tried to keep Joyce from seeing it. He was
worried about the possible development of further opposition now that
the Markovian had expressed his displeasure, and he was worried about
their reception once they reached the Nucleus. He wondered why they had
not seen in advance that it would be an obvious blunder to let the
Markovians be aware of their real purpose. It didn't even require a
pirate ancestry to make groups unappreciative about resurrection of
their family skeletons.

But no other hindrance appeared, and on the evening before their
departure Fothergill called that word had been received from Ebbing
stating the Markovian representative had approved the visit now that
Cameron had expressed a change in his objectives. Their coming had been
announced to the Markovian people and the way prepared for an official
welcome.

Cameron was pleased by the change of attitude. He was hit for the first
time, however, by the full force of the fact that he was taking his
bride to a pirate center which the Council had never overthrown and
which was active only moments ago, culturally speaking.

If any kind of trouble should develop the Council would be almost
impotent in offering them assistance. On the face of it, there was no
reason to expect trouble. But the peculiarly oblique opposition of the
Markovian delegate in the Council continued to make him uneasy.

His tentative suggestion that he would feel better if he knew she were
safe on Earth brought a blistering response from Joyce, which left him
with no doubts about carrying out his original plans.

And then, as the last of their packing was completed and they were ready
to call it a day, the phone buzzed. Cameron hesitated, determined to let
it go unanswered, then punched the button irritably on audio only.

Instead of the caller, he heard the voice of the operator. "One moment
please. Interstellar, Transpace, printed. Please connect visio."

It was like a shock, he thought afterwards. There was no one he knew who
could be making such a call to him. But automatically he did as
directed. Joyce had come up and was peering over his shoulder now. The
screen fluttered for a moment with polychrome colors and cleared. The
message, printed for English translation, stood out sharply. Joyce and
Cameron exclaimed simultaneously at the titling. It was from Premier
Jargla, Executive Head of the Markovian Government.

"To Wilder, Cameron and Joyce," it read, "greetings and appr