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As a sudden thought swept through hisfor the Merlin Where was that wizened little plotter? Nowhere in sight

The realized i at the rhomboid focus across the room Sil-Chan abandoned his search for the Merlin and looked at the faces, recognizing many from the Directory of Planetary and SysteentsThere was the Regent of Naosand the Holy Didactum of Jacunthe bloody little Messala of Hornaruth with her flat-lipped ser focus at the center came alive with the round face of Hobart of Myrmid, Imperator of the Enclave, rulers of the Galactic Union His features were flat, eyes bright and darting The fact was oddly similar to that of Ambroso Related, perhaps? Sil-Chan wondered

The PN bowed to the Iin"

There was a cold lu to try for personal power!

Hobart of Myrround crackling of subspace transmission "My advisors have just infor of a General Assembly The persons responsible will be arrested and confined in"

"You&039;ll hear n of this planet!" He took two strides toward the realized iuard moved to interfere, but froze as weapons appeared in the hands of the Dornbakers around the walls

The PN said: "I have a legal claiainst the Union for a sum that would drain your coffers"

"A n Assemblymen hear me," the PN said "What you do to me could be done to any of you I propose a conty here and I rite &039;Paid-in-full&039; on the debt you owe ed Hepzebah several steps closer to the PN "He&039;s selling us out" Sil-Chan : "Explain! Explain!"

Hobart overrode the clamor: "This is no more than a technicality!"

"Hear him!" the Assees as the rhomboid lenses tracked hi: "Is your Imperator a supreme dictator not answerable to the authority of the Assembly?" "He rules by law!" one Assemblyman shouted Others took it up: "By law! By law!"

The PN nodded "Then I propose"

Sil-Chan had taken enough "You&039;re being tricked!" he roared He strode to the PN&039;s side, dragging Hepzebah with him Dornbaker weapons turned toward them

"Who is this?" the Imperator demanded

"I am an official of Galactic Archives!"

"This man has no authority here," the PN said

Sil-Chan jerked credentials froong intruded, bringing silence Hobart of Myrmid spoke in a stern voice:

"Let us hear this official of Galactic Archives I, too, think we are being tricked"

"Hobart of Myr you," Sil-Chan said