et as
tangled and confused as possible until _nobody_ knew who was who. The
executions were literally no problem, for guilt or innocence made no
matter. And mind-control when there were four newspapers, six magazines
and three radio and television stations was a job for a handful of
clerks.

No; the Cabinet couldn't be getting away with anything. The system was
unbeatable.

President Folsom XXV said: "Very well. Have it done."

* * * * *

Mrs. Grayson, widow, of New Pittsburgh, Io, disappeared one night. It
was in all the papers and on all the broadcasts. Some time later she was
found dragging herself back across the line between Nizhni-Magnitogorsk
and New Pittsburgh in sorry shape. She had a terrible tale to tell
about what she had suffered at the hands and so forth of the
Nizhni-Magnitogorskniks. A diplomatic note from the Republic to the
Soviet was answered by another note which was answered by the dispatch
of the Republic's First Fleet to Io which was answered by the dispatch
of the Soviet's First and Fifth Fleets to Io.

The Republic's First Fleet blew up the customary deserted target hulk,
fulminated over a sneak sabotage attack and moved in its destroyers.
Battle was joined.

Ensign Thomas Grayson took over the command of his destroyer when its
captain was killed on his bridge. An electrified crew saw the strange,
brooding youngster perform prodigies of skill and courage, and responded
to them. In one week of desultory action the battered destroyer had
accounted for seven Soviet destroyers and a cruiser.

As soon as this penetrated to the flagship, Grayson was decorated and
given a flotilla. His weird magnetism extended to every officer and man
aboard the seven craft. They struck like phantoms, cutting out cruisers
and battlewagons in wild unorthodox actions that couldn't have succeeded
but did--every time. Grayson was badly wounded twice, but his driving
nervous energy carried him through.

He was decorated again and given the battlewagon of an ailing
four-striper.

Without orders he touched down on the Soviet side of Io, led out a
landing party of marines and bluejackets, cut through two regiments of
Soviet infantry, and returned to his battlewagon with prisoners: the top
civil and military administrators of Soviet Io.

They discussed him nervously aboard the flagship.

"He has a mystical quality, Admiral. His men would follow him into an
atomic furnace. And--and I