"Well, of course...." Keaveney began. Then he stopped, as a Terran sergeant came up to the table and bent over Barney Mordkovitz' shoulder, whispering urgently. The black-bearded brigadier rose immediately, taking his belt from the back of his chair and putting it on. Motioning the sergeant to accompany, he spoke briefly to Keaveney and then came around the table to where von Schlichten sat, the Resident-Agent accompanying him. "Message just came in from Konkrook, general," he said softly. "Governor Harrington's dead." It took von Schlichten all of a second to grasp what had been said. "Good God! When? How?" "Here's all we know, sir," the sergeant said, giving him a radioprint slip. "Came in ten minutes ago." It was an all-station priority telecast. Governor-General Harrington had died suddenly, in his room, at 2210; there were no details. He glanced at his watch; it was 2243. Konkrook and Skilk were in the same time-zone; that was fast work. He handed the slip to Mordkovitz, who gave it to Keaveney. "You from the telecast station, sergeant?" he asked. "All right, in that case, let's go." As he hurried from the banquet-room, he could hear Keaveney tapping on his wine-glass. "Everybody, please! Let me have your attention! There has just come in a piece of the most tragic news...." * * * * * A woman captain met him just inside the door of the big soundproofed room of the telecast station, next to the Administration Building. "We have a wavelength open to Konkrook, general," she said. "In booth three." Another girl, a tech-sergeant, was in the booth; on the screen was the image of a third young woman, a lieutenant, at Konkrook station. The sergeant rose and started to leave the booth. "Stick around, sergeant," von Schlichten told her. "I'll want you to take over when I'm through." He sat down in front of the combination visiscreen and pickup. "Now, lieutenant; just what happened?" he asked. "How did he die?" "We think it was poison, general. General M'zangwe has ordered autopsy and chemical analysis. If you can wait about ten minutes, he'll be able to talk to you, himself." "Call him. In the meantime, give me everything you know."