"That's right. Thank you. So-that means we got thirteen of the armed ones and four decoys, either pretty well destroyed or no trace found at all. And personnel losses almost as bad as ship losses-near forty percent, even with good rescue effort."

  "Nearly two thousand people," said Jarlson. "Proud of yourself?"

  Tregare's lips parted, snarling. "Don't bait me, UET man! But since you asked, I'm hardly ever proud of giving death- even when it's deserved, and I know a lot of those people were here because they had no choice. I'm proud of exactly one of those deaths-or rather, I'm proud of the man who got it for me. That's Osbert Newhausen's. I'd like to have got him myself, but somebody here needed it more.''

  "You gloat over killing a great leader-the third in a line of fine commanders?"

  Now Rissa spoke. "The first of that line-such a brave man he must have been-to gain fame by gassing to death whole blocks of helpless people." Her eyes narrowed. "Do you know how he died?"

  "Why-yes, I know of that tragedy. The admiral's grandfather was stricken by a loathsome, disfiguring disease- highly contagious. He spent the last twenty years of his life in aseptic isolation, slowly going insane. No one knows how it happened."

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  "You are wrong! / know-for I hired it done. Because two of those he killed with his cowardly poison were my parents -and as a consequence I spent eleven years in Total Welfare!"

  Anger shook her. "I regret that he-as well as the grandson-died without knowing the truth."

  On the screen, Jarlson fidgeted. "I-we all know mistakes were made. But it's not healthy to brood so long." His expression changed. "Why-that's nearly sixty years ago-and you're only a young girl. Who are you?"

  Tregare gripped her arm. "We won't go into that just now, Jarlson. She's the wife of Bran Tregare; leave it at that."

  Silent, Jarlson nodded. Tregare said, "Back to business. We've abandoned the derelicts; a few hours more and we'll have our Northward momentum killed and be on our way to Earth. And when we get there-" He reached for a switch. "The rest's private, Jarlson. Glad you could join us." He paused, then said, "One thing-you did a good job during rescue and transfer operations-kept your head level, and your people's, too, so we didn't need any more killing. I'd expected to have to blast at least one ship. I'm glad I didn't, and it's to your credit."

  Jarlson's half-smile looked grim. "I had a few hotheads, but they still took orders."

  "Good. That's all, then, and thanks." Jarlson's face faded from the screen. Tregare said, "That man may possibly come over to us-if he does, he'll bring others with him. That's another reason I wanted him on here, for the open stuff. 1-"

  "Bran-then I should not have vented my anger."

  "To tell the truth, Rissa, at first I wished you'd said none of it. But-"

  Ivan spoke. "No. She was right. Reminded him that UET does things he can't approve-and also that it's not invincible, and hasn't been for a long time."

  "That could be," said Tregare. "And at any rate, Rissa, you had the right to speak your mind." He smiled briefly. "Now then-when we approach Earth ..."

  hampered by the limitations of the two crippled ships, that approach went slowly. The combined fleets' drift had overshot Earth, radially; Tregare put a slight skew in the course to

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  compensate, and to near Earth-when the time came-from "behind." "The planet's orbital velocity doesn't sound like much," he said, "but it's roughly a hundredth of one percent of light-speed-and on the slow end of the trip, it does save a bit of time."

  "Time-Bran, I have lost track. Taking the battle so far above ecliptic-are we much behind our schedule?" "Not bad-two weeks, maybe a little more." "Good. Then we should be well able to receive Lisele in safety."

  curving into the ecliptic plane and still decelerating, the fifty ships followed Earth in its path, always gaining but ever more slowly. Still at a distance, Hain Deverel sighted a group of ships. "Seventeen, I make it, skipper-looks like they're riding Trojan position ahead of Luna."

  "Good safe place," said Tregare. "UET on Earth must be gone bushstomper. Let's call those ships. In clear-peace take me, 1 want UET to know what they're up against!"

  Deverel arranged the circuit, then nodded. Tregare said, "Ahoy, lunar contingent! Combined fleet calling. Who speaks for you?"

  Distance made the voice waver. "Who speaks for you?"

  Tregare failed to contain his laughter. "Bran Tregare speaking. You hear that, you on Earth? Bran Tregare Moray! Thirteen years ago I took Stronghold from you; I've taken ail the ships you've sent me, since. I command those and what's left of Ozzie Newhausen's fleet. And now here, I think, are seventeen more to join me!"

  Again he laughed. "UET on Earth, get ready to surrender -or to die!"

  He waited. The first voice spoke again. "Tregare-thank peace it's you! This is Coryle Hagenau on Committee's Fall. We're-Ragan's told you about the Escape plans, I suppose? Well, eight of us made it clean and ten more stalemated and killed drives until things were settled. One group had to blow their ship-then the rest of the UET people listened. We-"

  "What's your situation now?"

  "Low on supplies, some ships-half rations, or worse. The loyalists destroyed food to try to force us to land. And a tense balance, too-some UET fanatics are armed, hold parts of

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  several ships, still think they can recoup. Get us down safe, Tregare! And get some food to us!"

  Rissa said, "Bran? The food comes first, I think. Can we meet them?"

  His fist thumped the control console. "Sure-we'll put scouts over to them, when we're close enough. But you heard -no trust this time-our people go with power suits and heavy guns. Order it out, will you, Anders?"

  while they waited, still approaching, a call came. Rissa was sure she had never seen the man on the viewscreen, yet he looked familiar. He said, "I am calling Bran Tregare Moray."

  Tregare answered. "Who are you?"

  "Kane Altworth." Altworth? "Currently prime minister of Australia."

  "Glad you called-I'm honored. What can I do for you?"

  "I wish to explain something. UET keeps its forces out of this country. Do you know why?"

  Tregare grinned. "I've heard, yes. Anyway-rest assured, my forces will visit Australia only by your invitation, and in friendship. We do want contact, naturally, after the shooting's over-assuming we win. You agree?"

  "Surely-and good luck."

  Before Tregare could cut the circuit, Rissa said, "Sir? I knew a Camilla Altworth once-and she went to Australia. Are you-?"

  The man smiled. "My grandmother. But-you knew her?"

  "I have traveled in space a great deal. But-someday, when there is time for it, I would like to talk with you about Camilla Altworth."

  "My pleasure." And with that, the call ended.

  slowing, the fleet reached and passed Luna, and made rendezvous with Coryle Hagenau's ships. As agreed, Tregare saw to the transshipment of food to those in need of it. At the same time, all ships were cleared of UET holdouts-not always peaceably. The mortality rate on UET's side was close to half.

  And when Jamie Pescadore, wearing a bandage on his shoulder, reported the last ship secured, Tregare said, "Good

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  job. And now I guess it's time to go."

  As the screen dimmed he turned to Anders Kobolak. "Any answer yet from the Hulzein Establishment?"

  "No-we've been running the loop tape, calling them, for three days. Still are, in fact. But there's been no response."

  sixty-seven ships now approached Earth. Tregare called, "UET, North America-HQ Port, whoever you've named it for by now. Tregare speaking. We're landing-your choice is, do we land quiet or shooting? Answer-and when you do, speak up and name yourself."

  A voice said, "I'll do better-I'll show myself. Tune your screen." The screen showed flickering light-then a woman's face, harsh-lined below short gray hair. The lips parted. The woman said, "All right, I see you. I'm Ingrith Hannulan, deputy port commander. You don't look so much, Tregare, but I can't argue with sixty-seven ships. Not when two-thirds of my goddamned defense missile sites don't respond, 1 can't." She shook her head. "Now how the hell did you manage that?"

  "I'm the questions, Hannulan-you're the answers. You got room for us?"

  "Yes-barely." Her hand moved; at one corner of the screen a map appeared. "North is up. The HQ building, where I am, it's middle of the west end. How do you-?"

  "Just a minute." On ships' circuit: "Coryle? Is that straight?"

  "She's told you the truth, so far. But-Tregare, watch out for that one!"

  "Naturally-and thanks. Any special reason?"

  "No. Just that-nobody gets as far as she has, in UET, by being easy."

  "Sure. Tregare out-but keep listening." Back to Ingrith Hannulan: "All right. Turn on some landing markers, spaced as wide as you have room, like this: one group, circular perimeter, west half of the port, seventeen ships. Those land first. Another circle, same way in the east half-twenty-five in that one. You got it so far?"

  "It's clear enough; you're hardly overloading me. And the rest?"

  Rissa nudged him, and whispered, "This is still a battle.

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  Keep some aloft, and all the scouts, and do not say how many."

  Tregare nodded; he turned and winked at her. Then, to the screen; "Hannulan, you're smart enough to guess what I'm doing so I'll tell you. Mostly so you don't try something fancy and make me wreck this port. All right-the seventeen are Escaped and stay buttoned when they land, until I have time for them. The twenty-five are what's left of the sixty Ozzie started with. My people are in charge of those, but they stay closed until I say so, too."

  "I understand."

  "All right, then-around those two circles you spot fifteen sites in a figure-eight-forty-five degree intervals. That's for my ships-except the ones I keep upstairs with me a while."

  "What-"

  "Tell anybody you want to, Hannulan-I hope you do. Before I land, I'm neutralizing any threat that's more than a popgun."

  "On the whole planet? With ten ships, maybe twelve? You're crazy."

  "Sure-and I couldn't take Stronghold, either, with only six. And when I was with UET it wasn't possible to Escape; right? But we did, and here I am. How many ships doesn't matter-it's that many more than you have. And you forgot about the scouts-you know scoutships?"

  "Enough to know they're not that formidable."

  He laughed. "Mine are- they mount ships' projectors, fully powered." Silence. Then; "You're lying-you're bluffing!"

  '' You ever hear of Jimar Peralta? "

  Hannulan gasped. "Escaped Target Number Two?"

  "Number Two? Who's Number One?"

  "Why-you are, of course. I-"

  "That's good; I wouldn't want you to get your priorities mixed. Anyway-you can forget about Peralta. He tried something and it got him killed. But the point is, he loaded a ship's projector into an aircar to make his try. If he could have carried a bigger power pack, he'd have won."

  "I don't see-"

  "If Jimar could do that with an aircar, what makes you think I can't soup up a scout? You want a demonstration or something?"

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  The woman shook her head. "No--no, I don't. Not me. But-I think you'll find somebody, someplace, who will."

  "I expect so," said Tregare. "There's always some fool who insists on getting killed to convince the rest. If you want to hold down the slaughter, keep Channel J clear to me, to record and broadcast. And 1 think that's all, for now."

  As he turned to Rissa and began to speak, the screen dimmed and then lit again. Ingrith Hannulan said, "Tregare! I have word from-from the Committee. An offer-from the Chairman himself. You'd better listen-"

  Tregare looked to Rissa; she nodded. "It cannot harm, to see and hear him."

  The screen blurred; then a man's face appeared. Rissa looked, and was repelled. "What decadence, Tregare! See? The tattoos, the gems inset on the forehead and-it must be-on posts piercing the cheeks. A ring through a tooth -who chews his food for him?" She laughed shakily. "The leas! of it is the brows, plucked into dotted lines. Bran-is this what governs Earth?"

  The man's voice came deep but soft, almost lisping. "Ah- Tregare, isn't it, my good colonial? Shall we parley, then?"

  Tregare grinned, "You know my name-what's yours?"

  "Oh, of course, my dear lad. Gairn Forbisher. I had forgotten-you provincials, out of time and far behind it-how could you know? But now, without the amenities, unfortunately-you'd love my villa and its charming denizens, I assure you-I'll make peace with you."

  "That's good," said Tregare. "Tell me just how."

  "Even for a crude outworlder, I should think it were simple enough. It-"

  "You better make it crude, Forbisher. And quick."

  "Oh, very well. No finesse-I shouldn't have expected it, I suppose-but well enough. I propose unity again-the ships returning to our jurisdiction with you commanding as our deputy-in return for appointing you to the Committee with a twenty percent interest. That is one-fifth share of UET worldwide, you understand, and of offworld holdings."

  Tregare cut voice-transmit as he said to Rissa, "What do I say to this creature?"

  "Let me say it." He nodded and restored transmission. Rissa said, "Do you hear me, Gairn Forbisher?"

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  "Of course-but I had in mind to arrange terms with Tregare."

  "And that is what you are doing. I will now tell you, on behalf of Tregare and myself, what you may do with your offer."

  In a few brief words, she told him. When the screen showed Forbisher no longer, Tregare said, "That wasn't very original, was it?"

  "Perhaps not. But neither was the situation."

  Now, on the screen Ingrith Hannulan spoke. "I hoped you could agree. Now what do I do?"

  Rissa said, "What do you suppose? You are acting under our coercion, are you not? So keep Channel J open to us-and for the rest of it, act as you think best."

  Hannulan scratched gently at her forehead. "As I think best? You know, I get the distinct idea you're running a play you've done before-and that I haven't."

  Before Rissa could speak, Tregare said, "That's right-and don't forget it." Then, "By the way-if you're deputy commander, who's commander?"

  "Here at the port, I'm as high as it goes. Overall command is vested in the Presiding Committee."

  "Was, you mean. As of now, it's vested in Squadron Commander Zelde M'tana, speaking for Bran Tregare."

  the ships grounded as arranged; Parnell, Falconer and Peralta made up the guarding figure-eight. Zelde M'tana reported that her port command circuits were connected and working, and said, "The truth field gear's on its way-we'll start vetting the Escaped ships first, soon as we can. Now then-these seven scouts you're leaving me-all right to keep only two aloft at any given time, with the rest primed to lift on order?"

  "However you want," said Tregare. "And keep this channel open, Zelde. I'll have someone hanging high enough to relay to me, anywhere on this continent. Anything else, now?"

  "Not that I can think of-watch yourself, is all. M'tana out."

  Rissa said, "Bran-these ten ships, yours and Kickem's-

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  they seem few to cover UET's major bases, even in North America."

  "Plus eleven scouts, don't forget-not counting the one topside. But we're not trying to cover everything yet-just the really big stuff. Right now, for instance-" He activated a circuit. "Kickem? You set to go?"

  "As ever, Tregare. Check me now-Ragan's mapped me the four regional Police troop bases. A ship and a scout to each, with stalwart Bernardez reserving the command base to himself, since you insist on taking the administrative Headquarters. Oh, I don't begrudge you-except, I wish I could be there to see it. I-"

  "Good enough, Kickem-and remember to relay the action through here. Now let's move it-I've got other calls to make."

  He flipped switches. "Ahoy, Hannulan-Tregare here."

  The woman looked tired. "What do you want?"

  "Peace and quiet, but I don't expect to get it for a while. No-can you arrange Channel J, any time a signal comes over it after this discussion, to preempt all Tri-V outlets you can reach?"

  "I-the eastern half of the continent, I can get you. It may take some time to get trunks to the west."

 

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