nt to bunk here at Base?"

"No, guess I'd better go back to the hotel. I can't appear here too
much, you know--might be recognized by some Terran officer. And that
brings up a problem. What will be my apparent status before the crews
doing the searching?"

"Civilian specialist, called in by the Corps," Hawarden was used to
quick decisions. "We often use such. I'll sign a pass for you. Better
use a disguise and different name, hadn't you?"

Hanlon nodded. "False mustache, skin darkened, contact lenses to color
my eyes. And I'll call myself Spencer Newton."

Hawarden looked surprised. "You pick a name fast."

The SS man grinned back. "It's the one I was born with,"--and then the
admiral really was surprised, but asked no questions. He filled in the
pass with that name. "Better come directly into this private office."

* * * * *

When they met in the morning Hawarden complimented Hanlon on his
disguise, then quickly reported he had already assembled crews and one
was working at the imperial palace and the other at the ex-Prime
Minister's own residence.

"Good," Hanlon was well-rested and his voice was crisp. "I think I'll
start at Bohr's place."

The two officers left Base, a staff car rushing them to the ministerial
residence. They entered and Hawarden led the way down a hall towards
Bohr's private office.

But just as they reached the door and were turning to go in, Hanlon
suddenly pushed the admiral past it, then jumped across the opening
himself. Hawarden turned in puzzlement, but Hanlon signalled quiet and
led him into a small reception room adjoining.

"There's one man in there you'll have to get rid of before I can go in,"
he explained in a swift whisper. "Young junior lieutenant named Dick
Trowbridge. He'd recognize me even in this disguise. How'd he ever get
here to Sime?"

"Trowbridge? Oh, yes, he was sent here from Terra when we asked Prime
for a code-expert."

"Umm, that's right, Dick was a code-specialist," Hanlon nodded. "He was
my roommate all through cadet school," he explained. "It would give the
whole works away if he saw me here."

"He's our only good decoder," Admiral Hawarden frowned. "We lost our
best man. We'll have to use him if any code shows up."

"I realize that, but send him away for now. If we get code we can send
it to him at Base."

"Right, sir, I'll fake an excuse."

Some five minutes later Hawarden returned. "All clear now, sir."

They