Magnan looked at the fingers and put them away.
"This is no occasion for flippancy, Retief. In the wrong hands, this information could be catastrophic. You'll memorize it before you leave this building."
"I'll carry it, sealed," Retief said. "That way nobody can sweat it out of me."
Magnan started to shake his head.
"Well," he said. "If it's trapped for destruction, I suppose—"
"I've heard of these Jorgensen's Worlds," Retief said. "I remember an agent, a big blond fellow, very quick on the uptake. A wizard with cards and dice. Never played for money, though."
"Umm," Magnan said. "Don't make the error of personalizing this situation, Retief. Overall policy calls for a defense of these backwater worlds. Otherwise the Corps would allow history to follow its natural course, as always."
"When does this attack happen?"
"Less than four weeks."
"That doesn't leave me much time."