diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 01:24:42 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 01:24:42 -0700 |
| commit | c59e5aa5b032cc06976a6de85a8917f6076d0ecf (patch) | |
| tree | 00edfeb4be2dddb471c8ed5f4e61b67b27f682b3 /20659-h | |
Diffstat (limited to '20659-h')
| -rw-r--r-- | 20659-h/20659-h.htm | 3771 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 20659-h/images/illus-000.png | bin | 0 -> 35723 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 20659-h/images/illus-003.png | bin | 0 -> 37434 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 20659-h/images/illus-012.png | bin | 0 -> 22713 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 20659-h/images/illus-021.png | bin | 0 -> 24216 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 20659-h/images/illus-030.png | bin | 0 -> 27096 bytes |
6 files changed, 3771 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/20659-h/20659-h.htm b/20659-h/20659-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ddd6879 --- /dev/null +++ b/20659-h/20659-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3771 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of "Ministry of Disturbance", by H. Beam Piper. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + h4 {margin-top:0;} + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + + .bbox {margin-right: 10%; margin-left: 10%; margin-top:3em; border: dotted 1px; padding: 1em;} + ins.corr {text-decoration:none; border-bottom: thin dotted gray;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + span.ralign {position: absolute; right: 10%; top: auto; text-align: right;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Ministry of Disturbance, by Henry Beam Piper + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Ministry of Disturbance + +Author: Henry Beam Piper + +Release Date: February 24, 2007 [EBook #20659] +Last updated: January 19, 2009 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MINISTRY OF DISTURBANCE *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, LN Yaddanapudi and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span></p> +<div class="center"><div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/illus-000.png" width="500" height="252" alt="" title="" /> +</div></div> + +<h1>MINISTRY ... OF DISTURBANCE</h1> + +<h2>BY H. BEAM PIPER</h2> + +<p><span class="ralign">Illustrated by van Dongen</span></p> + +<div class="bbox"> +<h4>Transcriber's Note</h4> + +<p>This etext was produced from Astounding Science Fiction December +1958. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the +U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p></div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p><i>Sometimes getting a job is harder than +the job after you get it—and sometimes +getting out of a job is harder than either!</i></p></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 250px;"> +<img src="images/illus-003.png" width="250" height="749" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>The symphony was ending, +the final triumphant +pæan soaring up +and up, beyond the +limit of audibility. For +a moment, after the last notes had +gone away, Paul sat motionless, as +though some part of him had followed. +Then he roused himself and +finished his coffee and cigarette, looking +out the wide window across the +city below—treetops and towers, +roofs and domes and arching skyways, +busy swarms of aircars glinting +in the early sunlight. Not many people +cared for João Coelho's music, now, +and least of all for the Eighth Symphony. +It was the music of another +time, a thousand years ago, when the +Empire was blazing into being out of +the long night and hammering back +the Neobarbarians from world after +world. Today people found it perturbing.</p> + +<p>He smiled faintly at the vacant +chair opposite him, and lit another +cigarette before putting the breakfast +dishes on the serving-robot's tray, +and, after a while, realized that the +robot was still beside his chair, waiting +for dismissal. He gave it an instruction +to summon the cleaning +robots and sent it away. He could as +easily have summoned them himself, +or let the guards who would be in +checking the room do it for him, but +maybe it made a robot feel trusted +and important to relay orders to other +robots.</p> + +<p>Then he smiled again, this time in +self-derision. A robot couldn't feel +important, or anything else. A robot<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> +was nothing but steel and plastic and +magnetized tape and photo-micro-positronic +circuits, whereas a man—His +Imperial Majesty Paul XXII, for +instance—was nothing but tissues and +cells and colloids and electro-neuronic +circuits. There was a difference; anybody +knew that. The trouble was that +he had never met anybody—which +included physicists, biologists, psychologists, +psionicists, philosophers +and theologians—who could define +the difference in satisfactorily exact +terms. He watched the robot pivot on +its treads and glide away, trailing +steam from its coffee pot. It might be +silly to treat robots like people, but +that wasn't as bad as treating people +like robots, an attitude which was becoming +entirely too prevalent. If only +so many people didn't act like robots!</p> + +<p>He crossed to the elevator and +stood in front of it until a tiny electroencephalograph +inside recognized his +distinctive brain-wave pattern. Across +the room, another door was popping +open in response to the robot's distinctive +wave pattern. He stepped +inside and flipped a switch—there +were still a few things around that +had to be manually operated—and +the door closed behind him and the +elevator gave him an instant's weightlessness +as it started to drop forty +floors.</p> + +<p>When it opened, Captain-General +Dorflay of the Household Guard was +waiting for him, with a captain and +ten privates. General Dorflay was +human. The captain and his ten soldiers +weren't. They wore helmets, +emblazoned with the golden sun and +superimposed black cogwheel of the +Empire, and red kilts and black ankle +boots and weapons belts, and the +captain had a narrow gold-laced cape +over his shoulders, but for the rest, +their bodies were covered with a stiff +mat of black hair, and their faces were +slightly like terriers'. (For all his +humanity, Captain-General Dorflay's +face was more like a bulldog's.) +They were hillmen from the southern +hemisphere of Thor, and as a people +they made excellent mercenaries. +They were crack shots, brave and +crafty fighters, totally uninterested in +politics off their own planet, and, because +they had grown up in a <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note: Spelling as in original.">patriarchial</ins>-clan +society, they were fanatically +loyal to anybody whom they +accepted as their chieftain. Paul stepped +out and gave them an inclusive +nod.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"Good morning, gentlemen."</p> + +<p>"Good morning, Your Imperial +Majesty," General Dorflay said, bowing +the couple of inches consistent +with military dignity. The Thoran +captain saluted by touching his forehead, +his heart, which was on the +right side, and the butt of his pistol. +Paul complimented him on the smart +appearance of his detail, and the captain +asked how it could be otherwise, +with the example and inspiration of +his imperial majesty. Compliment and +response could have been a playback +from every morning of the ten years +of his reign. So could Dorflay's +question: "Your Majesty will proceed +to his study?"</p> + +<p>He wanted to say, "No, to Niffelheim<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> +with it; let's get an aircar and +fly a million miles somewhere," and +watch the look of shocked incomprehension +on the captain-general's +face. He couldn't do that, though; +poor old Harv Dorflay might have a +heart attack. He nodded slowly.</p> + +<p>"If you please, general."</p> + +<p>Dorflay nodded to the Thoran captain, +who nodded to his men. Four +of them took two paces forward; the +rest, unslinging weapons, went scurrying +up the corridor, some posting +themselves along the way and the +rest continuing to the main hallway. +The captain and two of his men +started forward slowly; after they had +gone twenty feet, Paul and General +Dorflay fell in behind them, and the +other two brought up the rear.</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty," Dorflay said, in a +low voice, "let me beg you to be most +cautious. I have just discovered that +there exists a treasonous plot against +your life."</p> + +<p>Paul nodded. Dorflay was more +than due to discover another treasonous +plot; it had been ten days since +the last one.</p> + +<p>"I believe you mentioned it, general. +Something about planting loose +strontium-90 in the upholstery of the +Audience Throne, wasn't it?"</p> + +<p>And before that, somebody had +been trying to smuggle a fission bomb +into the Palace in a wine cask, and +before that, it was a booby trap in +the elevator, and before that, somebody +was planning to build a submachine +gun into the viewscreen in +the study, and—</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, Your Majesty; that was—Well, +the persons involved in that +plot became alarmed and fled the +planet before I could arrest them. +This is something different, Your +Majesty. I have learned that unauthorized +alterations have been made +on one of the cooking-robots in your +private kitchen, and I am positive +that the object is to poison Your +Majesty."</p> + +<p>They were turning into the main +hallway, between the rows of portraits +of past emperors, Paul and Rodrik, +Paul and Rodrik, alternating over and +over on both walls. He felt a smile +growing on his face, and banished it.</p> + +<p>"The robot for the meat sauces, +wasn't it?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Why—! Yes, Your Majesty."</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry, general. I should have +warned you. Those alterations were +made by roboticists from the Ministry +of Security; they were installing an +adaptation of a device used in the +criminalistics-labs, to insure more uniform +measurements. They'd done that +already for Prince Travann, the +Minister, and he'd recommended it +to me."</p> + +<p>That was a shame, spoiling poor +Harv Dorflay's murder plot. It had +been such a nice little plot, too; he +must have had a lot of fun inventing +it. But a line had to be drawn somewhere. +Let him turn the Palace upside +down hunting for bombs; harass +ladies-in-waiting whose lovers he suspected +of being hired assassins; hound +musicians into whose instruments he +imagined firearms had been built; the +emperor's private kitchen would have +to be off limits.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p> + +<p>Dorflay, who should have been +looking crestfallen but relieved, stopped +short—shocking breach of Court +etiquette—and was staring in horror.</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty! Prince Travann +did that openly and with your consent? +But, Your Majesty, I am convinced +that it is Prince Travann himself +who is the instigator of every +one of these diabolical schemes. In +the case of the elevator, I became +suspicious of a man named Samml +Ganner, one of Prince Travann's secret +police agents. In the case of the +gun in the viewscreen, it was a technician +whose sister is a member of the +household of Countess Yirzy, Prince +Travann's mistress. In the case of the +fission bomb——"</p> + +<p>The two Thorans and their captain +had kept on for some distance before +they had discovered that they were +no longer being followed, and were +returning. He put his hand on General +Dorflay's shoulder and urged him +forward.</p> + +<p>"Have you mentioned this to anybody?"</p> + +<p>"Not a word, Your Majesty. This +Court is so full of treachery that I +can trust no one, and we must never +warn the villain that he is suspected—"</p> + +<p>"Good. Say nothing to anybody." +They had reached the door of the +study, now. "I think I'll be here until +noon. If I leave earlier, I'll flash you +a signal."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>He entered the big oval room, +lighted from overhead by the great +star-map in the ceiling, and crossed +to his desk, with the viewscreens and +reading screens and communications +screens around it, and as he sat down, +he cursed angrily, first at Harv Dorflay +and then, after a moment's reflection, +at himself. He was the one +to blame; he'd known Dorflay's paranoid +condition for years. Have to do +something about it. Any psycho-medic +would certify him; be no problem at +all to have him put away. But be +blasted if he'd do that. That was no +way to repay loyalty, even insane +loyalty. Well, he'd find a way.</p> + +<p>He lit a cigarette and leaned back, +looking up at the glowing swirl of +billions of billions of tiny lights in +the ceiling. At least, there were supposed +to be billions of billions of +them; he'd never counted them, and +neither had any of the seventeen +Rodriks and sixteen Pauls before him +who had sat under them. His hand +moved to a control button on his +chair arm, and a red patch, roughly +the shape of a pork chop, appeared +on the western side.</p> + +<p>That was the Empire. Every one +of the thousand three hundred and +sixty-five inhabited worlds, a trillion +and a half intelligent beings, fourteen +races—fifteen if you counted the +Zarathustran Fuzzies, who were almost +able to qualify under the talk-and-build-a-fire +rule. And that had +been the Empire when Rodrik VI +had seen the map completed, and +when Paul II had built the Palace, +and when Stevan IV, the grandfather +of Paul I, had proclaimed Odin the +Imperial planet and Asgard the +capital city. There had been some excuse<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> +for staying inside that patch of +stars then; a newly won Empire must +be consolidated within before it can +safely be expanded. But that had been +over eight centuries ago.</p> + +<p>He looked at the Daily Schedule, +beautifully embossed and neatly slipped +under his desk glass. Luncheon +on the South Upper Terrace, with the +Prime Minister and the Bench of Imperial +Counselors. Yes, it was time +for that again; that happened as +inevitably and regularly as Harv Dorflay's +murder plots. And in the afternoon, +a Plenary Session, Cabinet and +Counselors. Was he going to have to +endure the Bench of Counselors twice +in the same day? Then the vexation +was washed out of his face by a +spreading grin. Bench of Counselors; +that was the answer! Elevate Harv +Dorflay to the Bench. That was what +the Bench was for, a gold-plated dustbin +for the disposal of superannuated +dignitaries. He'd do no harm there, +and a touch of outright lunacy might +enliven and even improve the +Bench.</p> + +<p>And in the evening, a banquet, +and a reception and ball, in honor of +His Majesty Ranulf XIV, Planetary +King of Durendal, and First Citizen +Zhorzh Yaggo, People's Manager-in-Chief +of and for the Planetary Commonwealth +of Aditya. Bargain day; +two planetary chiefs of state in one +big combination deal. He wondered +what sort of prizes he had drawn this +time, and closed his eyes, trying to +remember. Durendal, of course, was +one of the Sword-Worlds, settled by +refugees from the losing side of the +System States War in the time of the +old Terran Federation, who had reappeared +in Galactic history a few +centuries later as the Space Vikings. +They all had monarchial and rather +picturesque governments; Durendal, +he seemed to recall, was a sort of +quasi-feudalism. About Aditya he was +less sure. Something unpleasant, he +thought; the titles of the government +and its head were suggestive.</p> + +<p>He lit another cigarette and snapped +on the reading screen to see what +they had piled onto him this morning, +and then swore when a graph +chart, with jiggling red and blue and +green lines, appeared. Chart day, too. +Everything happens at once.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>It was the interstellar trade situation +chart from Economics. Red line for +production, green line for exports, +blue for imports, sectioned vertically +for the ten Viceroyalties and sub-sectioned +for the Prefectures, and +with the magnification and focus controls +he could even get data for +individual planets. He didn't bother +with that, and wondered why he +bothered with the charts at all. The +stuff was all at least twenty days behind +date, and not uniformly so, +which accounted for much of the +jiggling. It had been transmitted from +Planetary Proconsulate to Prefecture, +and from Prefecture to Viceroyalty, +and from there to Odin, all by ship. +A ship on hyperdrive could log light-years +an hour, but radio waves still +had to travel 186,000 mps. The supplementary +chart for the past five +centuries told the real story—three<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> +perfectly level and perfectly parallel +lines.</p> + +<p>It was the same on all the other +charts. Population fluctuating slightly +at the moment, completely static for +the past five centuries. A slight decrease +in agriculture, matched by an +increase in synthetic food production. +A slight population movement toward +the more urban planets and the more +densely populated centers. A trend +downward in employment—nonworking +population increasing by +about .0001 per cent annually. Not +that they were building better robots; +they were just building them faster +than they wore out. They all told the +same story—a stable economy, a +static population, a peaceful and undisturbed +Empire; eight centuries, +five at least, of historyless tranquility. +Well, that was what everybody wanted, +wasn't it?</p> + +<p>He flipped through the rest of the +charts, and began getting summarized +Ministry reports. Economics had denied +a request from the Mining Cartel +to authorize operations on a couple of +uninhabited planets; danger of local +market gluts and overstimulation of +manufacturing. Permission granted to +Robotics Cartel to—— Request from +planetary government of Durendal for +increase of cereal export quotas under +consideration—they wouldn't want to +turn that down while King Ranulf +was here. Impulsively, he punched out +a combination on the communication +screen and got Count Duklass, Minister +of Economics.</p> + +<p>Count Duklass had thinning red +hair and a plump, agreeable, extrovert's +face. He smiled and waited to +be addressed.</p> + +<p>"Sorry to bother Your Lordship," +Paul greeted him. "What's the story +on this export quota request from +Durendal? We have their king here, +now. Think he's come to lobby for +it?"</p> + +<p>Count Duklass chuckled. "He's not +doing anything about it, himself. +Have you met him yet, sir?"</p> + +<p>"Not yet. He's to be presented this +evening."</p> + +<p>"Well, when you see him—I think +the masculine pronoun is permissible—you'll +see what I mean, sir. It's this +Lord Koreff, the Marshal. He came +here on business, and had to bring +the king along, for fear somebody +else would grab him while he was +gone. The whole object of Durendalian +politics, as I understand, is to get +possession of the person of the king. +Koreff was on my screen for half an +hour; I just got rid of him. Planet's +pretty heavily agricultural, they had +a couple of very good crop years in a +row, and now they have grain running +out their ears, and they want to export +it and cash in."</p> + +<p>"Well?"</p> + +<p>"Can't let them do it, Your +Majesty. They're not suffering any +hardship; they're just not making as +much money as they think they ought +to. If they start dumping their surplus +into interstellar trade, they'll +cause all kinds of dislocations on +other agricultural planets. At least, +that's what our computers all say."</p> + +<p>And that, of course, was gospel. +He nodded.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Why don't they turn their surplus +into whisky? Age it five or six years +and it'd be on the luxury goods +schedule and they could sell it anywhere."</p> + +<p>Count Duklass' eyes widened. "I +never thought of that, Your Majesty. +Just a microsec; I want to make a note +of that. Pass it down to somebody +who could deal with it. That's a wonderful +idea, Your Majesty!"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>He finally got the conversation to +an end, and went back to the reports. +Security, as usual, had a few items +above the dead level of bureaucratic +procedure. The planetary king of Excalibur +had been assassinated by his +brother and two nephews, all three of +whom were now fighting among +themselves. As nobody had anything +to fight with except small arms and +a few light cannon, there would be +no intervention. There had been intervention +on Behemoth, however, +where a whole continent had tried to +secede from the planetary republic +and the Imperial Navy had been requested +to send a task force. That +was all right, in both cases. No interference +with anything that passed for +a planetary government, but only one +sovereignty on any planet with nuclear +weapons, and only one supreme +sovereignty in a galaxy with hyperdrive +ships.</p> + +<p>And there was rioting on Amaterasu, +because of public indignation +over a fraudulent election. He looked +at that in incredulous delight. Why, +here on Odin there hadn't been an +election in the past six centuries that +hadn't been utterly fraudulent. Nobody +voted except the nonworkers, +whose votes were bought and sold +wholesale, by gangster bosses to pressure +groups, and no decent person +would be caught within a hundred +yards of a polling place on an election +day. He called the Minister of Security.</p> + +<p>Prince Travann was a man of his +own age—they had been classmates +at the University—but he looked older. +His thin face was lined, and his +hair was almost completely white. He +was at his desk, with the Sun and +Cogwheel of the Empire on the wall +behind him, but on the breast of his +black tunic he wore the badge of his +family, a silver planet with three silver +moons. Unlike Count Duklass, he +didn't wait to be spoken to.</p> + +<p>"Good morning, Your Majesty."</p> + +<p>"Good morning, Your Highness; +sorry to bother you. I just caught an +interesting item in your report. This +business on Amaterasu. What sort of +a planet is it, politically? I don't +seem to recall."</p> + +<p>"Why, they have a republican +government, sir; a very complicated +setup. Really, it's a junk heap. When +anything goes badly, they always +build something new into the government, +but they never abolish anything. +They have a president, a +premier, and an executive cabinet, +and a tricameral legislature, and two +complete and distinct judiciaries. The +premier is always the presidential +candidate getting the next highest +number of votes. In the present instance, +the president, who controls<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> +the planetary militia, is accusing the +premier, who controls the police, of +fraud in the election of the middle +house of the legislature. Each is supported +by the judiciary he controls. +Practically every citizen belongs either +to the militia or the police auxiliaries. +I am looking forward to further reports +from Amaterasu," he added +dryly.</p> + +<p>"I daresay they'll be interesting. +Send them to me in full, and red-star +them, if you please, Prince Travann."</p> + +<p>He went back to the reports. The +Ministry of Science and Technology +had sent up a lengthy one. The only +trouble with it was that everything +reported was duplication of work that +had been done centuries before. Well, +no. A Dr. Dandrik, of the physics +department of the Imperial University +here in Asgard announced that a definite +limit of accuracy in measuring +the velocity of accelerated subnucleonic +particles had been established—16.067543333—times +light-speed. +That seemed to be typical; the frontiers +of science, now, were all decimal +points. The Ministry of Education +had a little to offer; historical scholarship +was still active, at least. He was +reading about a new trove of source-material +that had come to light on +Uller, from the Sixth Century Atomic +Era, when the door screen buzzed +and flashed.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>He lit it, and his son Rodrik appeared +in it, with Snooks, the little +red hound, squirming excitedly in +the Crown Prince's arms. The dog +began barking at once, and the boy +called through the phone:</p> + +<p>"Good morning, father; are you +busy?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, not at all." He pressed the +release button. "Come on in."</p> + +<p>Immediately, the little hound leaped +out of the princely arms and came +dashing into the study and around +the desk, jumping onto his lap. The +boy followed more slowly, sitting +down in the deskside chair and drawing +his foot up under him. Paul +greeted Snooks first—people can wait, +but for little dogs everything has to +be right now—and rummaged in a +drawer until he found some wafers, +holding one for Snooks to nibble. +Then he became aware that his son +was wearing leather shorts and tall +buskins.</p> + +<p>"Going out somewhere?" he asked, +a trifle enviously.</p> + +<p>"Up in the mountains, for a picnic. +Olva's going along."</p> + +<p>And his tutor, and his esquire, and +Olva's companion-lady, and a dozen +Thoran riflemen, of course, and +they'd be in continuous screen-contact +with the Palace.</p> + +<p>"That ought to be a lot of fun. Did +you get all your lessons done?"</p> + +<p>"Physics and math and galactiography," +Rodrik told him. "And Professor +Guilsan's going to give me and +Olva our history after lunch."</p> + +<p>They talked about lessons, and +about the picnic. Of course, Snooks +was going on the picnic, too. It was +evident, though, that Rodrik had +something else on his mind. After a +while, he came out with it.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Father, you know I've been a little +afraid, lately," he said.</p> + +<p>"Well, tell me about it, son. It +isn't anything about you and Olva, +is it?"</p> + +<p>Rod was fourteen; the little Princess +Olva thirteen. They would be +marriageable in six years. As far as +anybody could tell, they were both +quite happy about the marriage which +had been arranged for them years +ago.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no; nothing like that. But +Olva's sister and a couple others of +mother's ladies-in-waiting were to a +psi-medium, and the medium told +them that there were going to be +changes. Great and frightening +changes was what she said."</p> + +<p>"She didn't specify?"</p> + +<p>"No. Just that: great and frightening +changes. But the only change of +that kind I can think of would be ... +well, something happening to you."</p> + +<p>Snooks, having eaten three wafers, +was trying to lick his ear. He pushed +the little dog back into his lap and +pummeled him gently with his left +hand.</p> + +<p>"You mustn't let mediums' gabble +worry you, son. These psi-mediums +have real powers, but they can't turn +them off and on like a water tap. +When they don't get anything, they +don't like to admit it, and they invent +things. Always generalities like +that; never anything specific."</p> + +<p>"I know all that." The boy seemed +offended, as though somebody were +explaining that his mother hadn't +really found him out in the rose garden. +"But they talked about it to some +of their friends, and it seems that +other mediums are saying the same +thing. Father, do you remember when +the Haval Valley reactor blew up? All +over Odin, the mediums had been +talking about a terrible accident, for +a month before that happened."</p> + +<p>"I remember that." Harv Dorflay +believed that somebody had been +falsely informed that the emperor +would visit the plant that day. "These +great and frightening changes will +probably turn out to be a new fad in +abstract sculpture. Any change frightens +most people."</p> + +<p>They talked more about mediums, +and then about aircars and aircar racing, +and about the Emperor's Cup +race that was to be flown in a month. +The communications screen began +flashing and buzzing, and after he +had silenced it with the busy-button +for the third time, Rodrik said that +it was time for him to go, came +around to gather up Snooks, and went +out, saying that he'd be home in time +for the banquet. The screen began to +flash again as he went out.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>It was Prince Ganzay, the Prime +Minister. He looked as though he had +a persistent low-level toothache, but +that was his ordinary expression.</p> + +<p>"Sorry to bother Your Majesty. +It's about these chiefs-of-state. Count +Gadvan, the Chamberlain, appealed +to me, and I feel I should ask your +advice. It's the matter of precedence."</p> + +<p>"Well, we have a fixed rule on +that. Which one arrived first?"</p> + +<p>"Why, the Adityan, but it seems +King Ranulf insists that he's entitled<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> +to precedence, or, rather, his Lord +Marshal does. This Lord Koreff insists +that his king is not going to +yield precedence to a commoner."</p> + +<div class="center"><div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/illus-012.png" width="500" height="407" alt="" title="" /> +</div></div> + +<p>"Then he can go home to Durendal!" +He felt himself growing angry—all +the little angers of the morning +were focusing on one spot. He forced +the harshness out of his voice. "At a +court function, somebody has to go +first, and our rule is order of arrival +at the Palace. That rule was established +to avoid violating the principle of +equality to all civilized peoples and +all planetary governments. We're not +going to set it aside for the King of +Durendal, or anybody else."</p> + +<p>Prince Ganzay nodded. Some of +the toothache expression had gone out +of his face, now that he had been +relieved of the decision.</p> + +<p>"Of course, Your Majesty." He +brightened a little. "Do you think we +might compromise? Alternate the +precedence, I mean?"</p> + +<p>"Only if this First Citizen Yaggo +consents. If he does, it would be a +good idea."</p> + +<p>"I'll talk to him, sir." The toothache +expression came back. "Another +thing, Your Majesty. They've both +been invited to attend the Plenary +Session, this afternoon."</p> + +<p>"Well, no trouble there; they can<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> +enter by different doors and sit in +visitors' boxes at opposite ends of the +hall."</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, I wasn't thinking of +precedence. But this is to be an +Elective Session—new Ministers to +replace Prince Havaly, of Defense, +deceased, and Count Frask, of Science +and Technology, elevated to the +Bench. There seems to be some difference +of opinion among some of +the Ministers and Counselors. It's +very possible that the Session may +degenerate into an outright controversy."</p> + +<p>"Horrible," Paul said seriously. "I +think, though, that our distinguished +guests will see that the Empire can +survive difference of opinion, and +even outright controversy. But if you +think it might have a bad effect, why +not postpone the election?"</p> + +<p>"Well—It's been postponed three +times, already, sir."</p> + +<p>"Postpone it permanently. Advertise +for bids on two robot Ministers, +Defense, and Science and Technology. +If they're a success, we can set +up a project to design a robot emperor."</p> + +<p>The Prime Minister's face actually +twitched and blanched at the blasphemy. +"Your Majesty is joking," +he said, as though he wanted to be +reassured on the point.</p> + +<p>"Unfortunately, I am. If my job +could be robotized, maybe I could +take my wife and my son and our +little dog and go fishing for a while."</p> + +<p>But, of course, he couldn't. There +were only two alternatives: the Empire +or Galactic anarchy. The galaxy +was too big to hold general elections, +and there had to be a supreme ruler, +and a positive and automatic—which +meant hereditary—means of succession.</p> + +<p>"Whose opinion seems to differ +from whose, and about what?" he +asked.</p> + +<p>"Well, Count Duklass and Count +Tammsan want to have the Ministry +of Science and Technology abolished, +and its functions and personnel distributed. +Count Duklass means to +take over the technological sections +under Economics, and Count Tammsan +will take over the science part +under Education. The proposal is +going to be introduced at this Session +by Count Guilfred, the Minister of +Health and Sanity. He hopes to get +some of the bio-and psycho-science +sections for his own Ministry."</p> + +<p>"That's right. Duklass gets the +hide, Tammsan gets the head and +horns, and everybody who hunts with +them gets a cut of the meat. That's +good sound law of the chase. I'm not +in favor of it, myself. Prince Ganzay, +at this session, I wish you'd get +Captain-General Dorflay nominated +for the Bench. I feel that it is about +time to honor him with elevation."</p> + +<p>"General Dorflay? But why, Your +Majesty?"</p> + +<p>"Great galaxy, do you have to ask? +Why, because the man's a raving +lunatic. He oughtn't even to be trusted +with a sidearm, let alone five +companies of armed soldiers. Do you +know what he told me this morning?"</p> + +<p>"That somebody is training a Nidhog +swamp-crawler to crawl up the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> +Octagon Tower and bite you at breakfast, +I suppose. But hasn't that been +going on for quite a while, sir?"</p> + +<p>"It was a gimmick in one of the +cooking robots, but that's aside from +the question. He's finally named the +master mind behind all these nightmares +of his, and who do you think +it is? Yorn Travann!"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The Prime Minister's face grew +graver than usual. Well, it was something +to look grave about; some of +these days——</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty, I couldn't possibly +agree more about the general's mental +condition, but I really should say +that, crazy or not, he is not alone in +his suspicions of Prince Travann. If +sharing them makes me a lunatic, too, +so be it, but share them I do."</p> + +<p>Paul felt his eyebrows lift in surprise. +"That's quite too much and +too little, Prince Ganzay," he said.</p> + +<p>"With your permission, I'll elaborate. +Don't think that I suspect Prince +Travann of any childish pranks with +elevators or viewscreens or cooking-robots," +the Prime Minister hastened +to disclaim, "but I definitely do suspect +him of treasonous ambitions. I +suppose Your Majesty knows that he +is the first Minister of Security in +centuries who has assumed personal +control of both the planetary and +municipal police, instead of delegating +his <i>ex officio</i> powers.</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty may not know, +however, of some of the peculiar uses +he has been making of those authorities. +Does Your Majesty know that he +has recruited the Security Guard up to +at least ten times the strength needed +to meet any conceivable peace-maintenance +problem on this planet, and +that he has been piling up huge +quantities of heavy combat equipment—guns +up to 200-millimeter, heavy +contragravity, even gun-cutters and +bomb-and-rocket boats? And does +Your Majesty know that most of this +armament is massed within fifteen +minutes' flight-time of this Palace? +Or that Prince Travann has at his +disposal from two and a half to three +times, in men and firepower, the +combined strength of the Planetary +Militia and the Imperial Army on +this planet?"</p> + +<p>"I know. It has my approval. He's +trying to salvage some of the young +nonworkers through exposing them +to military discipline. A good many +of them, I believe, have gone off-planet +on their discharge from the +SG and hired as mercenaries, which +is a far better profession than vote +selling."</p> + +<p>"Quite a plausible explanation: +Prince Travann is nothing if not +plausible," the Prime Minister agreed. +"And does Your Majesty know that, +because of repeated demands for support +from the Ministry of Security, +the Imperial Navy has been scattered +all over the Empire, and that there +is not a naval craft bigger than a +scout-boat within fifteen hundred +light-years of Odin?"</p> + +<p>That was absolutely true. Paul +could only nod agreement. Prince +Ganzay continued:</p> + +<p>"He has been doing some peculiar +things as Police Chief of Asgard, too.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> +For instance, there are two powerful +nonworkers' voting-bloc bosses, Big +Moogie Blisko and Zikko the Nose—I +assure Your Majesty that I am not +inventing these names; that's what +the persons are actually called—who +have been enjoying the favor and +support of Prince Travann. On a +number of occasions, their smaller +rivals, leaders of less important +gangs, have been arrested, often on +trumped-up charges, and held incommunicado +until either Moogie or +Zikko could move into their territories +and annex their nonworker +followers. These two bloc-bosses are +subsidized, respectively, by the Steel +and Shipbuilding Cartels and by the +Reaction Products and Chemical Cartels, +but actually, they are controlled +by Prince Travann. They, in turn, +control between them about seventy +per cent of the nonworkers in Asgard."</p> + +<p>"And you think this adds up to a +plot against the Throne?"</p> + +<p>"A plot to seize the Throne, Your +Majesty."</p> + +<p>"Oh, come, Prince Ganzay! You're +talking like Dorflay!"</p> + +<p>"Hear me out, Your Majesty. His +Imperial Highness is fourteen years +old; it will be eleven years before he +will be legally able to assume the +powers of emperor. In the dreadful +event of your immediate death, it +would mean a regency for that long. +Of course, your Ministers and Counselors +would be the ones to name the +Regent, but I know how they would +vote with Security Guard bayonets at +their throats. And regency might not +be the limit of Prince Travann's ambitions."</p> + +<p>"In your own words, quite plausible, +Prince Ganzay. It rests, however, +on a very questionable foundation. +The assumption that Prince Travann +is stupid enough to want the Throne."</p> + +<p>He had to terminate the conversation +himself and blank the screen. +Viktor Ganzay was still staring at him +in shocked incredulity when his +image vanished. Viktor Ganzay could +not imagine anybody not wanting the +Throne, not even the man who had +to sit on it.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>He sat, for a while, looking at the +darkened screen, a little worried. +Viktor Ganzay had a much better +intelligence service than he had believed. +He wondered how much Ganzay +had found out that he hadn't +mentioned. Then he went back to the +reports. He had gotten down to the +Ministry of Fine Arts when the communications +screen began calling <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'attion'">attention</ins> +to itself again.</p> + +<p>When he flipped the switch, a +woman smiled out of it at him. Her +blond hair was rumpled, and she +wore a dressing gown; her smile +brightened as his face appeared in +her screen.</p> + +<p>"Hi!" she greeted him.</p> + +<p>"Hi, yourself. You just get up?"</p> + +<p>She raised a hand to cover a yawn. +"I'll bet you've been up reigning for +hours. Were Rod and Snooks in to +see you yet?"</p> + +<p>He nodded. "They just left. Rod's +going on a picnic with Olva in the +mountains." How long had it been<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +since he and Marris had been on a +picnic—a real picnic, with less than +fifty guards and as many courtiers +along? "Do you have much reigning +to do, this afternoon?"</p> + +<p>She grimaced. "Flower Festivals. I +have to make personal tri-di appearances, +live, with messages for the +loving subjects. Three minutes on, +and a two-minute break between. I +have forty for this afternoon."</p> + +<p>"Ugh! Well, have a good time, +sweetheart. All I have is lunch with +the Bench, and then this Plenary Session." +He told her about Ganzay's +fear of outright controversy.</p> + +<p>"Oh, fun! Maybe somebody'll pull +somebody's whiskers, or something. +I'm in on that, too."</p> + +<p>The call-indicator in front of him +began glowing with the code-symbol +of the Minister of Security.</p> + +<p>"We can always hope, can't we? +Well, Yorn Travann's trying to get +me, now."</p> + +<p>"Don't keep him waiting. Maybe +I can see you before the Session." She +made a kissing motion with her lips +at him, and blanked the screen.</p> + +<p>He flipped the switch again, and +Prince Travann was on the screen. +The Security Minister didn't waste +time being sorry to bother him.</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty, a report's just +come in that there's a serious riot at +the University; between five and +ten thousand students are attacking +the Administration Center, lobbing +stench bombs into it, and threatening +to hang Chancellor Khane. They have +already overwhelmed and disarmed +the campus police, and I've sent two +companies of the Gendarme riot brigade, +under an officer I can trust to +handle things firmly but intelligently. +We don't want any indiscriminate +stunning or tear-gassing or shooting; +all sorts of people can have sons and +daughters mixed up in a student +riot."</p> + +<p>"Yes. I seem to recall student riots +in which the sons of his late Highness +Prince Travann and his late +Majesty Rodrik XXI were involved." +He deliberated the point for a moment, +and added: "This scarcely +sounds like a frat-fight or a panty-raid, +though. What seems to have triggered +it?"</p> + +<p>"The story I got—a rather hysterical +call for help from Khane himself—is +that they're protesting an action +of his in dismissing a faculty member. +I have a couple of undercovers +at the University, and I'm trying to +contact them. I sent more undercovers, +who could pass for students, ahead +of the Gendarmes to get the student +side of it and the names of the ring-leaders." +He glanced down at the +indicator in front of him, which had +begun to glow. "If you'll pardon me, +sir, Count Tammsan's trying to get +me. He may have particulars. I'll call +Your Majesty back when I learn anything +more."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>There hadn't been anything like +that at the University within the +memory of the oldest old grad. +Chancellor Khane, he knew, was a +stupid and arrogant old windbag with +a swollen sense of his own importance. +He made a small bet with himself<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> +that the whole thing was Khane's +fault, but he wondered what lay +behind it, and what would come out +of it. Great plagues from little microbes +start. Great and frightening +changes——</p> + +<p>The screen got itself into an uproar, +and he flipped the switch. It +was Viktor Ganzay again. He looked +as though his permanent toothache +had deserted him for the moment.</p> + +<p>"Sorry to bother Your Majesty, but +it's all fixed up," he reported. "First +Citizen Yaggo agreed to alternate in +precedence with King Ranulf, and +Lord Koreff has withdrawn all his +objections. As far as I can see, at +present, there should be no trouble."</p> + +<p>"Fine. I suppose you heard about +the excitement at the University?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, Your Majesty. Disgraceful +affair!"</p> + +<p>"Simply shocking. What seems to +have started it, have you heard?" he +asked. "All I know is that the students +were protesting the dismissal +of a faculty member. He must have +been exceptionally popular, or else he +got a more than ordinary raw deal +from Khane."</p> + +<p>"Well, as to that, sir, I can't say. +All I learned was that it was the result +of some faculty squabble in one +of the science departments; the +grounds for the dismissal were insubordination +and contempt for authority."</p> + +<p>"I always thought that when +authority began inspiring contempt, +it had stopped being authority. Did +you say science? This isn't going to +help Duklass and Tammsan any."</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid not, Your Majesty." +Ganzay didn't look particularly regretful. +"The News Cartel's gotten +hold of it and are using it; it'll be all +over the Empire."</p> + +<p>He said that as though it meant +something. Well, maybe it did; a lot +of Ministers and almost all the Counselors +spent most of their time +worrying about what people on planets +like Chermosh and Zarathustra +and Deirdre and Quetzalcoatl might +think, in ignorance of the fact that +interest in Empire politics varied inversely +as the square of the distance +to Odin and the level of corruption +and inefficiency of the local government.</p> + +<p>"I notice you'll be at the Bench +luncheon. Do you think you could +invite our guests, too? We could have +an informal presentation before it +starts. Can do? Good. I'll be seeing +you there."</p> + +<p>When the screen was blanked, he +returned to the reports, ran them off +hastily to make sure that nothing had +been red-starred, and called a robot +to clear the projector. After a while, +Prince Travann called again.</p> + +<p>"Sorry to bother Your Majesty, but +I have most of the facts on the riot, +now. What happened was that +Chancellor Khane sacked a professor, +physics department, under circumstances +which aroused resentment +among the science students. Some of +them walked out of class and went to +the stadium to hold a protest meeting, +and the thing snowballed until half +the students were in it. Khane lost +his head and ordered the campus<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> +police to clear the stadium; the students +rushed them and swamped +them. I hope, for their sakes, that +none of my men ever let anything +like that happen. The man I sent, a +Colonel Handrosan, managed to talk +the students into going back to the +stadium and continuing the meeting +under Gendarme protection."</p> + +<p>"Sounds like a good man."</p> + +<p>"Very good, Your Majesty. Especially +in handling disturbances. I have +complete confidence in him. He's also +investigating the background of the +affair. I'll give Your Majesty what +he's learned, to date. It seems that +the head of the physics department, a +Professor Nelse Dandrik, had been +conducting an experiment, assisted by +a Professor Klenn Faress, to establish +more accurately the velocity of subnucleonic +particles, beta micropositos, +I believe. Dandrik's story, as relayed +to Handrosan by Khane, is that he +reached a limit and the apparatus began +giving erratic results."</p> + +<p>Prince Travann stopped to light a +cigarette. "At this point, Professor +Dandrik ordered the experiment +stopped, and Professor Faress insisted +on continuing. When Dandrik ordered +the apparatus dismantled, Faress +became rather emotional about it—obscenely +abusive and threatening, +according to Dandrik. Dandrik complained +to Khane, Khane ordered +Faress to apologize, Faress refused, +and Khane dismissed Faress. Immediately, +the students went on strike. +Faress confirmed the whole story, and +he added one small detail that Dandrik +hadn't seen fit to mention. According +to him, when these micropositos +were accelerated beyond sixteen +and a fraction times light-speed, +they began registering at the target +before the source registered the emission."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I—<i>What did you say</i>?"</p> + +<p>Prince Travann repeated it slowly, +distinctly and tonelessly.</p> + +<p>"That was what I thought you said. +Well, I'm going to insist on a complete +investigation, including a repetition +of the experiment. Under +direction of Professor Faress."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Your Majesty. And when +that happens, I mean to be on hand +personally. If somebody is just before +discovering time-travel, I think Security +has a very substantial interest +in it."</p> + +<p>The Prime Minister called back to +confirm that First Citizen Yaggo and +King Ranulf would be at the luncheon. +The Chamberlain, Count Gadvan, +called with a long and dreary +problem about the protocol for the +banquet. Finally, at noon, he flashed +a signal for General Dorflay, waited +five minutes, and then left his desk +and went out, to find the mad general +and his wirehaired soldiers drawn up +in the hall.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>There were more Thorans on the +South Upper Terrace, and after a +flurry of porting and presenting and +ordering arms and hand-saluting, the +Prime Minister advanced and escorted +him to where the Bench of Counselors, +all thirty of them, total age close +to twenty-eight hundred years, were +drawn up in a rough crescent behind<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> +the three distinguished guests. The +King of Durendal wore a cloth-of-silver +leotard and pink tights, and a +belt of gold links on which he carried +a jeweled dagger only slightly +thicker than a knitting needle. He +was slender and willowy, and he had +large and soulful eyes, and the royal +beautician must have worked on him +for a couple of hours. Wait till Marris +sees this; oh, brother!</p> + +<p>Koreff, the Lord Marshal, wore +what was probably the standard costume +of Durendal, a fairly long jerkin +with short sleeves, and knee-boots, +and his dress dagger looked as though +it had been designed for use. Lord +Koreff looked as though he would +be quite willing and able to use it; +he was fleshy and full-faced, with +hard muscles under the flesh.</p> + +<p>First Citizen Yaggo, People's +Manager-in-Chief of and for the +Planetary Commonwealth of Aditya, +wore a one-piece white garment like +a mechanic's coveralls, with the emblem +of his government and the +numeral 1 on his breast. He carried +no dagger; if he had worn a dress +weapon, it would probably have been +a slide rule. His head was completely +shaven, and he had small, pale eyes +and a rat-trap mouth. He was regarding +the Durendalians with a distaste +that was all too evidently reciprocated.</p> + +<p>King Ranulf appeared to have won +the toss for first presentation. He +squeezed the Imperial hand in both +of his and looked up adoringly as he +professed his deep honor and pleasure. +Yaggo merely clasped both his +hands in front of the emblem on his +chest and raised them quickly to the +level of his chin, saying: "At the +service of the Imperial State," and +adding, as though it hurt him, "Your +Imperial Majesty." Not being a chief +of state, Lord Koreff came third; he +merely shook hands and said, "A +great honor, Your Imperial Majesty, +and the thanks, both of myself and +my royal master, for a most gracious +reception." The attempt to grab first +place having failed, he was more +than willing to forget the whole subject. +There was a chance that finding +a way to dispose of the grain surplus +might make the difference between +his staying in power at home or not.</p> + +<p>Fortunately, the three guests had +already met the Bench of Counselors. +Immediately after the presentation of +Lord Koreff, they all started the two +hundred yards march to the luncheon +pavilion, the King of Durendal +clinging to his left arm and First +Citizen Yaggo stumping dourly on +his right, with Prince Ganzay beyond +him and Lord Koreff on <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note: Original reads 'Ranuf'">Ranulf</ins>'s left.</p> + +<p>"Do you plan to stay long on +Odin?" he asked the king.</p> + +<p>"Oh. I'd <i>love</i> to stay for simply +<i>months</i>! Everything is so <i>wonderful</i>, +here in Asgard; it makes our little +capital of Roncevaux seem so <i>utterly</i> +provincial. I'm going to tell Your +Imperial Majesty a secret. I'm going +to see if I can lure some of your +<i>wonderful</i> ballet dancers back to +Durendal with me. Aren't I <i>naughty</i>, +raiding Your Imperial Majesty's +theaters?"</p> + +<p>"In keeping with the traditions of +your people," he replied gravely.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> +"You Sword-Worlders used to raid +everywhere you went."</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid those bad old days are +long past, Your Imperial Majesty," +Lord Koreff said. "But we Sword-Worlders +got around the galaxy, for +a while. In fact, I seem to remember +reading that some of our brethren +from Morglay or Flamberge even occupied +Aditya for a couple of centuries. +Not that you'd guess it to look +at Aditya now."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>It was First Citizen Yaggo's turn +to take precedence—the seat on the +right of the throne chair. Lord Koreff +sat on Ranulf's left, and, to balance +him, Prince Ganzay sat beyond Yaggo +and dutifully began inquiring of +the People's Manager-in-Chief about +the structure of his government, +launching him on a monologue that +promised to last at least half the +luncheon. That left the King of +Durendal to Paul; for a start, he +dropped a compliment on the cloth-of-silver +leotard.</p> + +<p>King Ranulf laughed dulcetly, +brushed the garment with his fingertips, +and said that it was just a simple +thing patterned after the Durendalian +peasant costume.</p> + +<p>"You have peasants on Durendal?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, <i>dear</i>, yes! Such quaint, +<i>charming</i> people. Of course, they're +all poor, and they wear such <i>funny</i> +ragged clothes, and travel about in +rackety old aircars, it's a wonder +they don't fall apart in the air. But +they're so <i>wonderfully</i> happy and +carefree. I often wish I were one of +them, instead of king."</p> + +<p>"Nonworking class, Your Imperial +Majesty," Lord Koreff explained.</p> + +<p>"On Aditya," First Citizen Yaggo +declared, "there are no classes, and +on Aditya everybody works. 'From +each according to his ability; to each +according to his need.'"</p> + +<p>"On Aditya," an elderly Counselor +four places to the right of him said +loudly to his neighbor, "they don't +call them classes, they call them +sociological categories, and they have +nineteen of them. And on Aditya, +they don't call them nonworkers, +they call them occupational reservists, +and they have more of them than +we do."</p> + +<p>"But of course, I was born a king," +Ranulf said sadly and nobly. "I have +a duty to my people."</p> + +<p>"No, they don't vote at all," Lord +Koreff was telling the Counselor on +his left. "On Durendal, you have to +pay taxes before you can vote."</p> + +<p>"On Aditya the crime of taxation +does not exist," the First Citizen told +the Prime Minister.</p> + +<p>"On Aditya," the Counselor four +places down said to his neighbor, +"there's nothing to tax. The state +owns all the property, and if the +Imperial Constitution and the Space +Navy let them, the State would own +all the people, too. Don't tell me +about Aditya. First big-ship command +I had was the old <i>Invictus</i>, 374, and +she was based on Aditya for four +years, and I'd sooner have spent that +time in orbit around Niffelheim."</p> + +<p>Now Paul remembered who he +was; old Admiral—now Prince-Counselor—Gaklar. +He and Prince-Counselor<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> +Dorflay would get along +famously. The Lord Marshal of +Durendal was replying to some objection +somebody had made:</p> + +<div class="center"><div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/illus-021.png" width="500" height="398" alt="" title="" /> +</div></div> + +<p>"No, nothing of the sort. We hold +the view that every civil or political +right implies a civil or political obligation. +The citizen has a right to +protection from the Realm, for instance; +he therefore has the obligation +to defend the Realm. And his right +to participate in the government of +the Realm includes his obligation to +support the Realm financially. Well, +we tax only property; if a nonworker +acquires taxable property, he has to +go to work to earn the taxes. I might +add that our nonworkers are very +careful to avoid acquiring taxable +property."</p> + +<p>"But if they don't have votes to +sell, what do they live on?" a Counselor +asked in bewilderment.</p> + +<p>"The nobility supports them; the +landowners, the trading barons, the +industrial lords. The more nonworking +adherents they have, the greater +their prestige." And the more rifles +they could muster when they quarreled +with their fellow nobles, of course. +"Beside, if we didn't do that, they'd +turn brigand, and it costs less to support +them than to have to hunt them +out of the brush and hang them."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p> + +<p>"On Aditya, brigandage does not +exist."</p> + +<p>"On Aditya, all the brigands belong +to the Secret Police, only on +Aditya they don't call them Secret +Police, they call them Servants of the +People, Ninth Category."</p> + +<p>A shadow passed quickly over the +pavilion, and then another. He glanced +up quickly, to see two long black +troop carriers, emblazoned with the +Sun and Cogwheel and armored fist +of Security, pass back of the Octagon +Tower and let down on the north +landing stage. A third followed. He +rose quickly.</p> + +<p>"Please remain seated, gentlemen, +and continue with the luncheon. If +you will excuse me for a moment, I'll +be back directly." I hope, he added +mentally.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Captain-General Dorflay, surrounded +by a dozen officers, Thoran and +human, had arrived on the lower +terrace at the base of the Octagon +Tower. They had a full Thoran rifle +company with them. As he went +down to them, Dorflay hurried forward.</p> + +<p>"It has come, Your Majesty!" he +said, as soon as he could make himself +heard without raising his voice. +"We are all ready to die with Your +Majesty!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I doubt it'll come quite to +that, Harv," he said. "But just to be +on the safe side, take that company +and the gentlemen who are with you +and get up to the mountains and join +the Crown Prince and his party. +Here." He took a notepad from his +belt pouch and wrote rapidly, sealing +the note and giving it to Dorflay. +"Give this to His Highness, and place +yourself under his orders. I know; +he's just a boy, but he has a good +head. Obey him exactly in everything, +but under no circumstances return to +the Palace or allow him to return +until I call you."</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty is ordering me +away?" The old soldier was aghast.</p> + +<p>"An emperor who has a son can +be spared. An emperor's son who is +too young to marry can't. You know +that."</p> + +<p>Harv Dorflay was only mad on one +subject, and even within the frame +of his madness he was intensely logical. +He nodded. "Yes, Your Imperial +Majesty. We both serve the Empire +as best we can. And I will guard the +little Princess Olva, too." He grasped +Paul's hand, said, "Farewell, Your +Majesty!" and dashed away, gathering +his staff and the company of +Thorans as he went. In an instant, +they had vanished down the nearest +rampway.</p> + +<p>The emperor watched their departure, +and, at the same time, saw a +big black aircar, bearing the three-mooned +planet, argent on sable, of +Travann, let down onto the south +landing stage, and another troop +carrier let down after it. Four men +left the aircar—Yorn, Prince Travann, +and three officers in the black +of the Security Guard. Prince Ganzay +had also left the table: he came from +one direction as Prince Travann advanced +from the other. They converged +on the emperor.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span></p> + +<p>"What's happening here, Prince +Travann?" Prince Ganzay demanded. +"Why are you bringing all these +troops to the Palace?"</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty," Prince Travann +said smoothly, "I trust that you will +pardon this disturbance. I'm sure +nothing serious will happen, but I +didn't dare take chances. The students +from the University are marching on +the Palace—perfectly peaceful and +loyal procession; they're bringing a +petition for Your Majesty—but on +the way, while passing through a +nonworkers' district, they were attacked +by a gang of hooligans connected +with a voting-bloc boss called +Nutchy the Knife. None of the students +were hurt, and Colonel +Handrosan got the procession out of +the district promptly, and then dropped +some of his men, who have since +been re-enforced, to deal with the +hooligans. That's still going on, and +these riots are like forest fires; you +never know when they'll shift and +get out of control. I hope the men +I brought won't be needed here. +Really, they're a reserve for the riot +work; I won't commit them, though, +until I'm sure the Palace is safe."</p> + +<p>He nodded. "Prince Travann, how +soon do you estimate that the student +procession will arrive here?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"They're coming on foot, Your +Majesty. I'd give them an hour, at +least."</p> + +<p>"Well, Prince Travann, will you +have one of your officers see that the +public-address screen in front is +ready; I'll want to talk to them when +they arrive. And meanwhile, I'll want +to talk to Chancellor Khane, Professor +Dandrik, Professor Faress and +Colonel Handrosan, together. And +Count Tammsan, too; Prince Ganzay, +will you please screen him and invite +him here immediately?"</p> + +<p>"Now, Your Majesty?" At first, +the Prime Minister was trying to suppress +a look of incredulity; then he +was trying to keep from showing +comprehension. "Yes, Your Majesty; +at once." He frowned slightly when +he saw two of the Security Guard +officers salute Prince Travann instead +of the emperor before going away. +Then he turned and hurried toward +the Octagon Tower.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The officer who had gone to the +aircar to use the radio returned and +reported that Colonel Handrosan was +bringing the Chancellor and both professors +from the University in his +command-car, having anticipated that +they would be wanted. Paul nodded +in pleasure.</p> + +<p>"You have a good man there, +Prince," he said. "Keep an eye on +him."</p> + +<p>"I know it, Your Majesty. To tell +the truth, it was he who organized +this march. Thought they'd be better +employed coming here to petition you +than milling around the University +getting into further mischief."</p> + +<p>The other officer also returned, +bringing a portable viewscreen with +him on a contragravity-lifter. By this +time, the Bench of Counselors and the +three off-planet guests had become +anxious and left the luncheon pavilion<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> +in a body. The Counselors were looking +about uneasily, noticing the black +uniformed Security Guards who had +left the troop carrier and were taking +position by squads all around the +emperor. First Citizen Yaggo, and +King Ranulf and Lord Koreff, also +seemed uneasy. They were avoiding +the proximity of Paul as though he +had the green death.</p> + +<p>The viewscreen came on, and in +it the city, as seen from an aircar +at two thousand feet, spread out with +the Palace visible in the distance, the +golden pile of the Octagon Tower +jutting up from it. The car carrying +the pickup was behind the procession, +which was moving toward the Palace +along one of the broad skyways, with +Gendarmes and Security Guards leading, +following and flanking. There +were a few Imperial and planetary +and school flags, but none of the +quantity-made banners and placards +which always betray a planned demonstration.</p> + +<p>Prince Ganzay had been gone for +some time, now. When he returned, +he drew Paul aside.</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty," he whispered +softly, "I tried to summon Army +troops, but it'll be hours before any +can get here. And the Militia can't +be mobilized in anything less than +a day. There are only five thousand +Army Regulars on Odin, now, anyhow."</p> + +<p>And half of them officers and +noncoms of skeleton regiments. Like +the Navy, the Army had been scattered +all over the Empire—on Behemoth +and Amida and Xipetotec and +Astarte and Jotunnheim—in response +to calls for support from Security.</p> + +<p>"Let's have a look at this rioting, +Prince Travann," one of the less +decrepit Counselors, a retired general, +said. "I want to see how your people +are handling it."</p> + +<p>The officers who had come with +Prince Travann consulted briefly, and +then got another pickup on the screen. +This must have been a regular public +pickup, on the front of a tall building. +It was a couple of miles farther away; +the Palace was visible only as a tiny +glint from the Octagon Tower, on +the skyline. Half a dozen Security +aircars were darting about, two of +them chasing a battered civilian +vehicle and firing at it. On rooftops +and terraces and skyways, little +clumps of Security Guards were skirmishing, +dodging from cover to +cover, and sometimes individuals or +groups in civilian clothes fired back at +them. There was a surprising absence +of casualties.</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty!" the old general +hissed in a scandalized whisper. +"That's nothing but a big fake! Look, +they're all firing blanks! The rifles +hardly kick at all, and there's too +much smoke for propellant-powder."</p> + +<p>"I noticed that." This riot must +have been carefully prepared, long in +advance. Yet the student riot seemed +to have been entirely spontaneous. +That puzzled him; he wished he knew +just what Yorn Travann was up to. +"Just keep quiet about it," he advised.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>More aircars were arriving, big<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> +and luxurious, emblazoned with the +arms of some of the most distinguished +families in Asgard. One of the +first to let down bore the device of +Duklass, and from it the Minister of +Economics, the Minister of Education, +and a couple of other Ministers, +alighted. Count Duklass went at once +to Prince Travann, drawing him away +from King Ranulf and Lord Koreff +and talking to him rapidly and earnestly. +Count Tammsan approached +at a swift half-run.</p> + +<p>"Save Your Majesty!" he greeted, +breathlessly. "What's going on, sir? +We heard something about some petty +brawl at the University, that Prince +Ganzay had become alarmed about, +but now there seems to be fighting +all over the city. I never saw anything +like it; on the way here we had to go +up to ten thousand feet to get over +a battle, and there's a vast crowd on +the Avenue of the Arts, and——" He +took in the Security Guards. "Your +Majesty, just what <i>is</i> going on?"</p> + +<p>"Great and frightening changes." +Count Tammsan started; he must +have been to a psi-medium, too. "But +I think the Empire is going to survive +them. There may even be a few +improvements, before things are +done."</p> + +<p>A blue-uniformed Gendarme officer +approached Prince Travann, drawing +him away from Count Duklass +and speaking briefly to him. The +Minister of Security nodded, then +turned back to the Minister of +Economics. They talked for a few +moments longer, then clasped hands, +and Travann left Duklass with his +face wreathed in smiles. The Gendarme +officer accompanied him as he +approached.</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty, this is Colonel +Handrosan, the officer who handled +the affair at the University."</p> + +<p>"And a very good piece of work, +colonel." He shook hands with him. +"Don't be surprised if it's remembered +next Honors Day. Did you +bring Khane and the two professors?"</p> + +<p>"They're down on the lower landing-stage, +Your Majesty. We're delaying +the students, to give Your Majesty +time to talk to them."</p> + +<p>"We'll see them now. My study +will do." The officer saluted and +went away. He turned to Count +Tammsan. "That's why I asked Prince +Ganzay to invite you here. This +thing's become too public to be ignored; +some sort of action will have +to be taken. I'm going to talk to the +students; I want to find out just what +happened before I commit myself +to anything. Well, gentlemen, let's +go to my study."</p> + +<p>Count <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'Tammsen'">Tammsan</ins> looked around, bewildered. +"But I don't understand——" +He fell into step with Paul and the +Minister of Security; a squad of Security +Guards fell in behind them. +"I don't understand what's happening," +he complained.</p> + +<p>An emperor about to have his +throne yanked out from under him, +and a minister about to stage a <i>coup +d'etat</i>, taking time out to settle a +trifling academic squabble. One thing +he did understand, though, was that +the Ministry of Education was getting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> +some very bad publicity at a time +when it could be least afforded. Prince +Travann was telling him about the +hooligans' attack on the marching +students, and that worried him even +more. Nonworking hooligans acted +as voting-bloc bosses ordered; voting-bloc +bosses acted on orders from the +political manipulators of Cartels and +pressure-groups, and action downward +through the nonworkers was +usually accompanied by action upward +through influences to which +ministers were sensitive.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>There were a dozen Security +Guards in black tunics, and as many +Household Thorans in red kilts, in +the hall outside the study, fraternizing +amicably. They hurried apart and +formed two ranks, and the Thoran +officer with them saluted.</p> + +<p>Going into the study, he went to +his desk; Count Tammsan lit a cigarette +and puffed nervously, and sat +down as though he were afraid the +chair would collapse under him. +Prince Travann sank into another +chair and relaxed, closing his eyes. +There was a bit of wafer on the floor +by Paul's chair, dropped by the little +dog that morning. He stooped and +picked it up, laying it on his desk, +and sat looking at it until the door +screen flashed and buzzed. Then he +pressed the release button.</p> + +<p>Colonel Handrosan ushered the +three University men in ahead of +him—Khane, with a florid, arrogant +face that showed worry under the +arrogance; Dandrik, gray-haired and +stoop-shouldered, looking irritated; +Faress, young, with a scrubby red +mustache, looking bellicose. He greeted +them collectively and invited them +to sit, and there was a brief uncomfortable +silence which everybody expected +him to break.</p> + +<p>"Well, gentlemen," he said, "we +want to get the facts about this affair +in some kind of order. I wish you'd +tell me, as briefly and as completely +as possible, what you know about it."</p> + +<p>"There's the man who started it!" +Khane declared, pointing at Faress.</p> + +<p>"Professor Faress had nothing to +do with it," Colonel Handrosan +stated flatly. "He and his wife were +in their apartment, packing to move +out, when it started. Somebody called +him and told him about the fighting +at the stadium, and he went there at +once to talk his students into dispersing. +By that time, the situation +was completely out of hand; he could +do nothing with the students.</p> + +<p>"Well, I think we ought to find +out, first of all, why Professor Faress +was dismissed," Prince Travann said. +"It will take a good deal to convince +me that any teacher able to inspire +such loyalty in his students is a bad +teacher, or deserves dismissal."</p> + +<p>"As I understand," Paul said, "the +dismissal was the result of a disagreement +between Professor Faress and +Professor Dandrik about an experiment +on which they were working. +I believe, an experiment to fix +more exactly the velocity of accelerated +subnucleonic particles. Beta +micropositos, wasn't it, Chancellor +Khane?"</p> + +<p>Khane looked at him in surprise.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> +"Your Majesty, I know nothing about +that. Professor Dandrik is head of +the physics department; he came to +me, about six months ago, and told +me that in his opinion this experiment +was desirable. I simply deferred +to his judgment and authorized +it."</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty has just stated the +purpose of the experiment," Dandrik +said. "For centuries, there have been +inaccuracies in mathematical descriptions +of subnucleonic events, and this +experiment was undertaken in the +hope of eliminating these inaccuracies." +He went into a lengthy +mathematical explanation.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I understand that, professor. +But just what was the actual experiment, +in terms of physical operations?"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Dandrik looked helpless for a moment. +Faress, who had been choking +back a laugh, interrupted:</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty, we were using the +big turbo-linear accelerator to project +fast micropositos down an evacuated +tube one kilometer in length, and +clocking them with light, the velocity +of which has been established almost +absolutely. I will say that with respect +to the light, there were no observable +inaccuracies at any time, and until +the micropositos were accelerated to +16.067543333-1/3 times light-speed, +they registered much as expected. +Beyond that velocity, however, the +target for the micropositos began +registering impacts before the source +registered emission, although the light +target was still registering normally. +I notified Professor Dandrik about +this, and——"</p> + +<p>"You notified him. Wasn't he +present at the time?"</p> + +<p>"No, Your Majesty."</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty, I am head of the +physics department of the University. +I have too much administrative work +to waste time on the technical aspects +of experiments like this," Dandrik +interjected.</p> + +<p>"I understand. Professor Faress +was actually performing the experiment. +You told Professor Dandrik +what had happened. What then?"</p> + +<p>"Why, Your Majesty, he simply +declared that the limit of accuracy +had been reached, and ordered the +experiment dropped. He then reported +the highest reading before this +anticipation effect was observed as +the newly established limit of accuracy +in measuring the velocity of +accelerated micropositos, and said +nothing whatever in his report about +the anticipation effect."</p> + +<p>"I read a summary of the report. +Why, Professor Dandrik, did you +omit mentioning this slightly unusual +effect?"</p> + +<p>"Why, because the whole thing +was utterly preposterous, that's why!" +Dandrik barked; and then hastily +added, "Your Imperial Majesty." He +turned and glared at Faress; professors +do not glare at galactic emperors. +"Your Majesty, the limit of accuracy +had been reached. After that, it was +only to be expected that the apparatus +would give erratic reports."</p> + +<p>"It might have been expected that +the apparatus would stop registering<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> +increased velocity relative to the light-speed +standard, or that it would begin +registering disproportionately," +Faress said. "But, Your Majesty, I'll +submit that it was not to be expected +that it would register impacts before +emissions. And I'll add this. After +registering this slight apparent jump +into the future, there was no proportionate +increase in anticipation +with further increase of acceleration. +I wanted to find out why. But when +Professor Dandrik saw what was happening, +he became almost hysterical, +and ordered the accelerator shut down +as though he were afraid it would +blow up in his face."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"I think it has blown up in his +face," Prince Travann said quietly. +"Professor, have you any theory, or +supposition, or even any wild guess, +as to how this anticipation effect occurs?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Your Highness. I suspect +that the apparent anticipation is simply +an observational illusion, similar +to the illusion of time-reversal experienced +when it was first observed, +though not realized, that positrons +sometimes exceeded light-speed."</p> + +<p>"Why, that's what I've been saying +all along!" Dandrik broke in. +"The whole thing is an illusion, +due——"</p> + +<p>"To having reached the limit of +observational accuracy; I understand, +Professor Dandrik. Go on, Professor +Faress."</p> + +<p>"I think that beyond 16.067543333-1/3 +times light-speed, the micropositos +ceased to have any velocity +at all, velocity being defined as rate +of motion in four-dimensional space-time. +I believe they moved through +the three spatial dimensions without +moving at all in the fourth, temporal, +dimension. They made that kilometer +from source to target, literally, in +nothing flat. Instantaneity."</p> + +<p>That must have been the first time +he had actually come out and said +it. Dandrik jumped to his feet with +a cry that was just short of being a +shriek.</p> + +<p>"He's crazy! Your Majesty, you +mustn't ... that is, well, I mean—Please, +Your Majesty, don't listen to +him. He doesn't know what he's saying. +He's raving!"</p> + +<p>"He knows perfectly well what he's +saying, and it probably scares him +more than it does you. The difference +is that he's willing to face it and you +aren't."</p> + +<p>The difference was that Faress was +a scientist and Dandrik was a science +teacher. To Faress, a new door had +opened, the first new door in eight +hundred years. To Dandrik, it threatened +invalidation of everything he +had taught since the morning he had +opened his first class. He could no +longer say to his pupils, "You are +here to learn from me." He would +have to say, more humbly, "<i>We</i> are +here to learn from the Universe."</p> + +<p>It had happened so many times +before, too. The comfortable and +established Universe had fitted all the +known facts—and then new facts had +been learned that wouldn't fit it. The +third planet of the Sol system had +once been the center of the Universe,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> +and then Terra, and Sol, and even +the galaxy, had been forced to abdicate +centricity. The atom had been +indivisible—until somebody divided +it. There had been intangible substance +that had permeated the Universe, +because it had been necessary +for the transmission of light—until +it was demonstrated to be unnecessary +and nonexistent. And the speed +of light had been the ultimate velocity, +once, and could be exceeded no +more than the atom could be divided. +And light-speed had been constant, +regardless of distance from source, +and the Universe, to explain certain +observed phenomena, had been believed +to be expanding simultaneously +in all directions. And the things that +had happened in psychology, when +psi-phenomena had become too obvious +to be shrugged away.</p> + +<p>"And then, when Dr. Dandrik +ordered you to drop this experiment, +just when it was becoming interesting, +you refused?"</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty, I couldn't stop, +not then. But Dr. Dandrik ordered +the apparatus dismantled and scrapped, +and I'm afraid I lost my head. +Told him I'd punch his silly old face +in, for one thing."</p> + +<p>"You admit that?" Chancellor +Khane cried.</p> + +<p>"I think you showed admirable +self-restraint in not doing it. Did you +explain to Chancellor Khane the importance +of this experiment?"</p> + +<p>"I tried to, Your Majesty, but he +simply wouldn't listen."</p> + +<p>"But, Your Majesty!" Khane expostulated. +"Professor Dandrik is +head of the department, and one of +the foremost physicists of the Empire, +and this young man is only one of +the junior assistant-professors. Isn't +even a full professor, and he got his +degree from some school away off-planet. +University of Brannerton on +Gimli."</p> + +<p>"Were you a pupil of Professor +Vann Evaratt?" Prince Travann asked +sharply.</p> + +<p>"Why, yes, sir. I——"</p> + +<p>"Ha, no wonder!" Dandrik crowed. +"Your Majesty, that man's an +out-and-out charlatan! He was kicked +out of the University here ten years +ago, and I'm surprised he could even +get on the faculty of a school like +Brannerton, on a planet like +Gimli."</p> + +<p>"Why, you stupid old fool!" Faress +yelled at him. "You aren't enough +of a physicist to oil robots in Vann +Evaratt's lab!"</p> + +<p>"There, Your Majesty," Khane +said. "You see how much respect for +authority this hooligan has!"</p> + +<p>On Aditya, such would be unthinkable; +on Aditya, everybody respects +authority. Whether it's <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'rerespectable'">respectable</ins> +or not.</p> + +<p>Count Tammsan laughed, and he +realized that he must have spoken +aloud. Nobody else seemed to have +gotten the joke.</p> + +<p>"Well, how about the riot, now?" +he asked. "Who started that?"</p> + +<p>"Colonel Handrosan made an investigation +on the spot," Prince Travann +said. "May I suggest that we +hear his report?"</p> + +<p>"Yes indeed. Colonel?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span></p> + +<p>Handrosan rose and stood with his +hands behind his back, looking fixedly +at the wall behind the desk.</p> + +<div class="center"><div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/illus-030.png" width="500" height="493" alt="" title="" /> +</div></div> + +<p>"Your Majesty, the students of +Professor Faress' advanced subnuclear +physics class, postgraduate students, +all of them, were told of Professor +Faress' dismissal by a faculty +member who had taken over the class +this morning. They all got up and +walked out in a body, and gathered +outdoors on the campus to discuss +the matter. At the next class break, +they were joined by other science +students, and they went into the stadium, +where they were joined, half +an hour later, by more students who +had learned of the dismissal in the +meantime. At no time was the gathering +disorderly. The stadium is covered +by a viewscreen pickup which is +fitted with a recording device; there +is a complete audio-visual of the +whole thing, including the attack on +them by the campus police.</p> + +<p>"This attack was ordered by Chancellor<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> +Khane, at about 1100; the chief +of the campus police was told to clear +the stadium, and when he asked if +he was to use force, Chancellor Khane +told him to use anything he wanted +to."</p> + +<p>"I did not! I told him to get the +students out of the stadium, but——"</p> + +<p>"The chief of campus police carries +a personal wire recorder," Handrosan +said, in his flat monotone. "He +has a recording of the order, in +Chancellor Khane's own voice. I +heard it myself. The police," he continued, +"first tried to use gas, but +the wind was against them. They +then tried to use sono-stunners, but +the students rushed them and overwhelmed +them. If Your Majesty will +permit a personal opinion, while I do +not sympathize with their subsequent +attack on the Administration Center, +they were entirely within their rights +in defending themselves in the stadium, +and it's hard enough to stop +trained and disciplined troops when +they are winning. After defeating the +police, they simply went on by what +might be called the momentum of +victory."</p> + +<p>"Then you'd say that it's positively +established that the students were behaving +in a peacable and orderly manner +in the stadium when they were +attacked, and that Chancellor Khane +ordered the attack personally?"</p> + +<p>"I would, emphatically, Your +Majesty."</p> + +<p>"I think we've done enough here, +gentlemen." He turned to Count +Tammsan. "This is, jointly, the affair +of Education and Security. I +would suggest that you and Prince +Travann join in a formal and public +inquiry, and until all the facts have +been established and recorded and +action decided upon, the dismissal of +Professor Faress be reversed and he +be restored to his position on the +faculty."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Your Majesty," Tammsan +agreed. "And I think it would be a +good idea for Chancellor Khane to +take a vacation till then, too."</p> + +<p>"I would further suggest that, as +this microposito experiment is crucial +to the whole question, it should +be repeated. Under the personal direction +of Professor Faress."</p> + +<p>"I agree with that, Your Majesty," +Prince Travann said. "If it's as important +as I think it is, Professor +Dandrik is greatly to be censured for +ordering it stopped and for failing +to report this anticipation effect."</p> + +<p>"We'll consult about the inquiry, +including the experiment, tomorrow, +Your Highness," Tammsan told Travann.</p> + +<p>Paul rose, and everybody rose with +him. "That being the case, you gentlemen +are all excused. The students' +procession ought to be arriving, now, +and I want to tell them what's going +to be done. Prince Travann, Count +Tammsan; do you care to accompany +me?"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Going up to the central terrace +in front of the Octagon Tower, he +turned to Count Tammsan.</p> + +<p>"I notice you laughed at that remark +of mine about Aditya," he said. +"Have you met the First Citizen?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Only on screen, sir. He was at +me for about an hour, this morning. +It seems that they are reforming the +educational system on Aditya. On +Aditya, everything gets reformed +every ten years, whether it needs it +or not. He came here to find somebody +to take charge of the reformation."</p> + +<p>He stopped short, bringing the +others to a halt beside him, and laughed +heartily.</p> + +<p>"Well, we'll send First Citizen +Yaggo away happy; we'll make him +a present of the most distinguished +educator on Odin."</p> + +<p>"Khane?" Tammsan asked.</p> + +<p>"Khane. Isn't it wonderful; if you +have a few problems, you have +trouble, but if you have a whole lot +of problems, they start solving each +other. We get a chance to get rid of +Khane and create a vacancy that can +be filled by somebody big enough to +fill it; the Ministry of Education gets +out from under a nasty situation; +First Citizen Yaggo gets what he +thinks he wants——"</p> + +<p>"And if I know Khane and if I +know the People's Commonwealth of +Aditya, it won't be a year before +Yaggo has Khane shot or stuffs him +into jail, and then the Space Navy +will have an excuse to visit Aditya, +and Aditya'll never be the same afterward," +Prince Travann added.</p> + +<p>The students massed on the front +lawns were still cheering as they went +down after addressing them. The +Security Guards were conspicuously +absent and it was a detail of red-kilted +Thoran riflemen who met them +as they entered the hall to the Session +Chamber. Prince Ganzay approached, +attended by two Household Guard +officers, a human and a Thoran. +Count Tammsan looked from one to +the other of his companions, bewildered. +The bewildering thing was +that everything was as it should be.</p> + +<p>"Well, gentlemen," Paul said, "I'm +sure that both of you will want to +confer for a moment with your colleagues +in the Rotunda before the +Session. Please don't feel obliged to +attend me further."</p> + +<p>Prince Ganzay approached as they +went down the hall. "Your Majesty, +what <i>is</i> going on here?" he demanded +querulously. "Just who is in control +of the Palace—you or Prince Travann? +And where is His Imperial +Highness, and where is General Dorflay?"</p> + +<p>"I sent Dorflay to join Prince Rodrik's +picnic party. If you're upset +about this, you can imagine what he +might have done here."</p> + +<p>Prince Ganzay looked at him curiously +for a moment. "I thought I +understood what was happening," he +said. "Now I—— This business about +the students, sir; how did it come +out?"</p> + +<p>Paul told him. They talked for a +while, and then the Prime Minister +looked at his watch, and suggested +that the Session ought to be getting +started. Paul nodded, and they went +down the hall and into the Rotunda.</p> + +<p>The big semicircular lobby was +empty, now, except for a platoon of +Household Guards, and the Empress +Marris and her ladies-in-waiting. She<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> +advanced as quickly as her sheath +gown would permit, and took his +arm; the ladies-in-waiting fell in behind +her, and Prince Ganzay went +ahead, crying: "My Lords, Your +Venerable Highnesses, gentlemen; +His Imperial Majesty!"</p> + +<p>Marris tightened her grip on his +arm as they started forward. "Paul!" +she hissed into his ear. "What is this +silly story about Yorn Travann trying +to seize the Throne?"</p> + +<p>"Isn't it? Yorn's been too close the +Throne for too long not to know +what sort of a seat it is. He'd commit +any crime up to and including genocide +to keep off it."</p> + +<p>She gave a quick skip to get into +step with him. "Then why's he filled +the Palace with these blackcoats? Is +Rod all right?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly all right; he's somewhere +out in the mountains, keeping +Harv Dorflay out of mischief."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>They crossed the Session Hall and +took their seats on the double throne; +everybody sat down, and the Prime +Minister, after some formalities, declared +the Plenary Session in being. +Almost at once, one of the Prince-Counselors +was on his feet begging +His Majesty's leave to interrogate the +Government.</p> + +<p>"I wish to ask His Highness the +Minister of Security the meaning of +all this unprecedented disturbance, +both here in the Palace and in the +city," he said.</p> + +<p>Prince Travann rose at once. "Your +Majesty, in reply to the question of +His Venerable Highness," he began, +and then launched himself into an +account of the student riot, the march +to petition the emperor, and the clash +with the nonworking class hooligans. +"As to the affair at the University, I +hesitate to speak on what is really the +concern of His Lordship the Minister +of Education, but as to the fighting +in the city, if it is still going on, I +can assure His Venerable Highness +that the Gendarmes and Security +Guards have it well in hand; the persons +responsible are being rounded +up, and, if the Minister of Justice +concurs, an inquiry will be started +tomorrow."</p> + +<p>The Minister of Justice assured the +Minister of Security that his Ministry +would be quite ready to co-operate in +the inquiry. Count Tammsan then got +up and began talking about the riot +at the University.</p> + +<p>"What did happen, Paul?" Marris +whispered.</p> + +<p>"Chancellor Khane sacked a science +professor for being too interested in +science. The <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's note: original had an apostrophe.">students</ins> didn't like it. +I think Khane's successor will rectify +that. Have a good time at the Flower +Festivals?"</p> + +<p>She raised her fan to hide a grimace. +"I made my schedule," she +said. "Tomorrow, I have fifty more +booked."</p> + +<p>"Your Imperial Majesty!" The +Counselor who had risen paused, to +make sure that he had the Imperial +attention, before continuing: "Inasmuch +as this question also seems to +involve a scientific experiment, I +would suggest that the Ministry of +Science and Technology is also interested<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> +and since there is at present +no Minister holding that portfolio, I +would suggest that the discussion be +continued after a Minister has been +elected."</p> + +<p>The Minister of Health and Sanity +jumped to his feet.</p> + +<p>"Your Imperial Majesty; permit me +to concur with the proposal of His +Venerable Highness, and to extend +it with the subproposal that the Ministry +of Science and Technology be +abolished, and its functions and personnel +divided among the other Ministries, +specifically those of Education +and of Economics."</p> + +<p>The Minister of Fine Arts was up +before he was fully seated.</p> + +<p>"Your Imperial Majesty; permit +me to concur with the proposal of +Count Guilfred, and to extend it +further with the proposal that the +Ministry of Defense, now also vacant, +be likewise abolished, and its +functions and personnel added to the +Ministry of Security under His Highness +Prince Travann."</p> + +<p>So that was it! Marris, beside him, +said, "Well!" He had long ago discovered +that she could pack more +meaning into that monosyllable than +the average counselor could into a +half-hour's speech. Prince Ganzay +was thunderstruck, and from the +Bench of Counselors six or eight +voices were babbling loudly at once. +Four Ministers were on their feet +clamoring for recognition; Count +Duklass of Economics was yelling the +loudest, so he got it.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"Your Imperial Majesty; it would +have been most unseemly in me to +have spoken in favor of the proposal +of Count Guilfred, being an interested +party, but I feel no such hesitation +in concurring with the proposal of +Baron Garatt, the Minister of Fine +Arts. Indeed, I consider it a most +excellent proposal——"</p> + +<p>"And I consider it the most diabolically +dangerous proposal to be made +in this Hall in the last six centuries!" +old Admiral <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note: Original reads 'Geklar'">Gaklar</ins> shouted. "This is +a proposal to concentrate all the armed +force of the Empire in the hands +of one man. Who can say what unscrupulous +use might be made of +such power?"</p> + +<p>"Are you intimating, Prince-Counselor, +that Prince Travann is contemplating +some <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'tyranical'">tyrannical</ins> or subversive +use of such power?" Count +Tammsan, of all people, demanded.</p> + +<p>There was a concerted gasp at that; +about half the Plenary Session were +absolutely sure that he was. Admiral +Geklar backed quickly away from the +question.</p> + +<p>"Prince Travann will not be the +last Minister of Security," he said.</p> + +<p>"What I was about to say, Your +Majesty, is that as matters stand, +Security has a virtual monopoly on +armed power on this planet. When +these disorders in the city—which +Prince Travann's men are now bringing +under control—broke out, there +was, I am informed, an order sent +out to bring Regular Army and +Planetary Militia into Asgard. It will +be hours before any of the former +can arrive, and at least a day before +the latter can even be mobilized. By<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> +the time any of them get here, there +will be nothing for them to do. Is that +not correct, Prince Ganzay?"</p> + +<p>The Prime Minister looked at him +angrily, stung by the realization that +somebody else had a personal intelligence +service as good as his own, +then swallowed his anger and assented.</p> + +<p>"Furthermore," Count Duklass +continued, "the Ministry of Defense, +itself, is an anachronism, which no +doubt accounts for the condition in +which we now find it. The Empire +has no external enemies whatever; all +our defense problems are problems of +internal security. Let us therefore turn +the facilities over to the Ministry responsible +for the tasks."</p> + +<p>The debate went on and on; he +paid less and less attention to it, and +it became increasingly obvious that +opposition to the proposition was +dwindling. Cries of, "Vote! Vote!" +began to be heard from its supporters. +Prince Ganzay rose from his desk and +came to the throne.</p> + +<p>"Your Imperial Majesty," he said +softly. "I am opposed to this proposition, +but I am convinced that enough +favor it to pass it, even over Your +Majesty's veto. Before the vote is +called, does Your Majesty wish my +resignation?"</p> + +<p>He rose and stepped down beside +the Prime Minister, putting an arm +over Prince Ganzay's shoulder.</p> + +<p>"Far from it, old friend," he said, +in a distinctly audible voice. "I will +have too much need for you. But, as +for the proposal, I don't oppose it. I +think it an excellent one; it has my +approval." He lowered his voice. "As +soon as it's passed, place General +Dorflay's name in nomination."</p> + +<p>The Prime Minister looked at him +sadly for a moment, then nodded, +returning to his desk, where he rapped +for order and called for the vote.</p> + +<p>"Well, if you can't lick them, join +them," Marris said as he sat down +beside her. "And if they start chasing +you, just yell, 'There he goes; follow +me!'"</p> + +<p>The proposal carried, almost unanimously. +Prince Ganzay then presented +the name of Captain-General Dorflay +for elevation to the Bench of Counselors, +and the emperor decreed it. +As soon as the Session was adjourned +and he could do so, he slipped out +the little door behind the throne, into +an elevator.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>In the room at the top of the +Octagon Tower, he laid aside his belt +and dress dagger and unfastened his +tunic, than sat down in his deep chair +and called a serving robot. It was the +one which had brought him his +breakfast, and he greeted it as a +friend; it lit a cigarette for him, and +poured a drink of brandy. For a long +time he sat, smoking and sipping +and looking out the wide window to +the west, where the orange sun was +firing the clouds behind the mountains, +and he realized that he was +abominably tired. Well, no wonder; +more Empire history had been made +today than in the years since he had +come to the Throne.</p> + +<p>Then something behind him clicked. +He turned his head, to see Yorn<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> +Travann emerge from the concealed +elevator. He grinned and lifted his +drink in greeting.</p> + +<p>"I thought you'd be a little late," +he said. "Everybody trying to climb +onto the bandwagon?"</p> + +<p>Yorn Travann came forward, unbuckling +his belt and laying it with +Paul's; he sank into the chair opposite, +and the robot poured him a drink.</p> + +<p>"Well, do you blame them? What +would it have looked like to you, in +their place?"</p> + +<p>"A <i>coup d'etat</i>. For that matter, +wasn't that what it was? Why didn't +you tell me you were springing it?"</p> + +<p>"I didn't spring it; it was sprung +on me. I didn't know a thing about +it till Max Duklass buttonholed me +down by the landing stage. I'd intended +fighting this proposal to partition +Science and Technology, but +this riot blew up and scared Duklass +and Tammsan and Guilfred and the +rest of them. They weren't too sure +of their majority—that's why they +had the election postponed a couple +of times—but they were sure that the +riot would turn some of the undecided +Counselors against them. So they +offered to back me to take over Defense +in exchange for my supporting +their proposal. It looked too good to +pass up."</p> + +<p>"Even at the price of wrecking +Science and Technology?"</p> + +<p>"It was wrecked, or left to rust +into uselessness, long ago. The main +function of Technology has been to +suppress anything that might threaten +this state of economic <i>rigor mortis</i> +that <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber's note: original reads 'Duklas'">Duklass</ins> calls stability, and the +function of Science has been to let +muttonheads like Khane and Dandrik +dominate the teaching of science. +Well, Defense has its own scientific +and technical sections, and when we +come to carving the bird, Duklass and +Tammsan are going to see a lot of +slices going onto my plate."</p> + +<p>"And when it's all cut up, it will +be discovered that there is no provision +for original research. So it will +please My Majesty to institute an +Imperial Office of Scientific Research, +independent of any Ministry, and +guess who'll be named to head it."</p> + +<p>"Faress. And, by the way, we're all +set on Khane, too. First Citizen Yaggo +is as delighted to have him as we +are to get rid of him. Why don't we +get Vann Evaratt back, and give him +the job?"</p> + +<p>"Good. If he takes charge there at +the opening of the next academic +year, in ten years we'll have a thousand +young men, maybe ten times +that many, who won't be afraid of +new things and new ideas. But the +main thing is that now you have +Defense, and now the plan can really +start firing all jets."</p> + +<p>"Yes." Yorn Travann got out his +cigarettes and lit one. Paul glanced at +the robot, hoping that its feelings +hadn't been hurt. "All these native +uprisings I've been blowing up out +of inter-tribal knife fights, and all +these civil wars my people have been +manufacturing; there'll be more of +them, and I'll start yelling my head +off for an adequate Space Navy, and +after we get it, these local troubles +will all stop, and then what'll we be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> +expected to do? Scrap the ships?"</p> + +<p>They both knew what would be +done with some of them. It would +have to be done stealthily, while nobody +was looking, but some of those +ships would go far beyond the boundaries +of the Empire, and new things +would happen. New worlds, new +problems. Great and frightening +changes.</p> + +<p>"Paul, we agreed upon this long +ago, when we were still boys at the +University. The Empire stopped +growing, and when things stop growing, +they start dying, the death of +petrifaction. And when petrifaction is +complete, the cracking and the +crumbling starts, and there's no way +of stopping it. But if we can get +people out onto new planets, the Empire +won't die; it'll start growing +again."</p> + +<p>"You didn't start that thing at the +University, this morning, yourself, +did you?"</p> + +<p>"Not the student riot, no. But the +hooligan attack, yes. That was some +of my own men. The real hooligans +began looting after Handrosan had +gotten the students out of the district. +We collared all of them, including +their boss, Nutchy the Knife, right +away, and as soon as we did that, Big +Moogie and Zikko the Nose tried to +move in. We're cleaning them up +now. By tomorrow morning there +won't be one of these nonworkers' +voting blocks left in Asgard, and by +the end of the week they'll be cleaned +up all over Odin. I have discovered +a plot, and they're all involved in it."</p> + +<p>"Wait a moment." Paul got to his +feet. "That reminds me; Harv Dorflay's +hiding Rod and Olva out in +the mountains. I wanted him out of +here while things were happening. +I'll have to call him and tell him it's +safe to come in, now."</p> + +<p>"Well, zip up your tunic and put +your dagger on; you look as though +you'd been arrested, disarmed and +searched."</p> + +<p>"That's right." He hastily repaired +his appearance and went to the screen +across the room, punching out the +combination of the screen with Rodrik's +picnic party.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>A young lieutenant of the Household +Troops appeared in it, and had +to be reassured. He got General +Dorflay.</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty! You are all right?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly all right, general, and +it's quite safe to bring His Imperial +Highness in. The conspiracy against +the Throne has been crushed."</p> + +<p>"Oh, thank the gods! Is Prince +Travann a prisoner?"</p> + +<p>"Quite the contrary, general. It +was our loyal and devoted subject, +Prince Travann, who crushed the conspiracy."</p> + +<p>"But—But, Your Majesty——!"</p> + +<p>"You aren't to be blamed for suspecting +him, general. His agents +were working in the very innermost +councils of the conspirators. Every +one of the people whom you suspected—with +excellent reason—was actually +working to defeat the plot. +Think back, general; the scheme to +put the gun in the viewscreen, the +scheme to sabotage the elevator, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> +scheme to introduce assassins into the +orchestra with guns built into their +trumpets—every one came to your +notice because of what seemed to be +some indiscretion of the plotters, +didn't it?"</p> + +<p>"Why ... why, yes, Your Majesty!" +By this time tomorrow, he would +have a complete set of memories for +each one of them. "You mean, the +indiscretions were deliberate?"</p> + +<p>"Your vigilance and loyalty made +it necessary for them to resort to +these fantastic expedients, and your +vigilance defeated them as fast as +they came to your notice. Well, today, +Prince Travann and I struck back. I +may tell you, in confidence, that every +one of the conspirators is dead. Killed +in this afternoon's rioting—which +was incited for that purpose by Prince +Travann."</p> + +<p>"Then—— Then there will be no +more plots against your life?" There +was a note of regret in the old man's +voice.</p> + +<p>"No more, Your Venerable Highness."</p> + +<p>"But—— What did Your Majesty +call me?" he asked incredulously.</p> + +<p>"I took the honor of being the first +to address you by your new title, +Prince-Counselor Dorflay."</p> + +<p>He left the old man overcome, and +blubbering happily on the shoulder +of the Crown Prince, who winked +at his father out of the screen. Prince +Travann had gotten a couple of fresh +drinks from the robot and handed +one to him when he returned to his +chair.</p> + +<p>"He'll be finding the Bench of +Counselors riddled with treason inside +a week," Travann said. "You +handled that just right, though. Another +case of making problems solve +each other."</p> + +<p>"You were telling me about a plot +you'd discovered."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes: this is one to top Dorflay's +best efforts. All the voting-bloc +bosses on Odin are in a conspiracy +to start a civil war to give them a +chance to loot the planet. There isn't +a word of truth in it, of course, but +it'll do to arrest and hold them for +a few days, and by that time some of +my undercovers will be in control of +every nonworker vote on the planet. +After all, the Cartels put an end to +competition in every other business; +why not a Voting Cartel, too? Then, +whenever there's an election, we just +advertise for bids."</p> + +<p>"Why, that would mean absolute +control——"</p> + +<p>"Of the nonworking vote, yes. And +I'll guarantee, personally, that in five +years the politics of Odin will have +become so unbearably corrupt and +abusive that the intellectuals, the +technicians, the business people, even +the nobility, will be flocking to the +polls to vote, and if only half of +them turn out, they'll snow the nonworkers +under. And that'll mean, +eventually, an end to vote-selling, and +the nonworkers'll have to find work. +We'll find it for them."</p> + +<p>"Great and frightening changes." +Yorn Travann laughed; he recognized +the phrase. Probably started it himself. +Paul lifted his glass. "To the +Minister of Disturbance!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Your Majesty!" They drank to +each other, and then Yorn Travann +said, "We had a lot of wild dreams, +when we were boys; it looks as +though we're starting to make some +of them come true. You know, when +we were in the University, the students +would never have done what +they did today. They didn't even do +it ten years ago, when Vann Evaratt +was dismissed."</p> + +<p>"And Van Evaratt's pupil came +back to Odin and touched this whole +thing off." He thought for a moment. +"I wonder what Faress has, in +that anticipation effect."</p> + +<p>"I think I can see what can come +out of it. If he can propagate a wave +that behaves like those micropositos, +we may not have to depend on ships +for communication. We may be +able, some day, to screen Baldur or +Vishnu or Aton or Thor as easily as +you screened Dorflay, up in the mountains." +He thought silently for a moment. +"I don't know whether that +would be good or bad. But it would +be new, and that's what matters. +That's the only thing that matters."</p> + +<p>"Flower Festivals," Paul said, and, +when Yorn Travann wanted to know +what he meant, he told him. "When +Princess Olva's Empress, she's going +to curse the name of Klenn Faress. +Flower Festivals, all around the galaxy, +without end."</p> + + +<h3>THE END</h3> + +<hr /> + +<div class="bbox"> +<h4>Transcriber's Note & Errata</h4> + +<p>The original page numbers from the magazine were retained.</p> + +<p>There were 2 instances of 'cooking-robot' and one of 'cooking robot'.</p> + +<p>There was one instance of 'patriarchial' on page 11, which was not corrected.</p> + +<p>The following typographical errors were corrected:</p> + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr style="font-weight:bold"><td align='left'>Page</td><td align='left'>Error</td><td align='left'>Correction</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>22</td><td align='left'>attion</td><td align='left'>attention</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>26</td><td align='left'>Ranuf's</td><td align='left'>Ranulf's</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>32</td><td align='left'>Tammsen</td><td align='left'>Tammsan</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>36</td><td align='left'>rerespectable</td><td align='left'>respectable</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>40</td><td align='left'>student's</td><td align='left'>students</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>41</td><td align='left'>Geklar</td><td align='left'>Gaklar</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>41</td><td align='left'>tyranical</td><td align='left'>tyrannical</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>43</td><td align='left'>Duklas</td><td align='left'>Duklass</td></tr> +</table></div> +</div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Ministry of Disturbance, by Henry Beam Piper + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MINISTRY OF DISTURBANCE *** + +***** This file should be named 20659-h.htm or 20659-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/0/6/5/20659/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, LN Yaddanapudi and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/20659-h/images/illus-000.png b/20659-h/images/illus-000.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c0ff227 --- /dev/null +++ b/20659-h/images/illus-000.png diff --git a/20659-h/images/illus-003.png b/20659-h/images/illus-003.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..38ed62e --- /dev/null +++ b/20659-h/images/illus-003.png diff --git a/20659-h/images/illus-012.png b/20659-h/images/illus-012.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..480da3a --- /dev/null +++ b/20659-h/images/illus-012.png diff --git a/20659-h/images/illus-021.png b/20659-h/images/illus-021.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..27e939a --- /dev/null +++ b/20659-h/images/illus-021.png diff --git a/20659-h/images/illus-030.png b/20659-h/images/illus-030.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..00a4401 --- /dev/null +++ b/20659-h/images/illus-030.png |
