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By Root 644 0

hand-to-mouth existence in the poorest province on the planet? As for war trophies, she had none to display. She had won the occasional medal or two, but they meant little to her and, save for when they were required wearing at formal occasions, they sat out of sight in a drawer.

Anyway, she didn't spend much time in her quarters. Unlike some of her predecessors, Jekri was not content to sit quietly in the shadows and manipulate. She moved among the shadows herself, though less often than she had in past years. She liked to be where the troublemakers were, and that was everywhere in the Empire. Quarters were for occasional periods of respite.

The door hissed open and Verrak entered.

"Were you seen?"

"By one or two," he answered. "I almost literally ran into Sharibor." They both smiled a little; Sharibor Krel was known for her clumsiness.

"Good," Jekri replied. It would keep up the illusion of an illicit tryst. There was only one chair in the room. Verrak took it while Jekri seated herself on the bed. She anticipated there was going to be a lot of activity in this room over the next hour, but none of it would be physical.

"With your permission, Chairman," Verrak began, "I could not help but observe that you had words with the Praetor after the meeting."

Jekri scowled. "You and far too many other, less friendly eyes witnessed that. Yes, we had words. I do think he shares our dislike of... of him."

Ever since Jekri had discovered that Lhiau could read thoughts, she and Verrak had agreed to refer to him in private merely as "him." Surely the utterance of the being's name risked attracting unwanted attention. For the same reason, they had feigned this affair. If Lhiau thought they were coupling like hnoiyikar when they paired off and sought privacy, he was less likely to eavesdrop on their thoughts. She detected contempt from him as well. So much the better. One does not pay much attention to something one believes is beneath one's dignity.

Her only regret was that she had played upon Verrak's known, but unspoken, feelings for her. For that she was sorry, but the higher need drove her.

"Everyone shares our dislike of him," said Verrak.

Jekri leaned back, thinking. "Not everyone. Do you recall his treatment of our Empress? When he first came, he was as rude to her as he was to all of us. But at the last several Senate gatherings, he has been all concern and compassion for the tragic deaths of our people. I trust that less than I trusted his contempt. He also has not contacted us as much as he did in the beginning. He has done with us, Verrak, which could be a good thing. But he has not done with the Empress."

Her silver eyes gazed at the ceiling of her quarters, but she did not see its flat, cool blue surface. She saw a weeping Empress, young and vulnerable, and a calculating alien who would take his chance where he could.

"No, Verrak. He has not done with her at all."

INTERLUDE

HOW LONG HAD THE ENTITY BEEN DRIFTING? SECONDS?

Centuries? It did not know. It was beyond the confines of the thing called time, and merely was.

Gradually, oh so gradually, it became aware of another presence besides itself. Curiosity stirred, a familiar sensation, though one not experienced for some time. It sent out its curiosity, and was answered.

We know what you are. The words came without voice or even sound, permeating the Entity's consciousness. That amused it a little. Amusement. Another sensation with which it had once been familiar. Interesting. It was amused because it itself had no idea what it was. It thought this.

You will soon find out, reassured the other Presence. We can aid you in that quest, if you will aid us in ours.

Quest. Not a task, not a job, not an errand or assistance. A quest. A noble term. The Entity understood nobility. It wondered what this quest might be.

The other Presence now seemed to hesitate, then it conveyed its intentions and reasons without words.

An anger, a rage so intense it could not be contained. A