"Our orders are to penetrate the fortress and take him alive," Twister told him. "As I said, I haven't been told the reason behind those orders."

"Then let me tell you what we think," Su-mil said. "We think your Empire of the Hand is hoping to make a bargain with the Warlord—a fool's bargain, which will bring ruin on all who raise a hand to it. We think you have united the Eickarie people this way solely to obtain a stronger bartering position for yourselves."

"That's ridiculous," Twister insisted reflexively. "I can't believe my prin—my generals would do such a thing."

"Why not?" Ha-ran demanded. "Are the plundered relics and treasures of the Eickarie people worth nothing to you who travel the stars?"

"Or perhaps the Warlord is already an ally of yours," Su-mil added. "None of the Eickaries has ever seen him outside his armor. For all the evidence we have, he could even be a human like yourselves."

Twister took a deep breath. Unfortunately, that was another very good point. As far as he knew, none of the Imperials knew what kind of being was walking around inside the Warlord's fancy armor, either.

But the possibility that it could be a renegade Imperial had never even occurred to him. "I don't know the reasons for my orders," he said. "But this is my third campaign for the Empire of the Hand, and I've studied the histories of many others. Certainly my leaders have made mistakes, but I have never known them to betray those who trusted them."

"So for you it comes down to a matter of trust?" Su-mil asked.

"Ultimately, that's what it comes down to for any of us," Twister told him. "Trust in your leaders and allies, and loyalty to those who have put their trust in you."

He gestured toward the door. "And right now, there are soldiers out there who have put their trust in us, relying on us to protect their flank from attack. I would humbly request that you allow us to leave and fulfill that trust."