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Think you and Daum can ambush and stun em?
Yes, but... Bothari hefted the nerve disruptor in his hand. May I suggest, my lord, that it may be
preferable to kill soldiers in battle than prisoners after?
It may not come to that, Sergeant, said Miles sharply. The full chaotic implications of the situation were
just beginning to dawn on him. Stun em. Then we ll figure out something else.
Think quickly, my lord, suggested Bothari, and vanished out the door, moving with uncanny silence.
Daum chewed his lip worriedly, and followed.
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Miles was already starting to think. Sergeant! he called after them softly. Keep one conscious for
me!
Very good, my lord.
Miles turned back, slipping a little in a spatter of blood from the mercenary captain s nose, and stared at
the sudden slaughterhouse. God, he muttered. Now what do I do with em?
CHAPTER NINE
* * *
Elena and Mayhew stood waiting, looking at him expectantly. Miles suddenly realized he had not seen
Baz Jesek in the fight wait, there he was, pinned against the far wall. His dark eyes were like holes in
his milky face, his breathing ragged.
Are you hurt, Baz? Miles cried in concern. The engineer shook his head, but did not speak. Their eyes
met, and Jesek looked away. Miles knew then why he hadn t noticed him.
We re outnumbered two or three to one, Miles thought frantically. I can t spare a trained fighting man to
funk got to do something right now... Elena, Arde, he spoke, go out in the corridor and close the
door until I call you. They obeyed, looking baffled.
Miles walked up to the engineer. How do I do a heart transplant, he wondered, in the dark, by feel,
without anesthetics? He moistened his lips and spoke quietly.
We ve got no choice. We have to capture their ship now. The best shot is to take their shuttle, make
them think it s their own people coming back. That can only be done in the next few minutes.
The only chance of escape for any of us is to take them before they get a squeak out. I m going to
assign the Sergeant and Daum to take their Nav and Com room, and prevent that. The next most vital
section is engineering, with all the overrides.
Jesek turned his face away, like a man in pain or grief. Miles went on relentlessly.
You re clearly the man for that one. So I m assigning it to you and Miles took a breath, and
Elena.
The engineer turned his face back, if possible more drained than before. Oh, no...
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Mayhew and I will float, stunning anything that moves. Thirty minutes from now it will all be over, one
way or another.
Jesek shook his head. I can t, he whispered.
Look, you re not the only one who s terrified. I m scared witless.
Jesek s mouth twisted. You don t look scared. You didn t even look scared when that mercenary pig
decked you. You just looked pissed.
That s because I ve got forward momentum. There s no virtue in it. It s just a balancing act. I don t
dare stop.
The engineer shook his head again, helplessly, and spoke through his teeth. I can t. I ve tried.
Miles barely kept his lips from curling back in a snarl of frustration. Wild threats cascaded through his
mind no, that wasn t right. Surely the cure for fear was not more fear.
I m drafting you, Miles announced abruptly.
What?
I claim you. I m I m confiscating you. I m seizing your property your training, that is for the war
effort. This is totally illegal, but since you re under a death sentence anyway, who cares? Get down on
your knees and put your hands between mine.
Jesek s mouth fell open. You can t I m not nobody but one of the Emperor s designated officers
can swear a vassal, and I was already sworn to him when I got my commission and forsworn when
he broke off.
Or a Count or a Count s heir, Miles cut in. I admit the fact that you re previously sworn to Gregor as
an officer puts a wrinkle in it. We just have to change the wording around a bit.
You re not... Jesek stared. What the hell are you, anyway? Who are you?
I don t even want to talk about it. But I really am a vassal secundus to Gregor Vorbarra, and I can take
you for a leigeman, and I m going to right now, because I m in a hell of a hurry, and we can work out the
details later.
You re a lunatic! What the bloody hell do you think this is going to do?
Distract you, thought Miles and it s working already. Maybe, but I m a Vor lunatic. Down!
The engineer fell to his knees, staring in disbelief. Miles captured his hands, and began.
Repeat after me. I, Bazil Jesek, do testify I am, am, am a forsworn military vassal of Gregor Vorbarra,
but I take service anyway under under Bothari will be hot as hell if I break security, under this
lunatic in front of me make that, this Vor lunatic as an Armsman simple, and will hold him as my leige
commander until my death or his releases me.
Jesek, looking hypnotized, repeated the oath verbatim.
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Miles began. I, uh I better skip that part I, a vassal secundus to Emperor Gregor Vorbarra, do
accept your oath, and pledge you the protection of a leigecommander; this by my word as well, by my
word. There. You now have the dubious privilege of following my orders to the letter and addressing me
as my lord , only you d better not do it in front of Bothari until I get a chance to break the news to him
gently. Oh, and one more thing...
The engineer looked the question, bewildered.
You re home. For what it s worth.
Jesek shook his head dizzily, and staggered to his feet. Was that real?
Well it s a little irregular. But from what I ve read of our history, I can t help feeling it s closer to the
original than the official version.
There was a knock on the door. Daum and Bothari had a prisoner, his hands fastened behind him. He
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