pretty soon."
"Sure they will. But that's pretty soon--and not soon enough. Besides,Stern's got them under control, along with their families--theimportant ones, anyway. There'd be a deadlock when a conclave startedchecking their claims. And somehow, their councilors wouldn't be ableto come up with quite the right arguments.
"If a formal conclave meets, and no claimant is clearly eligible forthe throne--know who'll be called to start a new royal line?"
"But he----" Don shook his head doubtfully.
"Yes, he could." Masterson shook his head. "Sure, he's regent. But hehasn't renounced his position as prime minister. And with his personaleffect on people, he couldn't lose. No, the only reason he can't standa conclave right now is one youngster--and one family he's never beenable to control, because they stay out of his personal reach. And healmost got the youngster out of the way. Neat little operation, withonly one thing that could go wrong. You."
Don frowned. "But that affair was just a personal----"
"Think so? Oh, sure, I gave the Hunters a big horselaugh yesterday.Rayson was around then. And Rayson was a pretty big boy. He knew allabout the Hunters, I'm pretty sure. And I know better than to laughabout them." He leaned forward.
"I can't prove it, and it wouldn't do too much good if I tried, but Iknow perfectly well who's behind not only the Hunters, but a flock ofother criminal gangs--juvenile and adult as well. Think I didn't know Iwas talking to a bunch of Hunters when I listened to that rigged storyof theirs about the Keltons? Think I didn't realize Rayson was sittingthere prompting them whenever they started to get confused?" He smiled.
"Maybe I'm stupid, but I'm not that stupid. The reason I was rough onyou was the fact I didn't want you signing any statements that Pete hadhypnotized--or what would you call it--you. That would have fixed thewhole thing and they'd have had him." He coughed.
"And, too, I knew who you were, of course. I didn't know for certainhow you stood, or how much you could do, but you looked good. And itwas pretty obvious you had capabilities." He smiled.
"Some of the retired guardsmen have had sons go sour on them, you know,so I can't take 'em just on faith. But, as I said, the locker room deallooked good, and the more you talked, the better I liked it."
"But you----"
"Yeah, I know. I wasn't taking such a chance, though, at that. Truth ofthe matter is I'm about as bad as your father. You couldn't make megive you the right time if I didn't feel like it." Masterson's eyescrinkled in an amused smile.
"Go ahead. Try it."
Don shook his head. "I'll take your word," he said. "I tried to tellDad off once. Somehow, things get a little unpleasant."
"Yeah." Masterson stretched luxuriously. "Anyway, I figured you'd be alot handier around here alive and in operating condition. The lastthing I could let happen would be for Rayson to get you on that tricktable of his. Once he got that thing to rocking and rolling, he'd standback there, making soothing noises, and almost anyone would break downand give him all they'd ever known. After that, they'd lie back andbelieve anything he felt like telling them." He waved a hand back andforth as Don started to speak.
"Later, huh? We can discuss all the ins and outs some day when this isall over. Right now, let's be getting back to business." He smileddisarmingly and leaned back in his chair.
"Somehow, Stern's hand has got to be forced. He's off balance rightnow, and we want him further off. We want him to make a move he can'tback out of. And you may be able to make him do just that."
"I might?"
"Yes. Suppose the hill tribes joined with the Waernu and demanded thata conclave consider Pete's claim to the throne. What then?"
"I guess there'd be a conclave."
"There might, at that. Now, let's go a little further. Suppose theWaernu claim were upheld and we got a new king--let's see, he'd drop asyllable--King Petonar. Where would our friend, Stern, end up?"
Don grinned wolfishly. "Khor Fortress. Even I can figure that muchout."
Masterson stood up and paced around the office.
"So, if we can get Jasu and his son in motion and get them up in theMorek, something's bound to break. Right?" He stopped in front of Don.
"Oh, of course, Stern might call out the Royal Guard and screamrebellion. He'd probably do just that, if things went that far. He'sgetting in the propaganda groundwork for it now. But what he doesn'tknow is that he'd help us that way." He perched on Rayson's desk.
"You see, we've got some colonists that would yell at the top of theirlungs for protection of their interests by the Federation. And thenthere would be a conclave--with plenty of supervision. Either way, he'dget right into checkmate." He clasped one knee in his hands and rockedback and forth.
"But there's one thing that stands in our way. Jasu Waern's scared todeath. We've never quite dared explain this whole thing to him, and nowno one can get near enough to talk to him. Harle was the clan head andthe one with the nerve. He's gone, and Jasu's holed up. Won't let hisson out of the house. Won't let anyone in. We can't move."
He got back to his feet and walked over to the window.
"Now, let's take some more suppositions. Suppose a flier went out ofcontrol and crashed in the middle of the Waern house. Or suppose somemajor criminal took refuge close to the place and decided to shoot itout with the Enforcement Corps. Seems to be a habit criminals havegotten into lately. And suppose a stray inductor beam just happened tograze the Waern living room.
"Then, who's checkmated?"
He looked down at his chair, then walked over and dropped into it.
"There's only one way to get Jasu in motion. You're it. The way youslammed Rayson back in his chair yesterday gave me an idea. You can getin there, and you'll have to move him--by force--compulsion--howeveryou want to.
"Meantime, I'll get some things going. Your father can start the hilltribes getting together. He knows all the important head men. I'll givehim a little push in that direction. Then, we'll get some more peopleto work."
Don looked at him for a moment. "Well, Dad told me I'd probably have toearn my keep. Anything else I ought to know?"
* * * * *
Jasu Waern looked up in annoyance, then got to his feet.
"Who are you?" he demanded. "How did you get in here?" He reached intoa pocket.
Don Michaels spread his hands away from his body.
"Leave that weapon alone," he said sharply. "I came as a friend, andI'd hate to have someone shooting at me."
"But who are you?"
"I'm Donald Michaels. I want to talk to Pete ... Petoen, I should say."
"My son is seeing no one. There has been----"
"I know," interrupted Don. "Trouble. Listen, I've had trouble myself inthe past couple of days. It all started when I prevented a bunch ofroughnecks from slapping Pete around." He frowned.
"Since then, things haven't been too pleasant." He held up a finger.
"I got accused of falsifying my report on the affair in the lockerroom. Pete didn't show up to testify, and everyone was looking at me."He extended a second finger.
"Pressure was put on me to sign a statement saying Pete used mentalinfluence to make me put in a false statement. And I got into it withthe school psychologist." A third finger snapped out.
"Next thing, I was being accused of accepting a money bribe from Pete.And I really got into it with the faculty advisor. That's not good." Hedropped his hands to his sides.
"Right now, I'm not too popular at school. And I want to know what'sgoing on. I want to know why Pete didn't show up to give me backing. Iwant to know what can be done to unscramble this mess."
Wearn shook his head slowly. "There are other schools--privateschools," he said. "And we are still possessed of some----"
"Careful, Mr. Waern." Don held up a warning hand. "I don't carry thesling, but I do come from the Morek. Don't say something that might bemisinterpreted. I want to see things straightened out. I didn't comehere to start a feud with you."
Jasu
Waern shivered a little. "But you are galactic, are you not?Surely, you are no hillman."
"I was brought up among them. Now get Pete. I want to talk to both ofyou."
Waern looked unhappy. But he walked across the room and pulled at acord.
A servant came to the door.
"Tell Master Petoen," ordered Waern, "that I