to Weald. It was a most satisfactory discovery, to realize
that blueskins could be not only scorned but robbed. There was only one
bit of relevant information the space-fleet of Weald did not have.

That information was that the people of Dara weren't blueskins any
longer. There'd been a trivial epidemic.

The sag-suited men of Weald went zestfully about their business. They
took over the landing-grid's operation, driving the Darian operators
away. For the first time in history the operators of a landing-grid wore
makeup to look like they did have blue pigment in their skins. The
Wealdian landing-party tested the grid's operation. They brought down
another giant ship. Then another. And another.

Parties in the shiny sag-suits spread through the city. There were the
huge stock-piles of precious metals, brought in readiness to be
surrendered and carried away. Some men set to work to load these into
the holds--to be sterilized later. Some went forthrightly after personal
loot.

They came upon very few Darians. Those they saw kept sullenly away from
them. They entered shops and took what they fancied. They zestfully
removed the treasure of banks.

Triumphal and scornful reports went up to the hovering great ships. The
blueskins, said the reports were spiritless and cowardly. They permitted
themselves to be robbed. They kept out of the way. It had been observed
that the population was streaming out of the city, fleeing because they
feared the ships' landing-parties. The blueskins had abjectly produced
all they'd promised of precious metals, but there was more to be taken.

More ships came down, and more. Some of the first, heavily loaded, were
lifted to emptiness again and the process of decontamination of their
hulls began. There was jealousy among the ships in space for those upon
the ground. The first-landed ships had had their choice of loot. There
were squabblings about priorities, now that the navy of Weald plainly
had a license to steal. There was confusion among the members of the
landing-parties. Discipline disappeared. Men in plastic sag-suits roved
about as individuals, seeking what they might loot.

* * * * *

There were armed and alerted landing-parties around the grid itself, of
course, but the capital city of Dara lay open. Men coming back with loot
found their ships already lifted off to make room for others. They were
pushed into reembarking-parties of other ships. The