ave to consider it," Kirk said promptly.

"You don't?" Tamu was mystified again. "Why not?"

"You tell me you're the overlord. I take that to mean you're in charge.
That means you have laws to govern your people and _that_ means you
believe in laws. One of your subjects has broken the law of my country.
You can't refuse to let her take the consequences any more than if the
situation was reversed."

Tamu was shaking his head and smiling slightly. "I'm afraid you're not
taking into consideration one fact, Mr. Kirk. Naia North broke your law,
as you call it, on express and definite instructions from me."

Martin Kirk made a show of astonishment. "Let me get this straight. You
_ordered_ Professor Gilmore and Juanita Cordell murdered? Is that what
you're telling me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Exactly the reason I suggested we have a talk. To make you see why
they--and others in the same classification--could not be allowed to
live."

"Men like Karney? Kennedy? Blatz?"

Tamu blinked. "My respect for you increases, Martin Kirk."

"Don't let it throw you. I'm a police officer, and police officers are
trained to do the job right."

The overlord crossed his legs and settled deeper into the chair. "Mythox
needs men like you, Martin Kirk. That is why I'm going to give you a
chance for life. For this you must understand: if I wanted it, you would
be dead within seconds."

A chill slid along the stubborn back of the Lieutenant but nothing
showed in his impassive expression and he did not speak.

"But because we do need you, I am going to tell you things no Earthman
knows. I believe that once you understand why Mythox has undertaken to
meddle in the affairs of another world--and I tell you frankly that our
doing so is as abhorrent to us as anything you can imagine--once you
understand our reasons, you will cheerfully, even eagerly, join us."

"And if I don't?"

"You know the answer to that, I'm sure."

* * * * *

A slim fair-haired girl in a pale green toga-like dress entered the room
carrying a tray holding tall glasses of some sparkling blue beverage.
She offered it first to Kirk, then the others. The Lieutenant removed
one of the glasses, waited until Tamu and Naia had done the same, but
not until they had drunk some of the liquid did he tilt his own glass.
The cold tangy liquid hit him like a bombshell--a bombshell on the
pleasant side. He could almost literally feel his strength flow b