"Jacqueline Lichtenberg - Dushau Trilogy 01 - Dushau" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lichtenberg Jacqueline)

height behind her desk.

The Cassrian was gloating at pulling rank on someone technically his superior. "We have orders from the
highest to observe this debriefing."

She roared, "Get out of my office!"

He ignored her, waving toward the full staff outside. "You plan to finish today?"

"The interview part," she answered. "In privacy! I shall file full formal objectionsтАФ"

"They will be ignored."

Hauteur had always been a Zavaronne tool. She turned it on now, meeting the Cassrian's gaze coldly.
"Debriefing must take place in private, or we may lose vital details."

She won the stare-down. Lowering his eyes, he bowed, joints clicking. He said more humbly, "Of
course. We will make ourselves inconspicuous. You are ordered to say no word of our presence to the
Dushau. But we must monitor. We have our orders." He handed her a slim message tube with the
imperial seal on it. "Long live the Emperor."

She broke it and rammed it into the reader. While she folded nervelessly back into her chair, the Cassrian
deployed his guards by pairs into Krinata's two side roomsтАФone a storeroom, the other a bath and
dressing room.

The Cassrian and the other two Holot went out into the common office and appropriated desks in the
back among the potted plants someone had brought from home.

Krinata stared at the ornately bordered, illuminated, un-forgeable Imperial Order. By her oath and her
family's oath. she was called to serve her Emperor. She was to complete the debriefing in routine fashion,
not indicating to the Dushau that the guards were there, for any emotional disturbance might obscure the
data even further than the deaths had already. The Empire needed this planet desperately. The guards
were there to prevent interference with her work today. She would be justly rewarded.

She sat with her fists clenched in her lap, her jaw bunching, emotions raging back and forth. She had to
breathe evenly to regain calm. But this was her department. This intrusion implied a distrust of her
professionalism. A cold thought wriggled up to consciousness. Or is it me he doesn't trustтАФbecause I
stood with them yesterday?

Maybe it was her departmentтАФor the DushauтАФwho weren't trusted? Had word of the Dushau
withdrawal already reached Rantan? She hadn't turned on the news this morning, and there was no time
now.

Oh, let this be over soon! But something told her it wouldn't be. Soon the damage the imperial decrees
had done would be unforgivable. It could only damage the Allegiancy.

She had to warn Jindigar. Deep intimate details were sometimes revealed during debriefing. Yet she'd
been specifically ordered not to alert the Dushau to the spies. Jindigar was doing all this from loyalty to
his Emperor. How could she do less? Yet, she felt like a betrayer. On the other hand, there was no way
to get word to him without the spies noticing. They were on her data boards out there!