"In that case, I'd like the fastest small ship available—something on the order of a courier—with a volunteer crew, to take me to Sandeman territory. I'll tape everything I know about them on the way, so you'll have that information whatever happens to me."
"What do you plan to do?"
"I don't know, exactly," Medart admitted. "That depends a lot on exactly how closely these Sandemans parallel the ones in Alpha Prime—and on how they feel about some incidents that took place there. But I do know, as I told Captain Chavvorth, that I can't do anything at long range that your people can't do at least as well. The only thing I have that they don't is over a hundred and a quarter years of friendship with Sandemans."
"That long?" The Emperor looked concerned. "Just how old are you, Ranger Medart?"
"A hundred and seventy-five, Your Majesty—but the anti-agathics are still working fine; I have the same physical abilities I did when I started them at eighteen."
"Understood. All right, Ranger; you were on full duty, and you obviously know more about them than we do, so I can't reasonably order you to stay away, however dangerous a situation I believe you're going into."
"It is dangerous, Your Majesty—I don't have any illusions about that. I fought them before I brought them into our Empire, and they scared the stuffing out of me then. These have an extra century and a quarter of development, a hell of a lot bigger civilization, and magic, so they scare me even worse. But the only chance I see for your Empire is going in, so I have to do it." He paused. "I was brought here with no chance to inform Alpha Prime's Emperor Kennard. If I'm able to return, I can explain things myself; if I can't, for whatever reason, I'd appreciate it if you'd notify my Sovereign of the circumstances."
"I'll see to it, Ranger. Is there anything else?"
"Just one thing, if I can indulge my curiosity."
The Emperor chuckled. "A weakness you know I share. Go ahead."