can
tell when they're uneasy and so on. Father uses her to tell him when
people lie. When what they say doesn't match how they feel, they're
lying."

"I think," said Bors, "that I'll stay away from her. But that won't do
any good, will it?"

Gwenlyn smiled at him. It was a very nice smile.

"She could tell that things had gone wrong with the ship," she observed,
"because of the way you felt. But I've forbidden her ever to tell when
someone lies to me or anything like that. I don't want to know people's
feelings when they want to hide them."

"Fine!" said Bors. "I feel better." Standing so close to Gwenlyn, he
also felt light-headed.

She smiled at him again, as if she understood.

"We'll head for Glamis now," she said. "The situation there should have
changed a great deal because of what you've done."

"It would be my kind of luck," said Bors half joking, "for it to have
changed for the worse."

It had.

Chapter 9

"The decision," said King Humphrey the Eighth, stubbornly, "is exactly
what I have said. In full war council it has been agreed that the fleet,
through a new use of missiles, is a stronger fighting force than ever
before. This was evidenced in the late battle and no one questions it.
But it is also agreed that we remain hopelessly outnumbered. We are in a
position where we simply cannot fight! For us to have fought would
probably have been forgiven if we had been wiped out in the recent
battle--preferably with only slight loss to the Mekinese. We offered
battle expecting exactly that. Unfortunately, we annihilated the fleet
that was to have occupied Kandar. In consequence we have had to pretend
that we were destroyed along with them. And if we are discovered to be
alive, and certainly if we offer to fight, Kandar will be exterminated
as a living world, to punish us and as a warning to future victims of
the Mekinese."

"Yes, Majesty," Bors said through tight lips. "But may I point out--"

"I know what you want to point out," the king broke in irritably. "With
the help of these Talents, Incorporated people, you've worked out a new
battle tactic you want to put into practice. You've explained it to the
War Council. The War Council has decided that it is too risky. We cannot
gamble the lives of the people on Kandar. We have not the right to
expose them to Mekinese vengeance!"

"I agree, Majesty," said Bors, "but at the same time--"

The king leaned back in his chair.

"I don't like it