An Exchange of Hostages Read Online Free

now in some of our old families, an oldest daughter has also come to inherit, though it is not yet so in my father’s House.”
    What was the point of all this? Was Koscuisko saying he had an older sister? How could Koscuisko possibly expect anyone to care? Why didn’t Koscuisko answer the question as bidden, and be still?
    “The Home Defense Fleet has no tradition to include a woman warrior, and therefore it becomes the Jurisdiction Fleet that we serve in the Autocrat’s name. There is also a matter of prestige to consider, because there are no cruiser-killer-grade ships of Scylla’s rating in the Home Defense Fleet. My family is old, and my father is proud to send his son to Jurisdiction Fleet rather than to a post of lesser rank.”
    A mild and impersonal response on the face of it. Koscuisko’s points about the differences between them-he was going to Fleet as Ship’s Surgeon-didn’t escape her notice. One way or another, however, it gave Mergau the opening she’d been waiting for to expose the irrelevance of Koscuisko’s remarks.
    “It is very interesting. And this activity, it accomplishes?”
    Koscuisko turned his head to look at her as if he were a little startled to hear the sound of her voice. His mild frown might seem to be simple concentration, but he didn’t fool her. He didn’t mean to yield the ground to her. “Two things, Student . . . Noycannir? Thank you, Tutor Chonis, Student Noycannir. One, it gives one something constructive to do while one is waiting for one’s father to arrive at the year of his Retirement. And also — two — it gives one’s younger brothers, of which I have four, reason to live with good hope for their futures.”
    Chonis snorted in amusement. Mergau hadn’t heard any joke. Their meals were arriving; she could channel the fury choking in her throat into politely muted but clearly visible distaste for her food. Now she wasn’t sure she could afford that bit of business, though. Koscuisko had her at a disadvantage.
    “You’ve reminded me, young man. I’ve been remiss. Mergau, your companion is Andrej Koscuisko; Andrej, you have the pleasure of Mergau Noycannir’s acquaintance. You are expected to use the formal title of Student with each other during class hours, in token of respect for each other’s . . . rank.”
    She understood Chonis’s momentary hesitation. Other Students would respect each other’s status, each other’s ability, each other’s shared education and background. Chonis had been told to give her every assistance, and to make sure that she got the same training and practice that any other Student might have. Tutor Chonis was not going to let anyone forget that she was just a Clerk of Court, without Bench certifications.
    “But we’re not quite into Term yet, and officially this is an informal meeting. How are you liking the fish?”
    Be smooth, she told herself. Feel the pavement. It could hardly be a conspiracy. Koscuisko had no reason to go out of his way to make her feel small. Tutor Chonis’s comments were innocent, if ill-advised. Keeping her focus on the goal was one thing. Going out of her way to look for opposition was a waste of energy. Revealing that she even noticed petty slights or attempts to put her down would only work against her.
    She could deal with Tutor Chonis later.
    She had to obtain the Writ first.

    ###

    Dinner was over, finally. Joslire stood waiting for him outside Tutor’s Mess, along with another bond-involuntary who would logically be the one assigned to Noycannir. He wasn’t sure what to make of Noycannir. She was attractive enough in a somewhat severe fashion, and she had certainly exercised herself to be pleasing to Tutor Chonis; but something gave him the idea she didn’t like him.
    Andrej wasn’t sure he cared one way or the other.
    His feet hurt, but luckily for him they didn’t have too far to go to gain sanctuary.
    Safely back in quarters, Andrej sank down into the chair at the study-set and