Then he said, "A god _must_ have power of life ... and death." The screen was on again and, once more, it was Commissioner Brullar. He was almost frantic. "Commander Gray! Have you acted yet? The captain says that we are being screened out. Only this special set can get through--and only to you!" He gulped, mopping at his forehead. "Commander, I have my entire family aboard this ship! I--I know that you...." His voice faltered for an instant. "Can't _you_ get through to the Command?" Then, nervously, without waiting for a reply, he plunged on. "The Captain of the _Stella_ says he believes there is an Interstellar Command cruiser within four hours or so. Can't you get it here? It could escort us through the edge of the Beolin system in safety! Commander Gray, I in--" The Commander cut Brullar off. "Kina," he asked, "what do you think the effect of a Beolin massacre would be on the Command?" "Roughly estimating, Commander, considerably more than the effect of an unleashed power beam on inert matter." "Yes," said the Commander. "Yes. Kina, at least ten thousand human lives have been lost on ships that I _know_ have been captured by the Beolins. Unless the Command takes action--now--there will never be a check on Krraula and his successors. And only a shocking catastrophe would stir up the Sirius Command Headquarter. A certain kind of catastrophe." "The sacrifice justifies itself," said Kina Staun. "The moral laws, the very framework of civilization itself, is now of a shape incredible to the person of two or three hundred years ago." "My orders, then, should be...?" Kina stood up, stiffly. "It would be presumptuous of me, Commander." The silence did not last very long. At last the Commander said, "Kina, order Captain Stang to resume his usual patrol activities. Arrange to follow the _Stella_ with a long-range recording beam. Prepare for the Interstellar Command's order ... to proceed with a punitive expedition against the Beolin system." He looked long down the catwalk, and his fingers slowly closed about the one personal touch to his office. His voice was very low. "No more messages are to be received from the _Stella_." And he opened his hand. * * * * * Later, after the Commander had gone down the catwalk to walk about for a while on the soft, Earthlike greenness of this world's vegetation, Kina bent to pick up that which had fallen to the floor. It was a color photograph, and the cold plastic sheen of the film somehow managed to convey the impression of the blonde, young woman's soft, warm loveliness. It was inscribed, "_With all my love, John. Myra._" Kina had often seen Commissioner Brullar's daughter. He dropped the photograph in to a disposal chute, and turned to some papers that had to be filed.