"We seem to be moving; what is this, a moving van with an office in it?"
"This is a vehicle, though not a moving van."
"Why did you pick me up?"
"I'm sorry that I can tell you no more than that you were brought in under specific orders from a very high-ranking officer of the Imperial Service." He looked at me speculatively. "This was most unusual," he added.
"I take it kidnapping inoffensive persons is not in itself unusual."
Winter frowned. "You are the subject of an official operation of Imperial Intelligence. Please rest assured you are not being persecuted."
"What is Imperial Intelligence?"
"Mr. Bayard," Winter said earnestly, leaning forward, "it will be necessary for you to face a number of realizations; the first is that the governments which you are accustomed to regard as supreme sovereign powers must in fact be considered tributary to the Imperium, the Paramount Government in whose service I am an officer."
"You're a fake," I said.
Winter bristled. "I hold an Imperial Commission as Chief Captain of Intelligence."