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„He‟s an agent. He knows what an open contract is.‟

„If he‟s any sort of agent at all,‟ Sita said, „he‟s not that sort of agent. Tell him what an open contract is.‟

„I know what an open contract is,‟ the Doctor said. „Anyone can kill you at any time using anything that comes to hand.

Civilisation at its finest.‟

„You can say it,‟ Ronick said, either not noticing or deliberately ignoring the sarcasm. „But do you understand it?‟

„I understand that Keefer, Leela and I have been sentenced to death in absentia and in something of a rush. First question: why us three and not you two? We‟ve all been involved in whatever this has been about.‟ He saw Ronick‟s expression darkening. „I‟ll tell you why,‟ he went on, heading off a confrontation he was not yet ready for. „It‟s because we three are the ones who are directly involved in the noble contest.‟

“That makes no sense,‟ Ronick said flatly. „Why do it that way? Dead is dead, and there are easier ways to get you dead.‟

Sita said, „Actually, as far as the system is concerned, I‟m already dead.‟

Which left Ronick as the odd one out again, the Doctor thought. How many variations on that theme would it take before it bothered someone enough to mention it? The answer was immediate.

„So I‟m the only one left alive then,‟ Ronick said, his eyes disappearing behind a smile. „I must have been doing something right.‟

As an attempt to divert suspicion it was an obvious failure.

The others were suddenly looking at Ronick with varying degrees of unease and hostility. The Doctor gave up on the idea of postponing the confrontation. „What you‟ve been doing,‟ he said, „is keeping it all moving. Keeping us all moving.‟

Ronick gave a small shrug. „I‟m one of nature‟s facilitators.‟

„Which is why you were picked and it‟s what you were paid for isn‟t it?‟ the Doctor said and watched Ronick‟s smile squeeze into a narrow scowl.

„Paid for?‟ Sita said. „Are you saying he sold us out? You sold us out?‟ She looked ready to kill Ronick with her bare hands. „I trusted you.‟

„No you didn‟t,‟ Ronick said. „One word from him? This is what you think of as trust?‟

„You bastard.‟

„What am I supposed to have done apart from saving your life, and his?‟

„He did save your life,‟ the Doctor agreed. „Mine too.‟

„Don‟t bother to thank me,‟ Ronick said, „it was a mistake.

One of my many mistakes.‟

„Yes,‟ the Doctor said, „you did make a number of them.

Small things. Nothing conclusive. Circumstantial evidence of corruption.‟

Ronick shook his head in disbelief. „You‟re guessing aren‟t you? Hold your nose and hope. You can‟t prove a scuffling thing.‟

Leela drew her knife. „What do you want to do with this traitor?‟

„Kill me, what else can you do?‟

„It‟s got my vote,‟ Sita said.

„Are you going to do it?‟ Ronick scoffed at her. „Thought not.

You people are a laugh riot.‟

„I‟ll challenge you if that‟s what you want,‟ Keefer said and offered him the sheathed hakai-warrior‟s sabre he was carrying. „You can use this.‟

„And what are you going to use?‟ Ronick asked, making no move to accept the weapon or the challenge.

Keefer smiled thinly. „I think one between the two of us should be enough, don‟t you?‟

„Stop it,‟ the Doctor said, giving his irritation full rein. „We haven‟t got time for that nonsense. We have to think our way out of this situation and threatening each other doesn‟t help.‟

„You are going to let him stay with us,‟ Leela said. „After he has betrayed us?‟

Truthfully the Doctor couldn‟t think of any alternative.

„He‟s been on our side most of the time, certainly since he finished doing what he was paid to do. That‟s true isn‟t it, Sergeant Ronick?‟

„If you say so.‟

Leela sheathed her knife, „If he lets us down I will deal with him.‟

„Don‟t push it girlie,‟ Ronick snorted. „Aren‟t we forgetting that one of us is a policeman and everyone else here is dead?‟

Whatever else he is, the Doctor thought, he isn‟t a coward.

I‟ll challenge you if that‟s what you want? It wasn‟t what he wanted. The