"George Marnik," he went on, "discovered one of the richest palladium veins on Callisto, and was developing it slowly. But--one of the Monopolies decided that it wanted Marnik's rich vein. In an ensuing struggle with some of the Monopoly's hired hoodlums, Marnik's wife was burned down brutally with an electro-gun. She left a daughter, about five years old, whom they had named Cynthia ... do you follow me?" "Go on," Mark said in a cold, dry voice. "Well, after the tragedy, George Marnik disappeared. He was never heard of again--except by the Earth Monopolies. They heard of him plenty. He terrorized the spacelanes for years, and more than one Monopoly went under, bankrupt by the incessant attacks on their ships by an enemy who had achieved a ruthlessness greater even than theirs. It was rumored that Marnik had vowed never to set foot on Earth again, and that his life was dedicated to the destruction of the Monopolies. He almost achieved his task, except that the Earth's government finally stepped in and dissolved the Monopolies." Carston paused and drew in a long breath. "And then?" Mark urged, as if fascinated by this saga of another day. "Why, then as you know, Emperor Bedrim of Venus achieved his famous alliance with Dar Vaajo of Mars, and together they sought to end Earth's domination and exploitation of their planets. You know about the bitter ten years' war--that's history. But when the Tri-Planetary Patrol was formed, during the truce that followed at the death of Bedrim, half the Solar System was searched for George Marnik's base and the rich plunder he was reputed to have there. It was all in vain. You can now see why! The Patrol has never been able to land on Vulcan." "But if I remember correctly," Mark Denning said reminiscently, "George Marnik was certified as dead, as the years went by and piracy ceased. The records gave no information as to his daughter Cynthia, she was merely marked 'Missing.'" "Precisely!" Carston assented. "Then that vital bit of information you received must have concerned this base on Vulcan!" "No. Worse! It concerned that George Marnik _was alive and planning to end the Inter-Planetary Truce, to loose bitter war upon three worlds again_!" "Good Lord!" Mark was stunned. "But how? Venus and Mars were disarmed under Earth's dictated peace!" "Yes, true. Mars is a small and dying race and not to be greatly feared. But Venus has never become reconciled. You know their unholy pride and their utter conviction that theirs are the greatest minds in our universe. Underneath the apparently peaceful surface, revolt's smoldering." "Revolt fanned by Marnik?"