ment.

"Cheer up, Lyad!" she said. "Nobody's going to hurt you. Just give 'em
the answers!"

She got another glance. Not a grateful one, exactly. Not an ungrateful
one either. Temporary support had been acknowledged.

"Commissioner Tate has informed me," the Ermetyne said, "that this group
does not recognize the principle of diplomatic immunity in my case.
Under the circumstances I must accept that. And so I shall answer any
questions I can." She looked at the pocket quizzer Quillan was checking
over unhurriedly. "But such verification instruments are of no use in
questioning me."

"Why not?" Quillan asked idly.

"I've been conditioned against them, of course," Lyad said. "I'm an
Ermetyne of Tranest. By the time I was twelve years old, that toy of
yours couldn't have registered a reaction from me that I didn't want it
to show."

Quillan slipped the toy back in his pocket.

"True enough, First Lady," he said. "And that's one small strike in your
favor. We thought you might try to gimmick the gadget. Now we'll just
pitch you some questions. A recorder's on. Don't stall on the answers."

And he and the Commissioner started flipping out questions. The Ermetyne
flipped back the answers. So far as Trigger could tell, there wasn't any
stalling. Or any time for it.

Azol: Doctor Azol had been her boy from the start. He was now on
Tranest. The main item in his report to her had been the significance of
the 112-113 plasmoid unit. He'd also reported that Trigger Argee had
become unconscious on Harvest Moon. They'd considered the possibility
that somebody was controlling Trigger Argee, or attempting to control
her, because of her connections with the plasmoid operations.

Gess Fayle: Lyad had been looking for Doctor Fayle as earnestly as
everyone else after his disappearance. She had not been able to buy him.
So far as she knew, nobody had been able to buy him. Doctor Fayle had
appeared to intend to work for himself. He was at present well outside
the Hub's area of space. He still had 112-113 with him. Yes, she could
become more specific about the location--with the help of star maps.

"Let's get them out," said Commissioner Tate.

They got them out. The Ermetyne presently circled a largish section of
the Vishni Fleet's area. The questions began again.

113-A: Professor Mantelish had told her of his experiments with this
plasmoid--

There was an interruption here while Mantelish huffed reflexively. But
it was ve