The thought came to him that there might be considerable pleasure in laying her over his knee and raising some blisters where they would do her the most good. He regretfully dismissed the idea as too undignified for even a sub-ensign and asked: "Who are you, and what are you doing here with that pistol?" She hesitated, then answered with insolent coolness: "My name is Barbara Loring. I heard that you Vogarians had demanded that we agree to surrender. I came down from the hills to disagree." "Is a resistance force meeting here?" "Do you think you could make me tell you?" "There are ways--but I'm not here to use them. I am not your enemy." A little of the hostility faded from her face and she asked, "But how could a Vogarian ever not be our enemy?" He could find no satisfactory answer to the question. "I can tell you this," she said. "I know of no resistance organization. I can also tell you that we're not the race of cowards you think and we'll fight the instant Father Brenn gives the word." "For one who speaks respectfully of Brenn," he said, "your recent words and actions weren't very religious and refined." Fire flashed in the green eyes again. "Up in the Azure Mountains, where I come from, we're not very refined and we like being that way!" "And why do you carry guns?" he asked. "Because all along our frontier lines are rhino-stags, cliff bears, thunder hawks, and a lot of other overgrown carnivora that don't like us--that's why." "I see." He took the pistol from his belt and held it out to her. "Go back to your mountains, where you belong, before you do something to get yourself executed." * * * * * Y'Nor, waiting impatiently in the ship, was grimly pleased by the news of Brenn's change of attitude. "Exactly as I predicted, as you no doubt recall. How long until they can have a thousand units of fuel produced?" "Larue estimated fourteen days at best." Y'Nor tapped his thick fingers on his desk, scowling thoughtfully. "As little as seven extra days might force Vogar to accept the Alkorian peace terms because of lack of fuel--the natives can work twice as hard as they expected to. Tell old Brenn they will be given exactly seven days from sunrise tomorrow. "And summon Dalon and Graver. I want them to make use of every man on the ship for a twenty-four hour guard-and-inspection system in the plant. The natives will get no opportunities for stalling or sabotage." * * * * * Brenn was writing at his book-laden table when Kane went into his cottage the next morning. "These are called edicts," Brenn said, after greeting him, "but I possess no law-making powers and they are really only suggestions." Brenn shoved the paper to one side. The script was somewhat different from that of Vogar.