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"Why haven't you told anyone else about this?"

"I told Delek He's sending for backup support fro I'm not sure we have that much time He and I decided I'd better start the search for the ship now and let the others catch up with me"

"You could ask for help from my people," she pointed out stubbornly

"Sariana," he said as patiently as he could, "the other social classesthe weapons is even theoretically possible for a Shield"

"Why not?"

"Use your head! My people are a very s yours We're tolerated because we have a history of having helped the colonists and because we're useful as mercenaries and bandit hunters We are also tolerated because we've always abided by the terms of the Pact People trust us"

"In other words, you have been tolerated because you are seen as loyal warriors, not a potential

threat," she concluded

"What do you think would happen if it becaht be able to use the power of the crystal ships to control everyone on this planet?"

Sariana took a long ti that one over "I see your point," she admitted finally "You walk a narrow line, don't you, Gryph? You must keep people in awe of you if you are tothe populace learn to fear you If people kne dangerous your kind could be, they ht decide they would be safer without you around"

"The system has worked reasonably well since the First Generation The last thing any Shield wants is war between our class and the other classes"

She nodded "So now you have to hunt down this rogue Shield before he activates the crystal ship weapons you believe he's found"

"Or before soue Shield" "You think the ship is soe?" Sariana asked

He rubbed the back of his neck and took a couple of steps closer to her She was being a little too businesslike about this whole thing, he decided He couldn't tell exactly how she was reacting behind that thoughtful facade If she was experiencing any strong e how to conceal mem from him He wanted to pull her into his arms and prove to hi he had just told her, but he had a hunch this wasn't the ti to the records, the last weapon ships discovered were found around here The Shields thought they had cleaned out the area but it's difficult to sack priset in the way of a Shield's ability to focus on the light radiation pris"

"You've tracked weapon ships before?"

"No," he admitted "Not real ones I told you, the last ship was found before I was born But I've been trained to work prisma"

"How'do you do it?" she asked curiously

He smiled wryly "It's a little like the first link with a Shieldmate Except that there's no passion involved I use the lock on uess you would say" "I see You had better get busy then, hadn't you?"

He narrowed his eyes and wondered again what the hell she was thinking "Sariana?"

"Yes?" She turned toward hiet busy"