want to help him. Do you like to see him beingdestroyed this way?"
"No," said the colonel honestly. "And if he is actually being controlledillegally, if he is actually being blamed for things he did not do ofhis own free will, I'll do everything in my power to expose theplot--that I promise you."
Jon Senesin's eyes lit up; his face broke into a smile. "I _knew_ Icould depend on you, my lord! I _knew_ it!"
"Just how do you propose to go about this?" asked Colonel Lord Sorban.
* * * * *
There was fire in young Senesin's eyes now. "I'll turn the whole caseover to the people! I have some evidence, of course; the queer changesin behavior that Dad has exhibited during the past few years, and suchthings as that. The things that made me suspect in the first place. Butthat isn't acceptable evidence." He finished his brandy and got upexcitedly to walk over and pour himself another. He glanced at thecolonel's goblet, but the colonel had three-quarters of his own drinkleft.
Senesin talked as he poured. "Did you ever hear of a group called theFederalist Party?"
"Yes," said Colonel Sorban. "They want to federalize the Empire and getrid of the Imperial Family. Not a very popular group."
"No, but they're right! They're right! Don't you see that? And nobodypays any attention to them!"
"Calm down, son. What have the Federalists got to do with this?"
"They have sympathizers in the Palace," Senesin explained. "They've beenable to get proof that the Emperor is illegally tampering with theGovernment, that he's been brainwashing my father. And they're going toturn that proof over to me."
"I don't quite follow the reason for that," the colonel lied easily."Why don't they use it themselves?"
"They can't. Nobody'd believe them. Everyone would think that the proofhad been faked for political propaganda.
"On the other hand, if _I_ do it, all I can be accused of is having apersonal motive. And if a man wants to get his father out of a jam, mostpeople will agree that I have a perfect right to do so. Besides, I haveenough influence to get people to listen to me, to give the evidence afair hearing. If the newsies got this stuff from the Federalists, they'dthrow it away without looking at it. But they'll listen to me."
"The newsies?" asked the colonel in a perfect imitation of mildastonishment. "You intend to turn this stuff over to news publishers?"
"Certainly! That's the only way. Put the evidence before the people, andthey'll see what they're up against. I personally don't care whether wehave an Emperor or not, but at least we can force Hannikar IV toabdicate in favor of Crown Prince Jaimie."
"I see." The colonel took another sip at his brandy and appeared tothink it over. Wisely, young Senesin said nothing.
"How are we to get this evidence?" the colonel asked at last.
"We're to meet a man," Senesin said, with an air of melodrama. "We willget a call at fifteen of twelve, telling us where to meet him. We haveto be there at midnight."
_Oh, brother_, thought the colonel, _they really picked their man.They've got him thinking he's hip-deep in a romantic spy story._
_Was I that way at twenty-two? A romantic? I suppose I must have been;why else would I have joined the Guards? Not for the pay, certainly._
_Hell, I guess I'm still a romantic, in a way. Being a secret agentisn't all fun and games, but it has its compensations._
Aloud, he said, "Very well, son; I'll go with you. Did you tell themthere'd be someone accompanying you?"
"I told them I'd have a friend along. I told them it would be you. Theysaid it was all right, that they knew you were a friend of Dad's. Theyeven knew you've been a little bitter at being retired from the Guardsso young." He looked embarrassed. "Pardon me, my lord."
"That's all right," said the colonel steadily. He managed to give theappearance of a man who was doing his best not to look bitter.
"You aren't carrying a gun, are you?" Senesin asked suddenly. "They saidwe weren't to be armed. They'll probably search us."
"I haven't been in the habit of carrying a gun lately," said thecolonel. "They won't find anything on me."
He finished his brandy while Senesin finished his second one. While theyounger man refilled both goblets, the colonel asked permission to usethe bathroom. He was gone less than three minutes, which he had spentwith thumb and middle finger to larynx and mastoid bone.
At eleven forty-five promptly, the phone chimed. No face appeared on thescreen when young Senesin answered it, but a voice gave an address onKalia Road.
Three minutes later, the two men were on the roof, signaling for askycab.
* * * * *
At ten o'clock the next morning, a panel slid aside in a wall that hadpreviously seemed solid. Colonel Lord Barrick Sorban stepped into theroom, thinking as he did so that he really was a romantic. He actuallyrather enjoyed the idea of using secret passages and hidden panels togain access to the Emperor's private apartments in the Imperial Palace.
He gave a gentle nod to the man in the blue lounging robe who sat in abig easy-chair just across the room. "Good morning, Sire."
"'Morning, colonel," said His Imperial Majesty, Hannikar IV. "How arethings shaping up?"
The colonel chuckled. "Not a single one of the newsies printed a word ofit, Sire."
These men were close friends, and had been for years, yet they clung tothe formal titles, both from habit and for self-protection. Theaccidental use of a first name could mean a dead giveaway at the wrongtime.
The Emperor was a smaller man than Colonel Sorban, but he was far moreimpressive. While the colonel seemed rather mild, the Emperorlooked--well, Imperial. He looked just as an Emperor ought tolook--handsome, dark-haired, stern at times and kindly at others. Thesquare jaw gave an impression of firmness of character, while thesapphire-blue eyes were penetrating without being harsh or hard.
"What about the Senesin boy?" he asked.
"He's in jail," said the colonel.
His Imperial Majesty raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" It was a question and acommand.
"Not by my orders," said the colonel quickly. "He got a little upset.He'd taken those tapes and documents around to four editors and had beenthrown out four times. The fifth time--at the _Globe_, as a matter offact--he accused the editor of being in your pay. A hassle started, andthe editor called the Honolulu police. Don't worry, Sire; one of my boysgot the tapes and stuff."
"Is it genuine?"
"The evidence? Yes. The Federalists had the goods on you, all right." Hegrinned. "As you said, everything but brainwashing."
"I'll take care of it," said the Emperor. "Prince Jaimie's been goingthrough the family files, and I rather want him to see this batch ofstuff, too. Meantime, get the Senesin boy out of that cell; I want tosee him. He's got guts, if nothing else."
"He has sense, too, Sire; he's just a little too young yet." He almostadded "and romantic," but he stopped himself in time.
"How long will it take to get him out?" His Majesty asked.
"I can have him here in half an hour. The editor of the _Globe_ willdrop the charges. I can put a little pressure on in the right places."
The Emperor nodded. After a moment, he thumbed a button on his chairarm. "Inform Lord Senesin that he is requested to appear for a RoyalAudience in forty-five minutes," he said firmly.
"Yes, Sire," said a voice from a hidden speaker.
The Emperor looked at the colonel. "Get the boy."
* * * * *
Jon Senesin sat in a soft chair, his hands gripping at the arms asthough it might at any time fall from under him. He looked at the threeother men in the room. His father, Lord Senesin, looking rather tired,but with a slight smile on his lantern-jawed face, sat on his son'sleft. One hand ran nervously through his gray hair.
On Jon's right sat the colonel, looking cool, unperturbed, and verygentle.
Between them sat the Emperor.
Jon's face looked pale, and there was a slight nervous tic at the cor
nerof his mouth. "I ... I don't understand," he said. "I--" He swallowedhard as his voice failed him.
"Nothing hard to understand, son," said the colonel mildly. "We've beenlooking for evidence to break up the Federalists for several years. Someof them are honest men who are simply against any kind of hereditarymonarchy--we'll let them go eventually. Some of them are fanatics--thekind that is against any form of government that happens to be in power;they'll get psychiatric