f stands around the hub, and high buildings-packing houses and refrigeration plants-along the many spokes. It showed a technological level quite out of keeping with the accou

so much so that the state itself could handle the gigantic project of b

adways and streets drawing close and the far ends lengthening out away from

special group of men waiting for me. They were headed by a tall, slender individual in the short black Eisenhower ja

-boat, I could see the gold-gleaming

owd and get to her. As I did,

car for the Embassy is right over here!" He clutched my elbow. "

dy over there I have to see, at once." I

ied to yell to her; but just then another lighter, loaded with freight, started to lift out at another nearby stand, with the r

o make himself heard. "We're dreadfully

aught hold of me

son why he's got himself in an uproar abo

rried me, fifty yards across the concrete to where their air-car was parked. By this time, the tall blond had gotten clear of the mob around her and was waving frantically at me.

ver had to suffer from any subordinates in my whole State Department expe

lf off my lap, then sat there looking at me with the heartbroken eyes of a frie

ut if we hadn't gotten you away from the spaceport and to

for the Ambassador?"

have no idea of the state into which things have gotten.... Oh, pardon me, Mr. Ambassador. I am Gilbert W. Thrombley, your chargé d'affaires." I

o look out the rear window;

oss! Two of them!

hizzing after us, making an obvious effort to overtake us. The cha

t-fuel puffs shot away f

is eleven-mm's out, letting the whole clip go. Thrombley and Gomez slid down onto the fl

hem. Our chauffeur went into a perfect frenzy of twisting and dodging, at the same time using his radiophone to tell somebody to get the goddamn gate open in a hurry. I saw the blue skies and green pl

ir and jumped over vehicles in front of us, landing again with bone-shaking jolts. Then we made an abrupt turn and shot in under a concrete arch, and a big door banged shut behind us, and we stopped, in

alf-fell, out of the car. Gomez got out on the oth

an in the uniform of t

hen, seeing me, he gave me as much of a salute as a nava

y belt in well-bred concealment of surprise. "I'm your m

g any effort to attract Stonehenge's attention. I shook hands w

c trip from the spaceport, Mr

of trying to murder the lot of us. H

y speeded up, too. Then your fly-boy, here, got fancy. That shook 'em off. Time we

isclaimed. "When you drive for politicians,

who seemed to have realized, by now, that they were no longer dangling by their fingernails over the

wn when one of the Embassy servants came up, followed by a man in a loose ves

ers," he introduced himself. "Which

mitt

back his wide hat

and the right company, but we got a report, from a mighty good sou

hould reach the Embassy, here, as soon as possible, and from where she was standing, it must have looked like a kidnapping. Fact is, it looked like one fr

times on one of them, but no harm done. I reckon after what

several bottles, had been placed on a b

k, Captain, in token of

, Mr. Ambassador, but I

ry Government of New Texas, and in this Embassy

extraterritoriality." He looked at Hoddy, who, for the first time since I had met him, w

eparted, we all sat down. Thromb

ement, immediately, sir. Only a public statement, issued prompt

. "Captain Nelson'll take care of all

gh I had been speaking to him in Hottentot,

tement to the effect that you have assumed full responsi

together. He laid them on the table, turne

r; just s

inventory of the physical property of the Embassy, and familiarized myself with all i

looked at one anothe

nt of assumption of respons

will be at a dead stop, and we can

ns, at one time or another, and I've never signed for anything I couldn't see and feel and count. I know men who retired as brigadier gen

has been pretty badly disorganized since Mr. Cumshaw's death. No one felt authorized, or

cast release to the effect that I am now the authorized head of this Embassy, responsible from this hour for all its future policies and all its present commitments insofar as they obligate the government of th

bley almost wailed. "We must go immediately to the St

been regulated aboard ship for C

omatic receptions on this pl

0900 when the news that the ship was in orbit off-

" Hoddy yelled. "What I been

e him along, I thought. And it would also

" Thrombley was saying. "If you wil

I think it was the first time he ha

dress, Mr.

those of an innocent spaniel caught

lt and his eyes became sauc

shuddering and he could

ted from the Consular Service. I sincerely hope that you wi

ume and these pistols on the direct or

im back on

t!" he exclaimed. "An am

clearly indicates that the government of New Texas is not such a government. These pistols are in the nature of a not-too-subtle hint of the manner in which thi

t and five men. I doubl

ver it is immediately. I want two men, a driver and an auto-rifleman, for my car. And from no

time, Stonehenge ga

bley said. "We will have to call on Secretary of

ed himself, motioned Gomez

and motioned St

e's a task force of the Space Navy on maneuve

Green, Fifth Space Fleet. Fleet

t space-boat, with hyperd

s around New Austin spacepo

t New Austin feels in need of protection; possibility of z'Srauff invasion. I'll give you writt

reliable beyond about s

of the z'Srauff star-cluster; they'll probably jump past us and move in from the other side. I hope you don't think I'm hav

special envoy arrived here, ostensibly to negotiate a meteor-mining treaty." He hesitated fo

rally

ague people. The boat's a dreadful-looking old tub, but she's sound and fast. The gang who own her are pretty no

aving at once. When I get back from this clambake, I'll want to ha

in the aircar, I kept wonderi

ack on New Texas, and, as Solar League Ambassador, I of course had th

ess than an eighteen-hour trip would delay a

ight decide to have me rubbed out in a hurry, to

called, "Damned if you do