Zeta D'Achernar suppressed a yawn and made an effort to look alert, but sitting through six hours straight of tedious bickering over the space rights between Mu and Suria, was enough to send anyone into a coma. She was almost certain this was the third time the Surian minister had raised that same point. She glanced across at the Arbitrator, wishing he would wind things up.

As the Matriarch's representative, Zeta's presence had been requested to help steer a middle course between the demands and expectations of two of Achernar's subsidiary planets. She had done her job. The important edicts had been decided hours ago, now the delegates were arguing about minor details. Surely these could be left to the bureaucrats to thrash out, there was no need for the prime negotiators to be involved. She cast another glance at the Arbitrator.

An hour later Zeta was back in her temporary quarters on the space station, squeezing in a two minute shower in the refresher unit, before changing into her dress uniform for the formal reception that was due to commence in half an hour. Gritting her teeth, she adjusted the temperature to just above freezing for the last five seconds, hoping to shock herself into wakefulness. Shivering, she ran a comb through her short black hair and hastily pulled on the midnight blue trousers and shirt with gold braid which comprised her dress uniform. Made of artificial silk, it was tough enough to double as body armour.

Normally, she'd be looking forward to the Reception, a chance to enjoy some fancy food and sip a vintage savinon, but tonight she just wanted it to be over so she could go to bed. Five, maybe even six hours of uninterrupted sleep would be blissful. She sighed. The truth was she needed a holiday. Somewhere far away where she could go for long solitary walks then sleep as much as she needed. Someplace where she could shrug off the mantle of being the Matriarch's sister and just be herself. Someplace, where no-one knew who she was.

She rolled her shoulders, plastered a polite smile on her face and left her quarters, prepared to do her duty.

A month later, Zeta was strolling down a dusty alley, browsing through the colourful displays set out in front of tiny shops. Her two bodyguards accompanied her, both wearing the local costume, and acting the part of companions. A casual observer would have seen three young women enjoying a shopping expedition. Only their watchful eyes betrayed them.

As the sister of the Matriarch of the Eridanus Constellation, Zeta would normally have been accompanied by a small armed squadron, but she had argued long and hard for the freedom to be incognito, just for once, while she was on holiday. "Terania is a primitive, agricultural world," she had argued. "Off-world weapons are banned. Indeed, all technology other than what you can build for yourself is forbidden. They actually make their own clothes and grow their own food. In the ground! Can you believe it?"

"A wooden spear through the chest can kill you just as thoroughly as a neuroblaster," had been the Matriarch's dry comment, watching Zeta as she paced up and down.

Zeta had patted the two daggers tucked inside her sleeves. "You know I can defend myself, if I need to, but I intend to keep a low profile. Sleep and solitude are what I need right now. Peace and quiet. And besides, Terania is an independent world, light years away from Rigella and the Orionists, and us, for that matter. I will be perfectly safe there."

The Eridanis and the Orion Sovereignty had been on this latest Verge of War footing for the last fifty years. To the best of Zeta's knowledge, the two Constellations had been rivals since history began, but the total destruction of the Saiph worlds a century ago had shocked both parties to the core. Since then, they'd contented themselves with occasional skirmishes and the odd assassination, anything to avoid another full scale war. The Verge of War status might not have been true peace but it was a truce... of sorts.

"I don't know..." murmured the Matriarch, doubtfully.

Zeta had halted, looking up at her taller sister, struggling to control her agitation and speak reasonably. "Cleon, I need this! I need a break."

Taking Channa and Lian with her, her two personal bodyguards, had been the Matriarch's compromise.

A week of sleeping, eating and lazing on the sandy beach in front of the inn, had finally begun to pall. Zeta felt she was ready for some action. This morning had begun with a ten kay run along the beach and now she was relaxing with a browse through the shops. And tonight, she hoped to find out what the Teranians did for fun. She picked over a heap of brightly covered scarves.

A small group of men dressed in richly decorated garments entered the alley from the other end. Channa eyed them cautiously while Lian kept watch behind. It seemed to Channa that the three taller men were protecting the slight young man in the centre, someone was always next to him or just behind. Each man wore a dagger at his belt, gaudily sheathed in the local fashion, but from the way the men moved, she suspected they might be quite capable of defending themselves and their charge without recourse to a weapon. She rather liked the look of that dark, broad-shouldered man at the front. The young man they were guarding was too short for her taste, despite his shiny yellow hair and good-natured expression. In his embroidered waistcoat and intricately woven trousers, he was evidently a person of status, a local lordling perhaps?

"Zeta, look, he's just your size," she teased, while keeping a watchful gaze.

Zeta smiled slightly but shook her head. "I have no idea what the customs are here between women and men. Best to keep our distance, I think. At least... until we find out!" she added with a grin.

Zeta risked a quick glance under lowered eyes. He was cute! If they'd been on Achernar, she'd have had no hesitation in making an advance, inviting him out for a drink and maybe more, but they weren't. They were on Terania, a primitive planet. Who knew what was customary here? Maybe people even needed a third party to introduce them, like she'd seen in some historical holovids. She smiled at the thought.

As the two groups approached, Zeta couldn't help noticing that both sets of bodyguards automatically steered their charges away from the other so that they crossed on opposite sides of the road. She caught the eyes of the young man for a moment as they passed and gave a rueful smile. After a split second's hesitation, he smiled back. She could feel his eyes on her as she moved further along the row of shops. Zeta kept smiling. A bold one, then. Perhaps a holiday romance wasn't out of the question, after all. She'd ask Lian to make enquiries.

"They're off-worlders, here on holiday like us," Lian reported later. "From a planet called Maiya. I've never heard of it, but I admit I don't know the names of all the smaller worlds." She chewed her bottom lip. "If I had access to my usual sources I could find out more but that's as much as I could discover by word of mouth. I think we should be cautious. They could be anyone." She threw her hands up. "A plague on this world and its fear of technology. How do they find out anything important?"

"I think you worry too much, Lian. They're only four men relaxing on Terania as we are. When was the last time you saw an assassin accompanied by three bodyguards? And, in any case, we can look after ourselves."