* *

There is no need to go into detail concerning the reception and
celebration. On Earth, one inauguration of a president and one
coronation of a monarch were each almost as well covered by
broadcasters, if not as turbulently and enthusiastically prolonged. From
the _Pleiades_ they went to the Administration Building, where an
informal reception was held. Thence to the Capitol, where the reception
was very formal indeed. Thence to the Grand Ballroom of the city's
largest hotel, where a tremendous--and long-winded--banquet was served.

At Garlock's request, all sixteen members of the "crackpot" group--the
most active members of the Deep Space Club--had been invited to the
banquet. And, even though Garlock was a very busy man, his talker tuned
in to each one of the sixteen, tuned them all to the Galactic Admiral,
and in odd moments a great deal of business was done.

After being told most of the story--in tight-beamed thoughts that ComOff
Flurnoy could not receive--the whole group was wildly enthusiastic. They
would change the name of their club forthwith to The Galaxian Society Of
Margonia. They laid plans for a world-wide organization which would have
tremendous prestige and tremendous income. They already had a
field--Garlock knew about their ship--they wanted the _Pleiades_ to move
over to it as soon as possible--Yes, Garlock thought he could do it the
following day--if not, as soon as he could....

* * *

The _Pleiades_ had landed at ten o'clock in the forenoon, local time;
the banquet did not come to an end until long after midnight. Throughout
all this time the four Galaxians carried on, without a slip, the act
that all this was, to them, old stuff.

It was just a little before daylight when they returned, exhausted, to
the ship. ComOff Flurnoy went with them. She was still agog at the
wonder of it all as Belle and Brownie showed her to her quarters.

CHAPTER 7

Since everyone, including the ebullient ComOff, slept late the following
morning, they all had brunch instead of breakfast and lunch. All during
the meal Garlock was preoccupied and stern.

"Hold everything for a while, Jim," he said, when everyone had eaten.
"Before we move, Belle and I have got to have a conference."

"Not a Fatso Ferber nine-o'clock type, I hope." James frowned in mock
reproach and ComOff Flurnoy cocked an eyebrow in surprise.
"Monkey-business on company time is only for Big S