nd she's qualified,
even if I hate to wish this responsibility on anyone. His Majesty's
right, we need a non-human Ranger badly. Especially now that we're
integrating the Traiti."

"Uh-huh. Good politics, if nothing else."

Medart nodded. "Since that damn Firster backshot Steve in the Palace
and Hovan took him, there's been sentiment growing for non-humans.
It's a good thing, and it makes this an ideal time for that
breakthrough. It'd probably tickle Steve to know that she'd take his
place. I'm just sorry this means no shore leave for Chang's crew."

"So am I," Hobison agreed. "I could use a bit of vacation about now.
It can't be helped, though."

"No." Medart sighed, changed the subject. "She might as well brief
all of us at once; can you have the Command Crew here in, say, an
hour?"

"Yes, sir. Do you want me to have her paged?"

"Don't bother." Medart grinned. "If I know our Sunbeam, she's found
Losinj a cabin and taken her to Mess Three. I could use something to
eat myself, so I'll go get her."

* * * * *

Medart spotted Yamata and his new assistant almost as soon as he
entered Mess Three. Spotted where they must be sitting, rather; that
noisy group on the far side of the room. He punched in his order--
coffee and an egg salad sandwich--and when it slid from the dispenser,
took it over to stand on the outskirts of the group.

"--like it's something you'd do every day before lunch!" a young Marine
Lieutenant was saying. "Dig out a plot, escape from three cops, fight
an assassin, then say it was nothing. That's incredible!"

So they'd succeeded in worming part of the story out of her, Medart
thought. Just the basics, most likely, so they'd let her eat, and
there was no harm in that; everyone would find out soon enough.

"You can't shrug it off that lightly, 'Rina," someone else said.
"That'd get one of us a medal. Should get you a knighthood, maybe a
Life Nobility."

Then Sunbeam spoke up, almost laughing. "Take it easy! Can't you see
you're embarrassing her terribly?"

"Well, she should," the other retorted. "If I had enough rank, I'd
call a Tribunal right now, and knight her."

Not a bad idea at all, Medart thought. It probably would be best,
considering Greggson's attitude, for her to have that formal status
when she met with the Command Crew. The man's competence as Security
Chief couldn't be questioned, but Medart wondered at times how he'd
ever