rivate offices, and the like. The Brotherhood men appear to be
occupying the fourth level, Velladon's group the second. The third may
be reserved for meetings between representatives of the two groups.
All three of these levels are connected by single-exit portals to the
large entrance area on the ground level.

"The portals stood open when I went in earlier today, and there were
about twenty armed men lounging about the entrance hall. I recognized
approximately half of them as being members of the Star's security
force. The others were unfamiliar." Heraga cleared his throat. "There
is a possibility that the two groups do not entirely trust each
other."

Quillan nodded. "If they're playing around with something like sixty
million CR, anybody would have to be crazy to trust the Brotherhood of
Beldon. The transmitter room and the control officers are guarded,
too?"

"Yes, but not heavily," Heraga said. "There seem to be only a few men
stationed at each of those points. Ostensibly, they're there as a
safe-guard--in case the imaginary raiders attempt to break out of the
subspace section."

"What's the arrangement of the ordinary walk-in tube portals in the
Executive Block?"

"There is one which interconnects the five levels. On each of the
lower levels, there are, in addition, several portals which lead out
to various points in the Seventh Star Hotel. On the fifth level, there
is only one portal of this kind. Except for the portal which operates
between the different levels in the Executive Block, all of them have
been rendered unusable at present."

"Unusable in what way?"

"They have been sealed off on the Executive Block side."

"Can you get me a diagram of the entry and exit systems those outgoing
portals connect with?" Quillan asked. "I might turn one of them usable
again."

"Yes, I can do that."

"How about the communication possibilities?"

"The ComWeb system is functioning normally on the second, third, and
fourth levels. It has been shut off on the first level--to avoid the
spread of 'alarming rumors' by office personnel. There is no ComWeb on
the fifth level."

Reetal said, "We'll shift our operating headquarters back to my
registered suite then. The ComWebs are turned off in these vacant
sections. I'll stay in the other suite in case you find a chance to
signal in."

Heraga left a few minutes later to make his arrangements. Reetal
smiled at Quillan, a little dubiously.

"Good luck, guy," she