Principate Muniero Delari was famous for, and sometimes hated for, his determination to do what best served the Church as a whole.

Hecht was repelled by Delari unclad. The man was a pallid old stick figure veined with ugly blue, like an Arnhander cheese. He resembled an artist's caricature of death, as in some paintings hanging in the Palace's miles of hallways. He smelled old, even after his baths.

Hecht could not imagine how Osa Stile had congress with that.

Delari said, "If you're as unlucky as I am and survive as long as I have, you'll be a repulsive old man yourself."

Hecht started. Delari had a disconcerting knack for knowing what he was thinking.

Osa sneered.

Herrin and Vernal arrived. Both were tall and thin. Both were of an age where they would be expected to find other employment soon. Herrin had blossomed dramatically of late. She was an attractive blonde burdened by a dour personality. An eventuation Hecht thought ought to mar all children compelled to serve in order to survive. Then reflected that he had not turned out badly despite having been kidnapped and sold into slavery as a toddler.

Vernal lived up to her name. She was bright and cheerful. Evil fortune could not crush her natural optimism. Hecht had, occasionally, considered sending Vernal to serve Anna Mozilla. Anna could use the help. Being what she was, and having who she had for a lover, though, left her unwilling to have anyone stay in full time.

Vernal shared a birthday with Herrin and was as tall but had not yet bloomed. Hecht suspected that she would not change much once she did.

Osa and the girls led Delari and Hecht to an unoccupied hot pool. Once he settled, Hecht asked, "How do you think Sublime will respond to Clearenza's defection?"

Armand's ears pricked up. Delari seemed puzzled by the question.

Hecht said, "The others think he'll do something stupid. You've known him since he was a pup. Will he?"

"Probably. Thinking he's being clever."

"But he will insist on doing something? Even if Lothar is serious about protecting fon Dreasser?"

Armand paid close attention.

"Even more certainly if the Grail Empire gets involved. He's sure Lothar is a weakling. Despite the evidence so far. He's also sure the boy won't live much longer. Despite the contrary evidence there. If he could hasten Lothar's passage into the hereafter, he'd probably do it. Thinking the sisters will be weaker than the boy."

"I don't know about Katrin. I saw Helspeth on the battlefield. She's young and female but that apple didn't fall far from the tree."

"As may be. Right now I want you to see what we do that could be of more enduring consequence."

"Since it's so secret that I don't know about it already, should we talk about it here?"

Armand donned a sour look.

Delari said, "The Empire couldn't put a spy in here. Children aren't that motivated. But what a coup if they could. Everything gets discussed here."

"Uhm."

"Later, then. If that makes you more comfortable."

"I have the evening free."

"Take supper with me, then."

Hecht accepted. Anna and Redfearn Bechter alike would pout.

Bechter wanted him to spend more time with the staff in the Castella dollas Pontellas. Hoping to seduce him into the warrior Brotherhood.

The Brothers there were preparing to welcome a new castellan. He would replace Grade Drocker. Though Drocker had been but acting head of the local chapter. The true castellan, Hawley Quirke, had been summoned to the Brotherhood's home base, the Castella Anjela dolla Picolena on the island of Staklirhod, in the eastern reaches of the Mother Sea. Quirke had been lost in a sea battle with a Praman fleet. The position of castellan had gone unfilled since.

"Send word to Bechter about when and where."

"You're in a hurry to go?"

No. I want to see how Polo is. And I want to talk to Colonel Ghort."

HECHT ASKED, "YOU EVER HAVE TROUBLE WITH THOSE two before?"

"Not really. They belonged to the Cologni company." The City Regiment was a conglomerate of forces subsidized by wealthy benefactors. "And, no, I don't think the Cologni put them up to it. They don't have the imagination."

Having worked with senior members of all the Five Families, Hecht agreed. "They are a dim lot. They're lucky there aren't any bright outsiders around to take advantage."

"Those idiots just saw a chance to grab some extra money."

That was not hard to understand. The poor generally were very poor and desperate indeed. Thinking past tomorrow was a waste of time.

Hecht shrugged. "I'd like to go after those cousins of yours myself."

"Not cousins." Ghort meant to distance himself. "Just guys from back home. How would you get away? Especially with this Clearenza shit?"

"'I can't. I'd just like to. To talk to them before anyone else."

"What do you want to find out before anybody else?"

"Who sent them."

"You know they won't know that."

"Don't underestimate the reservoirs of stupid in this world. The man who's supposed to pay them will turn up there. Maybe to pay them, maybe to cut their throats."

"It was me, I'd send some other guys to do that."

"That's possible, too."

"So. I'd really better have somebody get there first. You gonna lend me your Deves?"

"They aren't mine. They're still part of the City Regiment."

"All but the best ones. You took them with you."

"Yes. I did. And I mean to keep them close."

"But…"

"I'll talk to Titus. If he sees any advantage for his people, he'll help. Was I you, I wouldn't count on it."

"Well, shit. I didn't want to use my own guys. The finance board will kick my ass for operating outside the city. 'Course, they'll kick it if I don't do nothing, too."

"I feel your pain, brother. I don't have it any better. It's a full-time job just getting my troops paid." He had a sudden notion. He suggested it.

"I like it, Pipe. How long till you could find out if Consent would cover you?"

"Not long."

"I know a ship. The Donetos own her. She's waiting for a cargo. She's supposed to be greased lightning. She trades in places where the republics think they own a monopoly."

"A smuggler."

"Technically. Her master would argue, though."

"He'd sail up the Sawn to Sonsa?"

"Why not? If he ain't carrying contraband?"

Hecht thought there might be a problem, anyway. If he took up his notion. He had been to Sonsa before.

Ghort said, "Unless the gods intervene, we can afford another day. If we use the Lumberer."

"The what?"

"That's the name of the boat. A joke. Like calling a big guy Tiny."

Hecht understood without comprehending. It was a western thing. "Uhm. I wonder. Think we could pull it off?"

"What?"

"Sneaking out. To make the pickup ourselves."

"Sure. But your excuse is gonna raise a stink like a year-old latrine." Ghort smirked.

"But if we say we did it ourselves because we didn't have the money to pay our men to, we shame them before the people."

"If we pull it off."

"Yes. We wouldn't dare fail." Hecht knew what he was proposing was not bright. But sometimes you bull ahead in full knowledge that you are doing something dumb.

"Goo! Hey! Back to the fun days when we didn't have no responsibilities."

"We could get things done right the first time."

"Let's do." Ghort was not obsessive about being responsible. "Just cancel everything and go, Pipe."

"I'm tempted." He was. "I'll think about that, too."

THE VISIT TO THE BATHS, THE CONFERENCE WITH PlNKUS Ghort, and a visit to Polo in the Chiaro Palace hospital left the Captain-General two hours late for his daily staff conference. "I'm sorry. The Clearenza situation has the Collegium in a snit." They would know that he had been called in.