"You sure you want to leave here tomorrow?" he demanded curtly.
Instantly Jay was on the defence. "I am," he said coldly.
Ilaria's smile looked forced. "I've been authorized to offer you a Sub-Tribunate in the Forces."
"What?"
"You've had experience. None of us have. You've been in actual combat, in the Air Force."
"Why? I don't—"
"War," Ilaria said simply. "Rebellion."
Jay stared at him. He couldn't think of anything to say.
Ilaria turned away. "Paradise. The Iron Hand. One religion and one language and all that. Utterly cock-sure. But ... we were wrong. They've been getting ready. Training and planning. Collecting men and arms. They began even before the empire was established."—Jay noticed he said empire rather than republic—"All this time they've been preparing and planning and ... waiting."
Jay was dumbfounded. "How big is it?"