at is correct. Go on."

"Yes, sir." Tarlac began with his first meeting with Hovan and went on
to the adoption, a description of Homeworld and the Traiti civilians
which included their gender ratio, his greeting at the Ch'kara
clanhome, his special Language lesson--"The Traiti attribute it to the
Circle of Lords, their gods; whether to believe it was them or the
Others' computer, which this report will describe later, will have to
be an individual decision."

Then, in an outline that would be suitable for public release, he told
of his seduction by Daria and her subsequent pregnancy.

Davis stopped the recording. "Are you sure you want that on record,
Steve? If you pass the psych retests--" He broke off at the look on
Tarlac's face. "You're that sure you'd fail, then."

"No doubt about it, sir. I shouldn't have passed them the first time,
any more than Shining Arrow should have. Sharing young is an important
part of the Ordeal because their best have to be fertile. Daria and
our daughter are important to me, Ch'kara is important to me--
personally. This is my last mission . . . but I can't regret even
that, if it brings peace and keeps them alive."

The Emperor sighed heavily. "Another one down. You say you were
allowed news intercepts--did they mention that Jim's been critically
wounded?"

"Yes, sir, the day before my Scarring. Shall I continue?"

"Go ahead." Davis touched "Record" again, and nodded.

Tarlac described his schooling and wilderness experience with no
particular emphasis, and then had the screen show Kranath's Vision, as
he and Godhome remembered it, translating the Language. He waited,
ready to give the Emperor the same emotional support he'd given Ch'kara
if it were needed.

It wasn't, quite, though Davis was shaken enough to stop recording
again when it ended. "Good God, Steve! You know what'll happen when
the newsies get their hands on that!"

"Yes, sir, and there's worse to come. At our first meeting, the First
Speaker promised me a tape of the initial contact. I gave you
Kranath's Vision first, for background. Now here's the contact tape."

He showed it, feeling Davis' helpless rage, so like his own when he'd
seen it, as it played and was recorded. The Emperor hit the "Stop"
button with his clenched fist when it was over, cursing in a language
Tarlac had never heard but which sounded remarkably well suited for
that purpose. Davis spun the tape back and watched the