They looked up as Prefect Lamberti of the Pretorians, the Imperial personal bodyguard (it had progressed far beyond that. Its enrollment was tremendous; its power second only to the Dictator's) came in. The Senator nodded. The two field soldiers turned quickly away. The men of the field did not get along with the Pretorian dandies. "Commander? This is the Dictator," Caesar said unnecessarily. The garrison commander knew that only one person could call him on that line. The phone would react to no voice other than Caesar's. "Have you the fellow who was preaching dissension? I say one year in prison. You heard me. Yes, one year. What? No! No torture!" He severed connections and looked up at his advisers. Prefect Lamberti shook his head. Senator Chianti turned and stalked out. After a moment General Bonadella followed. The Major turned away to stare out the window. He shook his head. "del Ponta? This is the Dictator," that quiet, flat voice said behind him. Caesar was calling the under-chief of the Pretoriani. "I will speak tomorrow from the balcony. Yes. 1400. Of course. World-wide. That's right. Oh, I suppose about a quarter 'til." The man who ruled the world stood up and stared at Major DeCosta's back. At forty-one, Caesar was a gaunt man with stooped shoulders and sad lines running from his nostrils to the corners of his mouth. His forehead was lined and re-lined, and the keen brown eyes were dulled with years of decisions and hard work. He was tired. They called him the Hound because his face bore the same sad, quiet look worn by those dogs. And they called him weak because he let offenders off too easily. DeCosta turned around. The young Major met his Chief's gaze. "Well?" The voice of the Dictator was quiet and calm. DeCosta's eyes flickered. He straightened militarily. He shrugged. "It is not for me to say, Sir." A slow smile spread over those weary features. "And you, Farouk?" Lamberti stretched out his arm and balled his fist with the thumb extended and pointing down. "You know me, Caesar." "I do. Even my best friend disagrees with my decisions now, after all these years of elbow-rubbing. "You are usually more out-spoken, Major DeCosta. Have you nothing more to say?" DeCosta's reply was slow in coming but rapid in delivery. "I am around Caesar much of late," he rapped out. His back was stiff and military as he strode out of the Dictator's office. Prefect Lamberti's gloved hand dropped to the butt of his gun, but Caesar shook his head in gentle negation. Julius Caesar Imperator V gazed sadly at the closed door. * * * * *