phantom like the long-dead empire of old—
Banning's hands clutched the cold stone arms of the throne. He was thinking too much like the Valkar he was supposed to be.
'You're no king or king's blood,” he told himself fiercely. “You're Rolf's pawn, an Earthling he’ use for his own plans — if you let him.'
Flanked by the torches, Rolf and at least twenty other men came down the great hall. They looked askance uneasily at the Arraki as they came. The dread of the Warders was still alive, and it was plain to see why this old king-world was visited by few.
Banning could see their faces now. Except for Captain Behrent and some of the officers from his own ship, they were all strangers to him, and they were a mixed lot. Some had the look of honest fighting-men, soldiers devoted to a cause. Others looked like arrant jailbait with no loyalty to anything but their own greed. They stopped ten paces away, looking up at the dark throne on which Banning sat with Sohmsei hovering back in the shadows.
'Hail, Valkar!” Behrent gave the salutation, and the others made it a ragged cheer.
Rolf stepped up toward the throne. He spoke in a low voice, in English. “Let me handle them. I think I've won them over.'
Banning demanded in an angry whisper, “Won them over to what?'
'To a raid on Rigel,” Rolf answered evenly. “We're going there, Kyle. Jommor is there, and he can restore your memory. And when you remember again, we'll have the Hammer.'
Banning was stricken dumb by the overwhelming boldness of the proposal. Rigel, the capital of the New Empire — to raid it secretly, with a handful of men — sheer madness!
It flashed across his mind that Rolf, then, did believe him to be the Valkar or he would not have made this plan. Or else, Rolf was playing an even deeper game of deception than he could fathom—
Rolf had made an elaborate bow, and was turning to present the captains.
Sohmsei murmured suddenly, “Lord, beware! There is treachery here — and death!'
Banning started. He remembered the strange parapsychic sense the Arraki had already showed. He felt his body go cold and tense.
Rolf had straightened, and his voice rolled through the great hall as he said loudly to Banning, “I've told them what you plan to do, Kyle! And I think every captain here will follow you!'
CHAPTER VI
A roar of assent followed Rolf's words, and one of the strange captains, a lean dark smiling man with a face so marked by facile wickedness that it fascinated Banning, sprang forward to rest his knee on the base of the throne and say, “I'll follow any man who will lead me to the stealing of an Empress! Jommor alone would have been no little task, but Tharanya too-!” He laughed. “If you can dream that big, Valkar, you may very well upset the throne.'
Only the tense need for caution aroused in him by Sohmsei's whispered warning kept Banning from showing his astonishment. To raid the capital, to force Jommor to do something, was one matter — but to lay bands upon its sovereign was another. And then, from that obscure dark place inside himself, another thought came and said to him, Tharanya is the answer — take her and you can take the stars!
Banning thought that whatever Rolf's failings might be, lack of boldness was not one of them.
The dark man at his feet reached up. “I am Horek, with the light cruiser Starfleet and one hundred men. Give me your hand, Valkar.'
Banning glanced aside at Sohmsei. “This one?'
The Arraki shook his head. His eyes brooded on the captains, bright and strange.
Banning leaned forward and said to Horek, “Suppose I overset the Empire — what will you ask for your help?'
Horek laughed. “Not gratitude. I have no heart to follow, so I follow gold instead. Is that understood?'
Banning answered, “Fair enough,” and gave him his hand.
Horek stepped back, and Banning said to Rolf, “You haven't told them the details of the plan?'
Rolf shook his head. “That remains for a full council, after they have pledged themselves.'
Banning said cynically, “That was wise.'
Rolf looked at him. “I am wise, Kyle. And it won't be long before you understand how wise.'
Another captain had come up, and Rolf said smoothly, “You remember Varthis, who fought for you before.'
'Of course,” lied Banning. ‘Welcome, Varthis.” And he gave his hand again. Varthis was one of the honest- looking ones, the old soldier loyal to a lost cause. Banning thought of Bonnie Prince Charlie, and hoped that his own venture would come to a better end. Because it was his venture now, like it or not. Rolf had seen to that, and the only way to get out of it alive was to win. So he would win, if it were humanly or superhumanly possible. His conscience did not reproach him very much. After all, Tharanya and Jommor and the New Empire were only names to him.
He was beginning to enjoy this sitting on a throne.
The captains came up one by one and took his hand, the rogues and the honest men, and with each one Banning glanced at Sohmsei, who watched and seemed to listen. After a while there were only four left. Banning searched their faces. Three of them looked as though they would sell their own mothers, and Banning knew it must be one of these. The fourth was already bending his knee, a broad-faced, sober-looking man in a neat uniform tunic and Rolf was saying easily, “Zurdis covered your retreat at-!'
Suddenly, with a thin, blood-chilling cry, Sohmsei sprang, and set his taloned fingers around Zurdis’ throat.
A startled sound went up from the men who were in the throne-hall. They moved — uneasily, and the Arraki stirred in the shadows, coming forward. Banning rose.
'Quiet! And you, my spiderlings — be still!'
Silence came over the ball, as tight as a bow-string. He could hear Rolf's harsh breathing beside him, and below on the steps of the throne Zurdis knelt and did not move, his face the color of ashes. Sohmsei smiled.
'It is this one, Lord.'
Banning said, “Let him stand.'
Reluctantly Sohmsei took his bands away. Tiny blood drops stood red on the captain's thick brown throat, where the talons had pricked the skin.
'So,” said Banning. “It was left to one of my own men, my honored captains to betray me.'
Zurdis did not answer. He looked at Sohmsei, and at the distant door, and back again at Banning.
'Tell me,” Banning said. “Talk fast, Zurdis.'
Zurdis said, “It's, all a lie. Call off this beast! What right has it—'
'Sohmsei,” said Banning softly.
The Arraki reached out delicately, and Zurdis squirmed and screamed. He went down on his knees again.
'All right,” he said. “All right, I'll tell you. Yes, I sold you out, why not? What did I ever get from you but wounds and outlawry? When Rolf sent word to me of this gathering, I sent word to Jommor. There's a cruiser standing off Katuun now, waiting for my signal! I was to learn your plans, your strength, and who was with you — and above all, whether you were truly the Valkar come back, or only an impostor, a puppet with Rolf to pull the strings?'
'Well?” said Banning, his heart suddenly beating fast.
Zurdis’ face, still bloodless and very grim, twisted into a caricature of a smile.
'You're the Valkar, all right. And I suppose you'll give your filthy Arraki brutes the pleasure of flaying me alive. But it will do you little good. The cruiser would prefer to hear from me, but if they don't they'll come in anyway, and take their chances. It's a Class-A heavy. I don't think they'll come to much harm.'
A cry of dismay went up from the captains. Banning could hear Rolf swear under his breath. Then one of the
