That was mostly from certain Bane Sidhe factions, the Tongs and the Franklins. You want underhanded and realpolitik, the Franklins make the Darhel look warm and fuzzy. The third view, from different Bane Sidhe factions, the Société and other groups within the Mother Church, was that it is a refreshingly moral approach, and the long-term benefits outweigh any short-term consequences.”

“Jesus,” Left said with a laugh, “how many groups of you are there?”

“Quite a few, apparently,” the monsignor said thinly. “If there is a civilization of any size, you will find the Bane Sidhe somewhere in its cracks.”

“Okay, you need assassins and counter-assassins. What do we get?”

“Oh, we’ll ask for other things than that,” O’Reilly admitted. “That a guy with a ‘wanted: dead’ poster can walk into High Command proves just how capable the Cybers are.” In support of that capability, O’Reilly offered clean AIDs for the Cybers to study. Access through Indowy contacts to Fleet’s entire records database, and profile generators to better the Cybers’ ability to identify good candidates for recruitment. Access to the Société’s safehouse network, in every surviving major city, and even off-planet. “Weapons, money, documents, you name it, we can provide it.”

“And, wow, all we have to do is kill perfect strangers,” Left said, shaking his head. “I’ll take it back to Cyber command. But I don’t like it that so many of your cells are known to the Indowy. We will not permit executive connection to them: I meet an Indowy and we’ll consider the bridge burned. Understood?”

“Understood,” the monsignor said with a nod. After a moment he smiled. “One question: Do you still have females in your organization?”

“A few,” Left admitted. “Cyber training is very physical, but it has as much to do with the mind as the body. Why?”

“Oh, just a thought,” O’Reilly chuckled. “The Société looks at the long haul and we were discussing recruiting. It so happens we have a mission that has an immediate priority. I did mention where angels fear to tread, yes?”