rs ago I issued the order for full-scale, all-out fuel
production. I've been up all night and day checking the operation."

Kane stared, surprised that Y'Nor should have so correctly predicted
Brenn's reaction. He tried to see some change in the old man, some
evidence of the personal fear that must have broken him so quickly,
but there was only weariness, and a gentleness.

"So much fuel--" Brenn said. "Is Vogar still at war with Alkoria?"

Kane nodded.

"Once I saw some Alkorian prisoners of war on Vogar," Brenn said.
"They are a peaceful, doglike race. They never wanted to go to war
with Vogar."

Well--they still didn't want war but on Alkoria were Elusium ores and
other resources that the Vogarian State had to have before it could
carry out its long-frustrated ambition of galactic conquest.

"I'll go, now," Kane said, getting out of his chair, "and see what
you're having done. The commander doesn't take anybody's word for
anything."

* * * * *

Brenn called a turbo-car and driver to take him to the multi-purpose
factory, which was located a short distance beyond the other side of
town. The driver stopped before the factory's main office, where a
plump, bald man was waiting, his scalp and glasses gleaming in the
sunshine.

"I'm Dr Larue, sir," he greeted Kane. He had a face that under normal
circumstance would have been genial. "Father Brenn said you were
coming. I'm at your service, to show you what we're doing."

They went inside the factory, where the rush of activity was like a
beehive. Machines and installations not needed for fuel production
were being torn out as quickly as possible, others taking their place.
The workers--he craned his neck to verify his astonished
first-impression.

All of them were women.

"Father Brenn's suggestion," Larue said. "These girls are as competent
as men for this kind of work and their use here permits the release of
men to the outer provinces to procure the raw materials. As you know,
our population is small and widely scattered--"

A crash sounded as a huge object nearby toppled and fell. Kane took an
instinctive backward step, and bumped into something soft.

"Oh ... excuse me, sir!"

He turned, and had a confused vision of an apologetic smile in a
pretty young face, of red curls knocked into disarray--and of
amazingly short shorts and a tantalizingly wispy halter.

She recovered the notebook she had dropped and hurried on, l