In the hearing room, four white-crested Lhari sat across from four dignified, well-dressed men, representatives of the Federation of Intergalactic Trade. The space beyond was wholly filled with people, crowded together, and carrying stereo cameras, intercom equipment, the creepie-peepie of the on-the-spot space commentator. "Mr. Steele, we had hoped to make this a quiet hearing, without undue publicity. But we cannot deny the news media the privilege of covering it, unless you wish to claim the right to privacy." "No, indeed," Bart said clearly. "I want them all to hear what I'm going to say." Raynor One came up to the bench. "Bart, as your guardian, I advise against it. Some people will call this a publicity stunt. It won't do Eight Colors any good to admit that men have been spying on the Lhari--" "I want press coverage," Bart repeated stubbornly, "and as many star-systems on the relay as possible." "All right. But I wash my hands of it," Raynor One said angrily. Bart told his story simply: his meeting with the elder Briscoe, his meeting with Raynor One--carefully not implicating Raynor One in the plot--Raynor Three's work in altering his appearance to that of a Lhari, and the major events of his cruise on the _Swiftwing_. When he came to the account of the shift into warp-drive, he saw the faces of the press reporters, and realized that for them this was the story of the year--or century: _humans can endure star-drive!_ But he went on, not soft-pedaling Montano's attempted murder, his own choice, the trip to the Lhari world-- One of the board representatives interrupted testily, "What is the point of this lengthy narrative? You can give the story to the newsmen without our official sanction, if you want to make it a heroic epic, young Steele. We have heard sufficient to prove your guilt, and that of Raynor, in the violation of treaty--" "Nevertheless, I want this official," Bart said. "I don't want to be mobbed when they hear that I have the secret of the star-drive." The effect was electric. The four Lhari sat up; their white crests twitched. Vorongil stared, his gray eyes darkening with fear. One of the Lhari leaned forward, shooting the question at him harshly. "You did _not_ discover the coordinates of the Council Planet of Ke Lhiro! You did not discover--" "I did not," Bart said quietly. "I don't know them and I have no intention of trying to find them. We don't need to go to the Lhari Galaxy to find the mineral that generates the warp-frequencies, that they call 'Catalyst A' and that the Mentorians call the 'Eighth Color.' There is a green star called Meristem, and a spectroscopic analysis of that star, I'm sure, will reveal what unknown elements it contains, and perhaps locate other stars with that element. There must be others in our galaxy, but the coordinates of the star Meristem are known to me."