"Who are you?" he demanded. "How did you get in here?" He reached into
a pocket.

Don Michaels spread his hands away from his body.

"Leave that weapon alone," he said sharply. "I came as a friend, and
I'd hate to have someone shooting at me."

"But who are you?"

"I'm Donald Michaels. I want to talk to Pete ... Petoen, I should say."

"My son is seeing no one. There has been----"

"I know," interrupted Don. "Trouble. Listen, I've had trouble myself in
the past couple of days. It all started when I prevented a bunch of
roughnecks from slapping Pete around." He frowned.

"Since then, things haven't been too pleasant." He held up a finger.

"I got accused of falsifying my report on the affair in the locker
room. Pete didn't show up to testify, and everyone was looking at me."
He extended a second finger.

"Pressure was put on me to sign a statement saying Pete used mental
influence to make me put in a false statement. And I got into it with
the school psychologist." A third finger snapped out.

"Next thing, I was being accused of accepting a money bribe from Pete.
And I really got into it with the faculty advisor. That's not good." He
dropped his hands to his sides.

"Right now, I'm not too popular at school. And I want to know what's
going on. I want to know why Pete didn't show up to give me backing. I
want to know what can be done to unscramble this mess."

Wearn shook his head slowly. "There are other schools--private
schools," he said. "And we are still possessed of some----"

"Careful, Mr. Waern." Don held up a warning hand. "I don't carry the
sling, but I do come from the Morek. Don't say something that might be
misinterpreted. I want to see things straightened out. I didn't come
here to start a feud with you."

Jasu Waern shivered a little. "But you are galactic, are you not?
Surely, you are no hillman."

"I was brought up among them. Now get Pete. I want to talk to both of
you."

Waern looked unhappy. But he walked across the room and pulled at a
cord.

A servant came to the door.

"Tell Master Petoen," ordered Waern, "that I would like to see him in
here."

The man bowed and left. Waern turned back to Don.

"You see, Mr. Michaels," he said apologetically, "we are in difficult
times here. My brother----"

"I know." Don nodded. "Pete was upset the other evening. He told me a
little. A little more than is made public."

Waern's eyebrows went up. "He said nothing about that."

Don wa