with your colleagues in the Rotunda before the
Session. Please don't feel obliged to attend me further."

Prince Ganzay approached as they went down the hall. "Your Majesty, what
_is_ going on here?" he demanded querulously. "Just who is in control of
the Palace--you or Prince Travann? And where is His Imperial Highness,
and where is General Dorflay?"

"I sent Dorflay to join Prince Rodrik's picnic party. If you're upset
about this, you can imagine what he might have done here."

Prince Ganzay looked at him curiously for a moment. "I thought I
understood what was happening," he said. "Now I---- This business about
the students, sir; how did it come out?"

Paul told him. They talked for a while, and then the Prime Minister
looked at his watch, and suggested that the Session ought to be getting
started. Paul nodded, and they went down the hall and into the Rotunda.

The big semicircular lobby was empty, now, except for a platoon of
Household Guards, and the Empress Marris and her ladies-in-waiting. She
advanced as quickly as her sheath gown would permit, and took his arm;
the ladies-in-waiting fell in behind her, and Prince Ganzay went ahead,
crying: "My Lords, Your Venerable Highnesses, gentlemen; His Imperial
Majesty!"

Marris tightened her grip on his arm as they started forward. "Paul!"
she hissed into his ear. "What is this silly story about Yorn Travann
trying to seize the Throne?"

"Isn't it? Yorn's been too close the Throne for too long not to know
what sort of a seat it is. He'd commit any crime up to and including
genocide to keep off it."

She gave a quick skip to get into step with him. "Then why's he filled
the Palace with these blackcoats? Is Rod all right?"

"Perfectly all right; he's somewhere out in the mountains, keeping Harv
Dorflay out of mischief."

* * * * *

They crossed the Session Hall and took their seats on the double throne;
everybody sat down, and the Prime Minister, after some formalities,
declared the Plenary Session in being. Almost at once, one of the
Prince-Counselors was on his feet begging His Majesty's leave to
interrogate the Government.

"I wish to ask His Highness the Minister of Security the meaning of all
this unprecedented disturbance, both here in the Palace and in the
city," he said.

Prince Travann rose at once. "Your Majesty, in reply to the question of
His Venerable Highness," he began, and then launched himself into an
accoun