Produced by Al Haines, Stephen Hutcheson & the online Distributed Proofreaders Canada team at http://www.pgdpcanada.net The Blue Star BY FLETCHER PRATT NEW YORK : TWAYNE PUBLISHERS, INC. COPYRIGHT 1952 BY TWAYNE PUBLISHERS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PORTION OF THIS BOOK MAY BE REPRINTED WITHOUT PERMISSION EXCEPT BRIEF QUOTATIONS EMBODIED IN CRITICAL ARTICLES OR REVIEWS. FOR INFORMATION, ADDRESS TWAYNE PUBLISHERS, INC., 34 EAST 23D STREET, N. Y. 10. MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Contents Prologue 225 1 Netznegon City: March Rain 230 2 April Night 236 3 Escape 243 4 Daylight; Refuge 250 5 Night; Generosity; Treason 257 6 Night and Day; The Place of Masks 264 7 Sedad Vix: A New Life 271 8 High Politic 278 9 Spring Festival: Intrigue of Count Cleudi 285 10 Prelude to the Servants’ Ball 291 11 Kazmerga; Two Against a World 297 12 Netznegon City; A Zigraner Festival 306 13 Farewell and Greeting 314 14 The Eastern Sea; The Captain’s Story 321 15 Charalkis; The Door Closes 329 16 The Eastern Sea: Systole 337 17 Charalkis: The Depth and Rise 345 18 Decide for Life 353 19 Two Choices 360 20 Inevitable 366 21 Midwinter: The Return 372 22 The Law of Love 380 23 Netznegon: Return to Glory 387 24 Speeches in the Great Assembly 393 25 Interview at the Nation’s Guest-House 399 26 The Court of Special Cases 403 27 Winter Light 407 28 Embers Revived 413 29 No and Yes 418 Epilogue 422