nything
for the work they do or for the things you take from them," Harkaman
said. From the way the _Space Scourge_ and _Lamia_ people laughed,
it evidently was. Harkaman shrugged. "Well, it's your planet. Make
any kind of a mess out of it you want to."

"You think we _ought_ to pay them?" Spasso was incredulous. "Damn
bunch of savages!"

"They aren't as savage as the Xochitl locals were when Haulteclere
took it over. You've been there; you've seen what Prince Viktor does
with them now."

"We haven't got the men or equipment they have on Xochitl,"
Valkanhayn said. "We can't afford to coddle the locals."

"You can't afford not to," Harkaman told him. "You have two ships,
here. You can only use one for raiding; the other will have to stay
here to hold the planet. If you take them both away, the locals,
whom you have been studiously antagonizing, will swamp whoever you
leave behind. And if you don't leave anybody behind, what's the use
of having a planetary base?"

"Well, why don't you join us," Spasso finally came out with it.
"With our three ships we could have a real thing, here."

Harkaman looked at him inquiringly. "The gentlemen," Trask said,
"are putting this wrongly. They mean, why don't we let them join
us?"

"Well, if you want to put it like that," Valkanhayn conceded. "We'll
admit, your _Nemesis_ would be the big end of it. But why not? Three
ships, we could have a real base here. Nikky Gratham's father only
had two when he started on Jagannath, and look what the Grathams got
there now."

"Are we interested?" Harkaman asked.

"Not very, I'm afraid. Of course, we've just landed; Tanith may
have great possibilities. Suppose we reserve decision for a while
and look around a little."

* * * * *

There were stars in the sky, and, for good measure, a sliver of moon
on the western horizon. It was only a small moon, but it was close.
He walked to the edge of the landing stage, and Elaine was walking
with him. The noise from inside, where the _Nemesis_ crew were
feasting with those of the _Lamia_ and _Space Scourge_ grew fainter.
To the south, a star moved; one of the pinnaces they had left on
off-planet watch. There was firelight far below, and he could hear
singing. Suddenly he realized that it was the poor devils of locals
whom Valkanhayn and Spasso had enslaved. Elaine went away quickly.

"Have your fill of Space Viking glamour, Lucas?"

He turned. It was Baron Rathmo