p. Now that we're ready for the big push,
I can't help but wonder what would happen if I were to lose a battle."

"Frankly," Tallis said, "that would depend on several things, the main
one being whether or not it appeared that you had deliberately thrown
the advantage to the enemy. But nobody expects you, or anyone else, to
win every time. Even the most brilliant commander can make an honest
mistake, and if it can be shown that it _was_ an honest mistake, and
one, furthermore, that he could not have been expected to avoid, he
wouldn't be punished for it. In your case, I'll admit that the
investigation would be a great deal more thorough than normal, and that
you wouldn't get as much of the benefit of the doubt as another officer
might, but unless there is a deliberate error I doubt that anything
serious would happen."

"Do you really believe that, Tallis, or is it just wishful thinking on
your part, knowing as you do that your punishment will be the same as
mine if I fail?" MacMaine asked flatly.

Tallis didn't hesitate. "If I didn't believe it, I would ask to be
relieved as your Guardian. And the moment I did that, you would be
removed from command. The moment I feel that you are not acting for the
best interests of Keroth, I will act--not only to protect myself, but
to protect my people."

"That's fair enough," MacMaine said. "But how about the others?"

"I cannot speak for my fellow officers--only for myself." Then Tallis'
voice became cold. "Just keep your hands clean, Sepastian, and all will
be well. You will not be punished for mistakes--only for crimes. If you
are planning no crimes, this worry of yours is needless."

"I ceased to worry about myself long ago," MacMaine said coolly. "I do
not fear personal death, not even by Excommunication. My sole worry is
about the ultimate outcome of the war if I should fail. That, and
nothing more."

"I believe you," Tallis said. "Let us say no more about it. Your
actions are difficult for us to understand, in some ways, that's all.
No Kerothi would ever change his allegiance as you have. Nor has any
Earth officer that we have captured shown any desire to do so. Oh, some
of them have agreed to do almost anything we wanted them to, but these
were not the intelligent ones, and even they were only doing it to save
their own miserable hides.

"Still, you are an exceptional man, Sepastian, unlike any other of your
race, as far as we know. Perhaps it is simply that you are