the general picture. Actual provedsympathizers with the underground are scarce, but we do have someimportant ones. Probably the most important is the Priestess ofKeltar, Selan. As she's the head of the church in Keltar, the capitolcity, she's at least nominally the head of the whole organization,though it does have a good deal of autonomy. But her word carriesenormous weight."
"What's she like?"
"She's old. Very old and very determined. She's always been on theliberal wing of the church. Willing to recognize the changes that havetaken place, and to modify the church so that it will maintain itsplace in the system. She recognizes Candar for what he is but iswilling to try to get along with him till someone can show her analternative with a chance of success. At least, that's how she seemedto me when I met her."
"Do you think," Thane asked, "that she would be ready to help now ifit meant the overthrow of Candar?"
Astrid was silent for a long time. Finally she nodded. "I think so. Idon't know but I think she would."
Thane glanced at his watch. It might do. And they just might have timefor what had to be done. "It's the best chance we have, and it maywork. But now we've got things to do. We can use some of the equipmenthere, and the batteries will give us enough power."
* * * * *
Thane rapidly explained that he was going back into his own identity,and that some of the equipment present would help accelerate thechange-over. He tried to give Astrid the general picture as they madethe circuit changes on the equipment.
"Astrid, you are going to turn me in. You are going to surrender me tothe Onzarians when they get here."
Astrid stopped. She had been re-fusing a circuit, and the fuse hunglimply in her hand, forgotten.
Thane went on. "I'll explain while we finish the circuit. We haven'tmuch time. You remember how we talked of driving the cork into thebottle? Well, that's what we're going to do. The Onzarians will behere before long when they've discovered their cruiser is missing. Youwill pass as an Onzarian. As an acolyte of the religion, you'll turnme over to them as a spy."
They had finished the identity accelerator circuit. Thane wasn't surethe rough equipment would do, but it might be close enough. He'd tryit. He climbed on to the laboratory table and showed Astrid how tomake the connections.
"I'm using all the power we have," he said. "I'll be out about 13minutes, absolute. If they get here before then do everything you canto keep them out till the time's up."
Astrid looked down at him lying on the table. She was very serious,very quiet. She brushed her lips lightly against his forehead and saidsoftly, "We'll manage."
She was gone and Thane heard the hum of power.
It went on and on, in the easy world of change. And then the power wasgone. Thane struggled to open his eyes, minutes, years before heshould. He looked up into the cold, unfriendly eyes of an Onzarianlieutenant.
Astrid appeared beside the lieutenant. She talked rapidly in Onzarian.Her manner was imperious, "He's the one. He did it all. He attacked ushere, and after he had killed the others he admitted to me that he wasa spy for the A. S. He would have killed me, too, if you hadn't come,lieutenant."
The lieutenant said harshly, "He won't trouble anyone now. Candar,himself will deal with him."
Thane was pulled to his feet by two crew members. Each grasped one ofhis arms, and they took him out of the house to the waiting Onzarcruiser. Inside the ship one of them opened a reinforced door andshoved him into a tiny cell.
Thane had been in jails before on other systems. Their politics variedbut their jails were about the same. He didn't like it, but he didknow what to expect. There was the take-off, and the trip to thesector patrol station. The lieutenant told his story and theyquestioned him, in a cursory, routine way. He was an importantpolitical prisoner and there were experts to take care of thequestioning later on. Then there was another ship, and they flewthrough the long, bitterly cold night to the capitol city, Keltar.More guards, more questions on arrival. The receiving station. Andfinally the trip through the ancient streets of Keltar to the palaceprison.
The cell there was just as small, just as dark, just as dirty as theothers. But at least he was in a cell by himself. He was alone, andwould have time to think through his plan.
Time went by. Thane, without light, without sound, did not know howlong. But long enough. Long enough for the Darzent Empire to learnabout the second-stage drive, from a drugged Manning Reine. Longenough to begin to equip their fleet with the drive. Could one manstop their attack? Thane wondered, and planned, and waitedimpatiently.
No prison sounds. No noise of any kind. Until suddenly the duralitedoor opened. "Let's go," the gruff Onzarian voice said.
Outside the cell door Thane's eyes gradually focused in the light. Theguard was one he hadn't seen when they'd brought him in. Apparentlyhe'd been in the cell through at least one watch, possibly longer.They walked down the long row of doors to the registry room.
V
The room was bare except for a bench along one wall, a chair and asmall table. A non-com sat behind the table. He began to ask the usualquestions. Thane answered in a flat, dull voice, and the non-comfilled out a form, scribbling on a line or checking a box as eachquestion was answered. Finally he shoved the form aside and looked upat Thane for the first time. "Oh, an Alien, eh? That should beinteresting for you." He jerked a thumb at the bench. "Sit there tillyou're called." Thane went over to the bench. He saw that the non-comhad lit a cigarette and was staring into endless boredom.
For long, empty minutes nothing happened. Then there was noise at theouter doors. The doors opened and two burly guards entered. AstridReine was between them.
They dragged her up to the desk. "They told us to bring her here."
The non-com looked up. "What's the purpose?" That, Thane was sure, wasthe correct translation of the Onzarian. Not 'charge,' not 'offense,'but 'purpose.' It was a one-word explanation of Candar's whole systemof justice.
"... and she claimed to be an acolyte of the church," the bigger guardwas saying. "Gave the name of a registered acolyte and everything. Andfunny thing, the Priestess of Keltar vouched for her. Had to let hergo. But then we found out that the acolyte she was supposed to be wasacross the continent, in Akra. We picked her up just as she wasleaving the cathedral." At the end of his long speech, the guardsucked in his breath and blew it out, hoarsely.
The non-com merely sighed, picked up his pad of forms, and began hisquestions. Astrid answered most of the questions in a monotone. Shegave no sign that she had seen or recognized Thane. He noticed that ona few of her questions, her voice went up. He saw why.
The non-com had finished the body of his form and was filling in the"remarks." His stylus poised, he asked, "Why did you go to thepriestess?"
Astrid's voice went up as she answered, "She's all right." Then hervoice went back to a dull monotone. "I--I was confused. After I'd toldthem I was in the church I thought she would help me. But shecouldn't."
"What were you trying to do?"
"I've done everything," she said in that slightly altered tone. "Idon't know what I was going to do. I've been so confused." She benther head and began to sob.
"Take her away," the non-com said. The two guards led her into thecell block. As they left, the intercom buzzed beside the non-com. Heanswered and gestured to Thane. "Time for you, Mister. Stand up andwait."
Two officers of the guard entered. The gold on the uniform of oneindicated that he was at least a commander. They took him betweenthem, without a word, and went out.
The wind tore at them as they walked across the palace court. Eachsentry snapped to attention as they passed. Inside, they wereinspected formally by a guard and more efficiently by a battery ofdetectors. They hurried on. After halls, corridors, steps, grav-wells,and more guards, they reached the door. One final check and they werethrough.
_Glistered_--that was the word--the whole room glistered. Gold insetin the wall panels. Golden arms on the chairs. Gold plating on theceiling. A go
ld shagell, wings outstretched, at one corner of Candar'senormous desk. And Candar, in a perfectly plain uniform, staring up athim from behind the desk. His own expensive way, Thane considered, forshowing his contempt for the gold fetish of the church.
Candar looked up at him steadily for a moment without speaking. Then:"I always greet the emissaries from the Allied Systems personally.They always have so much of interest to tell us in one way or anothersooner or later."
Thane stared back and said, "You are right. I have information thatwill save Onzar if I give it to you. Perhaps, using your methods, youcould get it eventually. Perhaps not. But