ates with the call sign and the Communications List. I added
these to the message and forwarded the request to the Patrol Duty
Officer for his action.

There was no visual on the call, but the voice sounded urgent. I relayed
the request without requiring special authentication, since the station
was precisely on the correct settings, no inimical culture is known to
be operating in this sector, and the coded call was correct. At the
time, I had no way of suspecting that this was not a genuine emergency
call.

Florand Anremdor
Comm. 1/c

CERTIFICATE

I, Captain Binkar Morancos, am assigned to the 334th Vector, which is
presently under the orders of the Commander, Sector Nine.

I was assigned as Sector Patrol Duty Officer at 261.0200, when a message
was relayed from Increment Four, requesting emergency condensation on a
planet in that increment. I checked the co-ordinates and data furnished,
consulted the situation chart, and instructed Cruiser P-4730, Captain
Klorantel commanding, to carry out the mission.

Since the message came through normal channels, I had no doubt as to its
authenticity, and treated it as routine. I felt that the cruiser
commander could deal with the matter at his discretion.

Binkar Morancos
Capt. StG(C)

CERTIFICATE

I, Captain Corrondao Klorantel, am in command of the Stellar Guard
Cruiser _Myloren_, number P-4730. I am assigned to duty with the 334th
Vector, which is operating in Sector Nine.

The _Myloren_ was on routine patrol in the Fourth Increment at 261.0203,
when a message was received from Sector Headquarters, giving
co-ordinates on Planet 3-G3-9/4871, with a request for emergency
condensation. I proceeded to the subject planet and took position
outside the atmosphere. Visual checks failed to show any emergency
condition on the surface, though a burned-out area was noted in the
forest a short distance to the planetary south of the station concerned.
A call was made to the resident station, requesting clarification of the
request, and the answer proved to be unsatisfactory.

There was no visual transmission, and the voice was strongly accented.
The message gave insufficient data for action, contained no
identification, and was in improper form for station-to-ship contact. I
decided to make contact by other means, a