the right of direct appeal to the Sovereign
if you don't think there's any other solution."

Cortin stared at her, bemused. "It can't be that simple!"

They were interrupted by Sis and Matthew entering with the coffee
service. Sis pulled up a chair opposite Cortin while Matthew served;
when he left, Sis asked, "What can't be how simple?"

Cortin recapped the conversation, seeing Sis' growing hope. "What do
you think?" she asked at last.

"The same thing I believe you do," the nun replied. "Either you or
King Mark should call the Emperor and request Ranger Medart's
assistance in determining our position in regard to the Empire."

"Mike?" Cortin asked.

"Agreed. Though His Majesty's not likely to either do it or be willing
for you to, despite--" He broke off, glancing at the Imperial, and
finished, "the regard he holds you in personally."

Cortin grimaced. "True; His Majesty's even more apprehensive about the
Empire than I am. That means it's up to me."

Odeon nodded. "I agree."

"Good." Cortin turned her attention to the Imperial. "Now, Miss
Conley, how do I go about contacting your Emperor?"

"You call the Palace--you must have ultrawave?"

"Yes. We avoid transmitting on your frequencies, of course, but we can
use them; we do monitor. I believe your contact channel is One?"

"Yes, sir. Do you know the access codes?"

"No; do you?"

"Of course. I can punch them in for you, if you'd like."

"I'd appreciate that." Cortin led the younger woman to a small table
beside the door; it held both a telephone and one of the rare private
ultrawave terminals. "Go ahead."

Conley did so, rapidly going through a number of screens till she got
one that seemed to read "Palace" in the odd Imperial English letters.
"Okay, Colonel. When Palace Comm answers, explain to them; they'll
probably transfer you to someone in the Admin Service, but if Emperor
Davis was given our message, he may want to speak to you directly."

"Thank you, Miss Conley." It was only a few seconds before the screen
cleared, to show a human operator.

"Palace Comm," the man said. "How can I help you?"

"I am Colonel Joan Cortin, High King's Inquisitor for the Kingdom
Systems. The crew of your scoutship Columbus is in my custody--"

"One moment, please, Colonel," the operator interrupted. "His Majesty
left orders that any communications about the Columbus be transferred
directly to him."

The screen blanked for several seco