king these young Primes into
shape is, as your idiom has it, 'strictly our dish.' It is a truly
delicious thought.

"You two, on the other hand, have much that we lack. Breadth and depth
and scope of imagination and of vision; yet almost incredible will-power
and stamina and resolve...."

"_That's the word I was trying to think of--will-power_," Belle flashed
a thought at Garlock.

"... qualities virtually always mutually exclusive; but the combination
of which makes your fusion uniquely qualified to lead and direct this
new and magnificent movement. But Therea and I have been idle and
frustrated far too long. We can be of most use, at the moment, on
Margonia; working with the Fao-Deggi unit. Therefore, with renewed deep
thanks, we go."

* * *

Man and wife disappeared; and, ten seconds later, the Thakern starship
vanished from its world.

"Well, _what_ do you think of _that_?" Belle gasped. "I was actually
afraid to think, even behind a Prime screen. I don't know _yet_ whether
I want to kiss 'em or kill 'em."

"I do. That guy is really a Prime, Belle. He's older, bigger, and a lot
better than I am."

"Uh-uh," she demurred, positively. "Older, yes. More mature--you _baby_,
you!" She snickered gleefully. "If he hadn't included you in that crack
I'd've stabbed him, so help me, even though it wasn't true. He said
himself it's _you_ who has got what it takes to lead and direct, not
him."

"Us. We, I mean," he corrected, absently.

"Uh-huh; us-we. One, now and forever. Hot Dog! Anyway, he wants us to
and we want to so everything's lovely and so let's get to work on Fatso
and his Foster. I think we ought to have some fun for a change and
that'll be a lot. When do we want to hit him?"

"Any day Monday through Friday. Nine-fifteen A.M. Eastern Daylight time.
Plus or minus one minute."

"Nice! Catch him _in flagrante delicto_. Lovely--shovel on the coal, my
intrepid engineer!"

On a Wednesday morning, then, at twelve minutes past nine EDT, the
_Pleiades_ hung poised, high over the Chancellery of Solar System
Enterprises, Incorporated.

"Remember, Belle!" Garlock was pacing the Main. "To keep 'em staggering
we'll have to land slugging and beat 'em to every punch. You did a
wonderful job on her last time, and it's been eating on her ever since.
She's probably been rehearsing in front of a mirror just how she's going
to tear you apart next time and just how she's going to spit out the