diff options
Diffstat (limited to '22585.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 22585.txt | 2264 |
1 files changed, 2264 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/22585.txt b/22585.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0ed0590 --- /dev/null +++ b/22585.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: 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. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +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 + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |