technically,
since they had to sign their treaty with the Federation. She just owns
the planet, that's all."

"What would she be doing, going to Manon?"

"I'd like to know," Quillan said. "The Ermetyne's a lady of many
interests. Now--see the plump elderly man just behind her?"

"The ugly one with the big head who sort of keeps blinking?"

"That one. He's Belchik Pluly and--"

"Pluly?" Trigger interrupted. "The Pluly Lines?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Oh--nothing really. I heard--a friend of mine--Pluly's got a yacht out
in the Manon System. And a daughter."

Quillan nodded. "Nelauk."

"How did you know?"

"I've met her. Quite a girl, that Nelauk. Only child of Pluly's old age,
and he dotes on her. Anyway, he's been on the verge of being
black-listed by Grand Commerce off and on through the past three
decades. But nobody's ever been able to pin anything more culpable on
him than that he keeps skimming extremely close to the limits of a large
number of laws."

"He's very rich, I imagine?" Trigger said thoughtfully.

"Very. He'd be much richer even if it weren't for his hobby."

"What's that?"

"Harems. The Pluly harems rate among the most intriguing and best
educated in the Hub."

Trigger looked at Pluly again. "Ugh!" she said faintly.

Quillan laughed. "The Pluly salaries are correspondingly high. Viewer's
dropping the group now, so there's just one more I'd like you to notice.
The tall girl with black hair, in orange."

Trigger nodded. "Yes. I see her. She's beautiful."

"So she is. She's also Space Scout Intelligence. Gaya. Comes from
Farnhart where they use the single name system. A noted horsewoman, very
wealthy, socially established. Which is why we like to use her in
situations like this."

Trigger was silent a moment. Then she said, "What kind of situation is
it? I mean, what's she doing with Lyad Ermetyne and the others?"

"She probably attached herself to the group as soon as she discovered
Lyad had come on board. Which," Quillan said, "is exactly what I would
have told Gaya to do if I'd spotted Lyad first."

Trigger was silent a little longer this time. "Were you thinking this
Lyad could be...."

"One of our suspects? Well," said Quillan judiciously, "let's say Lyad
has all the basic qualifications. Since she's come on board, we'd better
consider her. When something's going on that looks more than usually
tricky, Lyad is always worth considering. And there's one point that
looks even more in