ed, though; they had insufficient data, so they simply had to
make do with what they did have. "Even so, we do not yet have
confirmation. I think we must plan for the possibility, remote as it
is, that she did escape both and make it to the Palace. If the
Imperials are informed of even as little as she got from me, it could
hinder us."

"If you plan for that," Kainor said, "you will also have to assume a
Ranger will be involved within minutes, or at most hours."

"What--" "A Ranger!" Valla and Thark exclaimed as one.

"Yes. Ranger James Medart arrived yesterday aboard the battle cruiser
Emperor Chang, and took a lander down to the Colvis Reserve."

"Why was I not informed?" Thark asked, forcing his voice to remain
steady. A Ranger's interference, especially this early, could be
disastrous!

"Ranger Medart's orders, Master. He is on convalescent leave,
recuperating from the injuries he sustained just prior to the end of
the war. He did not wish to be bothered by official functions."

"If he is injured," Thark said thoughtfully, "he should be no problem
to eliminate."

"I said he is recuperating," Kainor corrected. "I understand he is
still weak, but otherwise he is healthy enough. It is unlikely to
affect him except to slow him in personal combat."

"And Rangers do not fight unless it cannot be avoided," Valla said.
"Does he have anyone with him?"

"I was not told, but most probably he does. Since this is a peaceful
world and the Reserve is a resort area, I would assume him to be
accompanied by a token bodyguard--perhaps two to four Marines, not
enough to stop a determined killer."

"True," Valla agreed. "Entos again, then, with four Sanctioners. The
Sanctioners have enough Talent to take out two Marines each, so even if
our estimate is low, they should have no difficulty. And whether
Medart fights or not, Entos will be able to give him a swift death."

Kainor nodded. "After all, it is not their combat abilities that make
them so valuable to the Empire, even though Menshikov is the Empire's
greatest strategist. It is their personalities and the way they
think."

"Yes," Thark said. "That much everyone knows. But exactly what is it
about their personalities and thinking? What is so unusual about them
that there are only ten Rangers, and none of those Irschchans?"

"Nine, since Tarlac's assassination," Kainor reminded him. His ears
went back in a slight frown. "Despite my investigations