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insure that anyone who committed a crime such as this did not escape, and he was coldly determined to do just that. But it was also his job to protect the innocent, and that meant he had to get a handle on the groundswell of violence building against Sky Domes and the steaders of Harrington, as well as Honor, and how in God's name did he do that without handing Gerrick’s analysis to the Keys and the press?

'All right,' he sighed finally. 'This nest of snakes has too many heads; however we reach into it, we're going to get bitten somewhere, so the best we can do, I think, is try to minimize the consequences.' Prestwick nodded unhappily, and Reverend Hanks looked grave.

'Henry,' the Protector turned his gaze on the Chancellor, 'I want you to sit down with Security. Take Councilman Sidemore with you.' Prestwick nodded again; Aaron Sidemore was the Minister of Justice, and they had to bring him into this quickly. Fortunately, he was a new appointee, with none of the ties to the old patronage system which might have led to leaks to the Keys, and a man who took his responsibilities seriously.

'This has to be handled very carefully,' Benjamin went on. 'As of this moment, the Sword has made an official finding of the possibility of treason on the part of a steadholder. I'll give you written confirmation of that for Sidemore.'

Prestwick nodded again, but his face was more tense than it had been, and Benjamin smiled grimly. No Protector had exerted his constitutional authority to police the Keys for over a T-century, and dusting off the old laws which governed that process was almost certain to provoke a constitutional crisis if any member of the Keys challenged them. But by invoking a Sword finding of possible treason, Benjamin could also empower Justice to investigate in absolute secrecy. By law, he could keep the investigation 'black' for no more than three weeks; after that, he had to file formal charges against a specific steadholder, convince a majority of the Joint Steadholder- Steader Judiciary Committee that a continuation of the finding was justified, or else withdraw it, but at least they could get a running start on the case and probably not alert Burdette.

'In the meantime,' the Protector mused, 'we have to head off this impeachment talk or risk blowing the entire case against the real criminals.' He gnawed his lower lip for a moment, then sighed. 'I don't see any way to do that without giving Burdette at least a little warning. To stop the impeachment, I'll have to give the Keys at least some of what we suspect.'

'Risky, Your Grace,' Prestwick pointed out. 'Giving them enough to convince them this isn't just a political ploy, that you have substantive reason to believe the collapse was deliberately engineered by someone besides Lady Harrington, is going to require you to expose at least some of the critical evidence.'

'I realize that, but we're damned if we do and damned if we don't, Henry. A formal impeachment will put all the evidence on the table. What I'm hoping is to play it by ear, reveal only a little of Gerrick's analysis and suggest that there's reason to reexamine the original findings of the site inspectors in light of it.'

'They'll never accept that as sufficient, Your Grace,' the Chancellor said flatly.

'You're probably right, and if I have to go further, I will. But I can at least try to limit the damage first.'

'Well, yes, Your Grace. I suppose we can try,' Prestwick agreed doubtfully.

'Your Grace,' Reverend Hanks' tone was unusually formal, 'the Church does not normally take a hand in the affairs of the Keys. In this instance, however, you have the support of my office, and, I believe, of the Sacristy at large. If you wish, I will appear before the Keys and appeal to them to accept your plea for a delay without divulgence of the evidence. If I inform them that I have seen the full body of evidence and endorse your conclusions, perhaps we can convince them not to push.'

'Thank you, Reverend.' Benjamin's voice and expression showed his profound gratitude for Hanks' offer. While the Reverend was correct about the Church's normal impartiality, it was also true that his position as Reverend gave him the legal standing of a steadholder. In fact, it made him a member both of the Protectors Council and of the Keys, and if he was willing to throw the Church's weight behind a plea to delay any formal impeachment proceedings, it might, might, turn the trick without revealing their evidence to Burdette.

'Your Grace, if there is the slightest possibility that even an ex-priest has involved himself in the murder of children, Father Church has no choice but to exert his full influence to see justice done,' the gentle Reverend said sternly, and Benjamin nodded soberly.

'In that case, Henry, as soon as you and Sidemore have finished your preliminary discussions, I want you to transmit writs of summons for a special, and closed, session of the Keys. We'll try to keep this quiet enough the media doesn't get involved.'

'Yes, Your Grace.'

'Where's Gerrick now?' the Protector asked, and Prestwick frowned for a moment, then nodded to himself.

'I believe he's still aboard Terrible, Your Grace. Lord Clinkscales tells me he went up to explain his findings to Lady Harrington and Terrible's surgeon ordered him straight to bed after he'd done so.'

'Wise of him, no doubt,' Benjamin murmured, remembering the gray-faced, exhausted young man he'd seen on his own com screen, was it really only three hours ago? He shook his head, then brought his chair back upright.

'I think we should leave him there for now,' he said slowly, then nodded. 'In fact, let's announce where he is, Henry. Put together a press release to the effect that he's there to confer with Lady Harrington but without including any hint of what they're conferring about. Don't tell any lies; just stick to the bare facts of his presence and I feel sure the newsies will draw the conclusion we want.'

'The conclusion we want, Your Grace?' Hanks repeated, and Benjamin smiled.

'Reverend, unless they already know about the Sky Domes analysis, the people really responsible for this must feel pretty confident just now, and I'm sure they figure Lady Harrington must be growing desperate. Well, I'd like to use that against them, and if we can convince them that she's summoned her chief engineer to a 'spin control' conference in an attempt to salvage something from the wreck, it should make them even more confident... and less wary. Besides, I'd just as soon have Gerrick out of reach of the media at least until after the special sessions behind us.'

'I think that's wise, Your Grace,' Prestwick put in. 'In fact, if you approve, I'll also contact Howard Clinkscales. Between the two of us, I'm sure we can concoct an absolutely truthful, and highly misleading, release to reinforce that image, and I'll also ask him to warn the rest of Sky Domes' engineers to keep a low profile.'

'Good idea, Henry. Good idea.' Benjamin pinched his nose and tried to think of what else they could do, but nothing occurred to his weary brain.

'With your permission, Your Grace, I think I'll go up to Terrible, as well,' Reverend Hanks said. Benjamin quirked an eyebrow, and Hanks shrugged. 'I know Lady Harrington well enough to realize this must have been a terrible ordeal for her, Your Grace. I'd like the opportunity to speak with her, and I could also take her the writ of summons for the Conclave without putting it through official Navy channels or sending a Sword courier.' The Reverend frowned thoughtfully, then nodded. 'In fact, I'm sure Chancellor Prestwick will have the writs prepared by the time I've been able to speak with the Sacristy and explain what's happening to the Elders I can trust not to accidentally let something slip. In that case, she could return for the special session with me the following day. That would probably be the quickest, and most confidential, way to complete the arrangements.'

'It would, indeed, Reverend, though I feel a bit uncomfortable using the head of Father Church as a mere courier!'

'There's nothing 'mere' about it, under the circumstances, Your Grace,' Hanks replied, 'and Father Church, and the people of Grayson, owe Lady Harrington any service we can legitimately perform for her.'

'You're right, of course,' Benjamin agreed, then looked back and forth between the two older men on the far side of his desk. 'In that case, gentlemen, I think we should get things organized.'

'Well, that was an ... interesting disaster,' Citizen Rear Admiral Theisman observed. His tone was so dry that even Citizen Commissioner LePic grinned, but there was point to the comment. Task Group 14.2, Theisman's own command of twelve battleships and screening elements, had performed