Admiral Hawarden turned to his communicators, and orders rapped
out.

"You'll have to tell me procedure here, sir, for I don't know how to get
what I need. I want to recommend that the entire Corps fleet rendezvous
near here immediately so we can go to a planet called Algon, and take it
over. But first we'll have to find out exactly where in space Algon is.
May I talk with your planetographers, please?"

The admiral looked at him quizzically. "You haven't been in the SS very
long, have you, Hanlon?"

"No," the young man looked up in surprise. "This is my first assignment.
Why do you ask?"

"Because in emergencies such as this you give orders, not ask for
permission. Every resource of the entire Corps is yours to command when
you feel it necessary."

"Why ... why, I didn't realize that," Hanlon shrank back in
astonishment. "You ... you mean they'd let a pup like me issue commands
to the whole Corps?"

"They certainly would, sir. I don't know if you realize it yet or not,
but no one gets into the Secret Service unless the High Command is
pretty sure they are exceedingly high-powered individuals. So whatever
you want, just yell. I am entirely at your service."

There was a moment of incredulity in the young man's eyes, then he
straightened, and that depth of character which the men in command had
foreseen came to the surface, and he issued crisp orders. "Very well,
sir, I'll take you at your word. Please connect me with the
planetographers, then get me the High Admiral."

Hawarden activated the intercom, and when a face appeared on the screen
ordered, "Give this young man any information he wants."

"Do you know a planet named 'Algon' or 'Guddu'?" Hanlon asked. "It's
about twelve and a quarter light years distant, right ascension about
eighteen hours, declination around plus fifteen degrees. Here's a rough
chart of what I could see from there." He held up to his screen a sheet
on which he had been busily, marking such super-giant suns and nebulae
as he remembered. "... You don't know it? Then find it immediately. Rush
it through. I must have its closest approximation inside of two hours!"

He closed that switch and looked up as Admiral Hawarden handed him a
microphone. "Grand Fleet High Admiral Ferguson is awaiting your orders,
sir."

George Hanlon's young hand was shaking as he took the mike, but his
voice was steady and crisp. "Admiral Ferguson, sir, this is George
Hanlon of the Secret Service. I was detail