Slowly Thorne sheathed his sword. He did not wipe it. He put his gun in the holster at his belt. Looking down at the dead, he spun the jeweled dial set in his own massive golden belt-buckle. He lifted a tiny ball from the hidden compartment revealed by the opening and spoke wearily into the screen set in the polished sphere. "You heard, Captain Bannerman?" "Everything, Thorne. Everything." Bannerman's voice quavered and broke. "Unbelievable." "I never thought I'd have to kill him." Thorne shook his head, "I never thought to see Chain Lucas dead at my feet." "Where better?" Bannerman was more practical. "The Senator? Any hope, Thorne?" He looked down at Iris. She was no longer beautiful, but her blood had doubtless saved his life. "She loved the romance of piracy, Bannerman. She's paid in full." "I put her on the air, Thorne," said Bannerman, grimly. "Cut all telecasts from Earth to Pluto and every word went out crystal clear. The main bands are broken and the pirate cult forever discredited, Thorne. Lucas and his lieutenants wiped out." His voice thickened. "We can't give you a reward, Thorne. Not to you." "I did a job. Not for reward." "The Senate heard you, Thorne. Listened to Chanler and Lucas and the whole thing. The President called. The law's been repealed. You can go home." "I don't understand, Bannerman." "You're free of the ban, son. They say if you can cure yourself of the t'ang habit, as you just proved to every living one of them listening tonight, then they can cure the others who suffer with it. You lifted the law with your own hands, Thorne. You freed yourself. They repealed it not ten minutes since." Bannerman's voice sharpened, rose abruptly. "We're sending ships. Hold the fort, Captain Thorne. You're an Earthman again!" Slowly Thorne closed the sending ball. He stood tall and straight among the frozen and the dead. He was going home.