"Eugene made some accusations, then died," Alan insisted, "before he could show me the proof." "We're all grownups here, Alan," Keifer said easily. There was no mistaking his tone. He would _assume_ Alan was a grownup. "You're twenty-five," he went on. "One day soon you'll take over the Federation movement, so you can't afford to be impetuous. You tried to find that letter, didn't you?" "Yes," Alan admitted. "It wasn't there." "Of course it wasn't. It never existed. Alan, listen to me. Talbrick was an old man. Our viewpoints differed diametrically. He couldn't reconcile himself with the fact that your father agreed with me." "But--" "But that isn't important. This is. Someone, some unknown person, killed your father. Someone killed Talbrick. Richard Tremaine, then Talbrick. I'm next in line, Alan. Or maybe you are. Someone is out to wreck the Federation from the inside, by killing off its leaders." "If what you say is true, why didn't they finish the job in Talbrick's apartment? They could have killed me, too." "You frightened them off." "I'll be frank," Alan said coolly. "Let's assume _you_ were responsible. You couldn't afford to kill me. You need me for a figurehead." Keifer smiled. "I should be angry. I'm not." He flipped the intercom toggle on his desk and said, "Haddix, come in here, please." The door opened. A tall, gangling man in the uniform of a Federation captain entered the room. He moved with easy, feline grace. When he spoke, he purred like a great cat. "Yes, sir?" he said saluting Keifer. "You sent for me?" "Alan, this is Captain Haddix, the Internal Security Officer here at Red Sands. Captain, will you tell Mr. Tremaine where I was for the past three hours?" "Right here, sir. You had a brief interview with this man, then remained here with me, discussing the water ultimatum." "You see?" Keifer said. "Right here." Perhaps he had jumped to an unwarranted conclusion, Alan thought. He said, "What is this water ultimatum?" Keifer dismissed the Internal Security Officer, then explained, "We're in trouble, Alan. An hour ago, the Earth colonial office contacted us with an ultimatum. Either we lay down our arms and tell the provisional governments on the other Outworlds to surrender their authority, or Mars' water supply is cut off. We were given one hour." "But Earth's own military forces here on Mars would die of thirst." Keifer shrugged. "Apparently they're expendable. Of course, I rejected the ultimatum." "What can you do?" "I don't know," Keifer said. "They can do what they say, unfortunately."