n. To succeed, an agent will have to convince the pirates
@'s a criminal--probably have to take part in some crimes for that
purpose--to be allowed onto the base at all. Then @'ll have to
convince them @'s trustworthy enough to be allowed access to the base's
defenses to determine their strength, and to communication facilities
to call in a strong enough Navy force to take the base out . . .
preferably coming out alive @self."

Medart paused. He wished he could read the Sandeman's mind, but
Nevan's shield was definitely up. Still, revulsion seemed to have
subsided to dislike, so he continued. "That's lying, probably theft,
maybe murder. But it's the only way we know to eliminate what's become
a major threat to inter-sector commerce, and is rapidly becoming worse.
Let me see if I can put it another way. Field agents are people we can
trust to act against the Empire's short-term interests when, and only
when, that's necessary to protect its long-term ones. It's always a
dangerous job, usually a nasty one, and the agents know very well that
most people share your opinion of them. The only reason they put up
with all that is because they know how necessary it is."

"I . . . never thought of it that way," Nevan said slowly. Sandeman
custom said that any sort of deliberate falsehood or deception was
wrong, a grave dishonor, and he believed that implicitly--but it
sounded like Ranger Medart was telling him that in some cases it was
not only honorable, it was praiseworthy! That was a difficult concept
to absorb--yet a Ranger was as scrupulously honest as a warrior, unless
the Empire's very existence depended on one being otherwise, and Nevan
couldn't imagine a warrior's becoming a field agent was anywhere near
that important.

Another strong consideration was just which Ranger was giving him that
information and advice. James Medart played a prominent role in
Sandeman history, one of the few standard humans they accepted as being
on a par with their warrior caste, and the one person they credited
with making their entry into the Empire on an honorable basis possible;
his words were to be given more than ordinary value.

After several moments' silence, Nevan nodded. "Since you name it both
honorable and the best way to prepare for the service I hope to give
Ranger Losinj, I will do my best to become such an agent." He paused,
went on less formally. "If what you just told me--about field agents
having a positio