waiting."
He followed her, scowling. An idea was trying to work its way through.Somehow he missed getting it.
Headquarters of the Department of Justice were on the eighth floor. Areceptionist clerk led them through three or four doors to the singleoffice which housed Section G.
A red eyed, exhausted agent looked up from the sole desk and snarled aquestion at them. Ronny didn't get it, but Tog said mildly, "ProbationaryAgent Ronald Bronston and Tog Lee Chang Chu. On special assignment." Sheflicked open her badge so that the other could see it.
His manner changed. "Sorry," he said, getting up to shake hands. "I'mMouley Hassan, in charge of Section G on New Delos. We've just had acrisis here, as you can imagine. The worst of it's now over." He addedsourly, "I hope. All my assistants have already taken off for Avalon." Hewas a short statured, dark complected man, his features betraying hisSemitic background.
Ronny shook hands with him and said, "Sorry to bother you at a time likethis."
They found chairs and Mouley Hassan flicked a key on his order box andsaid to them, "How about a drink? They make a wonderful sparkling wine onthis planet. Trust any theocracy to have top potables."
Ronny accepted the offer, Tog refused it politely. She sat demurely, herhands in her lap.
Mouley Hassan ran a weary hand through already mussed hair. "What's thisspecial assignment you're on?"
Ronny said, "Commissioner Metaxa has sent me looking for Tommy Paine."
"Tommy Paine!" the other blurted. "At a time like this, when I haven't hadthree nights' sleep in the last three basic weeks, you come around lookingfor Tommy Paine?"
Ronny was taken aback. "Sid Jakes seemed to think this might be one ofPaine's jobs."
Tog said mildly, "What better place to look for Tommy Paine, than in asituation like this, Agent Hassan?" Her eyebrows went up. "Or don't youthink the quest for Paine is an important one?"
The other subsided somewhat. "I suppose you're right," he said. "I'mdeathly tired. Do whatever you want. But don't expect much from me."
Tog said, just a trifle tartly, Ronny thought, "We'll have to call on you,as usual, Agent Hassan. There's probably no single job in Section G moreimportant than the pursuit of Tommy Paine."
"All right, all right," Mouley Hassan admitted. "I'll co-operate. How longhave you been away from Earth?" he said to Ronny.
"About one basic week."
"Oh," he grunted. "This is your first stop, eh? Well, I don't envy youyour job." He brought a cool bottle from a delivery drawer in the deskalong with two glasses. "Here's the wine."
Ronny leaned forward to accept the glass. "This situation here," he said,"do you think it can be laid to Paine?"
Mouley Hassan shrugged wearily. "I don't know."
Ronny sipped the drink, looking at the tired agent over the glass rim."From what we understand, check has been kept on all persons leaving theplanet since the bombing."
"Check is right. There's only one ship that took off and it carried nobodyexcept my assistants. If you ask me, I still needed them, but some brasshat back on Earth decided they were more necessary over on Avalon." He wasdisgusted.
Ronny put the glass down. "You mean only one ship's left this planet sincethe God-King was killed?"
"That's right. It was like pulling teeth to get the visas."
"How many men aboard?"
Mouley Hassan looked at him speculatively. "Four-man crew and six SectionG operatives."
Tog said brightly, "Why, that means, then, that either Tommy Paine isstill on this planet, or he's one of the passengers or crew members ofthat ship." She added, "That is, of course, unless he had a private craft,hidden away somewhere."
Ronny slumped back into his chair as some of the ramifications came hometo him. "If it was Tommy Paine at all," he said.
Mouley Hassan nodded. "That's always a point." He finished his glass andlooked pleadingly at Tog. "Look, I have work. If I can finish some of it,I might have time for some sleep. Couldn't we postpone the search forTommy Paine."
Tog said nothing to him.
Ronny came to his feet. "We'll get along. A couple of ideas occur to me.I'll check with you later."
"Fine," the agent said. He shook hands with them again. He said, somehowmore to Tog than to Ronny, "I know how important your job is. It's justthat I've been pushed to the point where I can't operate efficiently."
She smiled her understanding, gave him her small, delicate hand.
In the elevator, Ronny said to her, "Why should this sort of thingparticularly affect Section G?"
Tog said, "It's times like this that planets drop out of the UP. Or,possibly, get into the hands of some jingoistic military group and startoff halfcocked to provoke a war with some other planet, or to missionarizeor propagandize it." She thought about it a moment. "A new revolution, ingovernment or religion, seems almost invariably to want to spread thelight. An absolute compulsion to bring to others the new truths thatthey've found." She added, her voice holding a trace of mockery, "Usuallythe new truths are rather hoary ones, and there are few interested inhearing them."
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They spent their first day in getting accommodations in a centrallylocated hotel, in making arrangements, through the Department of Justice,for the local means of exchange--it turned out to be coinage, based ongold--and getting the feel of their surroundings.
Evidently Delos, the capital city of the planet New Delos, was but slowlyemerging from the chaos that had taken over on the assassination. Aprovisional government, composed of representatives of half a dozendifferent organizations which had sprung up like mushrooms following thecollapse of the regime, had assumed power. Elections had been promised andwere to be brought off when arrangements could be made.
Meanwhile, the actual government was still largely in the hands of thelower echelons of the priesthood. A nervous priesthood it was, seeminglydesirous of getting out from under while the going was good, afraid ofbeing held responsible for former excesses.
Ronny Bronston, high hopes still in his head, looked up the Sub-Bishop whohad given them landing orders while they were still aboard the SpaceForces cruiser. Tog was off making arrangements for various detailsinvolved in their being in Delos in its time of crisis.
A dozen times, on his way over to keep his appointment with the official,Ronny had to step into doorways, or in other wise make himselfinconspicuous. Gangs of demonstrators roamed the street, some of themdrunken, looking for trouble, and scornful of police or the military.Twice, when it looked as though he might be roughed up, Ronny drew his gunand held it in open sight, ready for use, but not threateningly. Thedemonstrators made off.
His throat was dry by the time he reached his destination. The life of aSection G agent, on interplanetary assignment, had its drawbacks.
The Sub-Bishop had formerly been in charge of InterplanetaryCommunications which involved commerce as well as intercourse with UnitedPlanets. It must have been an ultra-responsible position only a month ago.Now his offices were all but deserted.
He looked at Ronny's badge, only vaguely interested. "Section G of theBureau of Investigation," he said. "I don't believe I am aware of yourresponsibilities. However," he nodded with sour courtesy, "please beseated. You must forgive my lack of ability to offer refreshment. Isn'tthere an old tradition about rats deserting a sinking ship? I am afraid myformer assistants had rodentlike instincts."
Ronny said, "Section G deals with Interplanetary Security, sir--"
"I am addressed as Holiness," the other said.
Ronny looked at him. "Sorry," he said. "I am a citizen of the UnitedPlanets, not any one planet, even Earth. UP citizens have completereligious freedom. In my case I am unaffiliated with any church."
The Sub-Bishop let it pass. He said sourly, "I am afraid that even here onNew Delos, I am seldom honoured by my title any more. Go on, you say youdeal with Interplanetary Security."
"That's correct. In cases like this we're interested in checking to
see ifthere is any possibility that citizens of planets other than New Delos areinvolved in your internal affairs."
The other's eyes were suddenly slits. He said, heavily, "You suspect thatDavid the One was assassinated by an alien?"
Ronny had to tread carefully here. "I make no such suggestion. I am merelyhere to check on the possibility. If such was the case, my duty would beto arrest the man, or men."
"If we got hold of him, you'd have small chance of asserting yourauthority," the priest