To The Stars

“People of Halvmork, I would like your attention. The ships are late because of a change in a number of planetary governments. We will tell you more about this later. For now it is enough to know that the absolute power of the Earth authorities known as the Earth Commonwealth has been broken. You are free people. What that means will be explained to you. For now it is enough to know that a war is still being fought and there has been much starvation. Every grain of corn you have grown is needed and we are grateful for it. Now go to your homes and wait to be informed. Thank you.”

Their voices rose in a loud babble as they turned, walking away, calling out to each other. Some men tried to stay, technicians, friends of Jan’s, but were moved on their way by the men with guns, more and more of them appearing down the Central Way. Jan waited in silence; he had to know more before he spoke.

“You knew about my trial and the verdict?” Jan said. Debhu nodded. “How?”

“There is an agent on this planet.”

“I know. Ritterspach. But he’s dead now.”

“Ritterspach was only a tool. He just took orders. No, the real agent is well-trained and has been working here for years. Reporting on the Security network scramble frequency. We seized some of their equipment and heard the messages when we came out of jumpspace. That’s why we didn’t announce our arrival.”

Jan was still stunned by the rush of events and found it difficult to assimilate all the new information so quickly. “An active agent here? But who… ?” Even as he phrased the question the answer was obvious. He turned about and stabbed his finger at the judges. “There’s your undercover agent, right there!”

“Yes, that’s the one,” Debhu agreed.

The Hradil screamed shrilly and lurched forward at him, her hands raised, her nails like animals’ claws ready to scratch and rend. Jan waited for her, stepping forward to receive her, seizing her wrists and prisoning them, staring into her hate-torn face just inches from his own.

“Of course. My enemy. The shrewdest and most vicious person on this planet. Too intelligent to be from the low stock of the others. A creature of Earth. Willing to live a life in exile on this miserable planet in exchange for the power, the absolute power to rule as she wished, destroy whom she wished. Who reported secretly to the ships when they arrived so her masters on Earth would know how well she was doing here. Who would see that anyone died who stood in her way.

“No problems until you arrived,” she shrieked, spittle flying. “They warned me you were a suspected Disrupter, I was to watch you closely. Get evidence.”

She swayed as he shook her, slowly and carefully in order not to hurt her ancient bones. His voice was low and triumphant.

“They lied to you, don’t you realize that? They know all about me, convicted me and sent me here. It was a death sentence for me on this prison world. You were just my keeper, sending reports to them. But no more. Do you hear that, agent? We’ve won and you have lost. Doesn’t that make you feel good?”

Jan felt terrible. The touch of her revolted him. He released her, pushed her away to the guards who caught her before she could fall. Turned his back on her, sickened by the corpse-touch of her skin.

“Not quite won everywhere,” Debhu said. “But at least we can win here. When we leave I’m taking this woman with me. And that Proctor, the one who murdered your friend. This kind of rule by violence has to end. We are going to have trials, public trials that will be broadcast on every occupied planet. Justice will be done — unlike the sideshow this creature arranged. We hope that the trials, with punishment where due for those found guilty, will bring peace. Get rid of the old hatreds. There are going to be a lot of pieces to pick up when this thing is over. But the end is in sight. We’re winning on all fronts except one. The planets are ours, that was the easiest part. No one ever enjoyed being ruled from Earth. The space fleet was spread thin and could be attacked on a planet-by-planet basis. Our surprise was sudden. Deprived of their bases and support the Earth fleet could only withdraw — but they were relatively unharmed in the battles. Hurt but not destroyed. Now they have returned to Earth, to guard the home world Too tough a nut for us to crack.”

“Yet they in turn can’t attack the planets — no spacer can hope to succeed in capturing a well-defended planetary base.”

“Agreed — but we have the same problem as Earth. So right now we have a stalemate. Earth had reserves of food and minerals, but in the long run their economy, as it stands now, cannot exist without the planets.”

“Nor can we exist without them as well.”