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camp were below them. The mountain's slope dropped on
down to the deserts, beyond which were other mountains, far away and
translucent azure.
"It was George who suggested we come up here," she said. "He knows
I do that often when the responsibilities of being queen of a world--I'm
such an ordinary and untalented person--become too much for me. I
always feel better when I sit up here and look down on the mountains
and deserts."
"Yes," he said politely.
"A ruling princess can be so alone," she said. "That's why I appreciate
George's friendship so much--it's never because of any ulterior motive
but because he likes me."
I'm going to use her, and you, to get what I want.
He looked at her, at the lines of sadness on the face that was too old for
its years, felt the way she was so grateful to Rockford for what was
only a cold-blooded pretense of friendship, and the dislike for Rockford
increased. He could not force himself to speak civilly of Rockford so he
changed the subject:
"I understand you wanted to talk to me about the Space Guard?"
"Yes. Even a neutral world can't feel safe these days and George
suggested that."
"I'll be glad to help all I can. Of course, the change will require time."
"I can understand that. They say you Space Patrol officers begin
training at sixteen, after passing almost impossible qualification tests."

"The tests can seem extremely difficult to a farm boy from Kansas. I--"
"Kansas?" Her eyes lighted with interest. "My grandmother was from
Kansas! She used to tell me about the green plains of grain in the spring,
and how different they were from the deserts of Vesta...."
It was almost noon when he took her hand and helped her to her feet,
realizing guiltily that they had talked all morning without ever getting
back to the cold, dry facts of military efficiency.
"It was nice to talk up here this morning," she said. She looked down at
the cabins and the shadow fell again across her face. "But nothing
down there has been changed by it, has it?"
He held to her hand longer than was necessary as they went down the
steep part of the hill. She did not seem to mind.
When they reached her cabin she said, "It's still a little while until
lunch--time enough for you to give me a rough outline of the Space
Guard change."
Everything inside the cabin was feminine. None of Narf's possessions
were visible. There was a heavy door leading into Narf's half of the
cabin, with a massive lock. Hunter wondered if it was left unlocked at
night, thought of Narf's sour face and leering little eyes, and found the
thought repulsive.
The answer to his conjecture came with the entrance of a servant as
they seated themselves.
"By your leave, your highness," the servant said, bowing, "I came to
make Lord Narf a key for that inner door."
"A key?" There was alarm in her tone. "But we're not married--not
yet!"
A puzzled expression came to the man's face. "Lord Narf told me, your
highness, that you had ordered the duplicate key made and given to him

before evening. I found I could not do this without first borrowing your
key for a pattern."
There was a frightened look in her eyes as they went to the door and
back to the servant. "No ... don't try to make a key!"
"Yes, your highness." The servant bowed and turned away.
A familiar gravelly voice spoke from behind them:
"Ah ... an unscheduled little meeting, I see!"
It was Narf, anger on his face, already within the doorway as the
servant went out it.
"We were going to talk about the Space Guard," Lyla said in an
emotionless tone. "Lieutenant Hunter has promised to show how Space
Patrol methods will improve it and--"
"By a coincidence, Sonig and I were discussing military matters only a
few minutes ago," Narf said. He looked at Hunter. "I'm afraid that
Sonig and I agree that the Terran Space Guard is quite out of date, now.
The fighting force of the galaxy is the Verdam's Peoples Guards."
Narf spoke to Lyla, "You may go ahead and talk with this lieutenant if
you wish to, but it's a waste of time. I'm arranging to have Sonig send
Peoples Guards officers here to supervise the rebuilding of the Space
Guard.
"And now"--there was insinuation in Narf's tone as he spoke to
Hunter--"I have to give Sonig a demonstration of my skill with
weapons. He insists on it--he has heard of several of my modest feats."
Narf left the door open behind him so that by turning his head as he
walked, he could see the two inside.
"I