with the common people."

Joro laughed, a little impatiently.

"True, true! But after all, what does the support of the people amount
to? They are powerless. If you are ever to establish your royal house
you must have other help."

"And I suppose," Sira continued sweetly, "that you have also arranged
a deal with the central banks and the secret war interests?"

Joro coughed uncomfortably.

"As a matter of fact--you see, my dear princess, there are certain
commercial interests--transportation, mining, and so forth. They have
defied the power of the bankers. They are likely to upset our whole
order of society. They need a set-back. And the military men are
chafing at their inaction. The war will be ended before too much harm
is done, by agreement of the interplanetary bankers. You see--"

"No!" Sira interrupted him coldly. "No! No! No! Oh, I'm sick of the
whole thing! I'm sick of the men I know! I hate Scar Balta, and you
too. I would rather be the wife of a common interplanetary patrolman
than queen of Mars! I withdraw, now!"

* * * * *

Joro, struck by her vehemence, paled. The muscles of his jaw lumped.
From a pocket he took a portable disk-radio, an inch in diameter, and
spoke a few words. From outside there was a sudden uproar, shouts and
curses. The draperies moved, as with an outrush of air caused by the
careless handling of an airlock, and the temperature dropped suddenly.

Sira was irresolute only a split second. With a cat-like leap she
seized a short sword from the wall, made a lunge at the prince. But
Joro, the veteran of many a battle of wits and arms, parried the
stroke with the thick barrel of his neuro-pistol, caught the girl's
wrist and disarmed her. The screams of the maid went unheeded.

From the other parts of the palace came sounds of struggle, the
clashing of sword on sword.

"Sira! Sira!" Joro panted, struggling to hold the girl. "You must
give up your impractical ideas! Take the world as it is. Do as I tell
you and you'll not be sorry."

"I relinquish my claims!" the girl cried fiercely. "To-morrow I will
publicly announce that decision. All my life has been spent feeding
that hopeless ambition. Now I will be free!"

"I am loyal to the monarchy," Joro grunted, pinioning her arms at
last. "I will guard your interest against yourself."

He began to shout:

"Hendricks, Mervin, Carpender, Nassus! Here, to the princess's
chamber."

Several men, after