e section. Jaikark's troops are busy making
mass arrests. Either more slaves for the King's court favorites or
else our Prime Minister Gurgurk wants to use them for patronage."

Blount nodded. "Gurgurk's building quite a political organization,
lately. He must be about ready to shove Jaikark off the throne."

"Oh, Gurgurk wouldn't dare try anything like that," Harrington said.
"He knows we wouldn't let him get away with it."

"Then why's he subsidizing this Mad Prophet Rakkeed?" Blount wanted to
know. "Rakkeed is preaching a holy war against all Terrans and against
Jaikark. Gurgurk subsidizes Rakkeed, and...."

"You haven't any proof of that," the governor protested.

Blount shrugged, his face looking grim. Von Schlichten knew how he
felt. They couldn't prove it, but both knew that Rakkeed had been
getting funds from the hands of Gurgurk. The prophet had been stepping
up his crusade against the Terrans, and Gurgurk wasn't the only one
backing him. The Prime Minister probably figured on using Rakkeed to
stir up an outbreak; then Gurgurk could step in, after Jaikark was
killed, put down the revolt he helped incite, and claim to be the best
friend of the Company. But the question was whether Rakkeed could be
used that way. He was becoming more of a menace than Gurgurk could
ever be. Everywhere they turned, Rakkeed was at the bottom of their
trouble--just in this case, where Keeluk was one of Rakkeed's
followers.

His power seemed to be growing, too. There were rumors that he had
been entertained at the palace in Keegark, just as he was usually
entertained by the big shipowning nobles here at Konkrook; come to
think of it, the last time here, he'd been guest of the Keegarkan
ambassador. He went all over Ullr, crusading, traveling coolie-class
in disguise on Company ships, according to their best information.

Blount sighed heavily. "This damned dog business worries me."

"Worries me, too," Harrington said. "I'm fond of that mutt, and God
only knows what sort of stuff he's been getting to eat."

"I'm a lot more worried about why Keeluk was hiding him, and why he
was willing to murder the only two Terrans on Konkrook who trust him,
to prevent our finding out he had Stalin," Blount struck in.

Von Schlichten chain-lit another cigarette and stubbed out the old
one. "Maybe Keeluk turned him over to Rakkeed to kill before a
congregation of his followers--killing us in effigy. Or maybe they
figure we worship Stalin, and