. One wonders sometimes if the human empire might not extend forever. Already the problems it presents seem overwhelming. We all go to bed worried, those of us who admit what we see."

But there were also those, Qonits reminded himself, who would roar with indignation at such a proposal, Tualurog the loudest. And might undertake rebellion; might even succeed in it. He thought of asking which was worse: the risk of a coup, or destruction by the humans. But all he could bring himself to say was, "It is Kruts who is master of this ship. Tualurog can order him only in your name, as your proxy, and Kruts doesn't like him. Many don't; he is abrasive. And I have seen the worry in Kruts's eyes. After today's battle, I believe many-possibly even enough-would support you."

He paused. "And there are precedents of a sort. Tribes negotiate with tribes, clans with clans, merchants with merchants. There are many examples of successful negotiations between groups unfriendly, even hostile to each other. It's a matter of incentive. And our prisoners have shown themselves logical and reasonable. They have deported themselves well." A sample of two. Who knows what their rulers are like? "I would be honored to serve as your negotiator."

Quanshuk did not raise his eyes, but his voice, when he replied, was contemplative. "Even aside from your proficiency with human speech," he said, "you are the only one I would consider sending."

Qonits peered carefully at him. The admiral had neglected his drink; now he downed it, poured himself another-and suddenly his chief scholar hardly dared breathe.

"If such a thing were to be done," Quanshuk continued slowly, "I would begin it covertly, then announce it after you were beyond recall, in hyperspace. To speak earlier would surely invite a coup, and our detention. At best.

"Meanwhile I will make a production of crushing the humans in this system. To strengthen both my image and fleet morale."

He said, I will, Qonits realized, and felt the resolve growing in his admiral's mind.

"I will hold the human mother and child hostage to ensure the reliability of the father," Quanshuk went on, and a rare glint of humor shone in his eyes. "Do you suppose he'll suddenly know how to find his way to their crown world after all?"

Qonits answered gravely. "If necessary, we will stop at some human-inhabited world, for guidance."

The next shipsday, Quanshuk sent scouts insystem, while the armada lay in the near fringe. The most recently-found human worlds tended to have extensive settled areas, more and larger towns, and relatively advanced industrial development. And much evacuation. On this one, the scouting report suggested an initial population in the hundreds of millions, judging by the extent and nature of settlement. How many had been evacuated was unclear, but at the edge of forest areas were thousands of abandoned vehicles. There was also evidence of many fugitive camps among the trees.

Quanshuk ordered all his bombards there, with three of his fleet's ground support wings assigned to follow up. Their job was to destroy the towns, the factories-everything that supported the human population there except for a few convenient reservoirs-then scathe the fugitives.

When the job was done, he would send down two tribes. The extensive farmlands would support a score of tribes, and there'd be more fugitives than usual to hunt down, but two tribes would have to do.

It was late shipsnight, and the corridors were dim and quiet. The bombards had started insystem to Shakti a few hours earlier. Now a crewman guided an AG sled down a portside corridor, followed by a larger Wyzhnyny wearing a lieutenant commander's insignia. From that and his color, he was obviously of the master gender. His head was bandaged, presumably injured during the battle, probably when a torpedo salvo had jolted the Meadowlands severely.

The AG sled's cargo was covered by a tarp.

Shortly they stopped at the entrance to a scout hanger. The crewman opened it but remained in the corridor. It was the bandaged officer who guided the sled inside. Then the crewman closed the hatch and returned quietly down the corridor.

While shipsmind dogged the hatch firmly shut, the officer unloaded the sled by himself. It wasn't much work, and there was no injury beneath the bandage. Besides, the largest item unloaded itself.

Hearing Board

Within the Wyzhnyny Admiralty, it had been customary, over the centuries, to convene a fitness board following a major command failure. Often these cleared the accused of malfeasance, but sometimes they uncovered previously unrecognized malfeasance, and found other contributive or ameliorative factors. Sometimes procedural changes were recommended.

But never before had so drastic a failure been addressed.

On the stand, Grand Admiral Quanshuk wore his finest red velvet military vest, with every Imperial decoration he owned. Most prestigious were the High Emperor's Medal of Service, the Medal of Military Accomplishment, and two Outstanding Cadet Medals. None were for valor in combat; there had been no combat for more than three centuries. Nor the rare Kochasska, which protected the bearer from legal actions of any sort, civil or military. None of those had been awarded for nearly two millennia.

The presiding officer was Captain Kruts. As the ship's captain it was his job. The inquisitor was Rear Admiral Tualurog. The fitness board consisted of six admirals, senior wing commanders. There were also the grand admiral's counselor and several officers of the court. The witnesses numbered eleven, including senior and junior officers, enlisted personnel, and two humans. The remaining seats were occupied by other senior officers, as mandatory spectators.

Just now, Tualurog was walking back and forth in front of the grand admiral, trying to upset him. It wasn't working. Instead of following the inquisitor's pacing, Quanshuk gazed calmly at the fitness board.

"Tell me, Grand Admiral," Tualurog said, "how many ships did you lose in the recent confrontation with the humans?"

"Objection, Lord President!" Quanshuk's counsel was a commander, a member of Quanshuk's own clan. "The inquisitor is implying that the grand admiral was responsible for the losses. Responsibility is for the hearing to decide."

"Sustained. Rephrase your question in a neutral manner, Inquisitor."

"Of course, Your Honor. I apologize to the court." He looked around. "Grand Admiral Quanshuk, how many ships were lost in the recent battle with the humans?"

"You know the number as well as I do, Lord Tualurog."

"I am asking you, Lord Admiral."

Quanshuk listed them by classes.

"Wouldn't you say that is a shockingly large number?"

"I would use the term sobering, Lord Tualurog."

"You weren't shocked by it?"

"Your Honor!" counsel cried.

"Inquisitor, restrict your questions to matters of evidence."

"I stand admonished, Your Honor. Grand Admiral Quanshuk, who was responsible for the decisions made in this war?"

"They have been my decisions."

"And the battle strategies?"

"In conjunction with shipsmind, I was."

" `In conjunction with shipsmind.' But shipsmind is an artificial intelligence. Are artificial intelligences responsible, legally or otherwise, for decisions?"