krook, and the farms at Krink and on
the plateau back of Skilk, and we need peace and native labor to work
them."

Nobody seemed to have anything to say after that, for a while. Then
Keaveney suggested that the next ship was due in from Niflheim in
three months, and that it could be used to evacuate all the Terrans on
Uller.

"And I'll personally shoot any able-bodied Terran who tries to board
that ship," von Schlichten promised. "Get this through your heads, all
of you. We are going to break this rebellion, and we are going to hold
Uller for the Company and the Terran Federation." He looked around
him. "Now, get back to work, all of you," he told the group that had
formed around him and Keaveney. "Miss Quinton, you just heard me order
my adjutant, Colonel O'Leary, on detached duty to Krink. I want you to
take over for him. You'll have rank and authority as colonel for the
duration of this war."

She was thunderstruck. "But I know absolutely nothing about military
matters. There must be a hundred people here who are better qualified
than I am...."

"There are, and they all have jobs, and I'd have to find replacements
for them, and replacements for the replacements. You won't leave any
vacancy to be filled. And you'll learn, fast enough." He went over to
the situation-map again, and looked at the arrangement of pink and
white pills. "First of all, I want you to call Jarman, at the military
airport, and have an airjeep and driver sent around here for me. I'm
going up and have a look around. Barney, keep the show going while I'm
out, and tell Colonel Quinton what it's all about."

IX.

Don't Push Them Anywhere Put Them Back in the Bottle

He looked at his watch, and stood for a moment, pumping the stale air
and tobacco-smoke of the telecast station out of his lungs, as the
light airjeep let down into the street. Oh-one-fifteen--two hours and
a half since the mutiny at the native-troops barracks had broken out.
The Company reservation was still ablaze with lights, and over the
roof of the hospital and dispensary and test-lab he could see the
glare of the burning barracks. There was more fire-glare to the south,
in the direction of the mine-equipment park and the mine-labor camp,
and from that direction the bulk of the firing was to be heard.

The driver, a young lieutenant who seemed to be of predominantly
Malayan and Polynesian blood, slid back the duraglass canopy for him
to climb in, then snapped it in