ur
ship has Dillinghams, why not take a little longer and go to a good
planet? So nobody bothered with Abaddon."

But for Dunnan's purpose, it would be perfect. He called Prince
Bentrik and Alvyn Karffard to him; they found the idea instantly
convincing. They talked about it through dinner, and held a general
discussion afterward. Even Guatt Kirbey, the ship's pessimist, could
find no objection to it. Trask and Bentrik began at once making
battle plans. Karffard wondered if they hadn't better wait till they
got to Gimli and discuss it with the others.

"No," Trask told him. "This is the flagship; here's where the
strategy is decided."

"Well, how about the Mardukan Navy?" Captain Rainer asked. "I think
Fleet Admiral Bargham's in command at Gimli."

Prince Simon Bentrik was silent for a moment, as though he realized,
with reluctance, that the big decision was no longer avoidable.

"He may be, at present, but he won't be when I get there. I will be."

"But ... Your Highness, he's a fleet admiral; you're just a
commodore."

"I am not just a commodore. The King is a prisoner, and for all we
know dead. The Crown Prince is dead. The Princess Myrna is a child.
I am assuming the position of Regent and Prince-Protector of the Realm."

XXVI

There was a little difficulty on Gimli with Fleet Admiral Bargham.
Commodores didn't give orders to fleet admirals. Well, maybe regents
did, but who gave Prince Bentrik authority to call himself regent?
Regents were elected by the Chamber of Delegates, on nomination of
the Chancellor.

"That's Zaspar Makann and his stooges you're talking about?" Bentrik
laughed.

"Well, the Constitution...." He thought better of that, before
somebody asked him what Constitution. "Well, a Regent has to be
chosen by election. Even members of the Royal Family can't just
make themselves Regent by saying they are."

"I can. I just have. And I don't think there are going to be many
more elections, at least for the present. Not till we make sure the
people of Marduk can be trusted with the control of the government."

"Well, the pinnace from Moonbase reported that there were six Royal
navy battleships and four other craft attacking them," Bargham
objected. "I only have four ships here; I sent for the ones on the
other trade-planets, but I haven't heard from any of them. We can't
go there with only four ships."

"Sixteen ships," Bentrik corrected. "No, fifteen and one Gilgamesher
we're usi