nces into which they are born, and who wish no
change at all. And everywhere and at all times there are barbarians.
They seek personal triumphs. They thrive on high emotional victories.
And at no time will barbarians ever leave either civilized men or
tribesmen alone. They crave triumphs over them and each other, and they
create disaster everywhere, until they are crushed.

Bors said evenly, "If the king's planning to surrender the fleet to
Mekin as ransom for Kandar, it won't work."

"He's considering it," said his uncle. "It will be a way of giving them
the victory we cheated them of, though we didn't intend to win."

"It won't work," repeated Bors. "It won't do a bit of good. They'll want
to punish Kandar because it wasn't beaten. They feed on destruction and
brutality. They're barbarians. The economic interpretation of history
doesn't apply here! The Mekinese who run things _want_ to be evil. They
will be until they're crushed."

"Crushed?" asked the Pretender bitterly. "Is there a chance of that?"

Bors considered gravely. Then he said, "I think so."

The door opened and the king came in. Bors rose and the king nodded. He
spoke to the Pretender.

"Somebody raised the question of food," he said. "There isn't any to
speak of, of course. You'd think grown men would face facts! There's not
a man willing to accept what is, and work from that! Lunatics!"

He flung himself into a chair.

"Suggested," he continued, "that a part of the fleet go to Norden to buy
food and bring it back. Of course Mekin wouldn't hear about it, wouldn't
guess at the survival of the fleet because food was bought in such
quantities! Suggested, that a part of the fleet go to some uncolonized
planet and hunt meat. Try to imagine success in that venture! Suggested,
that we travel a long distance, pick out a relatively small world, land
and seize its spaceport and facilities and equip ourselves to bomb Mekin
to extinction. And do it in a surprise attack! Suggested--"

The king shook his head angrily. He did not look royal. He did not look
confident. He looked embittered and even helpless. But he still looked
like a very honest man trying to make up for his admitted deficiencies.

"Majesty," said Bors.

The king turned his eyes.

"You're going to send me off for news," said Bors. "I suggested earlier
that my ship pretend to be the sole survivor of the fleet. I suggest
now that the ship add the wild and desperate boast that since there's