"If I'm tremendously lucky," he adds, "I won't have to go after him personally and the risk of confusion will be minimal. But, uh... he does a really good impression of me, I'm told. So if you have doubts, don't hesitate to check. I'm going to be trying to get those assassination teams called off through other channels, but to be honest... I don't expect to be that lucky. And now I'd better go give Lieutenant Bone her money."

Off he goes, to find Lieutenant Bone. She is positively ecstatic. He directs her to pay off the mortgage on the Triumph in addition to clearing the fleet's miscellaneous minor debts, and presents her with the challenge of creating an untraceable credit chit for half a million marks payable to the bearer. She seems pretty pleased about that one too. Miles, lacking further tasks to keep him occupied, goes to bed and frets for a while until he finally falls asleep.