"He was a wonderful soldier and executive as a young and as a middle-aged man," Hawarden said thoughtfully and, Hanlon sensed, sadly. "It was his grandfather who pulled the original coup that made this planet into an empire with himself as first emperor. His son, the second emperor, was also a very good co-ordinator, and solidified the empire status. The present emperor went into the army at sixteen, and rose rapidly through sheer merit rather than because his father was emperor. All historians agree on that. Just before he reached thirty he was in full command. He was thirty-six when his father died, and he became the third emperor." "Then you think he may be back of this whatever-it-is?" "No," the admiral shook his head. "Somehow I can't quite feel that way. During his first years as emperor he was one of the most co-operative of all Planetary rulers within the Federation." "What about his Prime Minister ... and by the way, what was his name? I never heard him called anything but 'His Highness'?" "His name was Gorth Bohr. He seems to have appeared from nowhere almost overnight--as an important personage, I mean. We've traced him back, and he came to Simonides about fourteen years ago, from Sirius Three. He's been Prime Minister for about ten years and it has been noticeable that he has gained more and more power during the past few years, as the emperor has been failing both physically and mentally." "I wonder ..." "Yes?" "D'you suppose that failing health and mind could have been caused, instead of natural?" The admiral was plainly taken aback. "What? Caused?" Hanlon nodded. "Just that. From what little I know of His Highness he was just the kind to do a thing like that--and capable of it, too." He sank back in deep thought for some time, as did Hawarden. They were interrupted by a buzzer from the desk. The admiral sat up quickly and switched on the intercom. "Yes?" "Bohr certainly was not a human being," the doctor reported, and Hanlon could see the surprise and wonder on his face in the screen. "There are structural differences so far removed from ours that they could not possibly be Homo Sapiens." "Any idea where he came from?" Hanlon asked, and the admiral relayed the question. "Never saw anything like it before, and I've just made a quick search through all my books here that contain pictures and diagrams of the races of which we know." Hanlon shook his head in resignation and Hawarden, after thanking the doctor and giving orders for the disposition of the Prime Minister's body, disconnected. "Is it too late to get an audience with the emperor?" Hanlon sat erect. The admiral glanced at his wrist chronom. "Pretty late, but I'll see." He had just reached for a switch when his call buzzer sounded, and when he activated the screen the planetographer reported, "We can't find any such system on our charts."