At the spaceport, onto the space-liner Vestis. It was not officially that the other three great ships would arrive the Mekinese fleet. It was, in fact, likely that none of the by Talents, Incorporated was until the event the prediction. In the case of the liner, those who on had been by a of priority. Men who would be when Mekin took over had no of escape. Not yet. Those who were for as soon as a government was formed, were also not to on the liner. But those who had supported King Humphrey in his to intimidation; those who had others to object to which only be of other concessions; those who had spoken and and to spread about the of life under Mekin, would not be or executed. They would be tortured. So they were to at escape.
The space-liner off some six hours after its arrival. It into where it not be intercepted. It for the far-away world of Trent, where its would be allowed to land as and where, doubtless, they would speak about Mekin for all the of their lives. But the government of Mekin would not care.
Mekin was a so that only those who were students of past it. There were to such régimes in the of Earth. There was, for example, Napoleon, said people about such matters. With a of a of one of the French people cooperating, he the and then took over a nation which was not his own. Then he took over other nations where less than a of a of one concurred. Then he took soldiers from those second-order to make third-order conquests, and then soldiers from the third to make fourth.
There was Mussolini, said the learned men. He had a group of and gangsters, and by protection-money on gambling-houses and less resorts, and with the money his following. He had those who him and presently he protection money from the great of his country, more political until he his nation for himself and his confederates.
And there was Hitler, said the historically-minded. In the his themselves in the they adopted, their fellow-countrymen they for. But the end came they him. They millions at his command, but they died of him, too.
There was Lenin, and there was Stalin. Specialists in history talk very about the on Mekin which the by Lenin, and later, Stalin. Theirs was a much more organization than those of Napoleon and Mussolini and Hitler.
The on Mekin had in this manner.
Mekin had once had a to which all its officials paid lip-service and some possibly in. Because of this it was the organization and not the who was apotheosized. Therefore, there be among members of the class. There be conspiracies. The last three of Mekin had been in revolutions, and the was more protected from his than any needed to be. But Mekin a and world, in the of other worlds for a purpose nobody any more.
Against such a society, a like Kandar was helpless. Mekin not be satisfied with less than the and the of its neighbors. For a time, Kandar had to arm for its own defense. It had a space-fleet which in quality was equal to Mekin's, but in quantity was less. Also it had a policy. It did not of any but a war. And no was by defense. There be no defense against the building-up of tensions, the of incidents, the of insults. It had been proved often enough. Eventually there was an ultimatum, and there was surrender, and then the of a government and the of another for the of the of Mekin.
The was implacable. There was nothing to be done but submit, or die. Various parts of Kandar's population one or another course. Four great would away those who be helped to flee. The of the people must submit, the to die.
But in the cabinet meeting after the of the enemy cruiser, the was set by practical men. Bors was present at the meeting. He'd the cruiser. He was to be questioned about it. He had Morgan by to the part of Talents, Incorporated if required.
King Humphrey said heavily, "This is the last cabinet meeting the of the Mekinese. I do not think is called for. I put the as it stands. A will come from Mekin for our answer to their ultimatum. Our space-fleet will not surrender. Our air is openly at the idea of submission. It has been said that if we fight, our will be from space until all its air is poison, so that every here will die. If this is true, I do not think that we who plan to have the right to such a about. But I if that is true. There has been one incident. Whether one it or not, it has happened. Captain Bors has to that the space-fleet, by to the death, can actually the of our people."
Bors spoke, his words.
"It's perfectly simple. There are only two of people, and free men. Slaves can be and killed without concern. With free men a has always to be struck. If there is no to the Mekinese, they will us. We will be off than if we fight. Because if we fight, at least our people will be respected. They may be they are conquered, but they won't be with the and to slaves."
A man said querulously, "That's theory. It's psychology. It of idealism! Let us be realistic! As a practical man, I am with the best possible terms for our population. After all, the of Mekin must be a man! He must be a practical man! I that we should until the very last instant."
Bors said indignantly, "Negotiate? You haven't anything to with! I am not a citizen of Kandar, though I in its fleet. I am still a national of Tralee. But I have talked to the officers of the fleet. They won't surrender. You can't for them to do so. You can't for them to go away and that nothing has and that there was a fleet. When the Mekinese arrive, the will fight. It doesn't to win; it doesn't anything—except killed when its enemy would like to have it grovel. But it's going to fight!"
King Humphrey said doggedly, "My not to the of our forces. The will fight. I it unwise. But since it will I shall be in the and it will not surrender."
There was a pause. The man said peevishly, "But it should on its own! It should not Kandar!"
There was a murmur. King Humphrey looked about him from under brows.
"That can be arranged," he said heavily. "I will a government by proclamation. I will you," he looked at the man, "to be of it and make such terms as you can. If you like, when the Mekinese come you can them that the has under me, its king, and may offer battle, but that you are to lead the people of Kandar in—"
"In the of all Mekinese," said Bors in an tone.
There was a small of protest. Bors up.
"I'd leave," he said coldly. "I'm not to speak. If you want me, I can be reached."
He from the council-chamber. As the door closed him, he ground his teeth. The man, Morgan, of the space-yacht Sylva, up and the room where he waited to be called. His sat in a chair. She at Bors when he came in. Morgan to him.
"Here's some Talents, Incorporated information," he said zestfully. "The cabinet is scared. A are to fight, but most are already trying to think how they can make terms with the Mekinese."
Bors opened his mouth to swear, then himself.
"Gwenlyn," said Morgan, "will an of indignation. It's a dirty shame, eh?"
"If I were a native of Kandar," said Bors bitterly, "I'd be more than I am as a native of Tralee. The people of Tralee surrendered, but they didn't what they were into. These men do!"
The girl Gwenlyn said quietly, "I'm sorry for King Humphrey."
"He's miscast," said Morgan briskly. "He should be king of a and peaceful world in and peaceful times. You're going to have trouble with him, Captain Bors!" Then he said; "Perhaps we can work out a plan or two, eh? While you're waiting for the cabinet to call you back?"
"I've no authority," said Bors. "My uncle's the Pretender of Tralee, and I was originally in the as a of to him. I can't speak for but myself."
"You can speak for common sense," said Gwenlyn. "After all, you know what the people want. You try to so that the can well."
"It'll well," said Bors curtly. "It'll give a good account of itself! But that won't do any good!"
Morgan an attitude, beaming.
"Ah! But you've got Talents, Incorporated on your side! You don't yet, Captain, what a that can make! While there's life and Talents, Incorporated, there's hope!"
Bors shrugged. Suddenly he that he, too, defeat. There was no more of accomplishment. There was nothing to be achieved. He would no purpose by against the impossible.
He said tiredly, "I'll agree that Talents, Incorporated cost the Mekinese one cruiser."
"A trifle," said Morgan, his hand, "mere soupçon of accomplishment. We're prepared to do more."
It to Bors to be curious.
"Why? You're your life and your daughter's by here. If Mekin out about its on the sea and your in that affair, you'll be in a fix! And you can't to make a profit here? We couldn't pay you for what you've already done!"
"I'm right now," said Morgan placidly, "quite as rich as I want to be. I've another ambition—but let's not go into that. I want to you what Talents, Incorporated can do in the four days—" he looked at his watch—"three hours and some odd minutes that the Mekinese up. You've up on Talents, Incorporated?"
"My uncle says," Bors told him, "that you Phillip of Norden from being by a fission-bomb at a laying. He also says you wouldn't accept a reward, only a medal."
"I them," said Morgan modestly. "You'd be how many orders and a man can by and organization—and Talents, Incorporated."
Gwenlyn said, "Four days, three hours and some odd minutes—"
"True," said Morgan. "Let's at it. Captain Bors, have you of a calculator—a person who can do in his as fast as he can or read the numbers involved?"
"Yes," said Bors. "It's phenomenal, I believe."
"It's a of genius," said Morgan. "Only I call it a it to make itself useless. Have you of a dowser?"
"If you a man who places for wells, and by means of a twig—"
"The is immaterial," Morgan told him. "The point is that you've of them, and you know that they can actually do such things. Right?"
Bors frowned. "It's not proven," he said. "At least I think it isn't proven it isn't understood. But I it's that such are done. I believe, in fact, that has been done on and maps, in an office, and not on the spot at all. I admit that that impossible. But I'm told it happens."
Morgan rapidly, very well pleased.
"One more. Have you of precognition?"
Bors nodded. Then he shrugged.
"I have a Talent," said Morgan. "I have a man in my with a for when ships are going to arrive. His gift is limited. He used to work in a office. He always when a ship was in. He didn't know how he knew. He doesn't know now. But he always when a ship will arrive at the where he is."
"Interesting," said Bors, only listening.
"He was discharged," Morgan on, "because he allowed a to disassemble, for repair, a in a landing-grid on the very day when three space-ships were for arrival. There was pandemonium, of course, nothing have there. So when my Talent let the be dismantled, with three ships expected.... But one ship was one day late, another two days, and the third, four. He it. He didn't know how, but he knew! He was anyway."
Bors did not answer. The cabinet meeting in the other room on.
"He told me," said Morgan, matter-of-factly, "that four ships would arrive on Kandar, and when. One of them has arrived. The others will come as predicted. He that a will here two days after the last of the four. One can it will be the Mekinese fleet."
Bors frowned. He was now.
"I've another Talent," Morgan. "He ought to be a paranoiac. He has all the to that a has. But his to be true. He'll read an item in a newspaper or walk past, oh, say a bank. Darkly and suspiciously, he that the newspaper item will a to someone. Or that someone will attempt to the bank in this fashion or that, at such-and-such a time. And someone does!"
"He'd be an companion," Bors wryly.
"I him in jail," said Morgan cheerfully. "He'd been the police of to come. They happened. So the police him and that he name his so they up the he in advance. I got him out of and him as a Talent in Talents, Incorporated."
Bors blinked.
"Before we here," said Morgan, "I'd told him about the political situation, the events you expect. He that the Mekinese would have a ship somewhere, to blast the of Kandar if it should to resist. In fact, he said positively that such a was waiting word to fire fusion-bombs."
Bors again.
"And I spread out maps," said Morgan, "and my over them—not with a twig, but something unscientific—his instinct—and he me that the was under water five miles north-north-east magnetic from Cape Farnell. The map said the there was fifty fathoms. Then my Talent that there'd be on with means to to the cruiser. My then a small on the map where a to the ship would be. With the about the of the liners, and the about the cruiser—and I had other too—I to the Ministry for Diplomatic Affairs and told you. As you know, the I gave you was accurate."
Bors as if he'd been over the head. This was ridiculous! He'd for the space-cruiser under the sea the of the liner's was so correct. He'd helped plan and out the of that its and were by a magnetometer. But if he'd how the was obtained, if he'd it was at by a employee, and a personality, and a man who used a or something similar.... If he'd that, he'd have of it. He'd have the ship-arrival prediction!
But, if he hadn't the to check on it, why, the small space-fleet of Kandar would in when it to take off to fight. With it would Bors, and his uncle, and the king and many of Mekin.
Gwenlyn said, "You're perfectly right, Captain."
"What's that?" asked Bors, numbly.
"It is stark-raving lunacy," said Gwenlyn pleasantly. "Just like it would have stark-raving lunacy, once upon a time, to think of people talking to each other when they were a thousand miles apart. Like it to talk about machines. And again when they said there be a space-drive in which the would be at a right to the action, and when somebody said that a way would be to drive ships than light. It's lunacy, just like those things!"
"Y-yes," Bors, his one another. "It's all of that!"
Morgan his rapidly.
"I that way about it," he observed, "when I got the idea of and Talents for practical purposes. But I said to myself, 'Lots of great have been by people that other people are idiots.' In some they are, you know. And then I said to myself, 'Possibly a can be by somebody that he is an idiot.' So I it was to something that visibly happened, I couldn't it. And Talents, Incorporated was born. It's done well."
Bors his as if to clear it.
"It to have worked," he admitted. "But if I'd known—" He spread out his hands. "I'll play along! What more can you do for us?"
"I've no idea," said Morgan placidly. "Such have to work themselves out, with a little prodding, of course. But one of my Talents says the lightning-calculator Talent is the one who'll do you the most good soonest. I'd suggest—"
There was a of voices from the cabinet room. The door opened and King Humphrey came out. He looked baffled, which was not unusual. But he looked enraged, which was.
"Bors!" he said thickly. "I've always I was a practical man! But if being practical means what some members of my cabinet think, I would be a poet! Bors, do something my cabinet me and the into disbanding!"
He across the room, not noticing Morgan or Gwenlyn. Bors came to attention.
"Majesty," he said, not he spoke in or bewilderment, "I take that as an order."
The king did not answer. When the door on the other of the room closed his figure, Bors to Morgan.
"I think I've been authority," he said in a of calm. "Suppose we go, Mr. Morgan, and out what your can do in the way of arithmetic, to the of the kingdom?"
"Fine!" said Morgan cheerfully. "D'you know, Captain Bors, he can solve a three-body problem in his head? He hasn't the least idea how he it, but the answer always comes out right!" Then he said exuberantly, "He'll tell you something useful, though! That's Talents, Incorporated information!"
