n ... asleep
most of the time."

"I understand, Mr. Holliday. I didn't really expect you had under the
circumstances. The situation is this:

"Some time ago, our survey ships, working out in their usual expanding
pattern, encountered an alien civilization on a world designated Moore
II on our maps, and which the natives call Dovenil. It was largely a
routine matter, no different from any other alien contact which we've
had. They had a relatively high technology, embracing the beginnings of
interplanetary flight, and our contact teams were soon able to work out
a diplomatic status mutually satisfactory to both.

"Social observers were exchanged, in accordance with the usual practice,
and everything seemed to be going well."

Holliday nodded out of painful politeness, not seeing the connection
with himself. Some of his nervousness was beginning to fade, but it was
impossible for him to be really at ease with so many people near him,
with all of Earth's billions lurking at the edge of the tarmac.

"However," Marlowe went on as quickly as he could, "today, our
representative was deported on a trumped-up charge. Undoubtedly, this is
only the first move in some complicated scheme directed against the
Union. What it is, we do not yet know, but further observation of the
actions of their own representative on this planet has convinced us that
they are a clever, ruthless people, living in a society which would have
put Machiavelli to shame. They are single-minded of purpose, and welded
into a tight group whose major purpose in life is the service of the
state in its major purpose, which, by all indications, is that of
eventually dominating the universe.

"You know our libertarian society. You know that the Union government is
almost powerless, and that the Union itself is nothing but a loose
federation composed of a large number of independent nations tied
together by very little more than the fact that we are all Earthmen.

"We are almost helpless in the face of such a nation as the Dovenilids.
They have already outmaneuvered us once, despite our best efforts. There
is no sign that they will not be able to do so again, at will.

"We must, somehow, discover what the Dovenilids intend to do next. For
this reason, I earnestly request that you accept our offer of another
planet than the one you have optioned, closer to the Dovenilid system.
We are willing, under these extraordinary circumstances, to consider
your credit su