ot of money do change."

"In here--most people aren't Sandemans."

Medart followed her into the dining area and to Ryan's table; when the
Warleader gestured them to sit, they did so. "I took the liberty of
ordering breakfast for both of you," he told them. "It should be here
very shortly."

"Thanks," Medart said. "And thanks for letting me keep my saber and
gun, too. The gun I could replace if I ever get back; the saber's
special." He paused, grinned. "Not that I'm any physical threat to a
Sandeman, whether I'm armed or not. If I went for my gun, I'd be dead
before I could get it halfway out of the holster."

"True," Ryan agreed. "That sounds like you've seen it tried."

"Close; I've demonstrated it. But I made sure the Sandeman was using a
stun setting on his needler."

Ryan chuckled. "I'm not sure I'd care to let myself be used as a
target that way. You must have trusted that warrior implicitly."

"No more or less than I trust any Sandeman," Medart said. "I've only
known one who was capable of deliberate deception, and that was because
his Intelligence field work for the Empire required it. Naturally, he
was the best field agent we've had, though his successor as top agent
came close."

"Naturally," Kelly said. Whatever she was going to say next, though,
was interrupted by the arrival of their breakfast; all three
concentrated on eating.

When they were done, they moved to a small lounge, and Ryan addressed
Medart with an expression the Ranger couldn't quite identify. "I did
not reveal my full rank yesterday, Highness; a foretelling spell said
it would be in the clan's interest to use only my lesser one. Besides
Warleader, I am the chief of Clan Vader."

Medart nodded, grinning. "I know. I can read clan arms, and you
either forgot or didn't bother to change yours. But if you wanted to
claim a lesser rank, I couldn't see any harm in playing along."

"My arms?" Ryan looked chagrined. "I never even thought of them--I
did a lot at first, when I added the chief, but I've gotten so used to
them since that I no longer really notice the difference."

"And you're not used to deception, so it's easy to understand how you'd
miss that." Medart sobered. "But since you are clan-chief, I need to
know whether the life-debt your clan owes me at home is valid here."

It couldn't be, was Ryan's automatic reaction. The debt had been
incurred in a distant alternate, involving an enemy and a warrior who