“Not his real name; not Culture-born at all. Yes, he’s what you’d call a ‘mercenary.’ Just as well, too, or the secret police would have shot you outside that tent. Remember timid little me nipping out of the way? I’d just shot one of your assailants with my CREW; on high X-ray so it wouldn’t register on the cameras. Za broke the neck of another one; he’d heard there might be some trouble. He’ll probably be leading a guerrilla army on Eä in a couple of days from now, I imagine.”
