money to leave a deposit in a bank that will last her for years. Make
arrangements for it to be paid out only a bit at a time, so no matter
how she is cheated she will still have enough. I'm not going to worry
about her, if she was able to survive in the _krenoj_ legion she can
get along well anywhere on a settled world."

He could hear the complaints on when he broke the news to Ijale, but
it was for her own survival.

"I shall care for and lead her in the paths of righteousness," a
remembered voice spoke from the doorway. Mikah stood there, clutching
to the jamb, a turban of bandages on his head.

"That's a wonderful idea," Jason agreed enthusiastically. He turned to
Ijale and spoke in her own language. "Did you hear that? Mikah is
going to take you home with him and look after you. I'll arrange for
some money to be paid to you for all your needs, he'll explain to you
what money is. I want you to listen to him carefully, note exactly
what he says, then do the exact opposite. You must promise me you will
do that and never break your word. In that way you may make some
mistakes and will be wrong sometimes, but all the rest of the time
things will go very smoothly."

"I cannot leave you! Take me with you--I'll be your slave always!" she
wailed.

"What did she say?" Meta snapped, catching some of the meaning.

"You are evil, Jason," Mikah declaimed, getting the needle back into
the familiar groove. "She will obey you, I know that, so no matter how
I labor she will always do as you say."

"I sincerely hope so," Jason said fervently. "One has to be born into
your particular brand of illogic to get any pleasure from it. The rest
of us are happier bending a bit under the impact of existence, and
exacting a mite more pleasure from the physical life around us."

"Evil I say, and you shall not go unpunished." His hand appeared from
behind the door jamb and it held a pistol that he had found below. "I
am taking command of this ship. You will secure the two women so that
they can cause no trouble, then we will proceed to Cassylia for your
trial."

Meta had her back turned to Mikah and was sitting in the control chair
a good five meters from him with her hands filled with navigational
notes. She slowly raised her head and looked at Jason and a smile
broke across her face.

"You said once you didn't want him killed."

"I still don't want him killed, but I also have no intention of going
to Cassylia." He echoed her smi