ese fleet at any instant. You'd better go back to the
spaceport and take off in your yacht. They're going to take over this
planet after a slight tumult we expect to arrange. You won't want to be
here when they come."

Morgan waved a hand negligently.

"They won't arrive for four days," he said confidently. "That's Talents,
Incorporated information. You can depend on it! There's plenty of time
to prepare before they get here!" He smiled, as if at a joke.

Young Captain Bors was not impressed. He and all the other officers of
the Kandarian defense forces had searched desperately for something that
could be done to avert the catastrophe before them. They'd failed to
find even the promise of a hope. He couldn't be encouraged by the
confidence of a total stranger,--and a civilian to boot. He'd taken
refuge in anger.

The pretty girl said suddenly, "Captain, at least we can reassure you on
one thing. Your government chartered four big liners to remove
government officials and citizens who'll be on the Mekinese black list.
You're worried for fear they won't get here in time. But my father--"

The stout man looked at his watch.

"Ah, yes! You don't want the fleet cluttered up with civilians when it
takes to space! I'm happy to tell you it won't be. The first of your
four liners will break out of overdrive in--hm--three minutes, twenty
seconds. Two others will arrive tomorrow, one at ten minutes after noon,
the other three hours later. The last will arrive the day after, at
about sunrise here."

Bors went a trifle pale.

"I doubt it. It's supposed to be a military secret that such ships are
on the way. Since you know it, I assume that the Mekinese do, too. In
effect, you seem to be a Mekinese spy. But you can hardly do any more
harm! I advise you to go back to your yacht and leave Kandar
immediately. If our citizens find out you are spies, they will literally
tear you to pieces."

He looked at them icily. The stout man grinned.

"Listen, your h-- Captain, listen to me! The first liner will report
inside of five minutes. That'll be a test. Here's another. There's a
Mekinese heavy cruiser aground on Kandar right now! It's on the sea
bottom fifty fathoms down, five miles magnetic north-north-east from
Cape Farnell! You can check that! The cruiser's down there to lob a
fusion bomb into your space-fleet when it starts to take off for the
flight you're planning--to get all the important men on Kandar in one
smash! That's