s Inquisitor gets many casual guests;
usually the only ones here are family and Enforcement Service friends."

"Uh-oh." Odeon made a quick grab, intercepting an orange streak
heading for the guest. "Forgot to warn you about Tangerine," he
apologized, stroking his prey's soft fur. To his combined relief and
disappointment, Tanj was no longer fixated on him, though he told
himself she did still like him best. "She's not called the attack
kitten for nothing--she'll go after whoever's closest, just to get
attention, though I'm her favorite target. And she likes to land about
rump-high, with all claws out."

"Thanks for the rescue, then--I like cats, but that sounds painful."

"It is," Cortin assured her. "Worse now than when we first got her,
since she's bigger, but even at six weeks old, she made herself felt."
She gestured to the couch in front of the fireplace. "Have a seat.
Matthew should be here soon with the coffee."

"Thank you." Conley sat down, Odeon joining her, while Cortin pulled
up a nearby chair. "Will the others be okay?"

"Unless they do something stupid," Odeon said. "Like attack someone
who's armed when they aren't."

Conley chuckled. "None of our crew is Sandeman--for one of them, it
might work."

"The genetic warriors." Cortin frowned. "The ones you forced into the
Empire--what, about thirty years ago?"

"That's when, yes, but we didn't force them," Conley objected. "We had
to stop their invasion of Sector Five, of course--we couldn't let them
just take over! I've talked to some, though. They weren't happy to be
stopped, but when Ranger Medart showed them our weaponry and told them
that if they joined the Empire they'd be able to use it, well, they
jumped at the opportunity."

"I was impressed by how quickly and completely that war ended," Cortin
admitted. "I'd like to meet one of your Rangers, especially Medart, if
it weren't for the consequences--" Forget that caveat, she told
herself. The Columbus had gotten a message out; the consequences would
happen whether she met a Ranger or not. Though--she felt a sudden lift
of hope--maybe a Ranger could mitigate the damage to the Systems. "Is
there any way you could get him to intervene on our behalf?"

"Huh?" Conley gaped for a moment. "Sure, but you can do it yourself,
and it'd mean a lot more coming from a Colonel than from a Spacer
Third. Since you're obviously of Terran origin, you're legally
Imperial citizens; you have