or off-planet missiles. They are all polished up like the
Crown Jewels. But none, repeat none, of them is operative. And there is
not a single missile on the installation."

Shatrak's facial control didn't slip. It merely intensified, which
amounted to the same thing.

"Lieutenant Carmath, I am morally certain I heard you correctly, but
let's just check. You said...."

He repeated the lieutenant back, almost word for word. Carmath nodded.

"That was it, sir. The missile-crypts are stacked full of
old photoprints and recording and microfilm spools. The
sighting-and-guidance systems for all the launchers are completely
missing. The letoff mechanisms all lack major parts. There is an
elaborate set of detection equipment, which will detect absolutely
nothing. I saw a few pairs of binoculars about; I suspect that that is
what we were first observed with."

"This office, now; I suppose all the paperwork is up to the minute in
quintulplicate, and initialed by everybody within sight or hearing?"

"I haven't checked on that yet, sir. If you're thinking of betting on
it, please don't expect me to cover you, though."

"Well, thank you, Lieutenant Carmath. Stick around; I'm sending down a
tech-intelligence crew to look at what's left of the place. While
you're waiting, you might sort out whoever seems to be in charge and
find out just what in Nifflheim he thinks that launching-station was
maintained for."

[Illustration]

"I think I can tell you that, now, Commodore," Prince Trevannion said as
Shatrak blanked the screen. "We have a petrified authoritarianism. Quite
likely some sort of an oligarchy; I'd guess that this Convocation thing
they talk about consists of all the ruling class, everybody has equal
voice, and nobody will take the responsibility for doing anything. And
the actual work of government is probably handled by a corps of
bureaucrats entrenched in their jobs, unwilling to exert any effort and
afraid to invite any criticism, and living only to retire on their
pensions. I've seen governments like that before." He named a few. "One
thing; once a government like that has been bludgeoned into the Empire,
it rarely makes any trouble later."

"Just to judge by this missileless non-launching station," Shatrak said,
"they couldn't even decide on what kind of trouble to make, or how to
start it. I think you're going to have a nice easy Proconsulate here,
Count Erskyll."

Count Erskyll started to say something. N