There were murmurs from the reporters, but no one actually protested. Solon led them across the broad avenue to waiting steam cars. “We will go directly to the palace,” he said.

It was as if Stark had come up behind him. Nathan heard him as clearly as if he’d been there. “Bets on our ever gettin’ out of there alive, Colonel? That guy gives me the creeps. So does his boss.”

There were three cars. “Trader, you and Freelady Graham and our scholars will ride in the first car with me,” Solon said. He held open the door.

Nathan and Mary climbed into the vehicle. It was new, a model he hadn’t seen before, and the interior was luxurious. When they were inside, Solon handed each a sheet of paper.

“SPEAK ONLY PLEASANTRIES. DO NOT DISCUSS THE EXPEDITION UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD IT IS SAFE.”

MacKinnie read it and nodded. Solon waited until each one acknowledged the message, then collected the papers and put them in his pouch. “Was it a pleasant journey?” he asked conversationally.

“Return trip was dull,” MacKinnie said.

“Yes,” Mary said. “There were no other passengers. Just three young naval officers, and they stayed forward in the crew area. We were left to our own devices.”

“Not like the trip out,” Longway said. “The Navy craft we returned on had few luxuries. Not even windows to look out of.”

Kleinst had been silent. Now he said wistfully, “I saw Prince Samual’s World from space when we left. Magnificent! And Makassar when we arrived there. Worlds so different — I think of what we could learn about weather and climate by observing different worlds from space. It is no wonder the Imperials are able to predict weather accurately. They know so much—”

Solon gestured with an upraised palm. “I’m certain they do,” he said. “Well! You will have much to tell His Majesty.”

MacKinnie glanced back through the rear window. The other cars were following. “The Navy released our cargo,” he said. “Arrangements must be made to move it—”

“At once,” Solon said. “When we reach the palace I will go myself. Thank you.”

The palace was hidden in a maze of scaffolding. That, too, was new. They were taken inside, and quickly led to the living quarters in the rear of the building. “I am sure you will wish to wash and change your clothing,” Solon said. He gave them more papers with instructions.

MacKinnie nodded agreement.

The clothes were his own, but they felt too large. As he had expected, there were no weapons. He dressed quickly and followed the guide upstairs to a small sitting room.

Malcolm Dougal was alone in the room. He stood when MacKinnie entered, and his smile of welcome seemed genuine. “So. You returned,” Dougal said. “Were you successful?”

“You’ll pardon my suspicions, but where are the others?” MacKinnie asked.

Dougal frowned and looked genuinely puzzled. “Changing their clothing, of course — ah. You are concerned because I had Inspector Solon bring you here? How else could I have extracted you from that crowd?”

“We were told we would be meeting King David.”

“As you will, when all are ready,” Dougal said. “Your guardsmen will not be needed. They will be entertained by some of my men.”

“Entertained how?”

“With whatever they want,” Dougal said. “Why are you so suspicious? Are you expecting punishment? Did the mission fail?”

“Not exactly. But I’ve been wondering what you had in mind for us. You had a dozen people killed to protect your secret — and you don’t need me and my troopers any longer.”

“That was then,” Dougal said. “Since you left there are many who know our plans. We’ve had no choice but to tell them. As a matter of fact, two of your former officers are now part of the security force at our research station.

Which is what I had in mind for you and the guardsmen. You disappoint me, Colonel. I am neither bloodthirsty nor evil. Simply determined not to fail. Now, what success have you brought me?”

MacKinnie spread his hands. “I honestly don’t know. We secured the library, and Kleinst read a number of the old books. We made copies of many of them — but Kleinst wasn’t sure we could make them readable with anything we have on Prince Samual’s World. And once we left Batav — that’s the city the old library was in — we couldn’t discuss any of this among ourselves. Too many locals aboard our ship. It was worse when we got the Navy’s base at Jikar, and on that spaceship. I thought Kleinst was going to burst for lack of someone to talk to.”

“I see. And you don’t know if we can build a ship?”

“I know damned well we can’t build anything’ like their ships,” MacKinnie said. “Dougal, you can’t imagine what their equipment is like. Even the library. A box no larger than that sideboard there — we were told that could contain every book on Prince Samual’s World with room to spare. The things we brought home are about this big.” MacKinnie held up thumb and forefinger to indicate the size. “And each one holds a whole library. If we can read them.”

“So you learned nothing?”

“It wasn’t my job to learn,” MacKinnie said. “I was hired to get them there and bring them back. I did. All but two guardsmen.”

“So we must rely on Kleinst.”

“Kleinst and Todd. They spent days in the library. Not as long as they’d have liked to, but I didn’t dare wait any longer before starting back. As it was we only had five days to spare before the ship left, and I gather there won’t be another for a while. Something strange is going on in another part of the Empire. They wouldn’t tell me what, but they take it seriously.”

“Indeed?” Dougal looked thoughtful. “We will have to see if we can find out,” he said. “It may affect us.”

He’s a good liar, MacKinnie thought. But he knows something he’s not telling me. I wonder if it’s important …

“As for this audience,” Dougal said, “there will be many present who know nothing about your true purpose in going to Makassar, and we suspect the Imperials can listen to conversations in the audience chamber. You will continue the pretense of a simple trading mission.”

“You didn’t even tell the king?” MacKinnie demanded.

Dougal laughed. “His Majesty knows all,” he said. “But many in the government do not. We intend to keep it that way. Come, let’s get this over with. I am anxious to talk to all of you, and I will not feel really comfortable until we are out of Haven.”

“Where are you taking us?”

“We have a large military research post in the Corliss Grant Hills,” Dougal said. “Most of what goes on there is weapons research, which the Imperials know all about. But it is a large place, and much goes on that we do not tell them.”

“I see. You’ve organized well,” MacKinnie said.

“As best we could. But now it all depends on what you have brought us. And we are running out of time.”

Their quarters in the Corliss Grant research station were comfortable, but they were prisoners.

“I prefer you do not think that way,” Dougal told MacKinnie. “You have weapons. You are all housed in the same building. All of you, including your soldiers. From time to time one of you — I prefer Academician Longway, he has a knack for talking — will go to Haven to be seen and speak to the press. But think, Colonel. You will be recognized if you are seen often. And if there is no one to tell your secrets to, you will not reveal them.” He threw up his hands as if in dismay. “I have given you every possible assurance of your safety. I make no doubt that with your skill and the number of men I have left you, you could escape at any time. I rely on your word, Colonel. You have sworn loyalty to Haven and Prince Samual’s World. Can I not trust you?”

There wasn’t any answer to that, as MacKinnie later told Mary.

“So we’re our own jailors,” she said.

“It comes to that,” MacKinnie said. “He even has me in the security department. I don’t really blame him. I’d do the same thing myself. But as Hal would say, this spy business gets old pretty fast.” He tried to laugh, but the sound was unpleasant.