gaffers we have aboard are the intellectual top crust among the natives.
Any of them can think rings around your Government school products. As
for preying on the ignorance and credulity of the other natives, they're
only infinitesimally less ignorant and credulous themselves. But they
want to learn--from anybody who can gain their respect by respecting
them."

Edith Shaw didn't say anything in reply. She was thoughtful during the
rest of the meal, and when they were back on the observation deck he
noticed that she seemed to be looking at the shoonoon with new eyes.

In the screen-views of Bluelake, Beta had already set, and the sky was
fading; stars had begun to twinkle. There were more fires--one, close to
the city in the east, a regular conflagration--and fighting had broken
out in the native city itself. He was wishing now, that he hadn't
thought it necessary to use those screens. The shoonoon were noticing
what was going on in them, and talking among themselves. Travis, after
one look at the situation, hurried back to the bridge to make a
screen-call. After a while, he returned, almost crackling with
suppressed excitement.

"Well, it's finally happened! Maith's forced Kovac to declare martial
rule!" he said in an exultant undertone.

"Forced him?" Edith was puzzled. "The Army can't force the Civil
Government--"

"He threatened to do it himself. Intervene and suspend civil rule."

"But I thought only the Navy could do that."

"Any planetary commander of Armed Forces can, in a state of extreme
emergency. I think you'll both agree that this emergency is about as
extreme as they come. Kovac knew that Maith was unwilling to do it--he'd
have to stand court-martial to justify his action--but he also knew that
a governor general who has his Colony taken away from him by the Armed
Forces never gets it back; he's finished. So it was just a case of the
weaker man in the weaker position yielding."

"Where does this put us?"

"We are a civilian scientific project. You are under orders of General
Maith. I am under your orders. I don't know about Edith."

"Can I draft her, or do I have to get you to get General Maith to do
it?"

"Listen, don't do that," Edith protested. "I still have to work for
Government House, and this martial rule won't last forever. They'll all
be prejudiced against me--"

"You can shove your Government job on the air lock," Miles told her.
"You'll have a better one with Planetwide News, at ha