t of peace.

"Coar's fleets are smashed and the remnants have fled from space.

"Clearly, courage has all but vanished from the Solar System; yet there
is one place where courage has not wavered. That place is in the Fleet
of Sennech.

"At this moment we are the only strength left in the Solar System. We
dominate the System!

"Would we have history record that the Fleet won its fight gloriously,
then cravenly shrank back from the very brink of victory?

"We left Sennech fully armed, though our orders were directly opposite.
I need not tell you that I have made the decision any man of the Fleet
would make.

"This is our final campaign. Within a short time we shall orbit Coar
herself and force her surrender. That is all."

There was a moment so quiet that the hum of the circuits grew loud, then
the monitors shook with a mighty cheer.

Later, alone, Jezef congratulated him amusedly. "They are certainly with
you a hundred percent now, if there was any doubt before. Yet there was
one argument you didn't even hint at; the strongest argument of all."

"What was that?"

"Why, you're offering them a chance at life and freedom, where they
might be going to imprisonment or execution."

That irritated Tulan. "I'm sure you're not so cynical about Fleet
loyalty and tradition as you pretend," he said stiffly. "I wouldn't
affront the men by using that kind of an argument."

Jezef grinned more widely. "Did it even occur to you to use it?"

Tulan flushed. "No," he admitted.

* * * * *

Teyr and her moon Luhin, both in quarter-phase from here, moved steadily
apart in the viewers.

Group One's screen of light craft probed ahead, jamming enemy radar, and
discovering occasional roboscouts which were promptly vaporized. Far
behind, Group Two showed as a small luminescence. It would never be
visible to Luhin as anything else, and then only when Tulan was ready.

They reversed drives, matched speeds neatly, and went into forced orbit
around Luhin. On the flagship's first pass over the beleaguered oval of
ground held by Sennech's forces--unsupported and unreinforced since the
home planet's defection--Tulan sent a message squirting down. "Tulan
commanding. Is Admiral Galu commanding there? Report situation."

The next time around a long reply came up to them. "This is Captain Rhu
commanding. Galu killed. Twenty percent personnel losses. Six Lights
destroyed; moderate damage to several Mediums a