The gun made no sound, but the doorman gave a choking gasp and fell into the car. "Quick, sir, pull him all the way in," Savage heard the chauffeur whisper. "There were no witnesses. I'll take care of him." Without stopping to think Savage followed the chauffeur's advice and dragged the heavy weight into the car while the chauffeur alighted and came around to help him. Finally they closed the door on the body and, still without witnesses, the chauffeur drove it away. In his suite, Savage found Loong waiting. "Good morning," Loong smiled. "How did everything go?" "Just fine," Savage replied. "Not only do I have no friends, I have some active enemies." "You were attacked?" Loong asked calmly. "Twice," Savage said. "You don't seem very surprised." "I rather expected it, but you seem to have survived. What happened?" Savage told him in a few brief sentences and when he was finished Loong said: "This is better than I had hoped." "Better than you'd hoped," Savage exclaimed. "What am I, a target for your friends to shoot at?" "They are no friends of mine," Loong answered. "You've been in Space for a long time. I'd better fill you in on recent history right now." III It was at that point that Savage was shocked to find that the anger seething inside him was not that of Terran toward Trygonian, but of one Trygonian toward another, or one Terran toward another. He found too that, in spite of the uncertainty he felt about Loong, he was actually beginning to like him. He wondered then if Doctor Phillip's tests were accurate. "That's better," Loong smiled when Savage sat down. "Here, have a drink and I'll tell you what I think the shooting is about." Savage took the proffered glass and waited expectantly. "As you know," Loong began, "Kalnor was Emperor until Hlar, then High Commissioner, staged a coup d'etat. Kalnor and his family were murdered and Hlar proclaimed himself Emperor. Czako, our present High Commissioner, was Captain of the household Guard and was elevated to his present lofty position as a reward for his part in the conspiracy. "During the years you have been in space our esteemed High Commissioner has secretly been laying the groundwork for a coup of his own. The situation is really quite simple; the Emperor wants to remain Emperor, while Czako wants to become Emperor. Fortunately, at the moment neither seems powerful enough to dispose of the other. "Now consider the situation as it applies to you. A formerly unknown and unnoticed Fleet captain has suddenly been decorated and promoted on the orders of Hlar himself, and this after records concerning him were altered. He has been invited to the private chambers of the Empress, where few men are invited. The High Commissioner fears the Emperor and Hlar is jealous of his wife. So...." Loong spread his hands expressively to finish the sentence, but Savage needed no more. "That's clear enough," he said, "but how do you fit in?"