ted nuisance when you're an ensign going up fast and your
commander finds one of your blondes stowed away in your compartment...."

And there were scenes of tense drama:

"... Made a boyhood vow that I'd never settle for anything less than to
always be a man among men. Seem to have succeeded rather well. When I
saw the crew was almost to the snapping point from battle tension I knew
that as commander I'd have to set the example that would inspire."

Hunter recalled Rockford's words of a few hours before: "_Narf got to be
commander, finally, but only because he was the son of the king's best
friend. His record is very mediocre._"

Princess Lyla tried three times to start a conversation of general
interest and was drowned out by Narf each time. Sonig's pretense of
being spellbound by Narf's stories was belied by the way his eyes kept
darting from Rockford to Val Boran. Val's own attention kept shifting
from Narf to the silent Lyla, whose downcast eyes betrayed her
discouragement. She watched Val from under her eyelashes, to look away
whenever their eyes met, and Hunter wondered if she was ashamed because
Narf had given Sonig the seat of honor that should have belonged to Val.

Of course, Narf's own position at the head of the table was actually
Lyla's.

[Illustration]

"... So there's no substitute for competent, unwavering leadership,"
Narf was saying. "Received a citation for that one."

Sonig nodded appreciatively. "Your military record well illustrates the
fact that the tensions of danger and battle can bring forth in a
competent leader the highest kind of courage. But it seems to me that
these same circumstances, if the leader is frightened or incompetent,
can easily produce hysterical actions with disastrous consequences. Is
this true, your lordship?"

Rockford was watching Sonig intently and Hunter saw that there was an
eager anticipation in Sonig's manner.

"You are quite right," Narf answered. "I've always had the ability to
remain cool in any crisis. Very important. Let a commander get rattled
and he may give any kind of an order. Like the New Jardeen Incident."

A frozen silence followed the last five words. Hunter thought, _So
that's what the little weasel was fishing for...._

Rockford quietly laid down his fork. Val's face turned grim. Lyla looked
up in quick alarm and said to Narf:

"Let's not--"

"Don't misunderstand me, gentlemen," Narf's loud voice went on. "_I_
believe the commander of