"Yes, sir—well, or into your digestive tract. But it's hard to get infected accidentally, except in a lab explosion like the original ones; most Kins got that way feeding a friend or family member. And then you have to be seriously weakened for it to change you. So if you don't feed any Kins, or if you do and then don't get badly hurt or sick, you'll stay just the way you are."
"Thank you." That was better; he could still lead this mission safely. He turned to his second-in-command. "Report."
"We have quarters at the System Palace," Gunnery Sergeant Audra King said. "Count Nilssun was expecting us, and wants to see you at your earliest convenience. She's sent transportation and an escort."
"She expected an E-Team?" No one was supposed to know about an E-Team, not even the person who'd called for help; teams that came in openly, like his, had covers that would allow them to go around asking questions about anything and everything.
"Yes, sir." King gave her team leader a wry grin. "I'm afraid she was in IntelDiv herself, on an E-Team, before her brother died and she was named to succeed. I'd guess one of her former teammates let her know we were assigned here."
That sounded likely; it was just a good thing the problem had solved itself before his team had to file its evaluation. "Was she upset?"
"No, sir. Pleased."
"That's good, I suppose." Thompson kept from scowling by an effort of will. "When's the transport supposed to get here?"
"Should be already, sir."
"It figures." If the Count had expected them, she'd probably given orders that she be notified when ten Marines arrived; being former E-Team herself, she'd be able to guess that with the primary danger past, they'd be likely to come in openly. "Main entrance?"