"I'm still not completely ruling out the possibility that in addition to Mark there is some cohort of other clones with increasingly obscure ancestral designations," says Linya, "even if Naismith isn't among their number."

"He's...?"

"Informed me," Linya says dryly to Galeni, "that my husband is both lieutenant and admiral, simultaneously, and that what I picked up in the street the other day was a convincing act."

"He kept his cover after you picked him up? Literally picked him up?"

"Yes. Incompletely. I was suspicious but didn't think he'd have had his mercenary fleet answer my job bid; apparently that was done without his oversight at all."

"Ah."

"I assume you knew about the double identity."

"Yes, I suppose it doesn't matter if I confirm it now."