Closed System

Brenden waved the others, all uniformed, off theplatform. 'Pat,' he said, 'I guess by this timeyou've got it all figured out, and I'll bet you caneven give me a layman's explanation of the dis­rupter.'

'I have a very general idea,' Pat said. 'Has todo, somehow, with unbalancing the forces thatbind molecules in copper.'

'Hell, that's all I understand aboutit,'Brendensaid. 'You've got the idea. What I need to know,Pat, is just how you feel about the whole deal.' Hepinned Pat with that green-eyed gaze, so like Co­rinne's, and waited.

Pat measured his words for a moment. 'Corinnewants to take over the galaxy to feed the hungry. Idon't think that's your motivation.'

Brenden roared. 'She always was a bleedingheart. Hell, Pat, I'm taking over because Ican.Because I got kicked around as a kid. Iwas hungry a couple of times, not for long, because I damnedwell went out and stole enough to eat. I'm takingover because I had the guts to claw my way upand take over one planet and if you can take overone you can take over as many as there are. I'mtaking over because I want to make a few Zedebastards crawl, and because I think that I'm just alittle smarter than some and can straighten out a few things that have always bothered me.' Hegrinned at Pat. 'And because I just don't like beingforced to play second fiddle toany man.'

'Good reasons,' Pat said. 'You want to know ifI'm with you?'

'Cory's got her heart set on you, boy.'

'I know. That's why I'm here. I'll have to admit,sir—'

'Hell, boy, you're gonna be my brother-in-law,just call me Brenden.'

'Thanks. I'll have to admit, Brenden, that I'mnot wild about killing. I don't get all excited aboutblasting poor guys in UP ships.'

'Neither do I, neither do I. We're gonna startslow. We'll kill only enough to make believers ofthe others, and of the UP politicians. Hell, Pat, I ain't no murderer, but sometimes events are big­ger than individual men, you know that.'

No. Pat didn't know that. He knew that the un­derlying philosophy of the more enlightened peo­ple in the UP confederation was just the opposite,that the rights of the individual were more impor­tant than any event, or any theory, or any belief,or any government, and the UP had been workingtoward total individual freedom, under a few nec­essary laws, for the last few thousand years.

But he nodded in agreement to Brenden's state­ment.

'You love my sister, don't you?'

'Yes,' he said truthfully, for in spite of every­thing he went soft inside when he thought ofCorinne.

'Well, then?'

'I'm with you, Brenden,' he said, because, aboveall, he had to retain his freedom of movement sothat he could seize whatever chance came along totry to avert the catastrophe which Brenden wasplanning.

'Here's my hand on it,' Brenden said. And still holding Pat's hand in a firm clasp, he said, 'I wantyou with Cory tomorrow.'

'What's happening tomorrow?' Pat asked, a feel­ing of dread inside. Was it to be so soon?

'She hasn't given you the timetable.' He laughed.'Guess you two have been too busy to talk busi­ness. Well, here's the plan. Tomorrow we have asort of dress rehearsal. We'll split the fleet, and betargets for each other with uncharged weapons. That'll give the gunners some live onboard prac­tice. Cory'll be in command of the second wing,me the first wing. You go with Cory. She's not too hot about being in command, and if you think youcan learn enough to cut it, we'll see. I need some­one I can trust.'

'You can't trust the men who've been with youall along?'

'Hell, boy, we've only had a fleet on Taratwo fora few years. Haven't had time to train good navymen. I got a few I can trust with my life, but notwith the command of a wing. They're good men,but they lack experience. And anyhow, my brother-in-law has to be a big part of it, doesn't he?'

'I appreciate it,' Pat said.

'After the fleet exercise in space we'll have onemore of these parade shindigs. I like that. And it'll be good for the boys. Keep them alert and ready.Listen, these kids are the key to it, you know. Iguess you've dug up how sensitive and criticalthat damned weapon is.'

'Yes, and that scares hell out of me,' Pat said. 'What if in the heat of battle one of the boys loses his nerve, or gets excited? Can you shut off theexcitation impulses generated by Murphy's Stone?'

Brenden shook his head negatively. 'Once that big rock is at temperature it stays that way for a while.'

He laughed.

'That's a chance we have to take, but nothing'sgoing to happen. These kids have been in trainingall their lives. I've run psychological tests on doz­ens of them. They don't get nervous looking oldman death right in the teeth, because they've beentold all their lives that they're going to that heaven on Zede when they die. They welcome death, but,on the other hand, they don't seek it.'

'When do we sally for UP territory?' Pat asked.

'OK. I didn't finish, did I? The exercise tomor­row, then a day off except for the parade for theboys,

and one more final test run in space. Soon asthat's over we don't even come back down, we justlight out for Zede territory.'

'Going to start with Zedeians, huh?'

Brenden grinned wolfishly. 'You bet your ass. Iwanta hear those bastards beg for mercy.'

'So three days from now the final exercise in space and then we're off?' Pat asked.

'That's it.'

The last of the marching units were leaving theparade ground. Brenden went to his launch. Patfollowed the marching men, saw the last unit halt, come to attention, then he heard Gorben's voicedismissing them. The young men went off at therun for their villages, cheering and laughing. Gorbenwas walking toward Pat.

'Very impressive, Gorben,' Pat said, when theywere face to face. 'I suppose you're ready for the big exercise tomorrow?'

'Yes, Honored One.'

'What is your battle station?'

'I have the honor to be gunner on the flagship,Honored One.'

'So you're at the master control, then?'

'That is my honor, sir.'

Pat was searching desperately for an idea. Ifonly he had some way of reaching Gorben, of con­vincing him that he had been misled. But Gorben and all the others were strong in their faith, a faith which had been built by a lifetime of indoctrina­tion. No Dorchlunter would willingly disobey anorder, or go against the plan of the redhead whowas the leader of the angels of the gods who hadcome to lead Dorchlunt back to glory.

Pat was just one man against a fleet of over twothousand ships, each with a complement of Taratwomen

aboard, plus these impressive young warriors of Dorchlunt.

'I saw you in the reviewing stand today, Hon­ored One,' Gorben said. 'I was pleased that youwere there.'

'Thank you,' Pat said. 'Your respect for us honors us,' Gorben said. 'Iwould that all the others had the good fortune toknow

you and to speak with you as I have.' A faint hope came to Pat, an impossible plan. 'Well, we all serve the gods, Gorben.' Gorben crossed himself devoutly. 'And I serve one god in particular,' Pat said. 'Iserve the god whose name cannot be voiced.' Gorben turned toward the temple, bowed hishead quickly once, twice, three times. When heturned his

eyes were wide. 'I knew, Honored One,that you were of divine importance.' Pat wasn't quite sure where he was headed, didn'thave it all worked out. All the odds were againsthim,

but there was a faint, glimmering hope, thathope reinforced by Gorben's devout reaction to the mention of the god of the priesthood, the Zedeianadmiral who had established the theocracy onDorchlunt. 'Soon, my friend,' he told Gorben, 'we will allbe able to speak the sacred name.' Gorben's eyes were wide.'He will be with us?' Pat shrugged. 'Who can fortell the will of thegods?'

ELEVEN

When Corinne admitted Pat to her apartment shewas dressed in the misty, flowing creation of aZedeian fashion designer. A priest served table asthey ate. The conversation at table was carried byCorinne, as she asked