"So, Nietzschean to Nietzschean, are you going to tell me what's going on?" Rhade asked Olma as they walked down the corridor.

"Excuse me?" Olma asked.

"All the attention to Harper. Beka told me about the questions you asked about him And then the DNA scan. What's really going on?"

They stopped walking.

"I can see there's no fooling you, Commander," Olma said, "so I might as well tell you. The Council of Martriatch's bylaws insist that a Matriarch know all the relevant information about any males who might breed with a Nietzschean female, no matter how unlikely it is. I already have a huge file on Dylan - who doesn't? - and knowing you are from Terra Zed is enough, but Seamus is an unknown. I just wanted to record as much as I can."

"Of an unengineered human? Seems unnecessary. Harper has…difficulty attracting females, I'm sorry to say, and even if he didn't, I doubt a Nietzschean female's family would allow him to breed with her."

"You know that and I know that, but the council would argue that he could conceivably cross path with a fertile omega female who likes him, and she could be permitted to bond with him."

"You mean an omega who hasn't been sterilized? That's usually an oxymoron."

"Terra Zed is not the only planet where they're not considered genetic mistakes, Telamachus."

"True, Olma, but that is still a long shot. And my family's matriarch has never had to be so…thorough with human friends."

"She must be on good terms with the president of the council, so some regulations are not strictly enforced. If, on the other hand, one believes Ghanima Mossadim is a bloated poser who's had a legion of assistants do her evaluations for her for decades, and that she wouldn't be on the council much less president if she hadn't bought the position, and if one isn't shy about saying so-"

"'One' has to jump through more hoops."

"Precisely."

"Still, you should have access to the Drago Kasov pride's human stock records from Earth. You didn't have to come all this way."

Olma snorted. "I never bother with that stuff when it comes to humans. Dry reading and doesn't tell the whole story." She pulled the shriller out of her pocket and tossed it in the air, catching it. "Besides, if I hadn't come here, I wouldn't have acquired this pretty bauble, now, would I? Would it surprise you to learn that when I was a girl, they called me 'Maggie'?"

"Short for 'Magpie.'"

"Indeed." Olma clicked on the shriller. Rhade fell against the nearest bulkhead, holding his ears, but Olma showed no ill effects.

Olma clicked it off. "As expected."

"What..." Rhade stammered, "…how did…I mean.."

"Oh, before was for Seamus' benefit. The truth is, I'm mostly deaf in the ultrasonic range, so this doesn't really bother me. And yes, I could have cut your throat just now, and you could not have done anything about it." She popped the shriller into a pocket and grinned. "Nice to know I've still got it." She turned and continued down the corridor.

Rhade came up behind her. "I think I'm beginning to appreciate how Harper feels about Nietzscheans," he groused.