Astounding British Edition, Volume 8, No. 11 — page 30: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

28 Krogson and the other after a second’s hesitation took it. Commander Krogson had reached the end of the road and he knew it. The odd thing about it was that now he found him- self there, he didn’t particularly mind. He sat and watched his own reactions with a sense of vague bewilderment. The strong drive for self-preservation that had kept him struggling ahead for so long was peter- ing out and there was nothing to take its place. He was immersed in a strange feel- ing of emptiness and though a faint some- thing within him said that he should go out fighting, it seemed pointless and without reason. : Suddenly the moment of quiet was broken. From the control room came a muffled sound of angry voices and scuffling feet. With one quick stride Colonel Harris reached the door and swung it open. He was almost bowled over by a_ small disheveled figure who darted past him into the cubicle. Close behind came several of the ship’s officers. As the figure came to a stop before Commander Krogson, he grabbed him and started to drag him back into the control room. “Sorry, sir,’ one of them said to Krog- son, “but he came busting in demanding _ to see you at once. He wouldn’t tell us why and when we tried to stop him, he broke away.” “Release him!” ordered the commander. He looked sternly at the little figure. “Well, Schninkle,” he said sternly, “what is it this time?” “Didn’t you get my message?” quavered the little man. Krogson snorted. “So it was you in that scout! I might have known it. We got it all right but Communication still hasn't got it figured out. What are you doing out here? You’re supposed to be back at base keeping knives out of my back!” “It’s private, sir,” said Schninkle. “The rest of you clear out!” ordered Krogson. A second later, with the exception of Colonel Harris, the cubicle stood empty. Schninkle looked questioningly at the oddly uniformed officer. “Couldn’t put him out if I wanted to,” said Krogson, “Now go ahead.” Schninkle closed the door carefully and then turned to the commander and said in a hushed voice, “There’s been a blowup at Prime Base. General Carr was hiding out there after all. He hit at noon. yesterday. He had two-thirds of the Elite Guard ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION secretly on his side and the Lord Protector didn’t have a chance. He tried to run but they chopped him down before he got out - Of atmosphere.” Krogson digested the news in silence for a moment. “So the Lord Protector is dead.” He laughed bitterly. “Well, long live the Lord Protector!” He turned slowly to Colonel Harris. “I guess this lets us both off. Now that the heat’s off me, you’re safe. Call off your boy out there and we’ll make ourselves scarce. I’ve got to get back to the -new Lord Protector to pay my respects. [f some of my boys get to Carr first, I’m apt to be out of a job.” Harris shook his head. “It isn’t as simple as that. Your new leader needs technicians as much as your old one did. I’m afraid we are still back where we started.” As Krogson broke into an impatient denial, Schninkle interrupted him. “You can’t go back, commander. None of us can. Carr has the whole staff down on his ‘out’ list. He’s making a clean sweep of all pos- sible competition. We'd all be under arrest now if he knew where we were!” Krogson gave a slow whistle. “Doesn't leave me much choice, does it?” he said to Colonel Harris. “If you don’t turn me loose I get blown up, if you do I get shot down.” Schninkle looked puzzled. “What’s up, sir?” he asked. Krogson gave a bitter laugh. “In case you didn’t notice on your way in, there is a young man sitting at the fire controls out there who can blow up the whole fleet at the touch of a button. Down below is an ideal base with hundreds of techs, but the colonel here won’t take us in and he’s afraid to let us go.” “I wouldn’t,” admitted Harris, “but the last few minutes have rather changed the picture. My empire has been dead for five hundred years and your protectorate doesn’t seem to want you around any more. It looks like we’re both out of a job. Maybe we both ought to try to find a new one. What do you think?” “TI don’t know what to think,” said Krog- son. “I can’t go back and I can’t stay here, and there isn’t any place else. The fleet can’t keep going without a base.” A broad grin came over the face of Colonel Harris. “You know,” he said, “I’ve got a hunch that maybe we can do business after all. Come on!” He threw open the cubicle door and strode briskly into the control room, Krogson and Schninkle fol- lowing close at his heels. He walked over COMME DOOLKS.€©