d grin, he
added, "My assistant professor, here, can handle my courses for the
remainder of the year very easily. Perhaps he will even be able to
deliver his lectures without being interrupted."

The assistant professor turned red.

"Now then," Leoh muttered, mostly to himself, "who is this Kanus, and
why is he trying to turn the Kerak Worlds into an arsenal?"

III

Chancellor Kanus, the supreme leader of the Kerak Worlds, stood at the
edge of the balcony and looked across the wild, tumbling gorge to the
rugged mountains beyond.

"These are the forces that mold men's actions," he said to his small
audience of officials and advisors, "the howling winds, the mighty
mountains, the open sky and the dark powers of the clouds."

The men nodded and made murmurs of agreement.

"Just as the mountains thrust up from the pettiness of the lands
below, so shall we rise above the common walk of men," Kanus said.
"Just as a thunderstorm terrifies them, we will make them bend to our
will!"

"We will destroy the past," said one of the ministers.

"And avenge the memory of defeat," Kanus added. He turned and looked
at the little group of men. Kanus was the smallest man on the balcony:
short, spare, sallow-faced; but he possessed piercing dark eyes and a
strong voice that commanded attention.

He walked through the knot of men and stopped before a tall, lean,
blond youth in light-blue military uniform. "And you, Major Odal, will
be a primary instrument in the first steps of conquest."

Odal bowed stiffly. "I only hope to serve my leader and my worlds."

"You shall. And you already have," Kanus said, beaming. "Already the
Acquatainians are thrashing about like a snake whose head has been cut
off. Without Dulaq, they have no head, no brain to direct them. For
your part in this triumph"--Kanus snapped his fingers, and one of his
advisors quickly stepped to his side and handed him a small ebony
box--"I present you with this token of the esteem of the Kerak Worlds,
and of my personal high regard."

He handed the box to Odal, who opened it and took out a small jeweled
pin.

"The Star of Kerak," Kanus announced. "This is the first time it has
been awarded to anyone except a warrior on the battlefield. But then,
we have turned their so-called civilized machine into our own
battlefield, eh?"

Odal grinned. "Yes, sir, we have. Thank you very much sir. This is the
supreme moment of my life."

"To date, major. Only to date. Th