understand the last time you
and the Duke of Fluel met, he woke up with lumps."

"The Duke doesn't love me," Quillan admitted. "But there's nothing
personal between me and Movaine or Marras Cooms--and I'll have a
message for Movaine."

"What kind of a message?"

"I'll have to play that by ear a little. It depends on how things
look in there. But I have a few ideas, based on what you've learned of
the operation. Now, just what I can do when I get that far, I don't
know yet. I'll simply try to louse the deal up as much as I can. That
may take time, and, of course, it might turn out to be impossible to
get word out to you."

"So what do we do meanwhile?" Reetal asked. "If we start lining up our
attack group immediately, and then there's no action for another five
or six hours, there's always the chance of a leak, with around twenty
people in the know."

"And if there's a leak," Quillan agreed, "we've probably had it. No,
you'd better wait with that! If I'm not out, and you haven't heard
from me before the _Camelot_'s actually due to dock, Heraga can still
take the group--everyone but yourself--in as scheduled."

"Why everyone but me?" Reetal asked.

"If nothing else works, you might find some way of getting a warning
to the liner's security force after they've docked. It isn't much of a
possibility, but we can't afford to throw it away."

"Yes, I see." Reetal looked reflective. "What do you think, Heraga?"

The little man shrugged. "You told me that Mr. Quillan is not
inexperienced in dealing with, ah, his enemies. If he feels he might
accomplish something in the Executive Block, I'm in favor of the plan.
The situation certainly could hardly become worse."

"That's the spirit!" Quillan approved. "The positive outlook--that's
what a think like this mainly takes. Can you arrange for the diner and
the uniform?"

"Oh, yes," Heraga said, "I've had myself put in charge of that detail,
naturally."

"Then what can you tell me about the Executive Block's layout?"

Reetal stood up. "Come over to the desk," she said. "We've got
diagrams."

* * * * *

"The five levels, as you see," Heraga was explaining a few moments
later, "are built directly into the curve of the Star's shells. Level
Five, on the top, is therefore quite small. The other levels are
fairly extensive. Two, Three, and Four could each accommodate a
hundred men comfortably. These levels contain mainly living quarters,
p