asked ifhe was to use force, Chancellor Khane told him to use anything he wantedto."
"I did not! I told him to get the students out of the stadium, but----"
"The chief of campus police carries a personal wire recorder," Handrosansaid, in his flat monotone. "He has a recording of the order, inChancellor Khane's own voice. I heard it myself. The police," hecontinued, "first tried to use gas, but the wind was against them. Theythen tried to use sono-stunners, but the students rushed them andoverwhelmed them. If Your Majesty will permit a personal opinion, whileI do not sympathize with their subsequent attack on the AdministrationCenter, they were entirely within their rights in defending themselvesin the stadium, and it's hard enough to stop trained and disciplinedtroops when they are winning. After defeating the police, they simplywent on by what might be called the momentum of victory."
"Then you'd say that it's positively established that the students werebehaving in a peacable and orderly manner in the stadium when they wereattacked, and that Chancellor Khane ordered the attack personally?"
"I would, emphatically, Your Majesty."
"I think we've done enough here, gentlemen." He turned to Count Tammsan."This is, jointly, the affair of Education and Security. I would suggestthat you and Prince Travann join in a formal and public inquiry, anduntil all the facts have been established and recorded and actiondecided upon, the dismissal of Professor Faress be reversed and he berestored to his position on the faculty."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Tammsan agreed. "And I think it would be a goodidea for Chancellor Khane to take a vacation till then, too."
"I would further suggest that, as this microposito experiment is crucialto the whole question, it should be repeated. Under the personaldirection of Professor Faress."
"I agree with that, Your Majesty," Prince Travann said. "If it's asimportant as I think it is, Professor Dandrik is greatly to be censuredfor ordering it stopped and for failing to report this anticipationeffect."
"We'll consult about the inquiry, including the experiment, tomorrow,Your Highness," Tammsan told Travann.
Paul rose, and everybody rose with him. "That being the case, yougentlemen are all excused. The students' procession ought to bearriving, now, and I want to tell them what's going to be done. PrinceTravann, Count Tammsan; do you care to accompany me?"
* * * * *
Going up to the central terrace in front of the Octagon Tower, he turnedto Count Tammsan.
"I notice you laughed at that remark of mine about Aditya," he said."Have you met the First Citizen?"
"Only on screen, sir. He was at me for about an hour, this morning. Itseems that they are reforming the educational system on Aditya. OnAditya, everything gets reformed every ten years, whether it needs it ornot. He came here to find somebody to take charge of the reformation."
He stopped short, bringing the others to a halt beside him, and laughedheartily.
"Well, we'll send First Citizen Yaggo away happy; we'll make him apresent of the most distinguished educator on Odin."
"Khane?" Tammsan asked.
"Khane. Isn't it wonderful; if you have a few problems, you havetrouble, but if you have a whole lot of problems, they start solvingeach other. We get a chance to get rid of Khane and create a vacancythat can be filled by somebody big enough to fill it; the Ministry ofEducation gets out from under a nasty situation; First Citizen Yaggogets what he thinks he wants----"
"And if I know Khane and if I know the People's Commonwealth of Aditya,it won't be a year before Yaggo has Khane shot or stuffs him into jail,and then the Space Navy will have an excuse to visit Aditya, andAditya'll never be the same afterward," Prince Travann added.
The students massed on the front lawns were still cheering as they wentdown after addressing them. The Security Guards were conspicuouslyabsent and it was a detail of red-kilted Thoran riflemen who met them asthey entered the hall to the Session Chamber. Prince Ganzay approached,attended by two Household Guard officers, a human and a Thoran. CountTammsan looked from one to the other of his companions, bewildered. Thebewildering thing was that everything was as it should be.
"Well, gentlemen," Paul said, "I'm sure that both of you will want toconfer for a moment with your colleagues in the Rotunda before theSession. Please don't feel obliged to attend me further."
Prince Ganzay approached as they went down the hall. "Your Majesty, what_is_ going on here?" he demanded querulously. "Just who is in control ofthe Palace--you or Prince Travann? And where is His Imperial Highness,and where is General Dorflay?"
"I sent Dorflay to join Prince Rodrik's picnic party. If you're upsetabout this, you can imagine what he might have done here."
Prince Ganzay looked at him curiously for a moment. "I thought Iunderstood what was happening," he said. "Now I---- This business aboutthe students, sir; how did it come out?"
Paul told him. They talked for a while, and then the Prime Ministerlooked at his watch, and suggested that the Session ought to be gettingstarted. Paul nodded, and they went down the hall and into the Rotunda.
The big semicircular lobby was empty, now, except for a platoon ofHousehold Guards, and the Empress Marris and her ladies-in-waiting. Sheadvanced as quickly as her sheath gown would permit, and took his arm;the ladies-in-waiting fell in behind her, and Prince Ganzay went ahead,crying: "My Lords, Your Venerable Highnesses, gentlemen; His ImperialMajesty!"
Marris tightened her grip on his arm as they started forward. "Paul!"she hissed into his ear. "What is this silly story about Yorn Travanntrying to seize the Throne?"
"Isn't it? Yorn's been too close the Throne for too long not to knowwhat sort of a seat it is. He'd commit any crime up to and includinggenocide to keep off it."
She gave a quick skip to get into step with him. "Then why's he filledthe Palace with these blackcoats? Is Rod all right?"
"Perfectly all right; he's somewhere out in the mountains, keeping HarvDorflay out of mischief."
* * * * *
They crossed the Session Hall and took their seats on the double throne;everybody sat down, and the Prime Minister, after some formalities,declared the Plenary Session in being. Almost at once, one of thePrince-Counselors was on his feet begging His Majesty's leave tointerrogate the Government.
"I wish to ask His Highness the Minister of Security the meaning of allthis unprecedented disturbance, both here in the Palace and in thecity," he said.
Prince Travann rose at once. "Your Majesty, in reply to the question ofHis Venerable Highness," he began, and then launched himself into anaccount of the student riot, the march to petition the emperor, and theclash with the nonworking class hooligans. "As to the affair at theUniversity, I hesitate to speak on what is really the concern of HisLordship the Minister of Education, but as to the fighting in the city,if it is still going on, I can assure His Venerable Highness that theGendarmes and Security Guards have it well in hand; the personsresponsible are being rounded up, and, if the Minister of Justiceconcurs, an inquiry will be started tomorrow."
The Minister of Justice assured the Minister of Security that hisMinistry would be quite ready to co-operate in the inquiry. CountTammsan then got up and began talking about the riot at the University.
"What did happen, Paul?" Marris whispered.
"Chancellor Khane sacked a science professor for being too interested inscience. The students didn't like it. I think Khane's successor willrectify that. Have a good time at the Flower Festivals?"
She raised her fan to hide a grimace. "I made my schedule," she said."Tomorrow, I have fifty more booked."
"Your Imperial Majesty!" The Counselor who had risen paused, to makesure that he had the Imperial attention, before continuing: "Inasmuch asthis question also seems to involve a scientific experiment, I wouldsuggest that the Ministry of Science and Technology is also interestedand since there is at present no Minister holding that portfolio, Iwould suggest that the discussion be continued after a Minister has beenelected."
&n
bsp; The Minister of Health and Sanity jumped to his feet.
"Your Imperial Majesty; permit me to concur with the proposal of HisVenerable Highness, and to extend it with the subproposal that theMinistry of Science and Technology be abolished, and its functions andpersonnel divided among the other Ministries, specifically those ofEducation and of Economics."
The Minister of Fine Arts was up before he was fully seated.
"Your Imperial Majesty; permit me to concur with the proposal of CountGuilfred, and to extend it further with the proposal that the Ministryof Defense, now also vacant, be likewise