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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 01:53:03 -0700 |
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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/22585-8.txt b/22585-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1b95ef6 --- /dev/null +++ b/22585-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2264 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of --And Devious the Line of Duty, by Tom Godwin + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: --And Devious the Line of Duty + +Author: Tom Godwin + +Illustrator: Schelling + +Release Date: September 12, 2007 [EBook #22585] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK --AND DEVIOUS THE LINE OF DUTY *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + --And Devious + the Line of Duty + + Sometimes the most diligent and loyal thing + an old man can do is fumble, + drink beer, and let a young man get into trouble.... + + by Tom Godwin + + Illustrated by Schelling + + +"We're almost there, my boy." The big, gray-haired man who would be +Lieutenant Dale Hunter's superior--Strategic Service's Special Agent, +George Rockford--opened another can of beer, his fifth. "There will be +intrigue already under way when this helicopter sets down with us. +Attempted homicide will soon follow. The former will be meat for me. You +will be meat for the latter." + +Rockford was smiling as he spoke; the genial, engaging smile of a fond +old father. But the eyes, surrounded by laughter crinkles, were as +unreadable as two disks of gray slate. They were the eyes of a poker +player--or master con man. + +"I don't understand, sir," Hunter said. + +"Of course not," Rockford agreed. "It's a hundred light-years back to +Earth. Here on Vesta, to make sure there _is_ an Earth in the future, +you're going to do things never dreamed of by your Terran Space Patrol +instructors there. You'll be amazed, my boy." + +[Illustration] + +Hunter said nothing but he felt a growing dislike for the condescending +Rockford. Only a few weeks ago President Diskar, himself, had said: _For +more than a century these truly valiant men of the Space Patrol have +been our unwavering outer guard; have fought and died by legions, that +Earth and the other worlds of the Terran Republic might remain free--_ + +"I suppose you know," Rockford said, "that there will be no more than +four days in which to stop the Verdam oligarchy from achieving its +long-time ambition of becoming big enough to swallow the Terran +Republic." + +"I know," Hunter answered. + +Jardeen, Vesta's companion world, was the key. Jardeen was large and +powerful, with a space navy unsurpassed by that of any other single +world. A large group of now-neutral worlds would follow Jardeen's lead +and Jardeen's alliance with the Verdam People's Worlds would mean the +quick end for the Terran Republic. But, if Jardeen could be persuaded to +ally with the Terran Republic, the spreading, grasping arms of the +Verdam octopus would begin to wither away-- + +Rockford spoke again: + +"Val Boran, Jardeen's Secretary of Foreign Relations, is the man who +will really make Jardeen's decision. I know him slightly. Since my +public role is that of Acting Ambassador, he agreed--reluctantly--to +come to Vesta so that the talks could be on a neutral world. With him +will be Verdam's Special Envoy Sonig; a wily little man who has been +working on Boran for several weeks. He seems to be succeeding quite +well--here's a message I received from Earth early this morning." + +Rockford handed him a sheet of the green Hyperspace Communications +paper. The message was in code, with Rockford's scribbled translation +beneath: + +_Intelligence reports Verdam forces already massed for attack in Sector +A-13, in full expectation of Jardeen's alliance. Anti-Terran propaganda, +stressing the New Jardeen Incident, being used in preparation for what +will be their claim of "defensive action to protect innocent worlds from +Terran aggression." Terran forces will be outnumbered five to one. The +urgent necessity of immediate and conclusive counter measures by you on +Vesta is obvious._ + +Hunter handed the paper back, thinking, _It's worse than any of us +thought_, and wondering how Supreme Command could ever have entrusted +such an important task to a beer-guzzling old man from Strategic +Service--a branch so unknown that he had never even heard of it until +his briefing the day before he left Earth. + +He saw that they had left the desert behind and were going up the long +slope of a mountain. "The meeting will be on this mountain?" he asked. + +Rockford nodded. "The rustic Royal Retreat. Princess Lyla will be our +hostess. Her mother and father were killed in an airplane accident a +year ago and she was the only child. You will also get to meet Lord Narf +of the Sea Islands, her husband-by-proxy, who regards himself as a rare +combination of irresistible woman-killer and rugged man-among-men." + +"Husband-by-proxy?" Hunter asked. + +"The king worshiped his daughter and his dying request to her was that +she promise to marry Lord Narf. Narf's father had been the king's +closest friend and the king was sure that his old friend's son would +always love and care for Lyla. Lyla dutifully, at once, married Narf by +proxy, which is like a legally binding formal engagement under Vestan +law. Four days from now the time limit is up and they'll be formally +married. Unless she should do the unprecedented thing of renouncing the +proxy marriage." + +Rockford drained the last of the beer from the can. "Those are the +characters involved in our play. I have a plan. That's why I told Space +Patrol to send me a brand-new second lieutenant--young, strong, fairly +handsome--and expendable. I hope you can be philosophical about the +latter." + +"Sir," Hunter said, unable to keep a touch of stiffness out of his tone, +"it is not exactly unknown in the Space Patrol for a man to die in the +line of duty." + +"Ah ... yes." Rockford was regarding him with disturbing amusement. "You +are thinking, of course, of dying dramatically behind a pair of blazing +blasters. But you will soon learn, my boy, that a soldier's duty is to +protect the worlds he represents by whatever actions will produce the +best results, no matter how unheroic those actions may be." + + * * * * * + +"Attention, please." It was the voice of the pilot. "We are now going to +land." + +Hunter preceded Rockford out of the helicopter and onto the green grass +of a small valley, across which tall, red-trunked cloud trees were +scattered. Pale gray ghost trees, with knobby, twisted limbs, grew +thickly among the cloud trees. There was a group of rustic cabins, +connected by gravel paths, and a much larger building which he assumed +would be a meeting hall. + +"Hello." + +He turned, and looked into the brown eyes of a girl. Her green skirt and +orange blouse made a gay splash of color, her red-brown hair was +wind-tumbled and carefree about her shoulders, in her hand was a bouquet +of bright spring flowers. + +But there was no smile of spring in the dark eyes and the snub-nosed +little face was solemn and old beyond its years. + +"You're Lieutenant Hunter, aren't you?" she asked in the same low, quiet +voice. + +"Princess Lyla!" There seemed to be genuine delight in Rockford's +greeting as he hurried over. "You're looking more like a queen every +day!" + +Her face lighted with a smile, making it suddenly young and beautiful. +"I'm so glad to see you again, George--" + +"Ah ... good afternoon." + +The voice was loud, unpleasantly gravelly. They turned, and Hunter saw a +tall, angular man of perhaps forty whose pseudogenial smile was not +compatible with his sour, square-jawed face and calculating little eyes. + +He spoke to Rockford. "You're Ambassador Rockford, here to represent the +Terran Republic, I believe." He jerked his head toward Princess Lyla, +who was no longer smiling. "My wife, Princess Lyla." + +"Oh, she and I have been friends since she was ten, Lord Narf." + +"And this young man"--Narf glanced at Hunter--"is your aide, I presume. +Lyla, did you think to send anyone after their luggage?" + +A servant was already carrying their luggage--and cases of Rockford's +beer--out of the helicopter. Hunter followed the other toward the +cabins. Narf, in the lead, was saying: + +"... Ridiculously primitive here, now, but I'm having some decent +furniture and well-trained servants sent up from my Sea Island +estates...." + + * * * * * + +The cabin was large and very comfortable, as Rockford mentioned to +Princess Lyla. + +"I'm glad you like it," she said. "Val Boran and Envoy Sonig are already +here and we'll meet for dinner in the central hall. I thought that if we +all got acquainted in a friendly atmosphere like that, it might help a +lot to...." + +"That reminds me"--Narf glanced at his watch--"I promised this Boran he +could have a discussion with me--Vesta-Jardeen tariff policies. I +suppose he's already waiting. Come on, Lyla--it will do you no harm to +listen and learn a bit about interplanetary business." + +For a long moment she looked at Narf silently, her eyes thoughtful, then +she said to Rockford, "If you will excuse us, please. And be prepared +for Alonzo to come bounding in the minute he learns you're here." + +She walked beside Narf to the door and out it, the top of her dark hair +coming just even with his shoulder. + +"And that," Rockford said as he settled down in the largest, softest +chair, "was king-to-be Narf, whose business ability is such that all his +inherited Sea Island estates are gone but the one Lyla saved for him and +who owes a total of ten million monetary units, to everyone from call +girls to yacht builders." + +"And she is going to marry him?" Hunter asked. "Marry that jackass and +let him bankrupt her kingdom?" + +Rockford shrugged. "You may have noticed that she doesn't look the least +bit happy about it--but she is a very conscientious young lady who +regards it as her most solemn duty to keep the promise she made to her +father. For her, there is no escape." + +"But--" + +"Your first duty will be to cultivate a friendship with her. I'm going +to use her, and you, to get what I want." + +"_Use_ us?" + +"Yes. One of the most rigid requirements of a Strategic Service man's +character is that he be completely without one." + + * * * * * + * * * * + +Rockford was asleep in his chair an hour later, three empty beer cans +beside him. Hunter watched him, his doubt of Rockford's competence +growing into a conviction. Rockford had spoken knowingly of his +plan--and had done nothing but drink more beer. Now he was asleep while +time--so limited and precious--went by. He hadn't even bothered to reply +to Hunter's suggestion that perhaps he should call on Val Boran and +counteract some of Envoy Sonig's anti-Terran propaganda. + +Hunter came to a decision. If Rockford was still doing nothing when +morning came, he would send an urgent message to Supreme Command. + +He went outside, to find a servant and learn how mail was handled. + + * * * * * + +"_Rook out!_" + +Gravel flew as overgrown feet tried to stop, and something like a huge +black dog lunged headlong around the corner and into his legs. He went +to the ground head first over the animal, acutely aware as he went down +of the fascinated interest on the face of a not-so-distant servant. + +"I sorry, Rootenant." + +He got up, to look down at the doglike animal. There was a concerned +expression in its brown eyes and an apologetic grin on its face. He +recognized it as one of the natives of the grim starvation world of +Altair Four. The Altairians had emigrated to all sections of the galaxy, +to earn a living in whatever humble capacity they could fill. Many were +empathic. + +"I run too fast to meet, Mr. Rockford, I guess. Are you hurt, +Rootenant?" + +He pulled a cloud tree needle out of his hand and looked grimly down +into the furry face. "In the future, try to look where you're going." + +"Oh, I rook, awr right. I just not see. My name is Aronzo, Rootenant, +and I stay here awr the time and guard everything for Princess Ryra. I +prease to meet you and I wirr run errands for you, and do things rike +mair your retters, for candy or cookies, which I are not supposed to eat +much of, but Princess Ryra say not too many wirr hurt me--" + +"Mail letters?" Hunter's animosity vanished. "I'm sorry I was rude, +Alonzo--all my fault. I may write a letter to my dear old mother +tonight, and if you would mail it for me in the morning--" + + * * * * * + +Rockford left ahead of Hunter and it was a minute past the appointed +time when Hunter reached the meeting hall. He heard Narf's loud voice +inside: + +"... Boran must have stopped to watch the sunset. Told him I wanted +everyone here on time--" + +The low voice of Lyla said something and Narf said, "Not necessary for +you to defend him, my dear. I made it plain to him." + +A new voice spoke from behind Hunter: + +"It seems I have annoyed Lord Narf." + +He was a tall, black-eyed man, with the dark, saturnine face of an +Indian. There was a strange, indefinable air of sadness about him which +reminded Hunter of the sombre little Princess Lyla. + +"You're Val Boran, sir?" he said. "I'm Lieutenant Hunter--" + +Inside, Narf sat at the head of the table. On his left was Lyla, then +Rockford. On his right was a spidery little man of about fifty, his +slick-back hair so tight against his skull that it gave his head the +appearance of a weasel's. His lips were paper-thin under a long nose, +like those of a dry and selfish old maid, but the round little eyes +darting behind thick glasses were cold and shrewd and missed nothing. He +would be Verdam's Special Envoy Sonig. Hunter appraised him as a man +very dangerous in his own deceptive way. + +A servant showed them to their places at the table. Rockford and Val +Boran exchanged greetings. The moment everyone was seated, Narf said, +"Dinner tonight will--" + +"Excuse me," Lyla said, "but Mr. Sonig hasn't yet met--" + +"Oh ... the young fellow there--" Narf gestured with his hand. +"Rockford's aide. Now, ring the chime, Lyla. Those forest stag steaks +are already getting cold. I killed the beast myself, gentlemen, just +this morning; a long-range running shot that required a bit more than +luck...." + +The dinner was excellent, but no one seemed to notice. Narf was absorbed +in the story of his swift rise to eminence in the Vestan Space Guard. +There were humorous incidents: + +"... Can't understand why, but I seem to attract women like a magnet. +I'm strictly the masculine type of male and I approve of this but it can +be a blasted nuisance when you're an ensign going up fast and your +commander finds one of your blondes stowed away in your compartment...." + +And there were scenes of tense drama: + +"... Made a boyhood vow that I'd never settle for anything less than to +always be a man among men. Seem to have succeeded rather well. When I +saw the crew was almost to the snapping point from battle tension I knew +that as commander I'd have to set the example that would inspire." + +Hunter recalled Rockford's words of a few hours before: "_Narf got to be +commander, finally, but only because he was the son of the king's best +friend. His record is very mediocre._" + +Princess Lyla tried three times to start a conversation of general +interest and was drowned out by Narf each time. Sonig's pretense of +being spellbound by Narf's stories was belied by the way his eyes kept +darting from Rockford to Val Boran. Val's own attention kept shifting +from Narf to the silent Lyla, whose downcast eyes betrayed her +discouragement. She watched Val from under her eyelashes, to look away +whenever their eyes met, and Hunter wondered if she was ashamed because +Narf had given Sonig the seat of honor that should have belonged to Val. + +Of course, Narf's own position at the head of the table was actually +Lyla's. + +[Illustration] + +"... So there's no substitute for competent, unwavering leadership," +Narf was saying. "Received a citation for that one." + +Sonig nodded appreciatively. "Your military record well illustrates the +fact that the tensions of danger and battle can bring forth in a +competent leader the highest kind of courage. But it seems to me that +these same circumstances, if the leader is frightened or incompetent, +can easily produce hysterical actions with disastrous consequences. Is +this true, your lordship?" + +Rockford was watching Sonig intently and Hunter saw that there was an +eager anticipation in Sonig's manner. + +"You are quite right," Narf answered. "I've always had the ability to +remain cool in any crisis. Very important. Let a commander get rattled +and he may give any kind of an order. Like the New Jardeen Incident." + +A frozen silence followed the last five words. Hunter thought, _So +that's what the little weasel was fishing for...._ + +Rockford quietly laid down his fork. Val's face turned grim. Lyla looked +up in quick alarm and said to Narf: + +"Let's not--" + +"Don't misunderstand me, gentlemen," Narf's loud voice went on. "_I_ +believe the commander of the Terran cruiser wouldn't have ordered it to +fire upon the Verdam cruiser over a neutral world such as New Jardeen +if he had been his rational self. Cold-war battle nerves. So he shot +down the Verdam cruiser and its nuclear converters exploded when it fell +in the center of Colony City. Force of a hydrogen bomb--forty thousand +innocent people gone in a microsecond. Not the commander's fault, +really--fault of the military system that failed to screen out its +unstable officers." + +"Yes, your lordship. But is it possible"--Sonig spoke very +thoughtfully--"for a political power, which is of such a nature that it +must have a huge military force to maintain its existence, to thoroughly +screen all its officers? So many officers are required--Can there ever +be any assurance that such tragedies won't occur again and again, until +a majority of worlds combine in demanding an end to aggression and war?" + +Rockford spoke to the grim Val: + +"I know, sir, that your sister was among the lost in Colony City. I am +sorry. For the benefit of Mr. Sonig and Lord Narf, I would like to +mention that the Verdam cruiser fired upon the Terran cruiser over +neutral New Jardeen in open violation of Galactic Rule. An atmospheric +feedback of the Verdam cruiser's own space blasters tore out its side +and caused it to fall. The Terran cruiser never fired." + +"But Mr. Rockford--" Sonig spoke very courteously. "Isn't it true that +certain safety devices prevent atmospheric feedback?" + +"They do--unless accidentally or purposely disconnected." + +Sonig raised his eyebrows. "You imply a created incident, sir?" + +"It doesn't matter," Val Boran said. His tone was as grim as his face +and it was obvious he did not believe Rockford's explanation. "Colony +City is a field of fused glass, now, its people are gone, and no amount +of debating can ever bring them back." + + * * * * * + * * * * + +The dismal dinner was finally over. Rockford stopped outside the door of +their cabin to fill and light his pipe. + +"It was a profitable evening," he said to Hunter. "I can start planning +in detail now--after a little beer, that is." + +_He'll go to sleep after he drinks his beer_, Hunter thought, _and there +will never be any plan unless I--_ + +Soft footsteps came up the path behind them. It was Princess Lyla. + +"I want to apologize," she said, "I just told Val ... Mr. Boran the same +thing." + +Her face was a pale oval in the starlight, her eyes dark shadows. "I'm +sorry my husband mentioned the New Jardeen incident." + +"That's all right, Lyla," Rockford said. "No harm was done." + +"He's an ex-military man, and I guess it's his nature to be more +forthright than tactful." + +"You certainly can't condemn him for that," Rockford said. "In fact, +he's an extraordinary teller of entertaining stories. It was a most +enjoyable evening." + + * * * * * + +"And, in a way, it was," Rockford said when she was gone and they were +in the cabin. He was seated in the softest chair, a can of beer in his +hand, as usual. + +Hunter thought of the way she had looked in the starlight and said, "Why +did she let that windbag sit at the head of the table and ruin the +meeting that she had arranged?" + +"He'll soon be her husband--I suppose she feels she should be loyal to +him." + +"But--" + +"But what?" + +"Nothing. It's none of my business." + +"Oh?" Rockford smiled in a way Hunter did not like. "You think so, eh?" + +Hunter changed the subject. "Are you going to start talking to Boran to +undo the damage Narf and Sonig have done?" + +"It would be a waste of time, my boy. Val Boran's mind is already made +up." + +"Then what are you going to do?" + +"Drink six cans of beer and go to sleep." + +"I thought you had a plan." + +"I have, a most excellent plan." + +"What is it?" + +"You'd scream like a banshee if you knew. You'll learn--if you manage to +live that long." + +Rockford was sound asleep an hour later, snoring gently. Hunter sat +thinking, hearing the steady murmur of a voice coming from Val Boran's +cabin. Sonig's voice--using every means of persuasion he could think of, +at the moment capitalizing on the New Jardeen incident and Boran's +withheld grief over the sister he had lost. + +And the Terran Republic's representative was sprawled fat and mindless +in a fog of beer fumes. + +Hunter hesitated no longer. The fate of Earth and the Terran Republic +hung in the balance and time was desperately limited--if there was now +any time at all. + +He took paper and pen and began the urgent message to Supreme Command, +headed, TOP EMERGENCY. It would be sent via Hyperspace Communications +from the city and would span the hundred light-years within seconds. + + * * * * * + +He was up before Rockford the next morning, and went out into the bright +sunlight. He looked hopefully for Alonzo, not wanting to be seen mailing +the letter in person. Rockford, despite his drunken stupors, could be +shrewdly observant and he might deduce the contents of the letter before +Supreme Command ever received it. + +He was some distance from the cabin when he heard the pound of padded +feet behind him. + +"Rootenant," Alonzo had the grin of a genial canine idiot. "Do you want +me to mair your retter to your dear ore mother?" + +"Yes, I have the letter right here." + +"O.K. I got to hurry, because the mair hericopter reaves right away. I +charge six fig cookies or three candy bars or--" + +"Here--take it and run--and try not to slobber all over it." + + * * * * * + +They were served breakfast in the cabin. Afterward, Rockford went for a +brief talk with Princess Lyla. He came back and settled down in the +easy-chair, his pipe in his hand. + +"Your morning's duty won't be at all unpleasant," he said. "The +obnoxious and repulsive things will begin to happen to you later. Maybe +this afternoon." + +"What do you mean?" + +"This morning you will go for a walk with Princess Lyla and discuss +changing the Vestan Space Guard into a force along Terran Space Patrol +lines. Narf is still in bed, by the way." + +Rockford added, "I'll give you a bit of sage advice, for your own +good--try not to fall in love with her." + + * * * * * + * * * * + +Hunter and Princess Lyla sat together on the high hill, their backs +against the red trunk of a cloud tree. On the mountain's slope to their +right lay the dark and junglelike Tiger Forest--he wondered if it was +true that the savage tree tigers never left its borders--while the +toylike cabins of the camp were below them. The mountain's slope dropped +on down to the deserts, beyond which were other mountains, far away and +translucent azure. + +"It was George who suggested we come up here," she said. "He knows I do +that often when the responsibilities of being queen of a world--I'm such +an ordinary and untalented person--become too much for me. I always feel +better when I sit up here and look down on the mountains and deserts." + +"Yes," he said politely. + +"A ruling princess can be so alone," she said. "That's why I appreciate +George's friendship so much--it's never because of any ulterior motive +but because he likes me." + +_I'm going to use her, and you, to get what I want._ + +He looked at her, at the lines of sadness on the face that was too old +for its years, felt the way she was so grateful to Rockford for what was +only a cold-blooded pretense of friendship, and the dislike for Rockford +increased. He could not force himself to speak civilly of Rockford so he +changed the subject: + +"I understand you wanted to talk to me about the Space Guard?" + +"Yes. Even a neutral world can't feel safe these days and George +suggested that." + +"I'll be glad to help all I can. Of course, the change will require +time." + +"I can understand that. They say you Space Patrol officers begin +training at sixteen, after passing almost impossible qualification +tests." + +"The tests can seem extremely difficult to a farm boy from Kansas. I--" + +"Kansas?" Her eyes lighted with interest. "My grandmother was from +Kansas! She used to tell me about the green plains of grain in the +spring, and how different they were from the deserts of Vesta...." + +It was almost noon when he took her hand and helped her to her feet, +realizing guiltily that they had talked all morning without ever getting +back to the cold, dry facts of military efficiency. + +"It was nice to talk up here this morning," she said. She looked down at +the cabins and the shadow fell again across her face. "But nothing down +there has been changed by it, has it?" + +He held to her hand longer than was necessary as they went down the +steep part of the hill. She did not seem to mind. + +When they reached her cabin she said, "It's still a little while until +lunch--time enough for you to give me a rough outline of the Space Guard +change." + +Everything inside the cabin was feminine. None of Narf's possessions +were visible. There was a heavy door leading into Narf's half of the +cabin, with a massive lock. Hunter wondered if it was left unlocked at +night, thought of Narf's sour face and leering little eyes, and found +the thought repulsive. + +The answer to his conjecture came with the entrance of a servant as they +seated themselves. + +"By your leave, your highness," the servant said, bowing, "I came to +make Lord Narf a key for that inner door." + +"A key?" There was alarm in her tone. "But we're not married--not yet!" + +A puzzled expression came to the man's face. "Lord Narf told me, your +highness, that you had ordered the duplicate key made and given to him +before evening. I found I could not do this without first borrowing your +key for a pattern." + +There was a frightened look in her eyes as they went to the door and +back to the servant. "_No_ ... don't try to make a key!" + +"Yes, your highness." The servant bowed and turned away. + +A familiar gravelly voice spoke from behind them: + +"Ah ... an unscheduled little meeting, I see!" + +It was Narf, anger on his face, already within the doorway as the +servant went out it. + +"We were going to talk about the Space Guard," Lyla said in an +emotionless tone. "Lieutenant Hunter has promised to show how Space +Patrol methods will improve it and--" + +"By a coincidence, Sonig and I were discussing military matters only a +few minutes ago," Narf said. He looked at Hunter. "I'm afraid that Sonig +and I agree that the Terran Space Guard is quite out of date, now. +_The_ fighting force of the galaxy is the Verdam's Peoples Guards." + +Narf spoke to Lyla, "You may go ahead and talk with this lieutenant if +you wish to, but it's a waste of time. I'm arranging to have Sonig send +Peoples Guards officers here to supervise the rebuilding of the Space +Guard. + +"And now"--there was insinuation in Narf's tone as he spoke to +Hunter--"I have to give Sonig a demonstration of my skill with weapons. +He insists on it--he has heard of several of my modest feats." + +Narf left the door open behind him so that by turning his head as he +walked, he could see the two inside. + +"I suppose I might as well go," Hunter said. + +Lyla did not answer. She sat motionless, staring unseeingly before her, +and he wondered if she was thinking of how very soon Narf would be king +and his authority as great as hers. + +She did not notice when he quietly left the room. + + * * * * * + * * * * + +Rockford was waiting in the cabin, still in the easy-chair. + +"Well," Rockford said, "what do you think of her?" + +Hunter tried to keep the personal dislike out of his coldly formal +reply: + +"If you refer to your suggestion that I not make love to her, sir, I can +assure you that such a suggestion was never necessary. I happen to have +a code of ethics." + +"I didn't say 'make love'. I said, 'fall in love'. That's quite ethical. +Did you complete your discussion with her?" + +"Well ... no." + +"You must do that this afternoon, then. Can't let anything as important +as that be delayed." + +Hunter stared at him, trying to find one small grain of sanity in +Rockford's actions. The Verdam empire already had Jardeen within its +grasp, and Vesta, and the end for Earth was inevitable. And Rockford +slept, and drank beer, and regarded it as very important that the Vestan +Space Guard discussions--of a change that Narf would never permit--be +continued without delay. + +He walked slowly into his own room. In the nightmare situation of +frustration there was one single sane and stable conviction for his mind +to cling to: Supreme Command would by now have received his message and +shot back the reply that would relieve Rockford of his command. Perhaps +it wasn't yet too late-- + +Then his mind reeled as a new conviction struck it. + +There was a sheet of paper on his bed--a message. + +_His_ message! + +... SITUATION EXTREMELY CRITICAL ... VAL BORAN ALREADY CONVINCED BY +SONIG'S PROPAGANDA ... MUST REPORT ROCKFORD IS UTTERLY INCOMPETENT, HIS +MIND AND WILL DESTROYED BY ALCOHOL ... REPEAT: ROCKFORD IS DOING +NOTHING, HIS MIND DESTROYED BY ALCOHOL.... + +The words screamed up at him and he felt the sickness of one who sees +the last faint hope shattered and gone. All was lost, now.... + +He went outside, feeling a savage desire for violence rising above the +sickness. + +"Rootenant!" Alonzo came bounding to meet him and slid to a halt with +his saucer feet scattering gravel and the idiotic grin on his face. "I +mair your retter and you owe me six fig cook--" + +It occurred to Hunter that it was not Alonzo that should be punished. +He, Hunter, was the one who deserved execution for ever entrusting +anything so important as the message to an imbecilic animal. + +He said with cold distinctness: + +"The ... letter ... is ... inside." + +"Oh?" Alonzo blinked. "I sure mair something, awr right. After Mr. +Rockford correct it." + +"_Correct it?_" + +"Oh, sure. Mr. Rockford, he up rong before you this morning to find me +and say you are writing a retter rast night and I must bring it by for +him to make awr your mistakes over again." + +_So Rockford was watching all the time, pretending to be in a drunken +sleep...._ + +"Rootenant--" Alonzo shifted his big feet impatiently. "You stirr owe me +six fig--" + +Hunter swung around and strode away, afraid he might decide to choke the +animal after all. A culture of twenty worlds was the same as already +destroyed, and he was held in a maddening quagmire of helplessness by a +crafty alcoholic and a dog with the mind of a small child. + +"Ah ... my boy!" Rockford came out of the cabin, beaming as though +nothing had ever happened. "Look to your left, among those ghost +trees--Narf is demonstrating his quick-draw skill to Sonig. Narf is +supposed to be a very dangerous man, you know." + +Hunter looked, and saw Narf whipping up the blunt, ugly spread-beam +blaster--known to soldiers as the Coward's Special, because at short +range it could not miss and would always cripple and blind a man for +life even though it would not always kill him. Sonig was standing by, +nodding his weasel head and smiling in open admiration. + +"Of course," Rockford said, "Sonig isn't mentioning the needle gun all +Verdam envoys carry up their sleeve. He's flattering Narf's ego for a +reason--he intends to have Vesta, as well as Jardeen, sewed up for the +Verdam empire when he leaves here." + +"And so far as I can see," Hunter said coldly, "Sonig never is going +to have anything vaguely resembling intelligent resistance to his +plans." + +[Illustration] + +"Ah, yes ... so far as you can see," Rockford agreed amiably. "But you +obey my order to take Lyla for another walk and everything will turn out +all right. In fact, I'll speak to her about that right now." + +Hunter stared after Rockford as he walked away. There could be no +possible shred of doubt--Rockford was insane! + +The breeze shifted and the voice of Narf came: + +"... Certainly no weapon for a timid man, this spread-beam blaster. Have +to meet the enemy man-to-man at close range." + +"In that respect, too," Sonig said, "you remind me of our great General +Paluk. His skill in hand-to-hand combat was something that--" + +"Rootenant--" + +Hunter quivered and steeled himself. + +"Rootenant--" Alonzo came to a flopping halt beside him. "I terr +Princess Ryra and she say I are bad to be mad at you. So I not mad, even +if you didn't give me my pay." + +"Thank you," Hunter said acidly. "I was deeply disturbed by your +resentment." + +"Oh, I know, you don't rike me. But I think you not as mean as you act. +But Rord Narf--he is. I terr you, he awready mad enough to kirr you." + +"What? Lord Narf wants to kill me?" + +"Oh, he know you hord Princess Ryra's hand awrmost awr the way down the +hirr this morning. Mr. Sonig, he see you, and he run and terr Rord Narf +and Mr. Boran, too." + +"But I was only helping her down the hill." + +"Rord Narf, he are going to say mean things about it to Princess Ryra, +too. I know. He are awrways saying mean things to my Princess Ryra." + +Alonzo sighed, a sound strangely humanlike in its sadness. + +"Who wirr watch over my Princess Ryra after she marry Rord Narf? He +said, 'The first thing to go around here wirr be that stupid +brabber-mouth animar that are not worth what it costs to feed it.' I +think maybe he are afraid that if he ever hit my Princess Ryra, I wirr +kirr him." The brown eyes looked up at Hunter, and suddenly they were +unlike he had ever seen them; cold with deliberate decision. "I wirr, +too." + + * * * * * + * * * * + +Hunter was still standing by the cabin, thinking of what Alonzo had +said, when Rockford returned. + +"I also stopped by to see Val Boran," Rockford said. "While you're off +with Lyla, we'll go to the city. Lyla is giving us free access to the +Royal Library and the records of a neutral world carry more weight than +anything I could say. Not that it's going to change his mind any--but +it will give me a chance to work on him in another way." + +Rockford went into the cabin as Val Boran came up the path, Princess +Lyla walking beside him. She was saying, "... And anything we have in +the library is yours for the asking." + +They were close enough for Hunter to see her expression as she looked up +at Val and added with what seemed a touch of wistfulness, "I'll be glad +to go in with you and Mr. Rockford and do what I can to help if you want +me to." + +"Lyla"--it was the grating voice of Narf who seemed to have the ability +to materialize anywhere--"I'm sure the man knows his business. Besides, +I want to talk to you about something as soon as I have finished my +discussion with Mr. Sonig." + +With that, Narf started on toward his cabin. Sonig, close behind him, +paused long enough to bow to Lyla and say with the meaningless smile, +"Good afternoon, Princess Lyla. Your husband was just demonstrating his +marvelous skill with weapons. I would very much dislike"--the little +eyes darted to Hunter and back again--"being the man who aroused his +lordship's wrath." + +Then Sonig followed Narf, with one last flickering glance at Hunter to +see how the remark had fallen. + +Rockford came out of the cabin with his brief case and said to Val, "Are +we ready to go?" + +"I just told Val"--Lyla spoke quickly--"that I would be glad to go along +and help any way I can." The words were addressed to Rockford but her +eyes were on Val, with the same wistful expression. "Do you want me to?" + +Val answered her with cool, formal courtesy: "The librarian can find all +the records we will need, Princess Lyla, without our interrupting your +schedule for the day or your discussion with your husband. Thank you +very much." + +For an instant Lyla's face had the hurt expression of a child rebuffed +without reason. Then she looked away and Val turned to Rockford and +said, "I'm ready when you are, sir." + +Lyla watched them walk away and she was still watching when the +helicopter had lifted into the air and faded from sight. + +Hunter hesitated, then spoke to her: + +"I understand you want to talk more about the Space Guard, Princess +Lyla?" + +"_Princess_ Lyla!" Her lips curled as she turned to face him and she +seemed to spit the words at him in sudden, unexpected resentment. "I +love the meaningless sound of my official figurehead title! It's so much +better than being regarded as a living person with feelings that can be +hurt!" + +"But Princ ... I mean--" He floundered, not quite sure what had caused +her reaction. + +She made a visible effort to compose herself. "I'm sorry," she said. "I +suppose my ... husband ... is quite right; an immature female has no +business trying to rule a world and the sooner the marriage is +confirmed, the sooner a competent man can take over the job." + +"No," he said. "I think--" + +He decided that what he thought had better be left unsaid. + +"I'll"--she looked toward the cabin she shared with Narf--"let you know +when we can talk." + +She went back toward the cabin, walking slowly. From inside Narf's half +of it came the sound of Narf's voice as he spoke to Sonig: + +"... Of course, this collection of heads is nothing compared with what I +have in the Sea Islands ... but some interesting stories here ... take +that snow fox there...." + +Hunter sighed, and saw that Lyla had stopped before her door, as though +dreading to enter. Narf's voice droned on: + +"... Only wounded, so I finished it with a knife. Even with its heart +half cut out, it still wanted to live ... beautiful pelt ... coat for +Janalee, the strip-tease queen ... always had a way with women--Lyla +could tell you that ... had my pick of hundreds but I'm letting her be +my choice...." + +He saw Lyla half lift her hand, as in some mute gesture of protest, then +she turned and walked swiftly away; up the path that led into the ghost +trees, and out of sight. + +He waited, but she did not come back. He went into his cabin and moved +about restlessly, hearing again Narf's sadism-and-sex boasting and +seeing again how she turned and almost ran from it-- + + * * * * * + +"_Rootenant!_" + +Alonzo was panting, a look of frantic appeal in his eyes. + +"Prease herp me ... Princess Ryra ... she wirr die!" + +He felt his heart lurch. "She's hurt?" he demanded, and was already on +his way to the door. + +"She are about to cry and she are going to where the tree tigers riv. +They wirr kirr her--prease come with me!" + +He asked no more questions but went out the door and up the path, Alonzo +running ahead of him. + +The ghost trees grew thinner as they went up the mountain's slope, and +the blue-green fernlike trees of the tiger forest began to appear. They +grew thicker and thicker, until the ground was black with their shadows +and the midday sunlight was filtered out by the foliage overhead. Alonzo +was trailing her, his nose to the ground, and Hunter hurried close +behind him, watching for the red-and-white of the clothes she was +wearing and hoping they would not find her too late. + +They were deep in the forest when they found her. + +She was standing motionless in the center of a clearing, facing away +from him and looking as small and alone as a lost child. She seemed to +be waiting.... + +He realized for the first time how alone she really was, with only a +doglike alien, Alonzo, to love her or care what might happen to her, and +with a future she could not bear to face. But Rockford had been wrong +when he had said, _For her, there is no escape_. + +There was escape for her. She had only to wait, as she was waiting now, +and it would come in the windlike whisper of a tiger's rush through the +grass behind her.... + +He hurried to her. She turned, and he saw the stains of tears now dry on +her face and in her eyes the darkness of utter defeat. + +"I was afraid you might get hurt, Lyla--" + +Then, seemingly without volition on his part, he put his arms around her +and she was clinging to him and crying in muffled sobs and trying to say +something about, "_I didn't think anybody cared...._" + +It was some time later, when her crying was finished, that he was +reminded of the tigers by Alonzo: + +"Rootenant ... awr the time, some tigers are coming croser and croser. +We better get her out of here, Rootenant, before they find us." + +Lyla looked down at Alonzo. "Thank you, Alonzo, for watching over me and +... and--" Her voice caught and she dropped to her knees and hugged the +shaggy head tight against her. + +Hunter watched ahead, Lyla beside him as they went through the dense +trees. Alonzo walked soft-footed behind them, watching the rear. When +they came to the first ghost trees and the dwindling of the tiger trees, +Hunter thought it safe to walk slower and talk to her. + +"I saw you go," he said. "I didn't know where until Alonzo came running +to tell me." + +"I heard him bragging about killing, and about his women--I was weak, +wasn't I?" + +"Weak?" + +"I was afraid to face the future, just because it isn't to be exactly +like I thought I wanted." + +"What was the kind you wanted, Lyla?" + +"Oh ... I guess I wanted a husband who could see me only, and children, +and evenings together in the flower garden, and ... well, all the silly, +sentimental little things that mean so much to a woman." + +He thought, _Even with its heart half cut out, it still wanted to live +... Coat for Janalee ... the strip-tease queen...._ + +They passed through the last of the tiger trees and she said, "We're +safe, now. The tigers never attack anyone outside their forest." + +She was walking slowly and he said, "We should get on back before you're +missed, shouldn't we?" + +"Who would miss me?" she asked. "So long as I remain physically intact +for the marriage night, who cares where or why I went away?" + +There was the cold bleakness of winter in her eyes as she spoke, and in +her voice the first undertone of brass. He saw that this was already the +beginning of the change that Narf would make in her; the transformation +of a girl young and wanting to love and be loved into a hard and cynical +woman. + +He put his arm around her shoulder, thinking that he should tell her +that _he_ cared and that she must never let Narf change her. + +"Lyla, I--" + +He realized how futile and foolish the words would sound. She would +marry Narf, he would return to Earth, and they would never meet again. +There were no words for him to speak on this last walk together, no way +to tell her that he wanted to help her, to protect and care for her. No +way to express the feeling inside him.... + +He did what seemed as natural under the circumstances as it had been for +him to put his arm around her in the clearing. He tilted up her face and +bent his head to kiss her. + +And walked with jarring impact into the knobby elbow of a ghost tree +limb. + + * * * * * + * * * * + +The sun was down and dusk was darkening the camp when they arrived back +at her cabin. + +"Thank you, Dale," she said. Her hand squeezed his arm. "I didn't know I +had a friend ... but now we'll have to be strangers because--" + +[Illustration] + +Gravel crunched loudly on one of the paths in the ghost trees and they +looked back, to see Narf and Sonig coming, walking swiftly. Even at the +distance, there was anger like a red aura about Narf. + +"Well," Lyla said softly, "here comes my medicine." + +Sonig stopped at his own cabin, to stand just within the doorway, +watching. Narf strode on and stopped before Hunter and Lyla, his face +twisted with savage hatred as he looked at Hunter. He spoke to Lyla with +grating vehemence: + +"You've done an excellent job of making an ass of yourself--and of +me--haven't you? Come on in the cabin!" + +Narf seized her by the arm, towering over her as he jerked her around +toward the door. Hunter stepped quickly forward, feeling the hot flash +of his own anger, but there was the paleness of Lyla's face as she +looked back, an appeal on it that said, _No!_ He stopped, realizing that +Narf would not physically harm the woman who would make him king of +Vesta, and that any interference on his part would only make everything +the harder for her. + +He watched the two go into the cabin--into Lyla's half--and Narf slammed +the door shut behind them. There followed the quick bang of windows +being closed, and then Narf's muffled tirade began: "_... May think I'm +a fool ... I'm going to tell you a few things...._" + +Sonig was still standing within his doorway. Hunter knew, without seeing +it, that the thin-lipped smile would be on Sonig's face. + +He turned and walked back to his own cabin. There was nothing he could +do but withdraw--and listen from a distance and be ready to act if it +seemed she was in danger. + +He sat on his doorstep in the darkness, hearing occasional phrases in +Narf's unrelenting abuse. One was: "_So prim you had to countermand my +order for a key to that lock--then you went out to play with that second +lieutenant...._" + +Alonzo materialized out of the darkness, coming as silently as a shadow. +He was no longer the bumbling clown. The idiotic grin was gone and his +eyes were green fire, slanted and catlike, his teeth flashing white in a +snarl as he looked back toward the sound of Narf's voice. + +"She are _my_ Princess Ryra," Alonzo said. "He are cursing her. If he +ever hurt her, I wirr tear out his throat and his river." + +"He won't hurt her, Alonzo," Hunter said, wishing he could be sure. +"He'll only use words on her." + +"He never ask her _why_ she run away--he onry curse her and threaten her +because she embarrass him." + +"Embarrass him?" + +"He and Sonig, they see you coming out of the forest with your arm +around her. They watch with high-power grasses." + +"But there was nothing wrong in that--" + +"That are what Princess Ryra say. She say you onry put your arm around +her because she are stirr scared of the tigers. And then he say, what +about the other? And he cawr her awrful bad names." + +"What other?" + +"Oh, when you are bending down to kiss Princess Ryra and are wawrking +into tree." + +He gulped. "_They saw that?_" + +"Oh, sure. Rord Narf are so mad he want to kirr you right then but Sonig +say, 'Wait, I have a pran.' Then Sonig say, 'It are too bad we don't +have a camera--we could have made that rootenant the raffing stock of +forty worlds.'" + +The thought made Hunter gulp again. + +"What was Sonig's plan that Narf told Lyla about?" He asked. + +"Oh, he not terr _her_. I hear Sonig terr Rord Narf when I spy. Sonig +say, 'Tomorrow we be friendry and we ret those two go for another wawrk +in the woods. And we have cameras with terescope rens and when they kiss +and hug we take moving pictures.'" + +"Why, the gutter-bred rat--" + +"And Rord Narf say, 'That is what we wirr do. And then I wirr kirr him +as soon as we have the pictures and she wirr have to toe the mark from +then on because if I pubricry show the pictures of what she did, she +wirr be ashamed to show her face anywhere on Vesta.'" + +"Why, the--" He could not think of a suitable expression. + +"And then Sonig say, 'To make sure she go out tomorrow, you bawr her out +good so she wirr want to cry on the rootenant's shourder again.' And +Rord Narf say, 'I wirr be very grad to terr the two-timing hussy what I +think of her, don't worry.'" + +"Why, she was only a scared girl and that rat thinks she--" + + * * * * * + +"_... Your promise to your dying father_," Narf's voice came in +accusation. "_He's gone, now, and you can betray him, too! Why don't you +go all the way in your deceptions ... your father will never know...._" + +Alonzo said, "I think I go back and stay croser to her cabin, +Rootenant." + +It was an hour later, and Narf's voice had settled to a low, steady +growling, when Hunter heard a helicopter settle down near the camp. A +minute later, Val Boran was outlined momentarily in the doorway of the +cabin he shared with Sonig. There followed the exchange of a few +words--interrogation in Val's tone--and then the sound of Sonig's voice +alone, which continued for minute after minute. + +_Sonig is telling him all about it_, Hunter thought, _including my +walking into that tree. But there won't be one word in sympathy with +Lyla._ + +Sonig's story ended and Hunter saw Val leave the cabin. He came straight +up the path toward Hunter, looming tall in the darkness as he stopped +before him. There was the pale gleam of metal in Val's belt--a blaster. +His voice came cold and flat: + +"I want to talk to you, Lieutenant." + +Hunter sighed, thinking, _I suppose he wants to kill me, too_. + +He got up and said, "We'll go inside. Shut the door behind you--I don't +want your friend straining his ears to hear us." + +Val sat tall even in the chair, his face like a carving in a dark +granite and his eyes as bright and hard. + +"I understand that you took Princess Lyla into the tiger forest today." +Val's hand was very near the blaster. "I understand you then played the +role of affectionate rescuer." + +"Do you believe that story?" Hunter asked. + +"Do you have a different one?" + +"You might ask Lyla. Or Alonzo. Alonzo is the one who came to me for +help when he saw she was going out to die." + +"To die?" A startled expression came into the black eyes. "She _wanted_ +to die?" + +"I'll tell you what happened," Hunter said, and told him the story, +omitting only the embarrassing kissing incident and knowing that Sonig +had not. + +Val was silent for a while after Hunter finished speaking, then he said, +"It isn't for me to comment upon Lord Narf's character or actions. She +is his wife by her own choice. But the thought of someone else taking +her out and--" + +"I know. It wasn't so." Then Hunter added, "You think a great deal of +her, don't you?" + +Val's face hardened and Hunter thought he would not answer. Then he +smiled a little, even though without humor, and said: + +"Since I came here to kill you if I thought you deserved it, I suppose I +am obligated to answer your question. My regard for Princess Lyla is the +respectful one that any civilized man would have for another man's +wife." + +There was an unintended implication in the statement and Hunter made a +conjecture: + +"You and Princess Lyla were engaged--how long ago?" + +There was surprise on Val's face, and something like pain quickly +masked. "So she's already making it public information?" + +"No. I learned of it from ... other sources. I don't know, of course, +why you persuaded her to break the engagement--that's none of my +business, anyway." + +"No," Val said. "It's none of your business. I'll tell you this: _I_ +didn't ask her to break the engagement. But so long as that was what she +wanted, I certainly wasn't going to beg her to change her mind." + +Val stood up to go. "If you don't mind, I would rather you said nothing +to Princess Lyla about this visit tonight. I'm afraid my misplaced surge +of chivalry would make me look like a fool to her." + +Then, as an afterthought, Val added, "Mr. Rockford had further business +in the city." + + * * * * * + * * * * + +It was late when Narf finally left Lyla's part of the cabin. He went to +the cabin occupied by Val and Sonig, aroused Sonig, and the two of them +went to the helicopter field. Hunter heard the helicopter leaving for +the city a few minutes later. Val's cabin remained dark and after a +while, the light in Lyla's cabin went out. + +He went to bed, but not to sleep. Over and over, a lonely little +Princess Lyla clung to him for comfort, crying, while he held her close. +He twisted and turned restlessly as he thought of the hours she had sat +alone and unloved while Narf poured out his hatred and fury on her. + +There was a yearning for her, a desire to hold her and always protect +her, that would not let him sleep. And he realized the reason why. + +He thought miserably, _I'm in love with her_! + + * * * * * + +Rockford was in bed, snoring loudly, with six empty beer cans on the +floor beside him, when Hunter got up. He went outside and found Alonzo +waiting for him. + +"They got it awr pranned to kirr you for sure today, Rootenant." + +"How?" he asked. + +"Rast night, Rord Narf and Sonig go to the city and Rord Narf, he hire +four bad-rooking men with brasters, and Sonig hire four more that are +his countrymen, and they bring these men back and now they are hiding in +the woods. And they awrso bring back movie cameras with terescope +renses. And Rord Narf raff and say he wirr marry Princess Ryra today +before your dead body is even coor." + +"Oh?" Hunter said. He thought of the snoring Rockford and his words of +two days before: _If you manage to live that long._ How, he wondered, +could the lazy old drunkard have made such an accurate guess? + +"And then," Alonzo said, "Rord Narf wake up Princess Ryra--onry I know +she wasn't asreep--and he terr her he ruv her and have awready made awr +the arrangement for them to get married today, right after runch. And he +terr her she is right about the Space Guard and she wirr have until +runch to tawrk to you about it." + +There was the sound of Narf's door opening and closing and Alonzo said, +"I go now--Rord Narf might guess that I are terring you things." + +A few minutes later Narf and Sonig came down the path toward Hunter. +Both carried packsacks--the cameras, of course--and both carried +long-range rifle blasters. + +"Good morning, lieutenant!" Narf was smiling and pseudogenial again. +"About last night--sometimes a man has to be stern with his wife to +impress her. Very foolish thing she did--might have been killed. I'm +afraid I was so badly shaken with worry over her that I didn't even +thank you for bringing her back." + +"A beautiful morning, lieutenant!" Sonig was smiling, coming as close to +beaming as the nature of his face would permit. "Lord Narf is going to +take me stag hunting this morning--I'll get some lessons from a master. +Did you ever see his lordship's collection of heads? Amazing!" + +"But it seems a sportsman's collection is never quite complete," Narf +said. He was still smiling but the hatred was burning like a fire in his +eyes as he looked at Hunter. "There's one more head I must have--I +intend to get it this morning." + +Narf and Sonig were gone when Lyla came out of her cabin, her face pale +and drawn. Val came out of his cabin and the two spoke to each other in +greeting. There was a silence, in which neither seemed to know what to +say. + +Finally, awkwardly, Val said, "I heard about yesterday, Lyla. Why did +you go into the tiger forest?" + +"Oh ... I was just walking, I guess, and didn't notice where." + +"You went there to die, didn't you?" + +"I ... when you have nothing left--" Then she lifted her head in a proud +gesture and said, "Should it matter to you?" + +For a moment Val had the look of a man struck. Then it was gone and he +said in an emotionless voice: + +"No. I was asking about something that is only your husband's business. +I won't do it again." + +He turned away, back to his cabin. + +"Val--" She took a quick step after him, the proud air gone and her arms +outstretched. "I didn't mean--" + +He turned back, his tone politely questioning. + +"Yes?" + +"I only wanted--" Then her arms dropped and the life went out of her +voice. "What does it matter ... what does anything matter?" + +She hurried into her cabin and the door closed behind her. + + * * * * * + +Rockford spoke from the doorway behind Hunter: + +"Well, my boy, are you ready for your day's duties?" + +He followed Rockford inside, where Rockford settled down in the +easy-chair and yawned. + +"I had a rather busy night," he said. "Certain events occurred yesterday +afternoon which forced me to change my own plans to some extent. Or to +set them ahead a day, I should say." + +He made an effort to put the vision of Lyla from his mind and asked, +"Did you make any progress with Val Boran?" + +"No, I'm afraid not. Of course, I didn't expect to." Rockford yawned +again. "There was another message from Supreme Command. The situation +is getting worse. Which reminds me of your Duty For The Day and the fact +that if you can live through it, you will have it made." + +_He's my superior_, Hunter thought. _He's supposed to outrank a Space +Patrol General--and he's amused by the situation he's here to remedy._ + +"Right now," Rockford said, "Lyla faces a grim future and feels like she +doesn't have a friend in the world. She needs a shoulder to cry on. You +will take her for a walk and supply that shoulder." + +Somehow, even though the order had nothing to do with the Terran-Verdam +crisis, he did not have the heart to object. She had been crying before +she even reached her door. Later, after he had comforted her, he would +demand that Rockford get down to determined effort on the Verdam +problem. No more than an hour would be lost by that.... + +"Yes, sir," he said. "But in the interests of Princess Lyla's safety, I +had better talk to her in her cabin. Alonzo saw Narf and Sonig bring +back eight--" + +"Professional killers, to dispose of you," Rockford finished. "I know +all about it, and I know that Narf took time last night to spend an hour +with his favorite girl friend and brag even to her that he was going to +marry Lyla today before your dead body had time to get cool. + +"But you just take Lyla for another walk and you will cause the +beginning of the end for the Verdam Peoples Worlds. You will go down in +history, my boy, as the man who saved the Terran Republic." + +Hunter went out the door, again feeling a feverish sense of unreality. +He was to go forth and get blasted into hamburger and by some mysterious +process known only to Rockford, the Verdam empire would contritely start +collapsing.... + +He did not knock on her door. He did not think of it as a violation of +her privacy. She would be feeling too alone and unwanted to care. + +She was not crying as he had thought she would be. She was standing by +the window, staring down at the gray, distant desert, her eyes as +bleakly empty as it. + +"Hello, Lyla," he said. + +"Hello, Dale. I was just thinking; this is the day that I, as a woman, +should always have dreamed about"--she tried to smile, and failed, and +the brass came into her voice--"my wedding day!" + +"Alonzo told me about it." + +It seemed to him he should add something, such as to wish her +happiness--but such words would be meaningless and farcical and they +would both know it. + +But there was no reason why he should endanger her by obeying Rockford's +insane order. He would not do it-- + +"Ah ... good morning, Lyla!" Rockford loomed in the doorway, jovial as a +Santa Claus. "Did you know Dale wants to go for a walk in the woods +with you this bright spring morning--and he's no doubt too bashful to +tell you so? Do you good to get away from camp"--there was the +suggestion of a pause--"while you're still free." + +He turned a beaming smile on Hunter. "Don't stand there like a dummy, +boy--take her by the arm and let her have a last walk with someone who +cares what happens to her." + +There was one thing about Rockford not compatible with his air of fond +fatherliness: his eyes were hard, gray slate as they looked into +Hunter's and there was no mistaking their expression. Rockford had not +made a fatherly suggestion for his own amusement. He had given an order +that he intended to be obeyed. + + * * * * * + * * * * + +Hunter and Lyla walked on through the thickets of ghost trees and arrow +brush, each with little to say, Hunter feeling more and more like a +ridiculous fool. They had no destination, no purpose in their walk, +other than to abide by Rockford's desire that a total of ten assassins +get a chance to slaughter a certain expendable second lieutenant. + +He did not put his arm around Lyla as they walked. If they killed him, +it would have to be without their having the satisfaction of the +pictures they wanted with which to blackmail her. + +They came to a tiny clearing, where a cloud tree log made an inviting +seat in the shade, and Lyla said: + +"No matter how far we walk, I'll have to go back to face it. Let's stop +here, and rest a while." + +He saw that the clearing was fairly well screened, but certainly not +completely so. It would have to do. + +[Illustration] + +He sat down on the log several feet away from her, not wanting to take +the chance of her getting hit by accident. + +_Not that I'm enthusiastic about getting hit by intent, myself_, he +thought. _What a way for a Space Guard officer to die._ + +He wondered if Rockford would ever inform Headquarters that Lieutenant +Dale Hunter had died in the line of duty--by whatever twisted logic this +insane episode could be called duty--and he wondered how the +Commemoration Roll would read for him.... _Displaying courage above and +beyond the call of duty, Lieutenant Hunter sat conspicuously on top of a +hill and calmly waited for ten assassins to slaughter him...._ + +"It's peaceful and quiet here, isn't it?" Lyla said. + +He had been trying to watch four different directions at once and he +realized that the constant swiveling of his neck was causing his stiff +blouse collar to slowly cut his throat. And he saw that it was--for the +moment, anyway--peaceful and quiet where they sat. The sun was warm and +golden before them, bright flowers sweetly scented the air, and giant +rainbow moths were fluttering over them, their tiny voices like the +piping of a thousand fairy flutes. + +"I wish I had been born a country girl," Lyla said. "I'd like to have a +life like this, and not--what mine will be." + +He asked the question to which he had to have the answer: + +"Once you were going to marry Val and live on Jardeen, weren't you?" + +"I ... so my foolishness is no longer a secret?" + +"Foolishness?" he asked. + +"We met two years ago when I was attending the Fine Arts university on +Jardeen. I was younger and a lot more naïve then than I am now. I +thought we were desperately in love and would get married as soon as I +finished school and would live happily ever after, and all that." + +"And it didn't turn out that way?" + +"I had to make that promise to Daddy and when I wrote to Val about it, +he seemed to approve. He didn't suggest I renounce the proxy marriage +when the time was up, or anything. He just wrote that I knew what I +wanted to do. He seemed relieved to be free to go ahead with his +political career." + +"I see," he said, and then, "you don't feel bad about it, do you, Lyla?" + +"Feel bad? I wouldn't marry Val Boran if he was the last man on Vesta! +Even Lord Narf isn't as self-centered as _he_ is!" + +"You don't have to marry Narf either," he said. "You know that." + +She looked down at the ground and said in a dead voice, "I made a +promise." + +"Rockford told me that your father never really knew Narf--that on the +few times they met, Narf put on the act of being a refined gentleman, +very respectful toward the king's daughter." + +She did not answer and he said, "Is that the way it was?" + +"Yes. That's the way it was. But how could I tell Daddy, as he lay +dying?" + +"You couldn't, Lyla. But if your father could be here today and know +what you know about Narf, do you think he would want you to marry him?" + +"No ... I guess not. But Lord Narf loves me in his own way, I think--and +that's more than anyone else does." + +Then her tone changed and she said, "I'm so glad that you're here today, +Dale--I'm glad that there is someone who cares at least a little about +what happens to me." + +On her face was a poignant longing for someone to love and comfort her. +It seemed to him, now beyond any doubt, that there could never be +anything for him in his career but loneliness. How different the warm +love of Lyla would be from the cold austerity of the military and its +endless succession of weapons and killing-- + + * * * * * + +He moved, to sit beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. +"Lyla," he said, "I want to tell you--" + +"_Dale...._" The word was a despairing sob as her composure broke and +she held tightly to him, crying, her voice coming muffled as she pressed +her face against his chest. "Help me, Dale! How can I marry that +sadistic beast when it's someone else I can't live without--and he +doesn't even know I love him!" + +"But he does!" He hugged her closer, "He does know, and he loves you +even more than you love him." + +"Are you sure?" She raised a tear-stained face, hope like sunshine +through clouds on it. "Are you really sure Val loves me, after all?" + +"_Val?_" + +The revelation was like the stunning concussion shock of a blaster beam +passing two inches overhead. His vision blurred and there was a hideous +roaring in his ears. She was still holding to him for comfort and it +seemed to him that was wrong--he should be clinging to her for +support.... + +"_Dale_ ... what's the matter?" + +"But I thought--" He swallowed with difficulty. "I thought you meant +that I was the--" + +Something struck the top of his head; this time, for certain, the +concussion shock of a blaster beam passing close above it. There was a +vicious crack as the beam split the tree beyond, then a crash and +explosion of wood fragments as a second beam followed the first. + +He rolled from the log; taking Lyla with him. The arrow bushes shielded +them briefly, long enough for them to reach the temporary safety of a +small swale. + +"Dale!" Her dark eyes were wide with puzzled surprise and one small foot +was bare from the loss of a sandal. "Someone shot at us!" + +He thought, _So Narf got his pictures, after all_. + +"Rootenant!" Alonzo came running. "They are _that_ way--awr spread out +to be sure to kirr you." + +Alonzo motioned with his nose, a movement that seemed to cover all the +high ground beyond them. At least, the enemy was not between them and +camp. Not yet. + +A distant shout came, an order from Narf to his men: + +"_All of you--down that ridge! Get between Hunter and camp!_" + +"_It's him!_" Her fingers gripped his arm. "He wants them to kill you!" + +They had fired from a distance too great for his own blaster. He could +not defy them from where he now stood. + +"I'll have to try to get within range of them," he said. "I'll go +back--" + +"_No!_" Her grip on his arm tightened. "Don't leave me, Dale--don't let +him find me here." + +He looked down the length of the swale. At its lower end the ghost tree +forest began, dense and concealing--but all down the length of the swale +the snarevines lay in thick, viciously barbed entanglements, overlying a +bed of sharp rocks and boulders. She could never get to the safety of +the ghost trees in time. + +Narf had his pictures, now. What would he do to her in the insanity of +his hatred and triumph when he reached her? + +"All right, Lyla," he said. "I'll see that you get to the trees--" + + * * * * * + * * * * + +There was a crashing of explosions and debris leaped skyward behind them +and along both sides of the swale. The firing continued, scattered but +very effectively consistent, and he said as he drew his blaster, "I +guess they don't want us to go away." + +He set the regulator of the blaster at lowest intensity so that the beam +would not clip dangerous flying fragments from the boulders. The green, +tough vines disintegrated reluctantly while the precious minutes sped +by; while the unhindered assassins would be hurrying to the point where +the entire swale would be visible to them and under their fire. + +Alonzo was following along near the top of the swale's side, ignoring +the danger as he watched the progress of the enemy and reported it to +Hunter: "Now they are halfway, Rootenant, hurrying faster--" + +They reached the lower end of the swale. The last of the vines +disintegrated and the ghost tree forest lay before them. + +He touched her cheek in farewell. "Get on to camp, as fast as you can +run." + +The firing abruptly ceased as he spoke. There was an ominous silence. +Alonzo came running, his tone almost a yelp in its urgency: + +"They are awrmost where they can see us! We got to get her out of here, +Rootenant--awrfur quick!" + + * * * * * + +"_Lyla!_" + +It was the voice of Val, sharp with concern for her. He came running out +of the ghost trees, all his cold impassiveness gone. "Are you hurt, +Honey--are you hurt?" + +"_You came for me!_" She whispered the words, her face radiant. Then she +ran to meet him, her arms outstretched, crying, "_Val ... oh, Val...._" + +Their arms went around each other. + +Then the woods erupted as ten blasters laid down a barrage to block any +escape to camp. + +"I'll try to give you a chance to get through," Hunter said quickly. +"Be ready for it when it comes." + +He ran toward the firing line, taking advantage of the concealment +afforded by the first fringe of ghost trees. They should be almost +within range of his own weapon, now-- + +Again, the firing abruptly ceased, as though by some signal. There came +the furious raving of Narf: + +"_It's that Boran she wants! Kill him, too!_" + +Sonig cursed with bitter rage. "_Jardeen is lost to Verdam if any +witness escapes--and we'll all hang, besides._" + +There was a second of silence, and then Narf's command: + +"_Kill the woman, too!_" + +There was a roar like thunder as the firing began. The ground trembled +and debris filled the air with flying fragments. Hunter, still running +toward the enemy under cover of the trees, saw Val trying to get Lyla to +safety and saw them both hurled to the ground as a tree exploded in +front of them. They would never live to rise and run again-- + + * * * * * + +He saw Rockford's plan, at last, and what his own duty would now have to +be. He knew why Rockford had said of this day, "_If you can live through +it, you will have it made._" + +And he had a cold feeling inside him that he was not going to have it +made. + +He took a deep breath and ran toward the enemy, out of the concealment +of the ghost trees and in the open where they could not fail to see him, +his blaster firing a continuous beam that fell only a little short of +the enemy, that showed them he would be close enough to kill them within +seconds if he was not stopped. + +The fire concentrated upon him, giving Lyla and Val their chance for +escape. He ran through an inferno of crashing explosions, twisting and +dodging on ground that trembled and heaved under his feet, while +razor-sharp rock shrapnel filled the air with shrill, deadly screaming +sounds. + +Something ripped through his shoulder, to spin him around and send him +rolling. He scrambled up, firing as he did so, and ran drunkenly on. + +Something struck the side of his head and he went down again. He tried +to rise and fell back, a blackness sweeping over him that he could not +hold away despite his efforts to do so. + +It seemed to him that the firing had suddenly stopped, that in its place +was the hoarse buzz of a police stun-beam. It seemed he saw helicopters +overhead, bearing the bright blue insignia of the Royal Guard and then +there was nothing but the blackness. + + * * * * * + +There was a brief, dreamlike return to consciousness. He was in a Royal +Guard helicopter and Alonzo was beside him, grinning, and saying, "You +be O.K.--I grad! And my Princess Ryra--rook at her now, Rootenant!" + +He saw Lyla, her hand in Val's, and her face was glowing and beautiful +in its new-found happiness. Then she was bending down, kissing him, and +saying, "Dale ... Dale ... how can we ever thank you for what you did?" + + * * * * * + +When the blackness lifted the second time he was lying, bandaged, on a +cot in the meeting hall and the voice of Rockford was saying, "... Ready +to go in just a minute." + +The hall was filled with members of the royal court who had come for the +wedding. He saw the white robes of Church of Vesta dignitaries who had +come to officiate at the wedding. Then he saw the seven grim old men +seated at the far end of the table. + +The Royal Council--with the judicial power to give even death sentences +in crimes committed against royalty. + +Sonig, his face white and staring, was being half led, half carried, +away from them. + +Narf, in the grip of another Guardsman, was standing before the Council +and saying in a tone both incredulous and sneering: + +"Is that my sentence?" + +"There is a qualification to it," one of the Council said. "It seems +only just, in view of your crime, that you be tortured until death--" + +The rest of the words were lost as the blackness swept back. But before +unconsciousness was complete, when all else in the hall was gone from +him, he heard Narf's cry; an animal-like bawl of protest, raw and hoarse +with anguish.... + + * * * * * + +"Ah ... you're coming out of it, my boy." + +Rockford was standing over him. "They gave you a Restoration shot on +Vesta forty-eight hours ago. It will be wearing off in a minute and your +head will clear." + +He sat up, and the dizziness faded swiftly away. He saw that he was in +the compartment of an interstellar ship and he knew that it was +Earthbound. + +And that Vesta, and brown-eyed Lyla, were now part of the past.... + +"Don't look so sad, my boy," Rockford said. "You'll get due credit and +promotion for the invaluable part you played in my plan." + +"But--" + +"I know. But she was never yours. You'll find life is full of +heartbreaks like that, son. + +"And we accomplished our mission. Narf's crime neatly invalidated the +proxy marriage. Then Lyla set a new precedent by marrying Val that very +day. Earth has never had two such loyal and grateful friends as Val and +Lyla." + +"You knew all about them, didn't you?" he asked. + +"Strategic Service has to know everything. And I knew they were still +in love even though each was too proud to admit it. That's why I had to +insist on Val coming to Vesta. After that, it was only a matter of using +you to awaken Val to the fact that she did _not_ love Narf. And of +taking care of various little details, such as faking an official +request for the helicopters to come out two hours ahead of time, getting +Val off to find her at the proper time, and so on." + +Rockford smiled at him, "And you learned that an old man's mind can be +mightier than the space fleets of the Verdam empire--and that the line +of duty that produces the best results can sometimes be very devious." + +He thought of the white-faced Sonig, and the anguished bawl he had heard +from Narf. + +"I suppose they were going to hang Narf and Sonig at once." + +"The Council would have, no doubt. But Lyla was so happy that she begged +the Council to give them very light sentences--or just let them go free. +So I suggested a compromise. The Royal Council regarded it as very +fitting." + +"What was it?" + +"For Sonig, no punishment. The murder attempt, being news of public +interest, will be broadcast upon Vesta and other worlds, including a +factual, unbiased account of Sonig's participation in it. Shortly +afterward, Sonig will be taken to Verdam and turned over to his own +benevolent government. Vesta will file no charges." + +"But Sonig lost Jardeen for his government. They'll execute him for +that!" + +"Yes. I'm afraid so. Shall we call it poetic justice?" + +"What about Narf?" + +"His sentence was life-long exile on his Sea Island estate. He will be +provided with all the luxuries to which he has been accustomed, +including a full staff of servants. He will continue to enjoy all his +possessions there, including his gallery of nude paintings, his risqué +films, his pornographic library, and so on. In fact, since he is so +fascinated by pornography and such a collector thereof, any pornographic +material which might become available on Vesta in the future will be +sent to him." + +"That's not right ... I mean, they were going to torture him to death." + +"Not 'to death'. It was 'until death'. There's a difference." + +"But that bawling noise he made--" + +"Ah ... that was due to the one restrictive qualification to the benign +terms of his exile. Every woman on his estate was to be removed before +he reached there, leaving men servants only. Patrol boats will see to it +that for so long as he lives no woman shall ever set foot on the Sea +Islands." + +Rockford smiled again. "Lord Narf succeeded beyond his wildest dreams in +keeping his boyhood vow of being always a man among men." + + + + +Transcriber's Note + +This etext was produced from _Analog Science Fact and Fiction_ December +1962. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and +typographical errors have been corrected without note. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's --And Devious the Line of Duty, by Tom Godwin + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK --AND DEVIOUS THE LINE OF DUTY *** + +***** This file should be named 22585-8.txt or 22585-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/5/8/22585/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: --And Devious the Line of Duty + +Author: Tom Godwin + +Illustrator: Schelling + +Release Date: September 12, 2007 [EBook #22585] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK --AND DEVIOUS THE LINE OF DUTY *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + +<h1><big>—And Devious<br /> +the Line of Duty</big></h1> + +<p class="tease">Sometimes the most diligent and loyal thing<br /> +an old man can do is fumble,<br /> +drink beer, and let a young man get into trouble....</p> + +<h2>by Tom Godwin</h2> + +<p class="illo">Illustrated by Schelling</p> + + +<p>"We're almost there, my boy." +The big, gray-haired man who +would be Lieutenant Dale Hunter's +superior—Strategic Service's Special +Agent, George Rockford—opened +another can of beer, his +fifth. "There will be intrigue already +under way when this helicopter +sets down with us. Attempted +homicide will soon follow. +The former will be meat for me. +You will be meat for the latter."</p> + +<p>Rockford was smiling as he +spoke; the genial, engaging smile +of a fond old father. But the eyes, +surrounded by laughter crinkles, +were as unreadable as two disks of +gray slate. They were the eyes of +a poker player—or master con man.</p> + +<p>"I don't understand, sir," +Hunter said.</p> + +<p>"Of course not," Rockford +agreed. "It's a hundred light-years +back to Earth. Here on Vesta, to +make sure there <i>is</i> an Earth in the +future, you're going to do things +never dreamed of by your Terran +Space Patrol instructors there. +You'll be amazed, my boy."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 644px;"> +<img src="images/001.png" width="644" height="500" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>Hunter said nothing but he felt +a growing dislike for the condescending +Rockford. Only a few +weeks ago President Diskar, himself, +had said: <i>For more than a century +these truly valiant men of the Space Patrol +have been our unwavering outer +guard; have fought and died by legions, +that Earth and the other worlds of +the Terran Republic might remain +free—</i></p> + +<p>"I suppose you know," Rockford +said, "that there will be no more +than four days in which to stop +the Verdam oligarchy from achieving +its long-time ambition of becoming +big enough to swallow the +Terran Republic."</p> + +<p>"I know," Hunter answered.</p> + +<p>Jardeen, Vesta's companion +world, was the key. Jardeen was +large and powerful, with a space +navy unsurpassed by that of any +other single world. A large group of +now-neutral worlds would follow +Jardeen's lead and Jardeen's alliance +with the Verdam People's Worlds +would mean the quick end for the +Terran Republic. But, if Jardeen +could be persuaded to ally with the +Terran Republic, the spreading, +grasping arms of the Verdam octopus +would begin to wither away—</p> + +<p>Rockford spoke again:</p> + +<p>"Val Boran, Jardeen's Secretary +of Foreign Relations, is the man +who will really make Jardeen's +decision. I know him slightly. +Since my public role is that of +Acting Ambassador, he agreed—reluctantly—to +come to Vesta so +that the talks could be on a neutral +world. With him will be Verdam's +Special Envoy Sonig; a wily little +man who has been working on +Boran for several weeks. He seems +to be succeeding quite well—here's +a message I received from Earth +early this morning."</p> + +<p>Rockford handed him a sheet of +the green Hyperspace Communications +paper. The message was in +code, with Rockford's scribbled +translation beneath:</p> + +<p><i>Intelligence reports Verdam forces +already massed for attack in Sector A-13, +in full expectation of Jardeen's alliance. +Anti-Terran propaganda, stressing the +New Jardeen Incident, being used in +preparation for what will be their claim +of "defensive action to protect innocent +worlds from Terran aggression." Terran +forces will be outnumbered five to one. +The urgent necessity of immediate and +conclusive counter measures by you on +Vesta is obvious.</i></p> + +<p>Hunter handed the paper back, +thinking, <i>It's worse than any of us +thought</i>, and wondering how Supreme +Command could ever have +entrusted such an important task +to a beer-guzzling old man from +Strategic Service—a branch so unknown +that he had never even +heard of it until his briefing the +day before he left Earth.</p> + +<p>He saw that they had left the +desert behind and were going up the +long slope of a mountain. "The +meeting will be on this mountain?" +he asked.</p> + +<p>Rockford nodded. "The rustic +Royal Retreat. Princess Lyla will +be our hostess. Her mother and +father were killed in an airplane +accident a year ago and she was the +only child. You will also get to +meet Lord Narf of the Sea Islands, +her husband-by-proxy, who regards +himself as a rare combination of +irresistible woman-killer and +rugged man-among-men."</p> + +<p>"Husband-by-proxy?" Hunter +asked.</p> + +<p>"The king worshiped his daughter +and his dying request to her was +that she promise to marry Lord +Narf. Narf's father had been the +king's closest friend and the king +was sure that his old friend's son +would always love and care for +Lyla. Lyla dutifully, at once, +married Narf by proxy, which is +like a legally binding formal engagement +under Vestan law. Four +days from now the time limit is +up and they'll be formally married. +Unless she should do the unprecedented +thing of renouncing the +proxy marriage."</p> + +<p>Rockford drained the last of the +beer from the can. "Those are the +characters involved in our play. +I have a plan. That's why I told +Space Patrol to send me a brand-new +second lieutenant—young, +strong, fairly handsome—and expendable. +I hope you can be +philosophical about the latter."</p> + +<p>"Sir," Hunter said, unable to +keep a touch of stiffness out of his +tone, "it is not exactly unknown +in the Space Patrol for a man to die +in the line of duty."</p> + +<p>"Ah ... yes." Rockford was +regarding him with disturbing +amusement. "You are thinking, of +course, of dying dramatically behind +a pair of blazing blasters. But +you will soon learn, my boy, that +a soldier's duty is to protect the +worlds he represents by whatever +actions will produce the best results, +no matter how unheroic +those actions may be."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"Attention, please." It was the +voice of the pilot. "We are now +going to land."</p> + +<p>Hunter preceded Rockford out +of the helicopter and onto the green +grass of a small valley, across which +tall, red-trunked cloud trees were +scattered. Pale gray ghost trees, +with knobby, twisted limbs, grew +thickly among the cloud trees. +There was a group of rustic cabins, +connected by gravel paths, and a +much larger building which he +assumed would be a meeting +hall.</p> + +<p>"Hello."</p> + +<p>He turned, and looked into the +brown eyes of a girl. Her green +skirt and orange blouse made a +gay splash of color, her red-brown +hair was wind-tumbled and carefree +about her shoulders, in her hand +was a bouquet of bright spring +flowers.</p> + +<p>But there was no smile of spring +in the dark eyes and the snub-nosed +little face was solemn and old +beyond its years.</p> + +<p>"You're Lieutenant Hunter, aren't +you?" she asked in the same +low, quiet voice.</p> + +<p>"Princess Lyla!" There seemed +to be genuine delight in Rockford's +greeting as he hurried over. +"You're looking more like a queen +every day!"</p> + +<p>Her face lighted with a smile, +making it suddenly young and +beautiful. "I'm so glad to see +you again, George—"</p> + +<p>"Ah ... good afternoon."</p> + +<p>The voice was loud, unpleasantly +gravelly. They turned, and Hunter +saw a tall, angular man of perhaps +forty whose pseudogenial smile +was not compatible with his sour, +square-jawed face and calculating +little eyes.</p> + +<p>He spoke to Rockford. "You're +Ambassador Rockford, here to +represent the Terran Republic, I +believe." He jerked his head toward +Princess Lyla, who was no +longer smiling. "My wife, Princess +Lyla."</p> + +<p>"Oh, she and I have been friends +since she was ten, Lord Narf."</p> + +<p>"And this young man"—Narf +glanced at Hunter—"is your aide, +I presume. Lyla, did you think to +send anyone after their luggage?"</p> + +<p>A servant was already carrying +their luggage—and cases of Rockford's +beer—out of the helicopter. +Hunter followed the other toward +the cabins. Narf, in the lead, was +saying:</p> + +<p>"... Ridiculously primitive +here, now, but I'm having some +decent furniture and well-trained +servants sent up from my Sea +Island estates...."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The cabin was large and very +comfortable, as Rockford mentioned +to Princess Lyla.</p> + +<p>"I'm glad you like it," she said. +"Val Boran and Envoy Sonig are +already here and we'll meet for +dinner in the central hall. I thought +that if we all got acquainted in a +friendly atmosphere like that, it +might help a lot to...."</p> + +<p>"That reminds me"—Narf +glanced at his watch—"I promised +this Boran he could have a discussion +with me—Vesta-Jardeen tariff +policies. I suppose he's already +waiting. Come on, Lyla—it will +do you no harm to listen and learn +a bit about interplanetary +business."</p> + +<p>For a long moment she looked at +Narf silently, her eyes thoughtful, +then she said to Rockford, "If you +will excuse us, please. And be prepared +for Alonzo to come bounding +in the minute he learns you're +here."</p> + +<p>She walked beside Narf to the +door and out it, the top of her dark +hair coming just even with his +shoulder.</p> + +<p>"And that," Rockford said as he +settled down in the largest, softest +chair, "was king-to-be Narf, whose +business ability is such that all his +inherited Sea Island estates are +gone but the one Lyla saved for him +and who owes a total of ten million +monetary units, to everyone from +call girls to yacht builders."</p> + +<p>"And she is going to marry +him?" Hunter asked. "Marry that +jackass and let him bankrupt her +kingdom?"</p> + +<p>Rockford shrugged. "You may +have noticed that she doesn't look +the least bit happy about it—but +she is a very conscientious young +lady who regards it as her most +solemn duty to keep the promise +she made to her father. For her, +there is no escape."</p> + +<p>"But—"</p> + +<p>"Your first duty will be to cultivate +a friendship with her. I'm +going to use her, and you, to get +what I want."</p> + +<p>"<i>Use</i> us?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. One of the most rigid requirements +of a Strategic Service +man's character is that he be completely +without one."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap">Rockford was asleep in his chair +an hour later, three empty beer cans +beside him. Hunter watched him, +his doubt of Rockford's competence +growing into a conviction. +Rockford had spoken knowingly of +his plan—and had done nothing +but drink more beer. Now he was +asleep while time—so limited and +precious—went by. He hadn't even +bothered to reply to Hunter's suggestion +that perhaps he should call +on Val Boran and counteract some +of Envoy Sonig's anti-Terran propaganda.</p> + +<p>Hunter came to a decision. If +Rockford was still doing nothing +when morning came, he would +send an urgent message to Supreme +Command.</p> + +<p>He went outside, to find a servant +and learn how mail was handled.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"<i>Rook out!</i>"</p> + +<p>Gravel flew as overgrown feet +tried to stop, and something like +a huge black dog lunged headlong +around the corner and into his legs. +He went to the ground head first +over the animal, acutely aware as +he went down of the fascinated +interest on the face of a not-so-distant +servant.</p> + +<p>"I sorry, Rootenant."</p> + +<p>He got up, to look down at the +doglike animal. There was a concerned +expression in its brown eyes +and an apologetic grin on its face. +He recognized it as one of the +natives of the grim starvation +world of Altair Four. The Altairians +had emigrated to all sections +of the galaxy, to earn a living in +whatever humble capacity they +could fill. Many were empathic.</p> + +<p>"I run too fast to meet, Mr. +Rockford, I guess. Are you hurt, +Rootenant?"</p> + +<p>He pulled a cloud tree needle out +of his hand and looked grimly +down into the furry face. "In the +future, try to look where you're +going."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I rook, awr right. I just +not see. My name is Aronzo, +Rootenant, and I stay here awr the +time and guard everything for +Princess Ryra. I prease to meet you +and I wirr run errands for you, and +do things rike mair your retters, +for candy or cookies, which I are +not supposed to eat much of, but +Princess Ryra say not too many +wirr hurt me—"</p> + +<p>"Mail letters?" Hunter's animosity +vanished. "I'm sorry I was +rude, Alonzo—all my fault. I may +write a letter to my dear old +mother tonight, and if you would +mail it for me in the morning—"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Rockford left ahead of Hunter +and it was a minute past the appointed +time when Hunter reached +the meeting hall. He heard Narf's +loud voice inside:</p> + +<p>"... Boran must have stopped +to watch the sunset. Told him I +wanted everyone here on time—"</p> + +<p>The low voice of Lyla said something +and Narf said, "Not necessary +for you to defend him, my +dear. I made it plain to him."</p> + +<p>A new voice spoke from behind +Hunter:</p> + +<p>"It seems I have annoyed Lord +Narf."</p> + +<p>He was a tall, black-eyed man, +with the dark, saturnine face of an +Indian. There was a strange, indefinable +air of sadness about him +which reminded Hunter of the +sombre little Princess Lyla.</p> + +<p>"You're Val Boran, sir?" he said. +"I'm Lieutenant Hunter—"</p> + +<p>Inside, Narf sat at the head of the +table. On his left was Lyla, then +Rockford. On his right was a +spidery little man of about fifty, +his slick-back hair so tight against +his skull that it gave his head the +appearance of a weasel's. His lips +were paper-thin under a long nose, +like those of a dry and selfish old +maid, but the round little eyes +darting behind thick glasses were +cold and shrewd and missed nothing. +He would be Verdam's Special +Envoy Sonig. Hunter appraised +him as a man very dangerous in his +own deceptive way.</p> + +<p>A servant showed them to their +places at the table. Rockford and +Val Boran exchanged greetings. +The moment everyone was seated, +Narf said, "Dinner tonight will—"</p> + +<p>"Excuse me," Lyla said, "but +Mr. Sonig hasn't yet met—"</p> + +<p>"Oh ... the young fellow +there—" Narf gestured with his +hand. "Rockford's aide. Now, ring +the chime, Lyla. Those forest stag +steaks are already getting cold. I +killed the beast myself, gentlemen, +just this morning; a long-range +running shot that required a bit +more than luck...."</p> + +<p>The dinner was excellent, but no +one seemed to notice. Narf was +absorbed in the story of his swift +rise to eminence in the Vestan +Space Guard. There were humorous +incidents:</p> + +<p>"... Can't understand why, +but I seem to attract women like a +magnet. I'm strictly the masculine +type of male and I approve of this +but it can be a blasted nuisance +when you're an ensign going up +fast and your commander finds one +of your blondes stowed away in +your compartment...."</p> + +<p>And there were scenes of tense +drama:</p> + +<p>"... Made a boyhood vow +that I'd never settle for anything +less than to always be a man +among men. Seem to have succeeded +rather well. When I saw the crew +was almost to the snapping point +from battle tension I knew that as +commander I'd have to set the +example that would inspire."</p> + +<p>Hunter recalled Rockford's words +of a few hours before: "<i>Narf got to +be commander, finally, but only because +he was the son of the king's best friend. +His record is very mediocre.</i>"</p> + +<p>Princess Lyla tried three times to +start a conversation of general interest +and was drowned out by +Narf each time. Sonig's pretense of +being spellbound by Narf's stories +was belied by the way his eyes kept +darting from Rockford to Val +Boran. Val's own attention kept +shifting from Narf to the silent +Lyla, whose downcast eyes betrayed +her discouragement. She +watched Val from under her eyelashes, +to look away whenever +their eyes met, and Hunter wondered +if she was ashamed because +Narf had given Sonig the seat of +honor that should have belonged +to Val.</p> + +<p>Of course, Narf's own position +at the head of the table was +actually Lyla's.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> +<img src="images/002.png" width="700" height="376" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>"... So there's no substitute +for competent, unwavering leadership," +Narf was saying. "Received +a citation for that one."</p> + +<p>Sonig nodded appreciatively. +"Your military record well illustrates +the fact that the tensions of +danger and battle can bring forth +in a competent leader the highest +kind of courage. But it seems to me +that these same circumstances, if +the leader is frightened or incompetent, +can easily produce hysterical +actions with disastrous consequences. +Is this true, your lordship?"</p> + +<p>Rockford was watching Sonig intently +and Hunter saw that there +was an eager anticipation in Sonig's +manner.</p> + +<p>"You are quite right," Narf +answered. "I've always had the +ability to remain cool in any crisis. +Very important. Let a commander +get rattled and he may give any +kind of an order. Like the New +Jardeen Incident."</p> + +<p>A frozen silence followed the last +five words. Hunter thought, <i>So +that's what the little weasel was +fishing for....</i></p> + +<p>Rockford quietly laid down his +fork. Val's face turned grim. Lyla +looked up in quick alarm and said +to Narf:</p> + +<p>"Let's not—"</p> + +<p>"Don't misunderstand me, gentlemen," +Narf's loud voice went on. +"<i>I</i> believe the commander of the +Terran cruiser wouldn't have ordered +it to fire upon the Verdam +cruiser over a neutral world such +as New Jardeen if he had been his +rational self. Cold-war battle +nerves. So he shot down the Verdam +cruiser and its nuclear converters +exploded when it fell in the +center of Colony City. Force of a +hydrogen bomb—forty thousand +innocent people gone in a microsecond. +Not the commander's fault, +really—fault of the military system +that failed to screen out its unstable +officers."</p> + +<p>"Yes, your lordship. But is it +possible"—Sonig spoke very +thoughtfully—"for a political +power, which is of such a nature +that it must have a huge military +force to maintain its existence, to +thoroughly screen all its officers? +So many officers are required—Can +there ever be any assurance that +such tragedies won't occur again +and again, until a majority of +worlds combine in demanding an +end to aggression and war?"</p> + +<p>Rockford spoke to the grim Val:</p> + +<p>"I know, sir, that your sister +was among the lost in Colony City. +I am sorry. For the benefit of Mr. +Sonig and Lord Narf, I would like +to mention that the Verdam cruiser +fired upon the Terran cruiser over +neutral New Jardeen in open violation +of Galactic Rule. An atmospheric +feedback of the Verdam +cruiser's own space blasters tore +out its side and caused it to fall. The +Terran cruiser never fired."</p> + +<p>"But Mr. Rockford—" Sonig +spoke very courteously. "Isn't it +true that certain safety devices +prevent atmospheric feedback?"</p> + +<p>"They do—unless accidentally or +purposely disconnected."</p> + +<p>Sonig raised his eyebrows. "You +imply a created incident, sir?"</p> + +<p>"It doesn't matter," Val Boran +said. His tone was as grim as his +face and it was obvious he did not +believe Rockford's explanation. +"Colony City is a field of fused +glass, now, its people are gone, and +no amount of debating can ever +bring them back."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap">The dismal dinner was finally +over. Rockford stopped outside the +door of their cabin to fill and light +his pipe.</p> + +<p>"It was a profitable evening," +he said to Hunter. "I can start +planning in detail now—after a +little beer, that is."</p> + +<p><i>He'll go to sleep after he drinks his +beer</i>, Hunter thought, <i>and there will +never be any plan unless I—</i></p> + +<p>Soft footsteps came up the path +behind them. It was Princess Lyla.</p> + +<p>"I want to apologize," she said, +"I just told Val ... Mr. Boran +the same thing."</p> + +<p>Her face was a pale oval in the +starlight, her eyes dark shadows. +"I'm sorry my husband mentioned +the New Jardeen incident."</p> + +<p>"That's all right, Lyla," Rockford +said. "No harm was done."</p> + +<p>"He's an ex-military man, and +I guess it's his nature to be more +forthright than tactful."</p> + +<p>"You certainly can't condemn +him for that," Rockford said. "In +fact, he's an extraordinary teller of +entertaining stories. It was a most +enjoyable evening."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"And, in a way, it was," Rockford +said when she was gone and +they were in the cabin. He was +seated in the softest chair, a can of +beer in his hand, as usual.</p> + +<p>Hunter thought of the way she +had looked in the starlight and +said, "Why did she let that windbag +sit at the head of the table and +ruin the meeting that she had +arranged?"</p> + +<p>"He'll soon be her husband—I +suppose she feels she should be +loyal to him."</p> + +<p>"But—"</p> + +<p>"But what?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing. It's none of my business."</p> + +<p>"Oh?" Rockford smiled in a +way Hunter did not like. "You +think so, eh?"</p> + +<p>Hunter changed the subject. "Are +you going to start talking to +Boran to undo the damage Narf +and Sonig have done?"</p> + +<p>"It would be a waste of time, my +boy. Val Boran's mind is already +made up."</p> + +<p>"Then what are you going to +do?"</p> + +<p>"Drink six cans of beer and go +to sleep."</p> + +<p>"I thought you had a plan."</p> + +<p>"I have, a most excellent plan."</p> + +<p>"What is it?"</p> + +<p>"You'd scream like a banshee if +you knew. You'll learn—if you +manage to live that long."</p> + +<p>Rockford was sound asleep an +hour later, snoring gently. Hunter +sat thinking, hearing the steady +murmur of a voice coming from Val +Boran's cabin. Sonig's voice—using +every means of persuasion he could +think of, at the moment capitalizing +on the New Jardeen incident +and Boran's withheld grief over +the sister he had lost.</p> + +<p>And the Terran Republic's representative +was sprawled fat and +mindless in a fog of beer fumes.</p> + +<p>Hunter hesitated no longer. The +fate of Earth and the Terran Republic +hung in the balance and time +was desperately limited—if there +was now any time at all.</p> + +<p>He took paper and pen and began +the urgent message to Supreme +Command, headed, TOP EMERGENCY. +It would be sent via +Hyperspace Communications from +the city and would span the hundred +light-years within seconds.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>He was up before Rockford the +next morning, and went out into +the bright sunlight. He looked +hopefully for Alonzo, not wanting +to be seen mailing the letter in +person. Rockford, despite his drunken +stupors, could be shrewdly +observant and he might deduce +the contents of the letter before +Supreme Command ever received it.</p> + +<p>He was some distance from the +cabin when he heard the pound of +padded feet behind him.</p> + +<p>"Rootenant," Alonzo had the +grin of a genial canine idiot. "Do +you want me to mair your retter to +your dear ore mother?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have the letter right here."</p> + +<p>"O.K. I got to hurry, because +the mair hericopter reaves right +away. I charge six fig cookies or +three candy bars or—"</p> + +<p>"Here—take it and run—and +try not to slobber all over it."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>They were served breakfast in the +cabin. Afterward, Rockford went +for a brief talk with Princess Lyla. +He came back and settled down in +the easy-chair, his pipe in his hand.</p> + +<p>"Your morning's duty won't be +at all unpleasant," he said. "The +obnoxious and repulsive things +will begin to happen to you later. +Maybe this afternoon."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"This morning you will go for +a walk with Princess Lyla and +discuss changing the Vestan Space +Guard into a force along Terran +Space Patrol lines. Narf is still in +bed, by the way."</p> + +<p>Rockford added, "I'll give you +a bit of sage advice, for your own +good—try not to fall in love with +her."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap">Hunter and Princess Lyla sat +together on the high hill, their +backs against the red trunk of a +cloud tree. On the mountain's slope +to their right lay the dark and +junglelike Tiger Forest—he wondered +if it was true that the savage +tree tigers never left its borders—while +the toylike cabins of the +camp were below them. The mountain's +slope dropped on down to +the deserts, beyond which were +other mountains, far away and +translucent azure.</p> + +<p>"It was George who suggested +we come up here," she said. "He +knows I do that often when the +responsibilities of being queen of +a world—I'm such an ordinary and +untalented person—become too +much for me. I always feel better +when I sit up here and look down +on the mountains and deserts."</p> + +<p>"Yes," he said politely.</p> + +<p>"A ruling princess can be so +alone," she said. "That's why I +appreciate George's friendship so +much—it's never because of any +ulterior motive but because he +likes me."</p> + +<p><i>I'm going to use her, and you, to +get what I want.</i></p> + +<p>He looked at her, at the lines of +sadness on the face that was too +old for its years, felt the way she +was so grateful to Rockford for +what was only a cold-blooded +pretense of friendship, and the +dislike for Rockford increased. He +could not force himself to speak +civilly of Rockford so he changed +the subject:</p> + +<p>"I understand you wanted to +talk to me about the Space Guard?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. Even a neutral world can't +feel safe these days and George +suggested that."</p> + +<p>"I'll be glad to help all I can. Of +course, the change will require +time."</p> + +<p>"I can understand that. They +say you Space Patrol officers begin +training at sixteen, after passing +almost impossible qualification +tests."</p> + +<p>"The tests can seem extremely +difficult to a farm boy from Kansas. +I—"</p> + +<p>"Kansas?" Her eyes lighted with +interest. "My grandmother was +from Kansas! She used to tell me +about the green plains of grain in +the spring, and how different +they were from the deserts of +Vesta...."</p> + +<p>It was almost noon when he took +her hand and helped her to her feet, +realizing guiltily that they had +talked all morning without ever +getting back to the cold, dry facts +of military efficiency.</p> + +<p>"It was nice to talk up here this +morning," she said. She looked +down at the cabins and the shadow +fell again across her face. "But +nothing down there has been +changed by it, has it?"</p> + +<p>He held to her hand longer than +was necessary as they went down +the steep part of the hill. She did +not seem to mind.</p> + +<p>When they reached her cabin she +said, "It's still a little while until +lunch—time enough for you to +give me a rough outline of the Space +Guard change."</p> + +<p>Everything inside the cabin was +feminine. None of Narf's possessions +were visible. There was a +heavy door leading into Narf's half +of the cabin, with a massive lock. +Hunter wondered if it was left unlocked +at night, thought of Narf's +sour face and leering little eyes, and +found the thought repulsive.</p> + +<p>The answer to his conjecture +came with the entrance of a servant +as they seated themselves.</p> + +<p>"By your leave, your highness," +the servant said, bowing, "I came +to make Lord Narf a key for that +inner door."</p> + +<p>"A key?" There was alarm in her +tone. "But we're not married—not +yet!"</p> + +<p>A puzzled expression came to the +man's face. "Lord Narf told me, +your highness, that you had +ordered the duplicate key made and +given to him before evening. I +found I could not do this without +first borrowing your key for a +pattern."</p> + +<p>There was a frightened look in +her eyes as they went to the door +and back to the servant. "<i>No</i> ... +don't try to make a key!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, your highness." The servant +bowed and turned away.</p> + +<p>A familiar gravelly voice spoke +from behind them:</p> + +<p>"Ah ... an unscheduled little +meeting, I see!"</p> + +<p>It was Narf, anger on his face, +already within the doorway as the +servant went out it.</p> + +<p>"We were going to talk about the +Space Guard," Lyla said in an +emotionless tone. "Lieutenant +Hunter has promised to show how +Space Patrol methods will improve +it and—"</p> + +<p>"By a coincidence, Sonig and +I were discussing military matters +only a few minutes ago," Narf +said. He looked at Hunter. "I'm +afraid that Sonig and I agree that +the Terran Space Guard is quite out +of date, now. <i>The</i> fighting force of +the galaxy is the Verdam's Peoples +Guards."</p> + +<p>Narf spoke to Lyla, "You may +go ahead and talk with this lieutenant +if you wish to, but it's a +waste of time. I'm arranging to +have Sonig send Peoples Guards +officers here to supervise the rebuilding +of the Space Guard.</p> + +<p>"And now"—there was insinuation +in Narf's tone as he spoke to +Hunter—"I have to give Sonig a +demonstration of my skill with +weapons. He insists on it—he has +heard of several of my modest +feats."</p> + +<p>Narf left the door open behind +him so that by turning his head as +he walked, he could see the two +inside.</p> + +<p>"I suppose I might as well go," +Hunter said.</p> + +<p>Lyla did not answer. She sat +motionless, staring unseeingly before +her, and he wondered if she +was thinking of how very soon +Narf would be king and his authority +as great as hers.</p> + +<p>She did not notice when he +quietly left the room.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap">Rockford was waiting in the +cabin, still in the easy-chair.</p> + +<p>"Well," Rockford said, "what +do you think of her?"</p> + +<p>Hunter tried to keep the personal +dislike out of his coldly formal +reply:</p> + +<p>"If you refer to your suggestion +that I not make love to her, sir, +I can assure you that such a suggestion +was never necessary. I happen +to have a code of ethics."</p> + +<p>"I didn't say 'make love'. I said, +'fall in love'. That's quite ethical. +Did you complete your discussion +with her?"</p> + +<p>"Well ... no."</p> + +<p>"You must do that this afternoon, +then. Can't let anything as +important as that be delayed."</p> + +<p>Hunter stared at him, trying to +find one small grain of sanity in +Rockford's actions. The Verdam +empire already had Jardeen within +its grasp, and Vesta, and the end +for Earth was inevitable. And +Rockford slept, and drank beer, +and regarded it as very important +that the Vestan Space Guard discussions—of +a change that Narf +would never permit—be continued +without delay.</p> + +<p>He walked slowly into his own +room. In the nightmare situation of +frustration there was one single +sane and stable conviction for his +mind to cling to: Supreme Command +would by now have received +his message and shot back the reply +that would relieve Rockford of +his command. Perhaps it wasn't +yet too late—</p> + +<p>Then his mind reeled as a new +conviction struck it.</p> + +<p>There was a sheet of paper on +his bed—a message.</p> + +<p><i>His</i> message!</p> + +<p>... SITUATION EXTREMELY +CRITICAL ... VAL BORAN +ALREADY CONVINCED BY +SONIG'S PROPAGANDA ... +MUST REPORT ROCKFORD IS +UTTERLY INCOMPETENT, HIS +MIND AND WILL DESTROYED +BY ALCOHOL ... REPEAT: +ROCKFORD IS DOING NOTHING, +HIS MIND DESTROYED +BY ALCOHOL....</p> + +<p>The words screamed up at him +and he felt the sickness of one who +sees the last faint hope shattered +and gone. All was lost, now....</p> + +<p>He went outside, feeling a savage +desire for violence rising above the +sickness.</p> + +<p>"Rootenant!" Alonzo came +bounding to meet him and slid +to a halt with his saucer feet scattering +gravel and the idiotic grin +on his face. "I mair your retter and +you owe me six fig cook—"</p> + +<p>It occurred to Hunter that it +was not Alonzo that should be +punished. He, Hunter, was the one +who deserved execution for ever +entrusting anything so important +as the message to an imbecilic +animal.</p> + +<p>He said with cold distinctness:</p> + +<p>"The ... letter ... is ... inside."</p> + +<p>"Oh?" Alonzo blinked. "I sure +mair something, awr right. After +Mr. Rockford correct it."</p> + +<p>"<i>Correct it?</i>"</p> + +<p>"Oh, sure. Mr. Rockford, he up +rong before you this morning to +find me and say you are writing a +retter rast night and I must bring +it by for him to make awr your +mistakes over again."</p> + +<p><i>So Rockford was watching all the +time, pretending to be in a drunken +sleep....</i></p> + +<p>"Rootenant—" Alonzo shifted +his big feet impatiently. "You stirr +owe me six fig—"</p> + +<p>Hunter swung around and strode +away, afraid he might decide to +choke the animal after all. A +culture of twenty worlds was the +same as already destroyed, and he +was held in a maddening quagmire +of helplessness by a crafty alcoholic +and a dog with the mind of a small +child.</p> + +<p>"Ah ... my boy!" Rockford +came out of the cabin, beaming as +though nothing had ever happened. +"Look to your left, among those +ghost trees—Narf is demonstrating +his quick-draw skill to Sonig. +Narf is supposed to be a very dangerous +man, you know."</p> + +<p>Hunter looked, and saw Narf +whipping up the blunt, ugly spread-beam +blaster—known to soldiers +as the Coward's Special, because at +short range it could not miss and +would always cripple and blind a +man for life even though it would +not always kill him. Sonig was +standing by, nodding his weasel +head and smiling in open admiration.</p> + +<p>"Of course," Rockford said, +"Sonig isn't mentioning the needle +gun all Verdam envoys carry up +their sleeve. He's flattering Narf's +ego for a reason—he intends to +have Vesta, as well as Jardeen, +sewed up for the Verdam empire +when he leaves here."</p> + +<p>"And so far as I can see," +Hunter said coldly, "Sonig never +is going to have anything vaguely +resembling intelligent resistance to +his plans."</p> + +<div class="figright" style="width: 379px;"> +<img src="images/003.png" width="379" height="550" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>"Ah, yes ... so far as you can +see," Rockford agreed amiably. +"But you obey my order to take +Lyla for another walk and everything +will turn out all right. In +fact, I'll speak to her about that +right now."</p> + +<p>Hunter stared after Rockford as +he walked away. There could be +no possible shred of doubt—Rockford +was insane!</p> + +<p>The breeze shifted and the voice +of Narf came:</p> + +<p>"... Certainly no weapon for +a timid man, this spread-beam +blaster. Have to meet the enemy +man-to-man at close range."</p> + +<p>"In that respect, too," Sonig +said, "you remind me of our great +General Paluk. His skill in hand-to-hand +combat was something +that—"</p> + +<p>"Rootenant—"</p> + +<p>Hunter quivered and steeled himself.</p> + +<p>"Rootenant—" Alonzo came to +a flopping halt beside him. "I terr +Princess Ryra and she say I are bad +to be mad at you. So I not mad, even +if you didn't give me my pay."</p> + +<p>"Thank you," Hunter said +acidly. "I was deeply disturbed +by your resentment."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I know, you don't rike me. +But I think you not as mean as +you act. But Rord Narf—he is. +I terr you, he awready mad enough +to kirr you."</p> + +<p>"What? Lord Narf wants to kill +me?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, he know you hord Princess +Ryra's hand awrmost awr the way +down the hirr this morning. Mr. +Sonig, he see you, and he run and +terr Rord Narf and Mr. Boran, too."</p> + +<p>"But I was only helping her +down the hill."</p> + +<p>"Rord Narf, he are going to say +mean things about it to Princess +Ryra, too. I know. He are awrways +saying mean things to my Princess +Ryra."</p> + +<p>Alonzo sighed, a sound strangely +humanlike in its sadness.</p> + +<p>"Who wirr watch over my Princess +Ryra after she marry Rord +Narf? He said, 'The first thing to +go around here wirr be that stupid +brabber-mouth animar that are not +worth what it costs to feed it.' I +think maybe he are afraid that if +he ever hit my Princess Ryra, I wirr +kirr him." The brown eyes looked +up at Hunter, and suddenly they +were unlike he had ever seen them; +cold with deliberate decision. "I +wirr, too."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap">Hunter was still standing by the +cabin, thinking of what Alonzo +had said, when Rockford returned.</p> + +<p>"I also stopped by to see Val +Boran," Rockford said. "While +you're off with Lyla, we'll go to +the city. Lyla is giving us free +access to the Royal Library and the +records of a neutral world carry +more weight than anything I could +say. Not that it's going to change +his mind any—but it will give me +a chance to work on him in another +way."</p> + +<p>Rockford went into the cabin as +Val Boran came up the path, Princess +Lyla walking beside him. She +was saying, "... And anything +we have in the library is yours for +the asking."</p> + +<p>They were close enough for +Hunter to see her expression as +she looked up at Val and added +with what seemed a touch of wistfulness, +"I'll be glad to go in with +you and Mr. Rockford and do what +I can to help if you want me to."</p> + +<p>"Lyla"—it was the grating voice +of Narf who seemed to have the +ability to materialize anywhere—"I'm +sure the man knows his business. +Besides, I want to talk to you +about something as soon as I have +finished my discussion with Mr. +Sonig."</p> + +<p>With that, Narf started on toward +his cabin. Sonig, close behind +him, paused long enough to bow +to Lyla and say with the meaningless +smile, "Good afternoon, Princess +Lyla. Your husband was just +demonstrating his marvelous skill +with weapons. I would very much +dislike"—the little eyes darted to +Hunter and back again—"being +the man who aroused his lordship's +wrath."</p> + +<p>Then Sonig followed Narf, with +one last flickering glance at Hunter +to see how the remark had fallen.</p> + +<p>Rockford came out of the cabin +with his brief case and said to Val, +"Are we ready to go?"</p> + +<p>"I just told Val"—Lyla spoke +quickly—"that I would be glad +to go along and help any way I +can." The words were addressed to +Rockford but her eyes were on Val, +with the same wistful expression. +"Do you want me to?"</p> + +<p>Val answered her with cool, formal +courtesy: "The librarian can +find all the records we will need, +Princess Lyla, without our interrupting +your schedule for the day +or your discussion with your husband. +Thank you very much."</p> + +<p>For an instant Lyla's face had the +hurt expression of a child rebuffed +without reason. Then she looked +away and Val turned to Rockford +and said, "I'm ready when you are, +sir."</p> + +<p>Lyla watched them walk away +and she was still watching when +the helicopter had lifted into the +air and faded from sight.</p> + +<p>Hunter hesitated, then spoke to +her:</p> + +<p>"I understand you want to talk +more about the Space Guard, Princess +Lyla?"</p> + +<p>"<i>Princess</i> Lyla!" Her lips curled +as she turned to face him and she +seemed to spit the words at him in +sudden, unexpected resentment. "I +love the meaningless sound of my +official figurehead title! It's so much +better than being regarded as a +living person with feelings that +can be hurt!"</p> + +<p>"But Princ ... I mean—" He +floundered, not quite sure what +had caused her reaction.</p> + +<p>She made a visible effort to compose +herself. "I'm sorry," she said. +"I suppose my ... husband ... +is quite right; an immature female +has no business trying to rule a +world and the sooner the marriage +is confirmed, the sooner a competent +man can take over the job."</p> + +<p>"No," he said. "I think—"</p> + +<p>He decided that what he thought +had better be left unsaid.</p> + +<p>"I'll"—she looked toward the +cabin she shared with Narf—"let +you know when we can talk."</p> + +<p>She went back toward the cabin, +walking slowly. From inside Narf's +half of it came the sound of Narf's +voice as he spoke to Sonig:</p> + +<p>"... Of course, this collection +of heads is nothing compared with +what I have in the Sea Islands ... but +some interesting stories here ... take +that snow fox there...."</p> + +<p>Hunter sighed, and saw that +Lyla had stopped before her door, +as though dreading to enter. Narf's +voice droned on:</p> + +<p>"... Only wounded, so I finished +it with a knife. Even with +its heart half cut out, it still wanted +to live ... beautiful pelt ... coat +for Janalee, the strip-tease +queen ... always had a way with +women—Lyla could tell you that ... had +my pick of hundreds but +I'm letting her be my choice...."</p> + +<p>He saw Lyla half lift her hand, +as in some mute gesture of protest, +then she turned and walked swiftly +away; up the path that led into the +ghost trees, and out of sight.</p> + +<p>He waited, but she did not come +back. He went into his cabin and +moved about restlessly, hearing +again Narf's sadism-and-sex boasting +and seeing again how she +turned and almost ran from it—</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"<i>Rootenant!</i>"</p> + +<p>Alonzo was panting, a look of +frantic appeal in his eyes.</p> + +<p>"Prease herp me ... Princess +Ryra ... she wirr die!"</p> + +<p>He felt his heart lurch. "She's +hurt?" he demanded, and was +already on his way to the door.</p> + +<p>"She are about to cry and she are +going to where the tree tigers riv. +They wirr kirr her—prease come +with me!"</p> + +<p>He asked no more questions but +went out the door and up the path, +Alonzo running ahead of him.</p> + +<p>The ghost trees grew thinner as +they went up the mountain's slope, +and the blue-green fernlike trees of +the tiger forest began to appear. +They grew thicker and thicker, +until the ground was black with +their shadows and the midday sunlight +was filtered out by the foliage +overhead. Alonzo was trailing her, +his nose to the ground, and Hunter +hurried close behind him, watching +for the red-and-white of the clothes +she was wearing and hoping they +would not find her too late.</p> + +<p>They were deep in the forest +when they found her.</p> + +<p>She was standing motionless in +the center of a clearing, facing away +from him and looking as small and +alone as a lost child. She seemed to +be waiting....</p> + +<p>He realized for the first time how +alone she really was, with only a +doglike alien, Alonzo, to love her +or care what might happen to her, +and with a future she could not +bear to face. But Rockford had been +wrong when he had said, <i>For her, +there is no escape</i>.</p> + +<p>There was escape for her. She had +only to wait, as she was waiting +now, and it would come in the +windlike whisper of a tiger's rush +through the grass behind her....</p> + +<p>He hurried to her. She turned, +and he saw the stains of tears now +dry on her face and in her eyes the +darkness of utter defeat.</p> + +<p>"I was afraid you might get hurt, +Lyla—"</p> + +<p>Then, seemingly without volition +on his part, he put his arms +around her and she was clinging to +him and crying in muffled sobs and +trying to say something about, +"<i>I didn't think anybody cared....</i>"</p> + +<p>It was some time later, when her +crying was finished, that he was +reminded of the tigers by Alonzo:</p> + +<p>"Rootenant ... awr the time, +some tigers are coming croser and +croser. We better get her out of +here, Rootenant, before they find +us."</p> + +<p>Lyla looked down at Alonzo. +"Thank you, Alonzo, for watching +over me and ... and—" Her +voice caught and she dropped to +her knees and hugged the shaggy +head tight against her.</p> + +<p>Hunter watched ahead, Lyla beside +him as they went through the +dense trees. Alonzo walked soft-footed +behind them, watching the +rear. When they came to the first +ghost trees and the dwindling of +the tiger trees, Hunter thought it +safe to walk slower and talk to +her.</p> + +<p>"I saw you go," he said. "I +didn't know where until Alonzo +came running to tell me."</p> + +<p>"I heard him bragging about +killing, and about his women—I +was weak, wasn't I?"</p> + +<p>"Weak?"</p> + +<p>"I was afraid to face the future, +just because it isn't to be exactly +like I thought I wanted."</p> + +<p>"What was the kind you wanted, +Lyla?"</p> + +<p>"Oh ... I guess I wanted a +husband who could see me only, +and children, and evenings together +in the flower garden, and ... +well, all the silly, sentimental +little things that mean so much to +a woman."</p> + +<p>He thought, <i>Even with its heart +half cut out, it still wanted to live ... +Coat for Janalee ... the strip-tease +queen....</i></p> + +<p>They passed through the last of +the tiger trees and she said, "We're +safe, now. The tigers never attack +anyone outside their forest."</p> + +<p>She was walking slowly and he +said, "We should get on back before +you're missed, shouldn't we?"</p> + +<p>"Who would miss me?" she +asked. "So long as I remain physically +intact for the marriage night, +who cares where or why I went +away?"</p> + +<p>There was the cold bleakness of +winter in her eyes as she spoke, and +in her voice the first undertone of +brass. He saw that this was already +the beginning of the change that +Narf would make in her; the transformation +of a girl young and +wanting to love and be loved into +a hard and cynical woman.</p> + +<p>He put his arm around her +shoulder, thinking that he should +tell her that <i>he</i> cared and that she +must never let Narf change her.</p> + +<p>"Lyla, I—"</p> + +<p>He realized how futile and foolish +the words would sound. She +would marry Narf, he would return +to Earth, and they would never +meet again. There were no words +for him to speak on this last walk +together, no way to tell her that +he wanted to help her, to protect +and care for her. No way to express +the feeling inside him....</p> + +<p>He did what seemed as natural +under the circumstances as it had +been for him to put his arm around +her in the clearing. He tilted up +her face and bent his head to kiss +her.</p> + +<p>And walked with jarring impact +into the knobby elbow of a ghost +tree limb.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap">The sun was down and dusk was +darkening the camp when they +arrived back at her cabin.</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Dale," she said. +Her hand squeezed his arm. "I +didn't know I had a friend ... +but now we'll have to be strangers +because—"</p> + +<div class="figright" style="width: 177px;"> +<img src="images/004.png" width="177" height="550" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>Gravel crunched loudly on one +of the paths in the ghost trees and +they looked back, to see Narf and +Sonig coming, walking swiftly. +Even at the distance, there was +anger like a red aura about Narf.</p> + +<p>"Well," Lyla said softly, "here +comes my medicine."</p> + +<p>Sonig stopped at his own cabin, +to stand just within the doorway, +watching. Narf strode on and +stopped before Hunter and Lyla, +his face twisted with savage hatred +as he looked at Hunter. He spoke +to Lyla with grating vehemence:</p> + +<p>"You've done an excellent job +of making an ass of yourself—and +of me—haven't you? Come on in +the cabin!"</p> + +<p>Narf seized her by the arm, towering +over her as he jerked her +around toward the door. Hunter +stepped quickly forward, feeling +the hot flash of his own anger, but +there was the paleness of Lyla's +face as she looked back, an appeal +on it that said, <i>No!</i> He stopped, +realizing that Narf would not +physically harm the woman who +would make him king of Vesta, +and that any interference on his +part would only make everything +the harder for her.</p> + +<p>He watched the two go into the +cabin—into Lyla's half—and Narf +slammed the door shut behind +them. There followed the quick +bang of windows being closed, and +then Narf's muffled tirade began: +"<i>... May think I'm a fool ... +I'm going to tell you a few things....</i>"</p> + +<p>Sonig was still standing within +his doorway. Hunter knew, without +seeing it, that the thin-lipped +smile would be on Sonig's face.</p> + +<p>He turned and walked back to +his own cabin. There was nothing +he could do but withdraw—and +listen from a distance and be ready +to act if it seemed she was in danger.</p> + +<p>He sat on his doorstep in +the darkness, hearing occasional +phrases in Narf's unrelenting abuse. +One was: "<i>So prim you had to countermand +my order for a key to that +lock—then you went out to play with +that second lieutenant....</i>"</p> + +<p>Alonzo materialized out of the +darkness, coming as silently as a +shadow. He was no longer the +bumbling clown. The idiotic grin +was gone and his eyes were green +fire, slanted and catlike, his teeth +flashing white in a snarl as he +looked back toward the sound of +Narf's voice.</p> + +<p>"She are <i>my</i> Princess Ryra," +Alonzo said. "He are cursing her. +If he ever hurt her, I wirr tear out +his throat and his river."</p> + +<p>"He won't hurt her, Alonzo," +Hunter said, wishing he could be +sure. "He'll only use words on +her."</p> + +<p>"He never ask her <i>why</i> she run +away—he onry curse her and +threaten her because she embarrass +him."</p> + +<p>"Embarrass him?"</p> + +<p>"He and Sonig, they see you +coming out of the forest with your +arm around her. They watch with +high-power grasses."</p> + +<p>"But there was nothing wrong +in that—"</p> + +<p>"That are what Princess Ryra +say. She say you onry put your arm +around her because she are stirr +scared of the tigers. And then he +say, what about the other? And he +cawr her awrful bad names."</p> + +<p>"What other?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, when you are bending +down to kiss Princess Ryra and are +wawrking into tree."</p> + +<p>He gulped. "<i>They saw that?</i>"</p> + +<p>"Oh, sure. Rord Narf are so +mad he want to kirr you right then +but Sonig say, 'Wait, I have a +pran.' Then Sonig say, 'It are too +bad we don't have a camera—we +could have made that rootenant +the raffing stock of forty worlds.'"</p> + +<p>The thought made Hunter gulp +again.</p> + +<p>"What was Sonig's plan that +Narf told Lyla about?" He asked.</p> + +<p>"Oh, he not terr <i>her</i>. I hear +Sonig terr Rord Narf when I spy. +Sonig say, 'Tomorrow we be friendry +and we ret those two go for +another wawrk in the woods. And +we have cameras with terescope +rens and when they kiss and hug +we take moving pictures.'"</p> + +<p>"Why, the gutter-bred rat—"</p> + +<p>"And Rord Narf say, 'That is +what we wirr do. And then I +wirr kirr him as soon as we have +the pictures and she wirr have to +toe the mark from then on because +if I pubricry show the pictures of +what she did, she wirr be ashamed +to show her face anywhere on +Vesta.'"</p> + +<p>"Why, the—" He could not +think of a suitable expression.</p> + +<p>"And then Sonig say, 'To make +sure she go out tomorrow, you +bawr her out good so she wirr +want to cry on the rootenant's +shourder again.' And Rord Narf say, +'I wirr be very grad to terr the two-timing +hussy what I think of her, +don't worry.'"</p> + +<p>"Why, she was only a scared girl +and that rat thinks she—"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"<i>... Your promise to your dying +father</i>," Narf's voice came in accusation. +"<i>He's gone, now, and you can +betray him, too! Why don't you go all +the way in your deceptions ... your +father will never know....</i>"</p> + +<p>Alonzo said, "I think I go back +and stay croser to her cabin, Rootenant."</p> + +<p>It was an hour later, and Narf's +voice had settled to a low, steady +growling, when Hunter heard a +helicopter settle down near the +camp. A minute later, Val Boran +was outlined momentarily in the +doorway of the cabin he shared +with Sonig. There followed the +exchange of a few words—interrogation +in Val's tone—and then +the sound of Sonig's voice alone, +which continued for minute after +minute.</p> + +<p><i>Sonig is telling him all about it</i>, +Hunter thought, <i>including my walking +into that tree. But there won't be +one word in sympathy with Lyla.</i></p> + +<p>Sonig's story ended and Hunter +saw Val leave the cabin. He came +straight up the path toward +Hunter, looming tall in the darkness +as he stopped before him. +There was the pale gleam of metal +in Val's belt—a blaster. His voice +came cold and flat:</p> + +<p>"I want to talk to you, Lieutenant."</p> + +<p>Hunter sighed, thinking, <i>I suppose +he wants to kill me, too</i>.</p> + +<p>He got up and said, "We'll go +inside. Shut the door behind you—I +don't want your friend straining +his ears to hear us."</p> + +<p>Val sat tall even in the chair, his +face like a carving in a dark granite +and his eyes as bright and hard.</p> + +<p>"I understand that you took +Princess Lyla into the tiger forest +today." Val's hand was very near +the blaster. "I understand you +then played the role of affectionate +rescuer."</p> + +<p>"Do you believe that story?" +Hunter asked.</p> + +<p>"Do you have a different one?"</p> + +<p>"You might ask Lyla. Or +Alonzo. Alonzo is the one who +came to me for help when he saw +she was going out to die."</p> + +<p>"To die?" A startled expression +came into the black eyes. "She +<i>wanted</i> to die?"</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you what happened," +Hunter said, and told him the +story, omitting only the embarrassing +kissing incident and knowing +that Sonig had not.</p> + +<p>Val was silent for a while after +Hunter finished speaking, then he +said, "It isn't for me to comment +upon Lord Narf's character or +actions. She is his wife by her own +choice. But the thought of someone +else taking her out and—"</p> + +<p>"I know. It wasn't so." Then +Hunter added, "You think a great +deal of her, don't you?"</p> + +<p>Val's face hardened and Hunter +thought he would not answer. +Then he smiled a little, even +though without humor, and said:</p> + +<p>"Since I came here to kill you +if I thought you deserved it, I +suppose I am obligated to answer +your question. My regard for Princess +Lyla is the respectful one that +any civilized man would have for +another man's wife."</p> + +<p>There was an unintended implication +in the statement and +Hunter made a conjecture:</p> + +<p>"You and Princess Lyla were +engaged—how long ago?"</p> + +<p>There was surprise on Val's face, +and something like pain quickly +masked. "So she's already making +it public information?"</p> + +<p>"No. I learned of it from ... +other sources. I don't know, of +course, why you persuaded her to +break the engagement—that's none +of my business, anyway."</p> + +<p>"No," Val said. "It's none of +your business. I'll tell you this: <i>I</i> +didn't ask her to break the engagement. +But so long as that was +what she wanted, I certainly wasn't +going to beg her to change her +mind."</p> + +<p>Val stood up to go. "If you don't +mind, I would rather you said +nothing to Princess Lyla about this +visit tonight. I'm afraid my misplaced +surge of chivalry would +make me look like a fool to her."</p> + +<p>Then, as an afterthought, Val +added, "Mr. Rockford had further +business in the city."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap">It was late when Narf finally left +Lyla's part of the cabin. He went +to the cabin occupied by Val and +Sonig, aroused Sonig, and the two +of them went to the helicopter +field. Hunter heard the helicopter +leaving for the city a few minutes +later. Val's cabin remained dark +and after a while, the light in +Lyla's cabin went out.</p> + +<p>He went to bed, but not to sleep. +Over and over, a lonely little Princess +Lyla clung to him for comfort, +crying, while he held her close. He +twisted and turned restlessly as he +thought of the hours she had sat +alone and unloved while Narf +poured out his hatred and fury on +her.</p> + +<p>There was a yearning for her, a +desire to hold her and always protect +her, that would not let him +sleep. And he realized the reason +why.</p> + +<p>He thought miserably, <i>I'm in love +with her</i>!</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Rockford was in bed, snoring +loudly, with six empty beer cans +on the floor beside him, when +Hunter got up. He went outside +and found Alonzo waiting for him.</p> + +<p>"They got it awr pranned to +kirr you for sure today, Rootenant."</p> + +<p>"How?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Rast night, Rord Narf and +Sonig go to the city and Rord Narf, +he hire four bad-rooking men with +brasters, and Sonig hire four more +that are his countrymen, and they +bring these men back and now they +are hiding in the woods. And they +awrso bring back movie cameras +with terescope renses. And Rord +Narf raff and say he wirr marry +Princess Ryra today before your +dead body is even coor."</p> + +<p>"Oh?" Hunter said. He thought +of the snoring Rockford and his +words of two days before: <i>If you +manage to live that long.</i> How, he +wondered, could the lazy old +drunkard have made such an accurate +guess?</p> + +<p>"And then," Alonzo said, "Rord +Narf wake up Princess Ryra—onry +I know she wasn't asreep—and he +terr her he ruv her and have awready +made awr the arrangement +for them to get married today, +right after runch. And he terr her +she is right about the Space Guard +and she wirr have until runch to +tawrk to you about it."</p> + +<p>There was the sound of Narf's +door opening and closing and +Alonzo said, "I go now—Rord +Narf might guess that I are terring +you things."</p> + +<p>A few minutes later Narf and +Sonig came down the path toward +Hunter. Both carried packsacks—the +cameras, of course—and both +carried long-range rifle blasters.</p> + +<p>"Good morning, lieutenant!" +Narf was smiling and pseudogenial +again. "About last night—sometimes +a man has to be stern with +his wife to impress her. Very +foolish thing she did—might have +been killed. I'm afraid I was so +badly shaken with worry over her +that I didn't even thank you for +bringing her back."</p> + +<p>"A beautiful morning, lieutenant!" +Sonig was smiling, coming +as close to beaming as the +nature of his face would permit. +"Lord Narf is going to take me +stag hunting this morning—I'll get +some lessons from a master. Did +you ever see his lordship's collection +of heads? Amazing!"</p> + +<p>"But it seems a sportsman's collection +is never quite complete," +Narf said. He was still smiling but +the hatred was burning like a fire +in his eyes as he looked at Hunter. +"There's one more head I must +have—I intend to get it this +morning."</p> + +<p>Narf and Sonig were gone when +Lyla came out of her cabin, her +face pale and drawn. Val came out +of his cabin and the two spoke to +each other in greeting. There was +a silence, in which neither seemed +to know what to say.</p> + +<p>Finally, awkwardly, Val said, +"I heard about yesterday, Lyla. +Why did you go into the tiger +forest?"</p> + +<p>"Oh ... I was just walking, I +guess, and didn't notice where."</p> + +<p>"You went there to die, didn't +you?"</p> + +<p>"I ... when you have nothing +left—" Then she lifted her head in +a proud gesture and said, "Should +it matter to you?"</p> + +<p>For a moment Val had the look +of a man struck. Then it was gone +and he said in an emotionless voice:</p> + +<p>"No. I was asking about something +that is only your husband's +business. I won't do it again."</p> + +<p>He turned away, back to his +cabin.</p> + +<p>"Val—" She took a quick step +after him, the proud air gone and +her arms outstretched. "I didn't +mean—"</p> + +<p>He turned back, his tone politely +questioning.</p> + +<p>"Yes?"</p> + +<p>"I only wanted—" Then her +arms dropped and the life went +out of her voice. "What does it +matter ... what does anything +matter?"</p> + +<p>She hurried into her cabin and +the door closed behind her.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Rockford spoke from the doorway +behind Hunter:</p> + +<p>"Well, my boy, are you ready for +your day's duties?"</p> + +<p>He followed Rockford inside, +where Rockford settled down in +the easy-chair and yawned.</p> + +<p>"I had a rather busy night," he +said. "Certain events occurred +yesterday afternoon which forced +me to change my own plans to some +extent. Or to set them ahead a day, +I should say."</p> + +<p>He made an effort to put the +vision of Lyla from his mind and +asked, "Did you make any progress +with Val Boran?"</p> + +<p>"No, I'm afraid not. Of course, +I didn't expect to." Rockford +yawned again. "There was another +message from Supreme Command. +The situation is getting worse. +Which reminds me of your Duty +For The Day and the fact that if +you can live through it, you will +have it made."</p> + +<p><i>He's my superior</i>, Hunter thought. +<i>He's supposed to outrank a Space +Patrol General—and he's amused by +the situation he's here to remedy.</i></p> + +<p>"Right now," Rockford said, +"Lyla faces a grim future and feels +like she doesn't have a friend in the +world. She needs a shoulder to cry +on. You will take her for a walk +and supply that shoulder."</p> + +<p>Somehow, even though the order +had nothing to do with the Terran-Verdam +crisis, he did not have the +heart to object. She had been crying +before she even reached her door. +Later, after he had comforted her, +he would demand that Rockford +get down to determined effort on +the Verdam problem. No more than +an hour would be lost by that....</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," he said. "But in the +interests of Princess Lyla's safety, +I had better talk to her in her +cabin. Alonzo saw Narf and Sonig +bring back eight—"</p> + +<p>"Professional killers, to dispose +of you," Rockford finished. "I +know all about it, and I know that +Narf took time last night to spend +an hour with his favorite girl friend +and brag even to her that he was +going to marry Lyla today before +your dead body had time to get +cool.</p> + +<p>"But you just take Lyla for another +walk and you will cause the +beginning of the end for the Verdam +Peoples Worlds. You will go down +in history, my boy, as the man who +saved the Terran Republic."</p> + +<p>Hunter went out the door, again +feeling a feverish sense of unreality. +He was to go forth and get blasted +into hamburger and by some mysterious +process known only to +Rockford, the Verdam empire +would contritely start collapsing....</p> + +<p>He did not knock on her door. +He did not think of it as a violation +of her privacy. She would be feeling +too alone and unwanted to care.</p> + +<p>She was not crying as he had +thought she would be. She was +standing by the window, staring +down at the gray, distant desert, +her eyes as bleakly empty as it.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Lyla," he said.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Dale. I was just thinking; +this is the day that I, as a +woman, should always have +dreamed about"—she tried to smile, +and failed, and the brass came into +her voice—"my wedding day!"</p> + +<p>"Alonzo told me about it."</p> + +<p>It seemed to him he should add +something, such as to wish her +happiness—but such words would +be meaningless and farcical and +they would both know it.</p> + +<p>But there was no reason why he +should endanger her by obeying +Rockford's insane order. He would +not do it—</p> + +<p>"Ah ... good morning, Lyla!" +Rockford loomed in the doorway, +jovial as a Santa Claus. "Did you +know Dale wants to go for a walk +in the woods with you this bright +spring morning—and he's no doubt +too bashful to tell you so? Do you +good to get away from camp"—there +was the suggestion of a pause—"while +you're still free."</p> + +<p>He turned a beaming smile on +Hunter. "Don't stand there like +a dummy, boy—take her by the +arm and let her have a last walk +with someone who cares what happens +to her."</p> + +<p>There was one thing about Rockford +not compatible with his air +of fond fatherliness: his eyes were +hard, gray slate as they looked into +Hunter's and there was no mistaking +their expression. Rockford had +not made a fatherly suggestion for +his own amusement. He had given +an order that he intended to be +obeyed.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap">Hunter and Lyla walked on +through the thickets of ghost trees +and arrow brush, each with little +to say, Hunter feeling more and +more like a ridiculous fool. They +had no destination, no purpose in +their walk, other than to abide +by Rockford's desire that a total of +ten assassins get a chance to slaughter +a certain expendable second +lieutenant.</p> + +<p>He did not put his arm around +Lyla as they walked. If they killed +him, it would have to be without +their having the satisfaction of the +pictures they wanted with which to +blackmail her.</p> + +<p>They came to a tiny clearing, +where a cloud tree log made an +inviting seat in the shade, and Lyla +said:</p> + +<p>"No matter how far we walk, +I'll have to go back to face it. +Let's stop here, and rest a while."</p> + +<p>He saw that the clearing was +fairly well screened, but certainly +not completely so. It would have to +do.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> +<img src="images/005.png" width="700" height="451" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>He sat down on the log several +feet away from her, not wanting +to take the chance of her getting +hit by accident.</p> + +<p><i>Not that I'm enthusiastic about +getting hit by intent, myself</i>, he +thought. <i>What a way for a Space +Guard officer to die.</i></p> + +<p>He wondered if Rockford would +ever inform Headquarters that Lieutenant +Dale Hunter had died in the +line of duty—by whatever twisted +logic this insane episode could be +called duty—and he wondered how +the Commemoration Roll would +read for him.... <i>Displaying courage +above and beyond the call of duty, +Lieutenant Hunter sat conspicuously on +top of a hill and calmly waited for ten +assassins to slaughter him....</i></p> + +<p>"It's peaceful and quiet here, +isn't it?" Lyla said.</p> + +<p>He had been trying to watch +four different directions at once +and he realized that the constant +swiveling of his neck was causing +his stiff blouse collar to slowly cut +his throat. And he saw that it was—for +the moment, anyway—peaceful +and quiet where they sat. The +sun was warm and golden before +them, bright flowers sweetly +scented the air, and giant rainbow +moths were fluttering over them, +their tiny voices like the piping +of a thousand fairy flutes.</p> + +<p>"I wish I had been born a country +girl," Lyla said. "I'd like to have +a life like this, and not—what mine +will be."</p> + +<p>He asked the question to which +he had to have the answer:</p> + +<p>"Once you were going to marry +Val and live on Jardeen, weren't +you?"</p> + +<p>"I ... so my foolishness is no +longer a secret?"</p> + +<p>"Foolishness?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"We met two years ago when +I was attending the Fine Arts +university on Jardeen. I was +younger and a lot more naïve then +than I am now. I thought we were +desperately in love and would get +married as soon as I finished school +and would live happily ever after, +and all that."</p> + +<p>"And it didn't turn out that +way?"</p> + +<p>"I had to make that promise to +Daddy and when I wrote to Val +about it, he seemed to approve. He +didn't suggest I renounce the proxy +marriage when the time was up, +or anything. He just wrote that I +knew what I wanted to do. He +seemed relieved to be free to go +ahead with his political career."</p> + +<p>"I see," he said, and then, "you +don't feel bad about it, do you, +Lyla?"</p> + +<p>"Feel bad? I wouldn't marry Val +Boran if he was the last man on +Vesta! Even Lord Narf isn't as +self-centered as <i>he</i> is!"</p> + +<p>"You don't have to marry Narf +either," he said. "You know that."</p> + +<p>She looked down at the ground +and said in a dead voice, "I made +a promise."</p> + +<p>"Rockford told me that your +father never really knew Narf—that +on the few times they met, +Narf put on the act of being a +refined gentleman, very respectful +toward the king's daughter."</p> + +<p>She did not answer and he said, +"Is that the way it was?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. That's the way it was. +But how could I tell Daddy, as he +lay dying?"</p> + +<p>"You couldn't, Lyla. But if your +father could be here today and +know what you know about Narf, +do you think he would want you +to marry him?"</p> + +<p>"No ... I guess not. But Lord +Narf loves me in his own way, I +think—and that's more than anyone +else does."</p> + +<p>Then her tone changed and she +said, "I'm so glad that you're here +today, Dale—I'm glad that there is +someone who +cares at least +a little about what happens to me."</p> + +<p>On her face was a poignant longing +for someone to love and comfort +her. It seemed to him, now beyond +any doubt, that there could never +be anything for him in his career +but loneliness. How different the +warm love of Lyla would be from +the cold austerity of the military +and its endless succession of +weapons and killing—</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>He moved, to sit beside her and +put his arm around her shoulders. +"Lyla," he said, "I want to tell +you—"</p> + +<p>"<i>Dale....</i>" The word was a +despairing sob as her composure +broke and she held tightly to him, +crying, her voice coming muffled +as she pressed her face against his +chest. "Help me, Dale! How can +I marry that sadistic beast when +it's someone else I can't live without—and +he doesn't even know I +love him!"</p> + +<p>"But he does!" He hugged her +closer, "He does know, and he +loves you even more than you love +him."</p> + +<p>"Are you sure?" She raised a tear-stained +face, hope like sunshine +through clouds on it. "Are you +really sure Val loves me, after all?"</p> + +<p>"<i>Val?</i>"</p> + +<p>The revelation was like the stunning +concussion shock of a blaster +beam passing two inches overhead. +His vision blurred and there was +a hideous roaring in his ears. She +was still holding to him for comfort +and it seemed to him that was +wrong—he should be clinging to +her for support....</p> + +<p>"<i>Dale</i> ... what's the matter?"</p> + +<p>"But I thought—" He swallowed +with difficulty. "I thought +you meant that I was the—"</p> + +<p>Something struck the top of +his head; this time, for certain, +the concussion shock of a blaster +beam passing close above it. There +was a vicious crack as the beam +split the tree beyond, then a crash +and explosion of wood fragments +as a second beam followed the first.</p> + +<p>He rolled from the log; taking +Lyla with him. The arrow bushes +shielded them briefly, long enough +for them to reach the temporary +safety of a small swale.</p> + +<p>"Dale!" Her dark eyes were +wide with puzzled surprise and one +small foot was bare from the loss +of a sandal. "Someone shot at us!"</p> + +<p>He thought, <i>So Narf got his pictures, +after all</i>.</p> + +<p>"Rootenant!" Alonzo came running. +"They are <i>that</i> way—awr +spread out to be sure to kirr you."</p> + +<p>Alonzo motioned with his nose, +a movement that seemed to cover +all the high ground beyond them. +At least, the enemy was not between +them and camp. Not yet.</p> + +<p>A distant shout came, an order +from Narf to his men:</p> + +<p>"<i>All of you—down that ridge! Get +between Hunter and camp!</i>"</p> + +<p>"<i>It's him!</i>" Her fingers gripped +his arm. "He wants them to kill +you!"</p> + +<p>They had fired from a distance +too great for his own blaster. He +could not defy them from where he +now stood.</p> + +<p>"I'll have to try to get within +range of them," he said. "I'll +go back—"</p> + +<p>"<i>No!</i>" Her grip on his arm +tightened. "Don't leave me, Dale—don't +let him find me here."</p> + +<p>He looked down the length of +the swale. At its lower end the +ghost tree forest began, dense and +concealing—but all down the +length of the swale the snarevines +lay in thick, viciously barbed +entanglements, overlying a bed of +sharp rocks and boulders. She could +never get to the safety of the ghost +trees in time.</p> + +<p>Narf had his pictures, now. +What would he do to her in the +insanity of his hatred and triumph +when he reached her?</p> + +<p>"All right, Lyla," he said. "I'll +see that you get to the trees—"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="cap">There was a crashing of explosions +and debris leaped skyward +behind them and along both sides +of the swale. The firing continued, +scattered but very effectively consistent, +and he said as he drew his +blaster, "I guess they don't want +us to go away."</p> + +<p>He set the regulator of the blaster +at lowest intensity so that the +beam would not clip dangerous +flying fragments from the boulders. +The green, tough vines disintegrated +reluctantly while the +precious minutes sped by; while +the unhindered assassins would be +hurrying to the point where the +entire swale would be visible to +them and under their fire.</p> + +<p>Alonzo was following along near +the top of the swale's side, ignoring +the danger as he watched the +progress of the enemy and reported +it to Hunter: "Now they are halfway, +Rootenant, hurrying faster—"</p> + +<p>They reached the lower end of +the swale. The last of the vines +disintegrated and the ghost tree +forest lay before them.</p> + +<p>He touched her cheek in farewell. +"Get on to camp, as fast as you +can run."</p> + +<p>The firing abruptly ceased as he +spoke. There was an ominous +silence. Alonzo came running, his +tone almost a yelp in its urgency:</p> + +<p>"They are awrmost where they +can see us! We got to get her out of +here, Rootenant—awrfur quick!"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"<i>Lyla!</i>"</p> + +<p>It was the voice of Val, sharp +with concern for her. He came running +out of the ghost trees, all his +cold impassiveness gone. "Are you +hurt, Honey—are you hurt?"</p> + +<p>"<i>You came for me!</i>" She whispered +the words, her face radiant. Then +she ran to meet him, her arms outstretched, +crying, "<i>Val ... oh, +Val....</i>"</p> + +<p>Their arms went around each +other.</p> + +<p>Then the woods erupted as ten +blasters laid down a barrage to +block any escape to camp.</p> + +<p>"I'll try to give you a chance +to get through," Hunter said +quickly. "Be ready for it when it +comes."</p> + +<p>He ran toward the firing line, +taking advantage of the concealment +afforded by the first fringe of +ghost trees. They should be almost +within range of his own weapon, +now—</p> + +<p>Again, the firing abruptly ceased, +as though by some signal. There +came the furious raving of Narf:</p> + +<p>"<i>It's that Boran she wants! Kill +him, too!</i>"</p> + +<p>Sonig cursed with bitter rage. +"<i>Jardeen is lost to Verdam if any +witness escapes—and we'll all hang, +besides.</i>"</p> + +<p>There was a second of silence, +and then Narf's command:</p> + +<p>"<i>Kill the woman, too!</i>"</p> + +<p>There was a roar like thunder +as the firing began. The ground +trembled and debris filled the air +with flying fragments. Hunter, +still running toward the enemy +under cover of the trees, saw Val +trying to get Lyla to safety and saw +them both hurled to the ground as +a tree exploded in front of them. +They would never live to rise and +run again—</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>He saw Rockford's plan, at last, +and what his own duty would now +have to be. He knew why Rockford +had said of this day, "<i>If you can +live through it, you will have it made.</i>"</p> + +<p>And he had a cold feeling inside +him that he was not going to have +it made.</p> + +<p>He took a deep breath and ran +toward the enemy, out of the concealment +of the ghost trees and in +the open where they could not fail +to see him, his blaster firing a +continuous beam that fell only a +little short of the enemy, that +showed them he would be close +enough to kill them within seconds +if he was not stopped.</p> + +<p>The fire concentrated upon him, +giving Lyla and Val their chance +for escape. He ran through an inferno +of crashing explosions, twisting +and dodging on ground that +trembled and heaved under his feet, +while razor-sharp rock shrapnel +filled the air with shrill, deadly +screaming sounds.</p> + +<p>Something ripped through his +shoulder, to spin him around and +send him rolling. He scrambled up, +firing as he did so, and ran drunkenly +on.</p> + +<p>Something struck the side of his +head and he went down again. He +tried to rise and fell back, a blackness +sweeping over him that he +could not hold away despite his +efforts to do so.</p> + +<p>It seemed to him that the firing +had suddenly stopped, that in its +place was the hoarse buzz of a +police stun-beam. It seemed he saw +helicopters overhead, bearing the +bright blue insignia of the Royal +Guard and then there was nothing +but the blackness.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>There was a brief, dreamlike +return to consciousness. He was in +a Royal Guard helicopter and +Alonzo was beside him, grinning, +and saying, "You be O.K.—I grad! +And my Princess Ryra—rook at +her now, Rootenant!"</p> + +<p>He saw Lyla, her hand in Val's, +and her face was glowing and beautiful +in its new-found happiness. +Then she was bending down, kissing +him, and saying, "Dale ... +Dale ... how can we ever thank +you for what you did?"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>When the blackness lifted the +second time he was lying, +bandaged, on a cot in the meeting +hall and the voice of Rockford was +saying, "... Ready to go in just +a minute."</p> + +<p>The hall was filled with members +of the royal court who had come +for the wedding. He saw the white +robes of Church of Vesta dignitaries +who had come to officiate at the +wedding. Then he saw the seven +grim old men seated at the far end +of the table.</p> + +<p>The Royal Council—with the +judicial power to give even death +sentences in crimes committed +against royalty.</p> + +<p>Sonig, his face white and staring, +was being half led, half carried, +away from them.</p> + +<p>Narf, in the grip of another +Guardsman, was standing before +the Council and saying in a tone +both incredulous and sneering:</p> + +<p>"Is that my sentence?"</p> + +<p>"There is a qualification to it," +one of the Council said. "It seems +only just, in view of your crime, +that you be tortured until death—"</p> + +<p>The rest of the words were lost +as the blackness swept back. But +before unconsciousness was complete, +when all else in the hall was +gone from him, he heard Narf's +cry; an animal-like bawl of protest, +raw and hoarse with anguish....</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"Ah ... you're coming out of +it, my boy."</p> + +<p>Rockford was standing over him. +"They gave you a Restoration shot +on Vesta forty-eight hours ago. +It will be wearing off in a minute +and your head will clear."</p> + +<p>He sat up, and the dizziness +faded swiftly away. He saw that +he was in the compartment of an +interstellar ship and he knew that +it was Earthbound.</p> + +<p>And that Vesta, and brown-eyed +Lyla, were now part of the +past....</p> + +<p>"Don't look so sad, my boy," +Rockford said. "You'll get due +credit and promotion for the invaluable +part you played in my +plan."</p> + +<p>"But—"</p> + +<p>"I know. But she was never +yours. You'll find life is full of +heartbreaks like that, son.</p> + +<p>"And we accomplished our mission. +Narf's crime neatly invalidated +the proxy marriage. Then +Lyla set a new precedent by marrying +Val that very day. Earth has +never had two such loyal and grateful +friends as Val and Lyla."</p> + +<p>"You knew all about them, +didn't you?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Strategic Service has to know +everything. And I knew they were +still in love even though each was +too proud to admit it. That's why +I had to insist on Val coming to +Vesta. After that, it was only a +matter of using you to awaken Val +to the fact that she did <i>not</i> love +Narf. And of taking care of various +little details, such as faking an +official request for the helicopters +to come out two hours ahead of +time, getting Val off to find her at +the proper time, and so on."</p> + +<p>Rockford smiled at him, "And +you learned that an old man's mind +can be mightier than the space +fleets of the Verdam empire—and +that the line of duty that produces +the best results can sometimes be +very devious."</p> + +<p>He thought of the white-faced +Sonig, and the anguished bawl he +had heard from Narf.</p> + +<p>"I suppose they were going to +hang Narf and Sonig at once."</p> + +<p>"The Council would have, no +doubt. But Lyla was so happy that +she begged the Council to give +them very light sentences—or just +let them go free. So I suggested a +compromise. The Royal Council +regarded it as very fitting."</p> + +<p>"What was it?"</p> + +<p>"For Sonig, no punishment. The +murder attempt, being news of +public interest, will be broadcast +upon Vesta and other worlds, including +a factual, unbiased account +of Sonig's participation in it. +Shortly afterward, Sonig will be +taken to Verdam and turned over +to his own benevolent government. +Vesta will file no charges."</p> + +<p>"But Sonig lost Jardeen for his +government. They'll execute him +for that!"</p> + +<p>"Yes. I'm afraid so. Shall we +call it poetic justice?"</p> + +<p>"What about Narf?"</p> + +<p>"His sentence was life-long exile +on his Sea Island estate. He will be +provided with all the luxuries to +which he has been accustomed, +including a full staff of servants. He +will continue to enjoy all his possessions +there, including his gallery +of nude paintings, his risqué +films, his pornographic library, +and so on. In fact, since he is so +fascinated by pornography and +such a collector thereof, any pornographic +material which might become +available on Vesta in the +future will be sent to him."</p> + +<p>"That's not right ... I mean, +they were going to torture him to +death."</p> + +<p>"Not 'to death'. It was 'until +death'. There's a difference."</p> + +<p>"But that bawling noise he +made—"</p> + +<p>"Ah ... that was due to the +one restrictive qualification to the +benign terms of his exile. Every +woman on his estate was to be +removed before he reached there, +leaving men servants only. Patrol +boats will see to it that for so long +as he lives no woman shall ever set +foot on the Sea Islands."</p> + +<p>Rockford smiled again. "Lord +Narf succeeded beyond his wildest +dreams in keeping his boyhood +vow of being always a man among +men."</p> + + + + +<div class="trans1"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b><br /> + +This etext was produced from <i>Analog Science Fact and Fiction</i> +December 1962. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that +the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling +and typographical errors have been corrected without note. +</div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's --And Devious the Line of Duty, by Tom Godwin + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK --AND DEVIOUS THE LINE OF DUTY *** + +***** This file should be named 22585-h.htm or 22585-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/5/8/22585/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: --And Devious the Line of Duty + +Author: Tom Godwin + +Illustrator: Schelling + +Release Date: September 12, 2007 [EBook #22585] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK --AND DEVIOUS THE LINE OF DUTY *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + --And Devious + the Line of Duty + + Sometimes the most diligent and loyal thing + an old man can do is fumble, + drink beer, and let a young man get into trouble.... + + by Tom Godwin + + Illustrated by Schelling + + +"We're almost there, my boy." The big, gray-haired man who would be +Lieutenant Dale Hunter's superior--Strategic Service's Special Agent, +George Rockford--opened another can of beer, his fifth. "There will be +intrigue already under way when this helicopter sets down with us. +Attempted homicide will soon follow. The former will be meat for me. You +will be meat for the latter." + +Rockford was smiling as he spoke; the genial, engaging smile of a fond +old father. But the eyes, surrounded by laughter crinkles, were as +unreadable as two disks of gray slate. They were the eyes of a poker +player--or master con man. + +"I don't understand, sir," Hunter said. + +"Of course not," Rockford agreed. "It's a hundred light-years back to +Earth. Here on Vesta, to make sure there _is_ an Earth in the future, +you're going to do things never dreamed of by your Terran Space Patrol +instructors there. You'll be amazed, my boy." + +[Illustration] + +Hunter said nothing but he felt a growing dislike for the condescending +Rockford. Only a few weeks ago President Diskar, himself, had said: _For +more than a century these truly valiant men of the Space Patrol have +been our unwavering outer guard; have fought and died by legions, that +Earth and the other worlds of the Terran Republic might remain free--_ + +"I suppose you know," Rockford said, "that there will be no more than +four days in which to stop the Verdam oligarchy from achieving its +long-time ambition of becoming big enough to swallow the Terran +Republic." + +"I know," Hunter answered. + +Jardeen, Vesta's companion world, was the key. Jardeen was large and +powerful, with a space navy unsurpassed by that of any other single +world. A large group of now-neutral worlds would follow Jardeen's lead +and Jardeen's alliance with the Verdam People's Worlds would mean the +quick end for the Terran Republic. But, if Jardeen could be persuaded to +ally with the Terran Republic, the spreading, grasping arms of the +Verdam octopus would begin to wither away-- + +Rockford spoke again: + +"Val Boran, Jardeen's Secretary of Foreign Relations, is the man who +will really make Jardeen's decision. I know him slightly. Since my +public role is that of Acting Ambassador, he agreed--reluctantly--to +come to Vesta so that the talks could be on a neutral world. With him +will be Verdam's Special Envoy Sonig; a wily little man who has been +working on Boran for several weeks. He seems to be succeeding quite +well--here's a message I received from Earth early this morning." + +Rockford handed him a sheet of the green Hyperspace Communications +paper. The message was in code, with Rockford's scribbled translation +beneath: + +_Intelligence reports Verdam forces already massed for attack in Sector +A-13, in full expectation of Jardeen's alliance. Anti-Terran propaganda, +stressing the New Jardeen Incident, being used in preparation for what +will be their claim of "defensive action to protect innocent worlds from +Terran aggression." Terran forces will be outnumbered five to one. The +urgent necessity of immediate and conclusive counter measures by you on +Vesta is obvious._ + +Hunter handed the paper back, thinking, _It's worse than any of us +thought_, and wondering how Supreme Command could ever have entrusted +such an important task to a beer-guzzling old man from Strategic +Service--a branch so unknown that he had never even heard of it until +his briefing the day before he left Earth. + +He saw that they had left the desert behind and were going up the long +slope of a mountain. "The meeting will be on this mountain?" he asked. + +Rockford nodded. "The rustic Royal Retreat. Princess Lyla will be our +hostess. Her mother and father were killed in an airplane accident a +year ago and she was the only child. You will also get to meet Lord Narf +of the Sea Islands, her husband-by-proxy, who regards himself as a rare +combination of irresistible woman-killer and rugged man-among-men." + +"Husband-by-proxy?" Hunter asked. + +"The king worshiped his daughter and his dying request to her was that +she promise to marry Lord Narf. Narf's father had been the king's +closest friend and the king was sure that his old friend's son would +always love and care for Lyla. Lyla dutifully, at once, married Narf by +proxy, which is like a legally binding formal engagement under Vestan +law. Four days from now the time limit is up and they'll be formally +married. Unless she should do the unprecedented thing of renouncing the +proxy marriage." + +Rockford drained the last of the beer from the can. "Those are the +characters involved in our play. I have a plan. That's why I told Space +Patrol to send me a brand-new second lieutenant--young, strong, fairly +handsome--and expendable. I hope you can be philosophical about the +latter." + +"Sir," Hunter said, unable to keep a touch of stiffness out of his tone, +"it is not exactly unknown in the Space Patrol for a man to die in the +line of duty." + +"Ah ... yes." Rockford was regarding him with disturbing amusement. "You +are thinking, of course, of dying dramatically behind a pair of blazing +blasters. But you will soon learn, my boy, that a soldier's duty is to +protect the worlds he represents by whatever actions will produce the +best results, no matter how unheroic those actions may be." + + * * * * * + +"Attention, please." It was the voice of the pilot. "We are now going to +land." + +Hunter preceded Rockford out of the helicopter and onto the green grass +of a small valley, across which tall, red-trunked cloud trees were +scattered. Pale gray ghost trees, with knobby, twisted limbs, grew +thickly among the cloud trees. There was a group of rustic cabins, +connected by gravel paths, and a much larger building which he assumed +would be a meeting hall. + +"Hello." + +He turned, and looked into the brown eyes of a girl. Her green skirt and +orange blouse made a gay splash of color, her red-brown hair was +wind-tumbled and carefree about her shoulders, in her hand was a bouquet +of bright spring flowers. + +But there was no smile of spring in the dark eyes and the snub-nosed +little face was solemn and old beyond its years. + +"You're Lieutenant Hunter, aren't you?" she asked in the same low, quiet +voice. + +"Princess Lyla!" There seemed to be genuine delight in Rockford's +greeting as he hurried over. "You're looking more like a queen every +day!" + +Her face lighted with a smile, making it suddenly young and beautiful. +"I'm so glad to see you again, George--" + +"Ah ... good afternoon." + +The voice was loud, unpleasantly gravelly. They turned, and Hunter saw a +tall, angular man of perhaps forty whose pseudogenial smile was not +compatible with his sour, square-jawed face and calculating little eyes. + +He spoke to Rockford. "You're Ambassador Rockford, here to represent the +Terran Republic, I believe." He jerked his head toward Princess Lyla, +who was no longer smiling. "My wife, Princess Lyla." + +"Oh, she and I have been friends since she was ten, Lord Narf." + +"And this young man"--Narf glanced at Hunter--"is your aide, I presume. +Lyla, did you think to send anyone after their luggage?" + +A servant was already carrying their luggage--and cases of Rockford's +beer--out of the helicopter. Hunter followed the other toward the +cabins. Narf, in the lead, was saying: + +"... Ridiculously primitive here, now, but I'm having some decent +furniture and well-trained servants sent up from my Sea Island +estates...." + + * * * * * + +The cabin was large and very comfortable, as Rockford mentioned to +Princess Lyla. + +"I'm glad you like it," she said. "Val Boran and Envoy Sonig are already +here and we'll meet for dinner in the central hall. I thought that if we +all got acquainted in a friendly atmosphere like that, it might help a +lot to...." + +"That reminds me"--Narf glanced at his watch--"I promised this Boran he +could have a discussion with me--Vesta-Jardeen tariff policies. I +suppose he's already waiting. Come on, Lyla--it will do you no harm to +listen and learn a bit about interplanetary business." + +For a long moment she looked at Narf silently, her eyes thoughtful, then +she said to Rockford, "If you will excuse us, please. And be prepared +for Alonzo to come bounding in the minute he learns you're here." + +She walked beside Narf to the door and out it, the top of her dark hair +coming just even with his shoulder. + +"And that," Rockford said as he settled down in the largest, softest +chair, "was king-to-be Narf, whose business ability is such that all his +inherited Sea Island estates are gone but the one Lyla saved for him and +who owes a total of ten million monetary units, to everyone from call +girls to yacht builders." + +"And she is going to marry him?" Hunter asked. "Marry that jackass and +let him bankrupt her kingdom?" + +Rockford shrugged. "You may have noticed that she doesn't look the least +bit happy about it--but she is a very conscientious young lady who +regards it as her most solemn duty to keep the promise she made to her +father. For her, there is no escape." + +"But--" + +"Your first duty will be to cultivate a friendship with her. I'm going +to use her, and you, to get what I want." + +"_Use_ us?" + +"Yes. One of the most rigid requirements of a Strategic Service man's +character is that he be completely without one." + + * * * * * + * * * * + +Rockford was asleep in his chair an hour later, three empty beer cans +beside him. Hunter watched him, his doubt of Rockford's competence +growing into a conviction. Rockford had spoken knowingly of his +plan--and had done nothing but drink more beer. Now he was asleep while +time--so limited and precious--went by. He hadn't even bothered to reply +to Hunter's suggestion that perhaps he should call on Val Boran and +counteract some of Envoy Sonig's anti-Terran propaganda. + +Hunter came to a decision. If Rockford was still doing nothing when +morning came, he would send an urgent message to Supreme Command. + +He went outside, to find a servant and learn how mail was handled. + + * * * * * + +"_Rook out!_" + +Gravel flew as overgrown feet tried to stop, and something like a huge +black dog lunged headlong around the corner and into his legs. He went +to the ground head first over the animal, acutely aware as he went down +of the fascinated interest on the face of a not-so-distant servant. + +"I sorry, Rootenant." + +He got up, to look down at the doglike animal. There was a concerned +expression in its brown eyes and an apologetic grin on its face. He +recognized it as one of the natives of the grim starvation world of +Altair Four. The Altairians had emigrated to all sections of the galaxy, +to earn a living in whatever humble capacity they could fill. Many were +empathic. + +"I run too fast to meet, Mr. Rockford, I guess. Are you hurt, +Rootenant?" + +He pulled a cloud tree needle out of his hand and looked grimly down +into the furry face. "In the future, try to look where you're going." + +"Oh, I rook, awr right. I just not see. My name is Aronzo, Rootenant, +and I stay here awr the time and guard everything for Princess Ryra. I +prease to meet you and I wirr run errands for you, and do things rike +mair your retters, for candy or cookies, which I are not supposed to eat +much of, but Princess Ryra say not too many wirr hurt me--" + +"Mail letters?" Hunter's animosity vanished. "I'm sorry I was rude, +Alonzo--all my fault. I may write a letter to my dear old mother +tonight, and if you would mail it for me in the morning--" + + * * * * * + +Rockford left ahead of Hunter and it was a minute past the appointed +time when Hunter reached the meeting hall. He heard Narf's loud voice +inside: + +"... Boran must have stopped to watch the sunset. Told him I wanted +everyone here on time--" + +The low voice of Lyla said something and Narf said, "Not necessary for +you to defend him, my dear. I made it plain to him." + +A new voice spoke from behind Hunter: + +"It seems I have annoyed Lord Narf." + +He was a tall, black-eyed man, with the dark, saturnine face of an +Indian. There was a strange, indefinable air of sadness about him which +reminded Hunter of the sombre little Princess Lyla. + +"You're Val Boran, sir?" he said. "I'm Lieutenant Hunter--" + +Inside, Narf sat at the head of the table. On his left was Lyla, then +Rockford. On his right was a spidery little man of about fifty, his +slick-back hair so tight against his skull that it gave his head the +appearance of a weasel's. His lips were paper-thin under a long nose, +like those of a dry and selfish old maid, but the round little eyes +darting behind thick glasses were cold and shrewd and missed nothing. He +would be Verdam's Special Envoy Sonig. Hunter appraised him as a man +very dangerous in his own deceptive way. + +A servant showed them to their places at the table. Rockford and Val +Boran exchanged greetings. The moment everyone was seated, Narf said, +"Dinner tonight will--" + +"Excuse me," Lyla said, "but Mr. Sonig hasn't yet met--" + +"Oh ... the young fellow there--" Narf gestured with his hand. +"Rockford's aide. Now, ring the chime, Lyla. Those forest stag steaks +are already getting cold. I killed the beast myself, gentlemen, just +this morning; a long-range running shot that required a bit more than +luck...." + +The dinner was excellent, but no one seemed to notice. Narf was absorbed +in the story of his swift rise to eminence in the Vestan Space Guard. +There were humorous incidents: + +"... Can't understand why, but I seem to attract women like a magnet. +I'm strictly the masculine type of male and I approve of this but it can +be a blasted nuisance when you're an ensign going up fast and your +commander finds one of your blondes stowed away in your compartment...." + +And there were scenes of tense drama: + +"... Made a boyhood vow that I'd never settle for anything less than to +always be a man among men. Seem to have succeeded rather well. When I +saw the crew was almost to the snapping point from battle tension I knew +that as commander I'd have to set the example that would inspire." + +Hunter recalled Rockford's words of a few hours before: "_Narf got to be +commander, finally, but only because he was the son of the king's best +friend. His record is very mediocre._" + +Princess Lyla tried three times to start a conversation of general +interest and was drowned out by Narf each time. Sonig's pretense of +being spellbound by Narf's stories was belied by the way his eyes kept +darting from Rockford to Val Boran. Val's own attention kept shifting +from Narf to the silent Lyla, whose downcast eyes betrayed her +discouragement. She watched Val from under her eyelashes, to look away +whenever their eyes met, and Hunter wondered if she was ashamed because +Narf had given Sonig the seat of honor that should have belonged to Val. + +Of course, Narf's own position at the head of the table was actually +Lyla's. + +[Illustration] + +"... So there's no substitute for competent, unwavering leadership," +Narf was saying. "Received a citation for that one." + +Sonig nodded appreciatively. "Your military record well illustrates the +fact that the tensions of danger and battle can bring forth in a +competent leader the highest kind of courage. But it seems to me that +these same circumstances, if the leader is frightened or incompetent, +can easily produce hysterical actions with disastrous consequences. Is +this true, your lordship?" + +Rockford was watching Sonig intently and Hunter saw that there was an +eager anticipation in Sonig's manner. + +"You are quite right," Narf answered. "I've always had the ability to +remain cool in any crisis. Very important. Let a commander get rattled +and he may give any kind of an order. Like the New Jardeen Incident." + +A frozen silence followed the last five words. Hunter thought, _So +that's what the little weasel was fishing for...._ + +Rockford quietly laid down his fork. Val's face turned grim. Lyla looked +up in quick alarm and said to Narf: + +"Let's not--" + +"Don't misunderstand me, gentlemen," Narf's loud voice went on. "_I_ +believe the commander of the Terran cruiser wouldn't have ordered it to +fire upon the Verdam cruiser over a neutral world such as New Jardeen +if he had been his rational self. Cold-war battle nerves. So he shot +down the Verdam cruiser and its nuclear converters exploded when it fell +in the center of Colony City. Force of a hydrogen bomb--forty thousand +innocent people gone in a microsecond. Not the commander's fault, +really--fault of the military system that failed to screen out its +unstable officers." + +"Yes, your lordship. But is it possible"--Sonig spoke very +thoughtfully--"for a political power, which is of such a nature that it +must have a huge military force to maintain its existence, to thoroughly +screen all its officers? So many officers are required--Can there ever +be any assurance that such tragedies won't occur again and again, until +a majority of worlds combine in demanding an end to aggression and war?" + +Rockford spoke to the grim Val: + +"I know, sir, that your sister was among the lost in Colony City. I am +sorry. For the benefit of Mr. Sonig and Lord Narf, I would like to +mention that the Verdam cruiser fired upon the Terran cruiser over +neutral New Jardeen in open violation of Galactic Rule. An atmospheric +feedback of the Verdam cruiser's own space blasters tore out its side +and caused it to fall. The Terran cruiser never fired." + +"But Mr. Rockford--" Sonig spoke very courteously. "Isn't it true that +certain safety devices prevent atmospheric feedback?" + +"They do--unless accidentally or purposely disconnected." + +Sonig raised his eyebrows. "You imply a created incident, sir?" + +"It doesn't matter," Val Boran said. His tone was as grim as his face +and it was obvious he did not believe Rockford's explanation. "Colony +City is a field of fused glass, now, its people are gone, and no amount +of debating can ever bring them back." + + * * * * * + * * * * + +The dismal dinner was finally over. Rockford stopped outside the door of +their cabin to fill and light his pipe. + +"It was a profitable evening," he said to Hunter. "I can start planning +in detail now--after a little beer, that is." + +_He'll go to sleep after he drinks his beer_, Hunter thought, _and there +will never be any plan unless I--_ + +Soft footsteps came up the path behind them. It was Princess Lyla. + +"I want to apologize," she said, "I just told Val ... Mr. Boran the same +thing." + +Her face was a pale oval in the starlight, her eyes dark shadows. "I'm +sorry my husband mentioned the New Jardeen incident." + +"That's all right, Lyla," Rockford said. "No harm was done." + +"He's an ex-military man, and I guess it's his nature to be more +forthright than tactful." + +"You certainly can't condemn him for that," Rockford said. "In fact, +he's an extraordinary teller of entertaining stories. It was a most +enjoyable evening." + + * * * * * + +"And, in a way, it was," Rockford said when she was gone and they were +in the cabin. He was seated in the softest chair, a can of beer in his +hand, as usual. + +Hunter thought of the way she had looked in the starlight and said, "Why +did she let that windbag sit at the head of the table and ruin the +meeting that she had arranged?" + +"He'll soon be her husband--I suppose she feels she should be loyal to +him." + +"But--" + +"But what?" + +"Nothing. It's none of my business." + +"Oh?" Rockford smiled in a way Hunter did not like. "You think so, eh?" + +Hunter changed the subject. "Are you going to start talking to Boran to +undo the damage Narf and Sonig have done?" + +"It would be a waste of time, my boy. Val Boran's mind is already made +up." + +"Then what are you going to do?" + +"Drink six cans of beer and go to sleep." + +"I thought you had a plan." + +"I have, a most excellent plan." + +"What is it?" + +"You'd scream like a banshee if you knew. You'll learn--if you manage to +live that long." + +Rockford was sound asleep an hour later, snoring gently. Hunter sat +thinking, hearing the steady murmur of a voice coming from Val Boran's +cabin. Sonig's voice--using every means of persuasion he could think of, +at the moment capitalizing on the New Jardeen incident and Boran's +withheld grief over the sister he had lost. + +And the Terran Republic's representative was sprawled fat and mindless +in a fog of beer fumes. + +Hunter hesitated no longer. The fate of Earth and the Terran Republic +hung in the balance and time was desperately limited--if there was now +any time at all. + +He took paper and pen and began the urgent message to Supreme Command, +headed, TOP EMERGENCY. It would be sent via Hyperspace Communications +from the city and would span the hundred light-years within seconds. + + * * * * * + +He was up before Rockford the next morning, and went out into the bright +sunlight. He looked hopefully for Alonzo, not wanting to be seen mailing +the letter in person. Rockford, despite his drunken stupors, could be +shrewdly observant and he might deduce the contents of the letter before +Supreme Command ever received it. + +He was some distance from the cabin when he heard the pound of padded +feet behind him. + +"Rootenant," Alonzo had the grin of a genial canine idiot. "Do you want +me to mair your retter to your dear ore mother?" + +"Yes, I have the letter right here." + +"O.K. I got to hurry, because the mair hericopter reaves right away. I +charge six fig cookies or three candy bars or--" + +"Here--take it and run--and try not to slobber all over it." + + * * * * * + +They were served breakfast in the cabin. Afterward, Rockford went for a +brief talk with Princess Lyla. He came back and settled down in the +easy-chair, his pipe in his hand. + +"Your morning's duty won't be at all unpleasant," he said. "The +obnoxious and repulsive things will begin to happen to you later. Maybe +this afternoon." + +"What do you mean?" + +"This morning you will go for a walk with Princess Lyla and discuss +changing the Vestan Space Guard into a force along Terran Space Patrol +lines. Narf is still in bed, by the way." + +Rockford added, "I'll give you a bit of sage advice, for your own +good--try not to fall in love with her." + + * * * * * + * * * * + +Hunter and Princess Lyla sat together on the high hill, their backs +against the red trunk of a cloud tree. On the mountain's slope to their +right lay the dark and junglelike Tiger Forest--he wondered if it was +true that the savage tree tigers never left its borders--while the +toylike cabins of the camp were below them. The mountain's slope dropped +on down to the deserts, beyond which were other mountains, far away and +translucent azure. + +"It was George who suggested we come up here," she said. "He knows I do +that often when the responsibilities of being queen of a world--I'm such +an ordinary and untalented person--become too much for me. I always feel +better when I sit up here and look down on the mountains and deserts." + +"Yes," he said politely. + +"A ruling princess can be so alone," she said. "That's why I appreciate +George's friendship so much--it's never because of any ulterior motive +but because he likes me." + +_I'm going to use her, and you, to get what I want._ + +He looked at her, at the lines of sadness on the face that was too old +for its years, felt the way she was so grateful to Rockford for what was +only a cold-blooded pretense of friendship, and the dislike for Rockford +increased. He could not force himself to speak civilly of Rockford so he +changed the subject: + +"I understand you wanted to talk to me about the Space Guard?" + +"Yes. Even a neutral world can't feel safe these days and George +suggested that." + +"I'll be glad to help all I can. Of course, the change will require +time." + +"I can understand that. They say you Space Patrol officers begin +training at sixteen, after passing almost impossible qualification +tests." + +"The tests can seem extremely difficult to a farm boy from Kansas. I--" + +"Kansas?" Her eyes lighted with interest. "My grandmother was from +Kansas! She used to tell me about the green plains of grain in the +spring, and how different they were from the deserts of Vesta...." + +It was almost noon when he took her hand and helped her to her feet, +realizing guiltily that they had talked all morning without ever getting +back to the cold, dry facts of military efficiency. + +"It was nice to talk up here this morning," she said. She looked down at +the cabins and the shadow fell again across her face. "But nothing down +there has been changed by it, has it?" + +He held to her hand longer than was necessary as they went down the +steep part of the hill. She did not seem to mind. + +When they reached her cabin she said, "It's still a little while until +lunch--time enough for you to give me a rough outline of the Space Guard +change." + +Everything inside the cabin was feminine. None of Narf's possessions +were visible. There was a heavy door leading into Narf's half of the +cabin, with a massive lock. Hunter wondered if it was left unlocked at +night, thought of Narf's sour face and leering little eyes, and found +the thought repulsive. + +The answer to his conjecture came with the entrance of a servant as they +seated themselves. + +"By your leave, your highness," the servant said, bowing, "I came to +make Lord Narf a key for that inner door." + +"A key?" There was alarm in her tone. "But we're not married--not yet!" + +A puzzled expression came to the man's face. "Lord Narf told me, your +highness, that you had ordered the duplicate key made and given to him +before evening. I found I could not do this without first borrowing your +key for a pattern." + +There was a frightened look in her eyes as they went to the door and +back to the servant. "_No_ ... don't try to make a key!" + +"Yes, your highness." The servant bowed and turned away. + +A familiar gravelly voice spoke from behind them: + +"Ah ... an unscheduled little meeting, I see!" + +It was Narf, anger on his face, already within the doorway as the +servant went out it. + +"We were going to talk about the Space Guard," Lyla said in an +emotionless tone. "Lieutenant Hunter has promised to show how Space +Patrol methods will improve it and--" + +"By a coincidence, Sonig and I were discussing military matters only a +few minutes ago," Narf said. He looked at Hunter. "I'm afraid that Sonig +and I agree that the Terran Space Guard is quite out of date, now. +_The_ fighting force of the galaxy is the Verdam's Peoples Guards." + +Narf spoke to Lyla, "You may go ahead and talk with this lieutenant if +you wish to, but it's a waste of time. I'm arranging to have Sonig send +Peoples Guards officers here to supervise the rebuilding of the Space +Guard. + +"And now"--there was insinuation in Narf's tone as he spoke to +Hunter--"I have to give Sonig a demonstration of my skill with weapons. +He insists on it--he has heard of several of my modest feats." + +Narf left the door open behind him so that by turning his head as he +walked, he could see the two inside. + +"I suppose I might as well go," Hunter said. + +Lyla did not answer. She sat motionless, staring unseeingly before her, +and he wondered if she was thinking of how very soon Narf would be king +and his authority as great as hers. + +She did not notice when he quietly left the room. + + * * * * * + * * * * + +Rockford was waiting in the cabin, still in the easy-chair. + +"Well," Rockford said, "what do you think of her?" + +Hunter tried to keep the personal dislike out of his coldly formal +reply: + +"If you refer to your suggestion that I not make love to her, sir, I can +assure you that such a suggestion was never necessary. I happen to have +a code of ethics." + +"I didn't say 'make love'. I said, 'fall in love'. That's quite ethical. +Did you complete your discussion with her?" + +"Well ... no." + +"You must do that this afternoon, then. Can't let anything as important +as that be delayed." + +Hunter stared at him, trying to find one small grain of sanity in +Rockford's actions. The Verdam empire already had Jardeen within its +grasp, and Vesta, and the end for Earth was inevitable. And Rockford +slept, and drank beer, and regarded it as very important that the Vestan +Space Guard discussions--of a change that Narf would never permit--be +continued without delay. + +He walked slowly into his own room. In the nightmare situation of +frustration there was one single sane and stable conviction for his mind +to cling to: Supreme Command would by now have received his message and +shot back the reply that would relieve Rockford of his command. Perhaps +it wasn't yet too late-- + +Then his mind reeled as a new conviction struck it. + +There was a sheet of paper on his bed--a message. + +_His_ message! + +... SITUATION EXTREMELY CRITICAL ... VAL BORAN ALREADY CONVINCED BY +SONIG'S PROPAGANDA ... MUST REPORT ROCKFORD IS UTTERLY INCOMPETENT, HIS +MIND AND WILL DESTROYED BY ALCOHOL ... REPEAT: ROCKFORD IS DOING +NOTHING, HIS MIND DESTROYED BY ALCOHOL.... + +The words screamed up at him and he felt the sickness of one who sees +the last faint hope shattered and gone. All was lost, now.... + +He went outside, feeling a savage desire for violence rising above the +sickness. + +"Rootenant!" Alonzo came bounding to meet him and slid to a halt with +his saucer feet scattering gravel and the idiotic grin on his face. "I +mair your retter and you owe me six fig cook--" + +It occurred to Hunter that it was not Alonzo that should be punished. +He, Hunter, was the one who deserved execution for ever entrusting +anything so important as the message to an imbecilic animal. + +He said with cold distinctness: + +"The ... letter ... is ... inside." + +"Oh?" Alonzo blinked. "I sure mair something, awr right. After Mr. +Rockford correct it." + +"_Correct it?_" + +"Oh, sure. Mr. Rockford, he up rong before you this morning to find me +and say you are writing a retter rast night and I must bring it by for +him to make awr your mistakes over again." + +_So Rockford was watching all the time, pretending to be in a drunken +sleep...._ + +"Rootenant--" Alonzo shifted his big feet impatiently. "You stirr owe me +six fig--" + +Hunter swung around and strode away, afraid he might decide to choke the +animal after all. A culture of twenty worlds was the same as already +destroyed, and he was held in a maddening quagmire of helplessness by a +crafty alcoholic and a dog with the mind of a small child. + +"Ah ... my boy!" Rockford came out of the cabin, beaming as though +nothing had ever happened. "Look to your left, among those ghost +trees--Narf is demonstrating his quick-draw skill to Sonig. Narf is +supposed to be a very dangerous man, you know." + +Hunter looked, and saw Narf whipping up the blunt, ugly spread-beam +blaster--known to soldiers as the Coward's Special, because at short +range it could not miss and would always cripple and blind a man for +life even though it would not always kill him. Sonig was standing by, +nodding his weasel head and smiling in open admiration. + +"Of course," Rockford said, "Sonig isn't mentioning the needle gun all +Verdam envoys carry up their sleeve. He's flattering Narf's ego for a +reason--he intends to have Vesta, as well as Jardeen, sewed up for the +Verdam empire when he leaves here." + +"And so far as I can see," Hunter said coldly, "Sonig never is going +to have anything vaguely resembling intelligent resistance to his +plans." + +[Illustration] + +"Ah, yes ... so far as you can see," Rockford agreed amiably. "But you +obey my order to take Lyla for another walk and everything will turn out +all right. In fact, I'll speak to her about that right now." + +Hunter stared after Rockford as he walked away. There could be no +possible shred of doubt--Rockford was insane! + +The breeze shifted and the voice of Narf came: + +"... Certainly no weapon for a timid man, this spread-beam blaster. Have +to meet the enemy man-to-man at close range." + +"In that respect, too," Sonig said, "you remind me of our great General +Paluk. His skill in hand-to-hand combat was something that--" + +"Rootenant--" + +Hunter quivered and steeled himself. + +"Rootenant--" Alonzo came to a flopping halt beside him. "I terr +Princess Ryra and she say I are bad to be mad at you. So I not mad, even +if you didn't give me my pay." + +"Thank you," Hunter said acidly. "I was deeply disturbed by your +resentment." + +"Oh, I know, you don't rike me. But I think you not as mean as you act. +But Rord Narf--he is. I terr you, he awready mad enough to kirr you." + +"What? Lord Narf wants to kill me?" + +"Oh, he know you hord Princess Ryra's hand awrmost awr the way down the +hirr this morning. Mr. Sonig, he see you, and he run and terr Rord Narf +and Mr. Boran, too." + +"But I was only helping her down the hill." + +"Rord Narf, he are going to say mean things about it to Princess Ryra, +too. I know. He are awrways saying mean things to my Princess Ryra." + +Alonzo sighed, a sound strangely humanlike in its sadness. + +"Who wirr watch over my Princess Ryra after she marry Rord Narf? He +said, 'The first thing to go around here wirr be that stupid +brabber-mouth animar that are not worth what it costs to feed it.' I +think maybe he are afraid that if he ever hit my Princess Ryra, I wirr +kirr him." The brown eyes looked up at Hunter, and suddenly they were +unlike he had ever seen them; cold with deliberate decision. "I wirr, +too." + + * * * * * + * * * * + +Hunter was still standing by the cabin, thinking of what Alonzo had +said, when Rockford returned. + +"I also stopped by to see Val Boran," Rockford said. "While you're off +with Lyla, we'll go to the city. Lyla is giving us free access to the +Royal Library and the records of a neutral world carry more weight than +anything I could say. Not that it's going to change his mind any--but +it will give me a chance to work on him in another way." + +Rockford went into the cabin as Val Boran came up the path, Princess +Lyla walking beside him. She was saying, "... And anything we have in +the library is yours for the asking." + +They were close enough for Hunter to see her expression as she looked up +at Val and added with what seemed a touch of wistfulness, "I'll be glad +to go in with you and Mr. Rockford and do what I can to help if you want +me to." + +"Lyla"--it was the grating voice of Narf who seemed to have the ability +to materialize anywhere--"I'm sure the man knows his business. Besides, +I want to talk to you about something as soon as I have finished my +discussion with Mr. Sonig." + +With that, Narf started on toward his cabin. Sonig, close behind him, +paused long enough to bow to Lyla and say with the meaningless smile, +"Good afternoon, Princess Lyla. Your husband was just demonstrating his +marvelous skill with weapons. I would very much dislike"--the little +eyes darted to Hunter and back again--"being the man who aroused his +lordship's wrath." + +Then Sonig followed Narf, with one last flickering glance at Hunter to +see how the remark had fallen. + +Rockford came out of the cabin with his brief case and said to Val, "Are +we ready to go?" + +"I just told Val"--Lyla spoke quickly--"that I would be glad to go along +and help any way I can." The words were addressed to Rockford but her +eyes were on Val, with the same wistful expression. "Do you want me to?" + +Val answered her with cool, formal courtesy: "The librarian can find all +the records we will need, Princess Lyla, without our interrupting your +schedule for the day or your discussion with your husband. Thank you +very much." + +For an instant Lyla's face had the hurt expression of a child rebuffed +without reason. Then she looked away and Val turned to Rockford and +said, "I'm ready when you are, sir." + +Lyla watched them walk away and she was still watching when the +helicopter had lifted into the air and faded from sight. + +Hunter hesitated, then spoke to her: + +"I understand you want to talk more about the Space Guard, Princess +Lyla?" + +"_Princess_ Lyla!" Her lips curled as she turned to face him and she +seemed to spit the words at him in sudden, unexpected resentment. "I +love the meaningless sound of my official figurehead title! It's so much +better than being regarded as a living person with feelings that can be +hurt!" + +"But Princ ... I mean--" He floundered, not quite sure what had caused +her reaction. + +She made a visible effort to compose herself. "I'm sorry," she said. "I +suppose my ... husband ... is quite right; an immature female has no +business trying to rule a world and the sooner the marriage is +confirmed, the sooner a competent man can take over the job." + +"No," he said. "I think--" + +He decided that what he thought had better be left unsaid. + +"I'll"--she looked toward the cabin she shared with Narf--"let you know +when we can talk." + +She went back toward the cabin, walking slowly. From inside Narf's half +of it came the sound of Narf's voice as he spoke to Sonig: + +"... Of course, this collection of heads is nothing compared with what I +have in the Sea Islands ... but some interesting stories here ... take +that snow fox there...." + +Hunter sighed, and saw that Lyla had stopped before her door, as though +dreading to enter. Narf's voice droned on: + +"... Only wounded, so I finished it with a knife. Even with its heart +half cut out, it still wanted to live ... beautiful pelt ... coat for +Janalee, the strip-tease queen ... always had a way with women--Lyla +could tell you that ... had my pick of hundreds but I'm letting her be +my choice...." + +He saw Lyla half lift her hand, as in some mute gesture of protest, then +she turned and walked swiftly away; up the path that led into the ghost +trees, and out of sight. + +He waited, but she did not come back. He went into his cabin and moved +about restlessly, hearing again Narf's sadism-and-sex boasting and +seeing again how she turned and almost ran from it-- + + * * * * * + +"_Rootenant!_" + +Alonzo was panting, a look of frantic appeal in his eyes. + +"Prease herp me ... Princess Ryra ... she wirr die!" + +He felt his heart lurch. "She's hurt?" he demanded, and was already on +his way to the door. + +"She are about to cry and she are going to where the tree tigers riv. +They wirr kirr her--prease come with me!" + +He asked no more questions but went out the door and up the path, Alonzo +running ahead of him. + +The ghost trees grew thinner as they went up the mountain's slope, and +the blue-green fernlike trees of the tiger forest began to appear. They +grew thicker and thicker, until the ground was black with their shadows +and the midday sunlight was filtered out by the foliage overhead. Alonzo +was trailing her, his nose to the ground, and Hunter hurried close +behind him, watching for the red-and-white of the clothes she was +wearing and hoping they would not find her too late. + +They were deep in the forest when they found her. + +She was standing motionless in the center of a clearing, facing away +from him and looking as small and alone as a lost child. She seemed to +be waiting.... + +He realized for the first time how alone she really was, with only a +doglike alien, Alonzo, to love her or care what might happen to her, and +with a future she could not bear to face. But Rockford had been wrong +when he had said, _For her, there is no escape_. + +There was escape for her. She had only to wait, as she was waiting now, +and it would come in the windlike whisper of a tiger's rush through the +grass behind her.... + +He hurried to her. She turned, and he saw the stains of tears now dry on +her face and in her eyes the darkness of utter defeat. + +"I was afraid you might get hurt, Lyla--" + +Then, seemingly without volition on his part, he put his arms around her +and she was clinging to him and crying in muffled sobs and trying to say +something about, "_I didn't think anybody cared...._" + +It was some time later, when her crying was finished, that he was +reminded of the tigers by Alonzo: + +"Rootenant ... awr the time, some tigers are coming croser and croser. +We better get her out of here, Rootenant, before they find us." + +Lyla looked down at Alonzo. "Thank you, Alonzo, for watching over me and +... and--" Her voice caught and she dropped to her knees and hugged the +shaggy head tight against her. + +Hunter watched ahead, Lyla beside him as they went through the dense +trees. Alonzo walked soft-footed behind them, watching the rear. When +they came to the first ghost trees and the dwindling of the tiger trees, +Hunter thought it safe to walk slower and talk to her. + +"I saw you go," he said. "I didn't know where until Alonzo came running +to tell me." + +"I heard him bragging about killing, and about his women--I was weak, +wasn't I?" + +"Weak?" + +"I was afraid to face the future, just because it isn't to be exactly +like I thought I wanted." + +"What was the kind you wanted, Lyla?" + +"Oh ... I guess I wanted a husband who could see me only, and children, +and evenings together in the flower garden, and ... well, all the silly, +sentimental little things that mean so much to a woman." + +He thought, _Even with its heart half cut out, it still wanted to live +... Coat for Janalee ... the strip-tease queen...._ + +They passed through the last of the tiger trees and she said, "We're +safe, now. The tigers never attack anyone outside their forest." + +She was walking slowly and he said, "We should get on back before you're +missed, shouldn't we?" + +"Who would miss me?" she asked. "So long as I remain physically intact +for the marriage night, who cares where or why I went away?" + +There was the cold bleakness of winter in her eyes as she spoke, and in +her voice the first undertone of brass. He saw that this was already the +beginning of the change that Narf would make in her; the transformation +of a girl young and wanting to love and be loved into a hard and cynical +woman. + +He put his arm around her shoulder, thinking that he should tell her +that _he_ cared and that she must never let Narf change her. + +"Lyla, I--" + +He realized how futile and foolish the words would sound. She would +marry Narf, he would return to Earth, and they would never meet again. +There were no words for him to speak on this last walk together, no way +to tell her that he wanted to help her, to protect and care for her. No +way to express the feeling inside him.... + +He did what seemed as natural under the circumstances as it had been for +him to put his arm around her in the clearing. He tilted up her face and +bent his head to kiss her. + +And walked with jarring impact into the knobby elbow of a ghost tree +limb. + + * * * * * + * * * * + +The sun was down and dusk was darkening the camp when they arrived back +at her cabin. + +"Thank you, Dale," she said. Her hand squeezed his arm. "I didn't know I +had a friend ... but now we'll have to be strangers because--" + +[Illustration] + +Gravel crunched loudly on one of the paths in the ghost trees and they +looked back, to see Narf and Sonig coming, walking swiftly. Even at the +distance, there was anger like a red aura about Narf. + +"Well," Lyla said softly, "here comes my medicine." + +Sonig stopped at his own cabin, to stand just within the doorway, +watching. Narf strode on and stopped before Hunter and Lyla, his face +twisted with savage hatred as he looked at Hunter. He spoke to Lyla with +grating vehemence: + +"You've done an excellent job of making an ass of yourself--and of +me--haven't you? Come on in the cabin!" + +Narf seized her by the arm, towering over her as he jerked her around +toward the door. Hunter stepped quickly forward, feeling the hot flash +of his own anger, but there was the paleness of Lyla's face as she +looked back, an appeal on it that said, _No!_ He stopped, realizing that +Narf would not physically harm the woman who would make him king of +Vesta, and that any interference on his part would only make everything +the harder for her. + +He watched the two go into the cabin--into Lyla's half--and Narf slammed +the door shut behind them. There followed the quick bang of windows +being closed, and then Narf's muffled tirade began: "_... May think I'm +a fool ... I'm going to tell you a few things...._" + +Sonig was still standing within his doorway. Hunter knew, without seeing +it, that the thin-lipped smile would be on Sonig's face. + +He turned and walked back to his own cabin. There was nothing he could +do but withdraw--and listen from a distance and be ready to act if it +seemed she was in danger. + +He sat on his doorstep in the darkness, hearing occasional phrases in +Narf's unrelenting abuse. One was: "_So prim you had to countermand my +order for a key to that lock--then you went out to play with that second +lieutenant...._" + +Alonzo materialized out of the darkness, coming as silently as a shadow. +He was no longer the bumbling clown. The idiotic grin was gone and his +eyes were green fire, slanted and catlike, his teeth flashing white in a +snarl as he looked back toward the sound of Narf's voice. + +"She are _my_ Princess Ryra," Alonzo said. "He are cursing her. If he +ever hurt her, I wirr tear out his throat and his river." + +"He won't hurt her, Alonzo," Hunter said, wishing he could be sure. +"He'll only use words on her." + +"He never ask her _why_ she run away--he onry curse her and threaten her +because she embarrass him." + +"Embarrass him?" + +"He and Sonig, they see you coming out of the forest with your arm +around her. They watch with high-power grasses." + +"But there was nothing wrong in that--" + +"That are what Princess Ryra say. She say you onry put your arm around +her because she are stirr scared of the tigers. And then he say, what +about the other? And he cawr her awrful bad names." + +"What other?" + +"Oh, when you are bending down to kiss Princess Ryra and are wawrking +into tree." + +He gulped. "_They saw that?_" + +"Oh, sure. Rord Narf are so mad he want to kirr you right then but Sonig +say, 'Wait, I have a pran.' Then Sonig say, 'It are too bad we don't +have a camera--we could have made that rootenant the raffing stock of +forty worlds.'" + +The thought made Hunter gulp again. + +"What was Sonig's plan that Narf told Lyla about?" He asked. + +"Oh, he not terr _her_. I hear Sonig terr Rord Narf when I spy. Sonig +say, 'Tomorrow we be friendry and we ret those two go for another wawrk +in the woods. And we have cameras with terescope rens and when they kiss +and hug we take moving pictures.'" + +"Why, the gutter-bred rat--" + +"And Rord Narf say, 'That is what we wirr do. And then I wirr kirr him +as soon as we have the pictures and she wirr have to toe the mark from +then on because if I pubricry show the pictures of what she did, she +wirr be ashamed to show her face anywhere on Vesta.'" + +"Why, the--" He could not think of a suitable expression. + +"And then Sonig say, 'To make sure she go out tomorrow, you bawr her out +good so she wirr want to cry on the rootenant's shourder again.' And +Rord Narf say, 'I wirr be very grad to terr the two-timing hussy what I +think of her, don't worry.'" + +"Why, she was only a scared girl and that rat thinks she--" + + * * * * * + +"_... Your promise to your dying father_," Narf's voice came in +accusation. "_He's gone, now, and you can betray him, too! Why don't you +go all the way in your deceptions ... your father will never know...._" + +Alonzo said, "I think I go back and stay croser to her cabin, +Rootenant." + +It was an hour later, and Narf's voice had settled to a low, steady +growling, when Hunter heard a helicopter settle down near the camp. A +minute later, Val Boran was outlined momentarily in the doorway of the +cabin he shared with Sonig. There followed the exchange of a few +words--interrogation in Val's tone--and then the sound of Sonig's voice +alone, which continued for minute after minute. + +_Sonig is telling him all about it_, Hunter thought, _including my +walking into that tree. But there won't be one word in sympathy with +Lyla._ + +Sonig's story ended and Hunter saw Val leave the cabin. He came straight +up the path toward Hunter, looming tall in the darkness as he stopped +before him. There was the pale gleam of metal in Val's belt--a blaster. +His voice came cold and flat: + +"I want to talk to you, Lieutenant." + +Hunter sighed, thinking, _I suppose he wants to kill me, too_. + +He got up and said, "We'll go inside. Shut the door behind you--I don't +want your friend straining his ears to hear us." + +Val sat tall even in the chair, his face like a carving in a dark +granite and his eyes as bright and hard. + +"I understand that you took Princess Lyla into the tiger forest today." +Val's hand was very near the blaster. "I understand you then played the +role of affectionate rescuer." + +"Do you believe that story?" Hunter asked. + +"Do you have a different one?" + +"You might ask Lyla. Or Alonzo. Alonzo is the one who came to me for +help when he saw she was going out to die." + +"To die?" A startled expression came into the black eyes. "She _wanted_ +to die?" + +"I'll tell you what happened," Hunter said, and told him the story, +omitting only the embarrassing kissing incident and knowing that Sonig +had not. + +Val was silent for a while after Hunter finished speaking, then he said, +"It isn't for me to comment upon Lord Narf's character or actions. She +is his wife by her own choice. But the thought of someone else taking +her out and--" + +"I know. It wasn't so." Then Hunter added, "You think a great deal of +her, don't you?" + +Val's face hardened and Hunter thought he would not answer. Then he +smiled a little, even though without humor, and said: + +"Since I came here to kill you if I thought you deserved it, I suppose I +am obligated to answer your question. My regard for Princess Lyla is the +respectful one that any civilized man would have for another man's +wife." + +There was an unintended implication in the statement and Hunter made a +conjecture: + +"You and Princess Lyla were engaged--how long ago?" + +There was surprise on Val's face, and something like pain quickly +masked. "So she's already making it public information?" + +"No. I learned of it from ... other sources. I don't know, of course, +why you persuaded her to break the engagement--that's none of my +business, anyway." + +"No," Val said. "It's none of your business. I'll tell you this: _I_ +didn't ask her to break the engagement. But so long as that was what she +wanted, I certainly wasn't going to beg her to change her mind." + +Val stood up to go. "If you don't mind, I would rather you said nothing +to Princess Lyla about this visit tonight. I'm afraid my misplaced surge +of chivalry would make me look like a fool to her." + +Then, as an afterthought, Val added, "Mr. Rockford had further business +in the city." + + * * * * * + * * * * + +It was late when Narf finally left Lyla's part of the cabin. He went to +the cabin occupied by Val and Sonig, aroused Sonig, and the two of them +went to the helicopter field. Hunter heard the helicopter leaving for +the city a few minutes later. Val's cabin remained dark and after a +while, the light in Lyla's cabin went out. + +He went to bed, but not to sleep. Over and over, a lonely little +Princess Lyla clung to him for comfort, crying, while he held her close. +He twisted and turned restlessly as he thought of the hours she had sat +alone and unloved while Narf poured out his hatred and fury on her. + +There was a yearning for her, a desire to hold her and always protect +her, that would not let him sleep. And he realized the reason why. + +He thought miserably, _I'm in love with her_! + + * * * * * + +Rockford was in bed, snoring loudly, with six empty beer cans on the +floor beside him, when Hunter got up. He went outside and found Alonzo +waiting for him. + +"They got it awr pranned to kirr you for sure today, Rootenant." + +"How?" he asked. + +"Rast night, Rord Narf and Sonig go to the city and Rord Narf, he hire +four bad-rooking men with brasters, and Sonig hire four more that are +his countrymen, and they bring these men back and now they are hiding in +the woods. And they awrso bring back movie cameras with terescope +renses. And Rord Narf raff and say he wirr marry Princess Ryra today +before your dead body is even coor." + +"Oh?" Hunter said. He thought of the snoring Rockford and his words of +two days before: _If you manage to live that long._ How, he wondered, +could the lazy old drunkard have made such an accurate guess? + +"And then," Alonzo said, "Rord Narf wake up Princess Ryra--onry I know +she wasn't asreep--and he terr her he ruv her and have awready made awr +the arrangement for them to get married today, right after runch. And he +terr her she is right about the Space Guard and she wirr have until +runch to tawrk to you about it." + +There was the sound of Narf's door opening and closing and Alonzo said, +"I go now--Rord Narf might guess that I are terring you things." + +A few minutes later Narf and Sonig came down the path toward Hunter. +Both carried packsacks--the cameras, of course--and both carried +long-range rifle blasters. + +"Good morning, lieutenant!" Narf was smiling and pseudogenial again. +"About last night--sometimes a man has to be stern with his wife to +impress her. Very foolish thing she did--might have been killed. I'm +afraid I was so badly shaken with worry over her that I didn't even +thank you for bringing her back." + +"A beautiful morning, lieutenant!" Sonig was smiling, coming as close to +beaming as the nature of his face would permit. "Lord Narf is going to +take me stag hunting this morning--I'll get some lessons from a master. +Did you ever see his lordship's collection of heads? Amazing!" + +"But it seems a sportsman's collection is never quite complete," Narf +said. He was still smiling but the hatred was burning like a fire in his +eyes as he looked at Hunter. "There's one more head I must have--I +intend to get it this morning." + +Narf and Sonig were gone when Lyla came out of her cabin, her face pale +and drawn. Val came out of his cabin and the two spoke to each other in +greeting. There was a silence, in which neither seemed to know what to +say. + +Finally, awkwardly, Val said, "I heard about yesterday, Lyla. Why did +you go into the tiger forest?" + +"Oh ... I was just walking, I guess, and didn't notice where." + +"You went there to die, didn't you?" + +"I ... when you have nothing left--" Then she lifted her head in a proud +gesture and said, "Should it matter to you?" + +For a moment Val had the look of a man struck. Then it was gone and he +said in an emotionless voice: + +"No. I was asking about something that is only your husband's business. +I won't do it again." + +He turned away, back to his cabin. + +"Val--" She took a quick step after him, the proud air gone and her arms +outstretched. "I didn't mean--" + +He turned back, his tone politely questioning. + +"Yes?" + +"I only wanted--" Then her arms dropped and the life went out of her +voice. "What does it matter ... what does anything matter?" + +She hurried into her cabin and the door closed behind her. + + * * * * * + +Rockford spoke from the doorway behind Hunter: + +"Well, my boy, are you ready for your day's duties?" + +He followed Rockford inside, where Rockford settled down in the +easy-chair and yawned. + +"I had a rather busy night," he said. "Certain events occurred yesterday +afternoon which forced me to change my own plans to some extent. Or to +set them ahead a day, I should say." + +He made an effort to put the vision of Lyla from his mind and asked, +"Did you make any progress with Val Boran?" + +"No, I'm afraid not. Of course, I didn't expect to." Rockford yawned +again. "There was another message from Supreme Command. The situation +is getting worse. Which reminds me of your Duty For The Day and the fact +that if you can live through it, you will have it made." + +_He's my superior_, Hunter thought. _He's supposed to outrank a Space +Patrol General--and he's amused by the situation he's here to remedy._ + +"Right now," Rockford said, "Lyla faces a grim future and feels like she +doesn't have a friend in the world. She needs a shoulder to cry on. You +will take her for a walk and supply that shoulder." + +Somehow, even though the order had nothing to do with the Terran-Verdam +crisis, he did not have the heart to object. She had been crying before +she even reached her door. Later, after he had comforted her, he would +demand that Rockford get down to determined effort on the Verdam +problem. No more than an hour would be lost by that.... + +"Yes, sir," he said. "But in the interests of Princess Lyla's safety, I +had better talk to her in her cabin. Alonzo saw Narf and Sonig bring +back eight--" + +"Professional killers, to dispose of you," Rockford finished. "I know +all about it, and I know that Narf took time last night to spend an hour +with his favorite girl friend and brag even to her that he was going to +marry Lyla today before your dead body had time to get cool. + +"But you just take Lyla for another walk and you will cause the +beginning of the end for the Verdam Peoples Worlds. You will go down in +history, my boy, as the man who saved the Terran Republic." + +Hunter went out the door, again feeling a feverish sense of unreality. +He was to go forth and get blasted into hamburger and by some mysterious +process known only to Rockford, the Verdam empire would contritely start +collapsing.... + +He did not knock on her door. He did not think of it as a violation of +her privacy. She would be feeling too alone and unwanted to care. + +She was not crying as he had thought she would be. She was standing by +the window, staring down at the gray, distant desert, her eyes as +bleakly empty as it. + +"Hello, Lyla," he said. + +"Hello, Dale. I was just thinking; this is the day that I, as a woman, +should always have dreamed about"--she tried to smile, and failed, and +the brass came into her voice--"my wedding day!" + +"Alonzo told me about it." + +It seemed to him he should add something, such as to wish her +happiness--but such words would be meaningless and farcical and they +would both know it. + +But there was no reason why he should endanger her by obeying Rockford's +insane order. He would not do it-- + +"Ah ... good morning, Lyla!" Rockford loomed in the doorway, jovial as a +Santa Claus. "Did you know Dale wants to go for a walk in the woods +with you this bright spring morning--and he's no doubt too bashful to +tell you so? Do you good to get away from camp"--there was the +suggestion of a pause--"while you're still free." + +He turned a beaming smile on Hunter. "Don't stand there like a dummy, +boy--take her by the arm and let her have a last walk with someone who +cares what happens to her." + +There was one thing about Rockford not compatible with his air of fond +fatherliness: his eyes were hard, gray slate as they looked into +Hunter's and there was no mistaking their expression. Rockford had not +made a fatherly suggestion for his own amusement. He had given an order +that he intended to be obeyed. + + * * * * * + * * * * + +Hunter and Lyla walked on through the thickets of ghost trees and arrow +brush, each with little to say, Hunter feeling more and more like a +ridiculous fool. They had no destination, no purpose in their walk, +other than to abide by Rockford's desire that a total of ten assassins +get a chance to slaughter a certain expendable second lieutenant. + +He did not put his arm around Lyla as they walked. If they killed him, +it would have to be without their having the satisfaction of the +pictures they wanted with which to blackmail her. + +They came to a tiny clearing, where a cloud tree log made an inviting +seat in the shade, and Lyla said: + +"No matter how far we walk, I'll have to go back to face it. Let's stop +here, and rest a while." + +He saw that the clearing was fairly well screened, but certainly not +completely so. It would have to do. + +[Illustration] + +He sat down on the log several feet away from her, not wanting to take +the chance of her getting hit by accident. + +_Not that I'm enthusiastic about getting hit by intent, myself_, he +thought. _What a way for a Space Guard officer to die._ + +He wondered if Rockford would ever inform Headquarters that Lieutenant +Dale Hunter had died in the line of duty--by whatever twisted logic this +insane episode could be called duty--and he wondered how the +Commemoration Roll would read for him.... _Displaying courage above and +beyond the call of duty, Lieutenant Hunter sat conspicuously on top of a +hill and calmly waited for ten assassins to slaughter him...._ + +"It's peaceful and quiet here, isn't it?" Lyla said. + +He had been trying to watch four different directions at once and he +realized that the constant swiveling of his neck was causing his stiff +blouse collar to slowly cut his throat. And he saw that it was--for the +moment, anyway--peaceful and quiet where they sat. The sun was warm and +golden before them, bright flowers sweetly scented the air, and giant +rainbow moths were fluttering over them, their tiny voices like the +piping of a thousand fairy flutes. + +"I wish I had been born a country girl," Lyla said. "I'd like to have a +life like this, and not--what mine will be." + +He asked the question to which he had to have the answer: + +"Once you were going to marry Val and live on Jardeen, weren't you?" + +"I ... so my foolishness is no longer a secret?" + +"Foolishness?" he asked. + +"We met two years ago when I was attending the Fine Arts university on +Jardeen. I was younger and a lot more naive then than I am now. I +thought we were desperately in love and would get married as soon as I +finished school and would live happily ever after, and all that." + +"And it didn't turn out that way?" + +"I had to make that promise to Daddy and when I wrote to Val about it, +he seemed to approve. He didn't suggest I renounce the proxy marriage +when the time was up, or anything. He just wrote that I knew what I +wanted to do. He seemed relieved to be free to go ahead with his +political career." + +"I see," he said, and then, "you don't feel bad about it, do you, Lyla?" + +"Feel bad? I wouldn't marry Val Boran if he was the last man on Vesta! +Even Lord Narf isn't as self-centered as _he_ is!" + +"You don't have to marry Narf either," he said. "You know that." + +She looked down at the ground and said in a dead voice, "I made a +promise." + +"Rockford told me that your father never really knew Narf--that on the +few times they met, Narf put on the act of being a refined gentleman, +very respectful toward the king's daughter." + +She did not answer and he said, "Is that the way it was?" + +"Yes. That's the way it was. But how could I tell Daddy, as he lay +dying?" + +"You couldn't, Lyla. But if your father could be here today and know +what you know about Narf, do you think he would want you to marry him?" + +"No ... I guess not. But Lord Narf loves me in his own way, I think--and +that's more than anyone else does." + +Then her tone changed and she said, "I'm so glad that you're here today, +Dale--I'm glad that there is someone who cares at least a little about +what happens to me." + +On her face was a poignant longing for someone to love and comfort her. +It seemed to him, now beyond any doubt, that there could never be +anything for him in his career but loneliness. How different the warm +love of Lyla would be from the cold austerity of the military and its +endless succession of weapons and killing-- + + * * * * * + +He moved, to sit beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. +"Lyla," he said, "I want to tell you--" + +"_Dale...._" The word was a despairing sob as her composure broke and +she held tightly to him, crying, her voice coming muffled as she pressed +her face against his chest. "Help me, Dale! How can I marry that +sadistic beast when it's someone else I can't live without--and he +doesn't even know I love him!" + +"But he does!" He hugged her closer, "He does know, and he loves you +even more than you love him." + +"Are you sure?" She raised a tear-stained face, hope like sunshine +through clouds on it. "Are you really sure Val loves me, after all?" + +"_Val?_" + +The revelation was like the stunning concussion shock of a blaster beam +passing two inches overhead. His vision blurred and there was a hideous +roaring in his ears. She was still holding to him for comfort and it +seemed to him that was wrong--he should be clinging to her for +support.... + +"_Dale_ ... what's the matter?" + +"But I thought--" He swallowed with difficulty. "I thought you meant +that I was the--" + +Something struck the top of his head; this time, for certain, the +concussion shock of a blaster beam passing close above it. There was a +vicious crack as the beam split the tree beyond, then a crash and +explosion of wood fragments as a second beam followed the first. + +He rolled from the log; taking Lyla with him. The arrow bushes shielded +them briefly, long enough for them to reach the temporary safety of a +small swale. + +"Dale!" Her dark eyes were wide with puzzled surprise and one small foot +was bare from the loss of a sandal. "Someone shot at us!" + +He thought, _So Narf got his pictures, after all_. + +"Rootenant!" Alonzo came running. "They are _that_ way--awr spread out +to be sure to kirr you." + +Alonzo motioned with his nose, a movement that seemed to cover all the +high ground beyond them. At least, the enemy was not between them and +camp. Not yet. + +A distant shout came, an order from Narf to his men: + +"_All of you--down that ridge! Get between Hunter and camp!_" + +"_It's him!_" Her fingers gripped his arm. "He wants them to kill you!" + +They had fired from a distance too great for his own blaster. He could +not defy them from where he now stood. + +"I'll have to try to get within range of them," he said. "I'll go +back--" + +"_No!_" Her grip on his arm tightened. "Don't leave me, Dale--don't let +him find me here." + +He looked down the length of the swale. At its lower end the ghost tree +forest began, dense and concealing--but all down the length of the swale +the snarevines lay in thick, viciously barbed entanglements, overlying a +bed of sharp rocks and boulders. She could never get to the safety of +the ghost trees in time. + +Narf had his pictures, now. What would he do to her in the insanity of +his hatred and triumph when he reached her? + +"All right, Lyla," he said. "I'll see that you get to the trees--" + + * * * * * + * * * * + +There was a crashing of explosions and debris leaped skyward behind them +and along both sides of the swale. The firing continued, scattered but +very effectively consistent, and he said as he drew his blaster, "I +guess they don't want us to go away." + +He set the regulator of the blaster at lowest intensity so that the beam +would not clip dangerous flying fragments from the boulders. The green, +tough vines disintegrated reluctantly while the precious minutes sped +by; while the unhindered assassins would be hurrying to the point where +the entire swale would be visible to them and under their fire. + +Alonzo was following along near the top of the swale's side, ignoring +the danger as he watched the progress of the enemy and reported it to +Hunter: "Now they are halfway, Rootenant, hurrying faster--" + +They reached the lower end of the swale. The last of the vines +disintegrated and the ghost tree forest lay before them. + +He touched her cheek in farewell. "Get on to camp, as fast as you can +run." + +The firing abruptly ceased as he spoke. There was an ominous silence. +Alonzo came running, his tone almost a yelp in its urgency: + +"They are awrmost where they can see us! We got to get her out of here, +Rootenant--awrfur quick!" + + * * * * * + +"_Lyla!_" + +It was the voice of Val, sharp with concern for her. He came running out +of the ghost trees, all his cold impassiveness gone. "Are you hurt, +Honey--are you hurt?" + +"_You came for me!_" She whispered the words, her face radiant. Then she +ran to meet him, her arms outstretched, crying, "_Val ... oh, Val...._" + +Their arms went around each other. + +Then the woods erupted as ten blasters laid down a barrage to block any +escape to camp. + +"I'll try to give you a chance to get through," Hunter said quickly. +"Be ready for it when it comes." + +He ran toward the firing line, taking advantage of the concealment +afforded by the first fringe of ghost trees. They should be almost +within range of his own weapon, now-- + +Again, the firing abruptly ceased, as though by some signal. There came +the furious raving of Narf: + +"_It's that Boran she wants! Kill him, too!_" + +Sonig cursed with bitter rage. "_Jardeen is lost to Verdam if any +witness escapes--and we'll all hang, besides._" + +There was a second of silence, and then Narf's command: + +"_Kill the woman, too!_" + +There was a roar like thunder as the firing began. The ground trembled +and debris filled the air with flying fragments. Hunter, still running +toward the enemy under cover of the trees, saw Val trying to get Lyla to +safety and saw them both hurled to the ground as a tree exploded in +front of them. They would never live to rise and run again-- + + * * * * * + +He saw Rockford's plan, at last, and what his own duty would now have to +be. He knew why Rockford had said of this day, "_If you can live through +it, you will have it made._" + +And he had a cold feeling inside him that he was not going to have it +made. + +He took a deep breath and ran toward the enemy, out of the concealment +of the ghost trees and in the open where they could not fail to see him, +his blaster firing a continuous beam that fell only a little short of +the enemy, that showed them he would be close enough to kill them within +seconds if he was not stopped. + +The fire concentrated upon him, giving Lyla and Val their chance for +escape. He ran through an inferno of crashing explosions, twisting and +dodging on ground that trembled and heaved under his feet, while +razor-sharp rock shrapnel filled the air with shrill, deadly screaming +sounds. + +Something ripped through his shoulder, to spin him around and send him +rolling. He scrambled up, firing as he did so, and ran drunkenly on. + +Something struck the side of his head and he went down again. He tried +to rise and fell back, a blackness sweeping over him that he could not +hold away despite his efforts to do so. + +It seemed to him that the firing had suddenly stopped, that in its place +was the hoarse buzz of a police stun-beam. It seemed he saw helicopters +overhead, bearing the bright blue insignia of the Royal Guard and then +there was nothing but the blackness. + + * * * * * + +There was a brief, dreamlike return to consciousness. He was in a Royal +Guard helicopter and Alonzo was beside him, grinning, and saying, "You +be O.K.--I grad! And my Princess Ryra--rook at her now, Rootenant!" + +He saw Lyla, her hand in Val's, and her face was glowing and beautiful +in its new-found happiness. Then she was bending down, kissing him, and +saying, "Dale ... Dale ... how can we ever thank you for what you did?" + + * * * * * + +When the blackness lifted the second time he was lying, bandaged, on a +cot in the meeting hall and the voice of Rockford was saying, "... Ready +to go in just a minute." + +The hall was filled with members of the royal court who had come for the +wedding. He saw the white robes of Church of Vesta dignitaries who had +come to officiate at the wedding. Then he saw the seven grim old men +seated at the far end of the table. + +The Royal Council--with the judicial power to give even death sentences +in crimes committed against royalty. + +Sonig, his face white and staring, was being half led, half carried, +away from them. + +Narf, in the grip of another Guardsman, was standing before the Council +and saying in a tone both incredulous and sneering: + +"Is that my sentence?" + +"There is a qualification to it," one of the Council said. "It seems +only just, in view of your crime, that you be tortured until death--" + +The rest of the words were lost as the blackness swept back. But before +unconsciousness was complete, when all else in the hall was gone from +him, he heard Narf's cry; an animal-like bawl of protest, raw and hoarse +with anguish.... + + * * * * * + +"Ah ... you're coming out of it, my boy." + +Rockford was standing over him. "They gave you a Restoration shot on +Vesta forty-eight hours ago. It will be wearing off in a minute and your +head will clear." + +He sat up, and the dizziness faded swiftly away. He saw that he was in +the compartment of an interstellar ship and he knew that it was +Earthbound. + +And that Vesta, and brown-eyed Lyla, were now part of the past.... + +"Don't look so sad, my boy," Rockford said. "You'll get due credit and +promotion for the invaluable part you played in my plan." + +"But--" + +"I know. But she was never yours. You'll find life is full of +heartbreaks like that, son. + +"And we accomplished our mission. Narf's crime neatly invalidated the +proxy marriage. Then Lyla set a new precedent by marrying Val that very +day. Earth has never had two such loyal and grateful friends as Val and +Lyla." + +"You knew all about them, didn't you?" he asked. + +"Strategic Service has to know everything. And I knew they were still +in love even though each was too proud to admit it. That's why I had to +insist on Val coming to Vesta. After that, it was only a matter of using +you to awaken Val to the fact that she did _not_ love Narf. And of +taking care of various little details, such as faking an official +request for the helicopters to come out two hours ahead of time, getting +Val off to find her at the proper time, and so on." + +Rockford smiled at him, "And you learned that an old man's mind can be +mightier than the space fleets of the Verdam empire--and that the line +of duty that produces the best results can sometimes be very devious." + +He thought of the white-faced Sonig, and the anguished bawl he had heard +from Narf. + +"I suppose they were going to hang Narf and Sonig at once." + +"The Council would have, no doubt. But Lyla was so happy that she begged +the Council to give them very light sentences--or just let them go free. +So I suggested a compromise. The Royal Council regarded it as very +fitting." + +"What was it?" + +"For Sonig, no punishment. The murder attempt, being news of public +interest, will be broadcast upon Vesta and other worlds, including a +factual, unbiased account of Sonig's participation in it. Shortly +afterward, Sonig will be taken to Verdam and turned over to his own +benevolent government. Vesta will file no charges." + +"But Sonig lost Jardeen for his government. They'll execute him for +that!" + +"Yes. I'm afraid so. Shall we call it poetic justice?" + +"What about Narf?" + +"His sentence was life-long exile on his Sea Island estate. He will be +provided with all the luxuries to which he has been accustomed, +including a full staff of servants. He will continue to enjoy all his +possessions there, including his gallery of nude paintings, his risque +films, his pornographic library, and so on. In fact, since he is so +fascinated by pornography and such a collector thereof, any pornographic +material which might become available on Vesta in the future will be +sent to him." + +"That's not right ... I mean, they were going to torture him to death." + +"Not 'to death'. It was 'until death'. There's a difference." + +"But that bawling noise he made--" + +"Ah ... that was due to the one restrictive qualification to the benign +terms of his exile. Every woman on his estate was to be removed before +he reached there, leaving men servants only. Patrol boats will see to it +that for so long as he lives no woman shall ever set foot on the Sea +Islands." + +Rockford smiled again. "Lord Narf succeeded beyond his wildest dreams in +keeping his boyhood vow of being always a man among men." + + + + +Transcriber's Note + +This etext was produced from _Analog Science Fact and Fiction_ December +1962. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and +typographical errors have been corrected without note. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's --And Devious the Line of Duty, by Tom Godwin + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK --AND DEVIOUS THE LINE OF DUTY *** + +***** This file should be named 22585.txt or 22585.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/5/8/22585/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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