The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Outbreak of Peace, by Horace Brown Fyfe

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Title: The Outbreak of Peace

Author: Horace Brown Fyfe

Illustrator: van Dongen

Release Date: September 14, 2009 [EBook #29989]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Transcriber's Note:

This etext was produced from Analog Science Fact & Fiction February 1961.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on
this publication was renewed.

THE OUTBREAK ... PEACE

THE OUTBREAK OF PEACE

By H. B. FYFE

Illustrated by van Dongen

_When properly conducted, a diplomatic mission can turn the
most smashing of battle-successes into a fabulous Pyrrhic
victory._

* * * * *

It was a great pity, Space Marshal Wilbur Hennings reflected, as he
gazed through the one-way glass of the balcony door, that the local
citizens had insisted upon decorating the square before their capitol
with the hulk of the first spaceship ever to have landed on Pollux V.

A hundred and fifty years probably seemed impressive to them, amid the
explosive spread of Terran colonies and federations. Actually, in the
marshal's opinion, it was merely long enough to reveal such symbols as
more than antiquated but less than historically precious.

"I presume you plan to have me march past that heap!" he complained,
tugging at the extremely "historical" sword that completed the effect
of his dazzling white and gold uniform.

Commodore Miller, his aide, stiffened nervously.

"Around to the right of it, sir," he gestured. "As you see, the local
military are already keeping the route clear of onlookers. We thought
it would be most impressive if your party were to descend the outer
stairway from the palace balcony here ... to heighten the importance
of--"

"To draw out the pomp and circ