to find someone to represent the Waernu before the
conclave. And he'll have to be acceptable to the Waernu."

"That's simple. They've already picked me."

"Won't work now. You can bring them before the clans, of course. But
they'd be in a hole if you got snapped out on civil charges right in
the middle of the conclave."

"Civil charges?"

"That's right. Little matter of that body out in the flier. You know,
and I know, the story on that. It's clearly line of duty. But up to the
decision of the conclave, you're vulnerable. Remember, Stern can claim
Gorham as a police agent. So, you were resisting arrest. Catch?"

"Ow!" Don looked down at the floor. Then he shrugged.

"But Stern has no way of knowing what happened to Gorham."

"Admitted." Jackson smiled. "But he might guess. You'd have to be
consulting with his people for some time before the conclave, you know.
And he'd have time to figure things out. Here you are. Here's the clan
book. But where's Gorham? And Gorham went up to find that book. Adds
up, you see."

"You mean I've got to stay under cover from now on?"

"Not necessarily. The clan warden doesn't have to be identified ahead
of time. Usually, it's just an honorary job, any way. But this time, he
might really have to perform his traditional duty." He looked at Don
seriously.

"Remember the private conversation between claimant and prime minister?
About that time, the warden is the only protection the claimant has.

"And this is one time a claimant may really need protection."

* * * * *

Daniel Stern slapped a folder down on his desk and got to his feet. He
circled the large office, then stopped, looking down at Gorham's vacant
desk.

What had happened to Gorham? Papers were stacked all over his own desk.
And they should be here. Most of them had been old Jake's concern. He
hadn't realized how much detail the old man had controlled.

But where was Gorham? He'd come in from Riandar. Reports showed that
much. Then, his flier had suddenly dashed over and landed on the
Federation pad. They'd tried to stop him, but----

Something must have gone wrong up there at Riandar. Something must have
made Gorham decide to come back and make a separate deal of his own.
But why? There was that pile of clothes in the Waern house. Had he----?

Maybe that blast had killed Gorham and destroyed his evidence.

He looked around hopefully. It was possible. No effort had been m