closed. We arrested them all,
with only two of our men injured, and five of the enemy. They're
bringing them into Base now."

"Fine work, sir. Admiral Newton is here with me--we'll see you in your
off ... wait, sir ... Dad says you'd better come here to the hotel. Room
946."

They were barely back in Hanlon's room when Admiral Hawarden knocked. He
and Newton were old friends, and greeted each other with genuine warmth.

"That's quite a boy of yours, Newt. He's got the stuff."

"Yeah, I'm sort of proud of him, myself. He's really done a job,
especially for first assignment."

"Have either of you any orders for me concerning the mopping up?"
Hawarden asked, but looked at Hanlon.

"Ask Dad ..."

But his father interrupted. "It's your party, Son. Speak up. Right now
you're not a youngster just out of school, you are the Inter-Stellar
Corps," he added impressively.

Hanlon flushed, but there was a sureness in his voice as he answered,
that only the bitter experiences through which he had so recently
passed, and which had matured him so greatly, could have brought.

"We've got to liberate Algon and capture those new battleships as
quickly as possible, of course. But at the same time we must be trying
to find out what planet or system Bohr came from, and take steps to see
they can't harm us. That means we've got to exert every effort to get
every single person who was working with or for Bohr, and especially to
find out if he had any superiors."

"Right. The fleet should be here in another two days, and then Ferguson
will want to blast for Algon. The other matter will depend on so many
things we don't know yet."

"Has Trowbridge cracked that code yet?"

"He reported first thing this morning that he broke it late last night.
I've assigned several men to help him, and they should have it
transcribed soon."

Hanlon turned to his father. "Your men here yet?"

"They're coming in as fast as they can get here."

"Better examine those men from the freighter, and have your gang follow
up all leads. They'll have to break down Bohr's hypnosis to get any
information. Although," he paused and his face grew thoughtful, "I'm
wondering if anyone besides Bohr really knew all he was planning. I'm
beginning to believe he was a lone wolf."

Admiral Hawarden nodded in agreement. "I've been forced to the same
belief."

Something clicked in Hanlon's mind. "The emperor," he exclaimed. "Maybe
we'd better have another go at him.