*Me, too.* He continued aloud. "Did he sense you?"

"No. As I thought, he is too intent on his task to notice a touch as
light as I am using. Is there no way we can get there faster? If he
continues at his present rate, everyone in the Palace may be dead by
the time we arrive."

"No, dammit," Hobison said. "Hyperdrive is three lights per hour,
period, and we're still most of an hour out."

"Perhaps a few minutes," Nevan said. "If Chang can make a sub-orbital
pass, we can save the descent from orbit."

That brought the group's attention to him, and Corina was struck by the
change in his bearing. Everything about him was taut, ready: his eyes
held an eager gleam, and his smile was nothing like the happy one she'd
seen when she offered him this duty; instead it was one of deadly
anticipation, and he was seething with controlled violence. It was
easy, seeing him this way, to believe stories that had been difficult
to accept earlier. "Is that not quite dangerous?"

It was Medart who answered. "For a standard human, it's almost
impossible. For a battleprepped warrior, it's not too bad; they did it
quite a bit during the Incursion. It'd save probably ten minutes."

"We will do so, then," Corina decided. "Captain Hobison, would you
give the necessary orders? And ask whoever is in temporary command to
notify Defsat Five when we land, please; I believe we may be too busy
to do it."

"Yes, sir." Hobison left, going to the lander's controls.

Corina took another look at Nevan, then sighed--a human mannerism, but
one that seemed appropriate. "I suppose I should return to my
observations."

"It would help to know what he's up to," Medart said. "First, though,
I think you ought to check out Nevan's shield. It seems battleprep
makes a difference in Talent strength, too."

Corina's ears went back briefly. "Such things do not normally change,
but I will retest him." When she touched the Sandeman's mind, her ears
went forward in amazement. His shield, respectably strong before, now
had the density and chill feel of spacer-steel armor!

She nodded. "This means a personnel switch. Nevan now has a better
chance against Thark than Colonel Greggson does; he will accompany us,
and Colonel Greggson will assist with the other attackers."

Neither man raised any objection to the substitution, though Greggson's
expression was not pleased. Nevan simply nodded, his eyes a bit
brighter.

* *