a few years ago. Organizing a mutineering
conspiracy in the Royal Mardukan Navy. After Admiral Shefter was
forcibly retired and shut up in an insane asylum, I disappeared
and turned into a civilian contragravity-lifter operator at the
Malverton Navy Yard. Finally, when I was suspected, one of the
officers--he was arrested and tortured to death later--managed
to smuggle me onto a lighter for the Moonbase. I was an orderly
in the hospital there. The day the Crown Prince was murdered, we
had a mutiny of our own. We killed everybody we even suspected of
being a Makannist. The Moonbase has been under attack from the
planet ever since."

There was a stir behind him; turning, he saw Princess Bentrik and
the boy enter the room. He rose.

"We'll talk about this later. There are some people here...."

He motioned them forward and turned away, shoo-ing everybody else
out of the room.

* * * * *

The news was all over Rivington, and then all over Tanith, while
the pinnace was still coming down. There was a crowd at the
spaceport, staring as the little craft, with its blazon of the
crowned and planet-throned dragon, settled onto its landing legs,
and reporters of the Tanith News Service with their screen pickups.
He met Prince Bentrik, a little in advance of the others, and
managed to whisper to him hastily:

"While you're talking to anybody here, always remember that Andray
Dunnan is working with Zaspar Makann, and as soon as Makann
consolidates his position he's sending an expedition against
Tanith."

"How in blazes did you find that out, here?" Bentrik demanded.
"From the Gilgameshers?"

Then Harkaman and Rathmore and Valkanhayn and Lothar Ffayle and
the others were crowding up behind, and more people were coming off
the pinnace, and Prince Bentrik was trying to embrace both his wife
and his son at the same time.

"Prince Trask." He started at the voice, and was looking into deep
blue eyes under coal-black hair. His pulse gave a sudden jump, and
he said, "Valerie!" and then, "Lady Alvarath; I'm most happy to see
you here." Then he saw who was beside her, and squatted on his heels
to bring himself down to a convenient size. "And Princess Myrna.
Welcome to Tanith, Your Highness!"

The child flung her arms around his neck. "Oh, Prince Lucas! I'm so
glad to see you. There's been such awful things happened!"

"There won't be anything awful happen here, Princess Myrna. You are
among frie