fleet, escaped.

* * * * *

Later, of course, there was embarrassment all around. King Humphrey the
Eighth landed on Kandar to assure his people that they were no longer in
danger. He was embarrassed because he was a victor in spite of himself.
The fleet officers were embarrassed because Bors had been forced out of
the fleet, and had literally tricked them into battle.

Bors, too, was embarrassed. There was the admiration displayed by junior
officers of the fleet. He had become, very unwillingly, a model for
young space-navy officers. They tried to pattern themselves after him in
all ways, even to the angle at which they wore their hats. He squirmed
when they looked at him with shining-eyed respect.

He was embarrassed, also, by the necessary revelation to the _Liberty's_
crew that he was neither the leader of a rebellion nor in command of a
fleet; nor that he had performed quite all the fabulous feats credited
to him. He had to explain that he'd only commanded two ships, the _Isis_
and the _Horus_, one of which had to be destroyed, and that when the
_Liberty_ placed itself under his command he'd just been forced to
resign his commission from King Humphrey. The young men who'd fought
under him were unimpressed.

The fleet was re-supplied with food and missiles, and in one day more
the major part of it would take off for Mekin. Other ships would
journey, of course, to the twenty-odd, once-subject worlds. There they
would--they were calmly confident about it--mop up any surviving
Mekinese ships and enforce the surrender of Mekinese garrisons. And they
would gather emissaries to be carried to the fleet as it rode in orbit
about Mekin. The fleet and the representatives of the twenty-two worlds,
together, would firmly rearrange the government and the policies and the
ambitions of Mekin.

There was still the matter of Gwenlyn. The _Sylva_ came down on Kandar,
of course, where Morgan swaggered happily, pointing out the
indispensable help given to Kandar by Talents, Incorporated. Bors
reminded King Humphrey that Morgan collected medals, and he was duly
invested with sundry glittering decorations, which would have staggered
a lesser man.

Gwenlyn found Bors secluded in the palace, waiting until it was time to
board ship and head for Mekin. Her father accompanied her.

"I've come to say goodbye," she said gently. "We've done what we came
for."

"I still don't understand why you came," sa