The sound of the stacking of freight parcels was crisp and distinct in the morning hush. The dew deposited during darkness had not yet dried from the pavement of the square. Damp, unhappy figures loafed nearby. They were self-evidently secret police, as yet unrelieved after a night's vigil about the Embassy's rugged wall. They were sleepy and their clothing stuck soggily to them, and none of them had had anything warm in his stomach for many hours. They had not, either, anything to look forward to from their superiors. Hoddan was again in sanctuary inside the Embassy they'd guarded so ineptly through the dark. He'd gotten out without their leave, and made a number of their fellows unwilling to sit down and then made all the police and municipal authorities ridiculous by the manner of his return. The police guards about the Embassy were very positively not in a cheery mood. But one of them saw an Embassy servant he knew. He'd stood the man drinks, in times past, to establish a contact that might be useful. He summoned a smile and beckoned to that man. The Embassy servant came briskly to him, rubbing his hands after having put a moderately heavy case of documents on top of the waiting pile. "That Hoddan," said the plainclothesman, attempting hearty ruefulness, "he certainly put it over on us last night!" The servant nodded. "Look," said the plainclothesman, "there could be something in it for you if you ... hm-m-m ... wanted to make a little extra money." The servant looked regretful. "No chance," he said, "he's leaving today." The plainclothesman jumped. "Today?" "For Darth," said the Embassy servant. "The ambassador's shipping him off on the space liner that came in last night." The plainclothesman dithered. "How's he going to get to the spaceport?" "I wouldn't know," said the servant. "They've figured out some way. I could use a little extra money, too." He lingered, but the plainclothesman was staring at the innocent, inviolable parcels about to leave the Embassy for distant parts. He took note of sizes and descriptions. No. Not yet. But if Hoddan was leaving he had to leave the Embassy. If he left the Embassy.... * * * * *