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truth; I could not let her be shot at all.
But I would not need to. Suddenly I knew why this elaborate hoax on me had been perpetrated: the
substitution of Roulette for Forta. I had thought it was at Rue's behest, because she wanted to make love
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to me once more. Certainly that much was true, but Spirit had had other reasons to do it. She had known
that my face-off with Tocsin could come to this, so she had, in her meticulous way, prepared for it. She
had fashioned what in chess was known as a discovered check.
"Your time's up, Tyrant," Tocsin said. "Make your commitment now, or I will give the order."
"Give your order, hemorrhoid," I said.
It took those six seconds for his double take to manifest, but it was worth it. Tocsin could not believe
that I had said what I had said. But I had.
Meanwhile, I was already speaking again. "And that order will be your last, because that laser is not
pointed at my daughter, but at you. I doubt that you can order your other security guards to take out
either my daughter or my secretary before you die."
Tocsin actually gaped when this news reached him. "Your what?"
Now the guard put her free hand to her face and drew off her mask, her laser never wavering from its
target, which was Tocsin. The scarred features of Forta Foundling came into view, never more beautiful
than at this instant. Only she, with her superlative powers of emulation, could have infiltrated this
bastion, but she had done it.
I was of course to receive credit for a strategy bordering on genius, because of this ploy. But I had not
known it was in the making. My women tend to do that to me; it is a type of conspiracy that seems
inherent in their nature. I don't suppose I have cause to object.
Tocsin stared at her. Now he knew he had lost. He was not the suicidal type; he always made the best
deal he could, in whatever circumstances existed. "Exile," he said.
So he would back down, in exchange for exile, which meant no trial, no direct punishment. He didn't
deserve it but if his guards obeyed him, he could still exchange his life for that of Forta and Hopie.
Two for one. It wasn't worth it to me. "Granted," I said.
"We await your ship," Tocsin said simply. He knew I would keep my word, however much it galled me.
He had lost the planet but preserved his freedom. I would arrange for him to be sent to the planet of his
choice, and that would be that. Meanwhile, I would soon be reunited with my secretary and my
daughter. That seemed as important to me, at this moment, as the conquest of worlds.
Chapter 19 MIDDLE KINGDOM
It was hours, but it seemed like a moment, and Forta and Spirit and Hopie were with me. I hugged each
in turn, then reverted to immediacies. "Why didn't you tell me about Roulette?" I demanded.
"You were asleep," Spirit said simply.
I looked at Rue. "They thought you would tell me," I accused her.
"Well, I meant to," she confessed. "But then I thought it would be more fun the other way."
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Forta raised a scarred brow. "He thought you were me?"
"For a time," Rue agreed.
"But the figure "
"She connived," I said.
Hopie caught on. "Forta emulates your former wives?"
"Something like that," I admitted, embarrassed.
"Only the crisis came before I could return," Spirit said. "And evidently as a surprise to you."
Because of Rue's bare bosom. "I didn't want anyone disconnecting early," Rue said.
"Nobody on the planet disconnected!" Spirit agreed. Then she got on to business. "I'll have to remain
here and organize for the production of self-receiver units; only Jupiter can do the job in time to match
the production already in progress elsewhere." She turned to me. "You'll have to go get Saturn settled."
"There shouldn't be any problem," I said. "They know I'm doing what's right."
"That was an act of genius, taking over Saturn too," my daughter said. "Now there can't be war between
the major planets."
I glanced at Rue. "Well, actually it wasn't "
"Of course it was," Rue said quickly. "It showed that the Tyrant is still the leader he used to be."
So she wanted me to take credit for her idea. Well, maybe that was best, politically. But I couldn't help
wondering whether I would have done it if Forta had been with me instead of Roulette. This
impersonation could have benefited me far more than just romantically. Rue had worked me over, her
way, but she had paid her way.
"I'll join you when I can," Spirit said.
She did. The consolidation of Jupiter and North Saturn took about a year, and the production of the self-
receiving units another two years. I went to Saturn with Forta, but first we dropped Doppie off at Earth.
Freed from her need to impersonate my sister, Doppie became herself, and then she really didn't
resemble Spirit much; her hair, clothing, and attitude differed. Before we parted, I took her out for a
social evening on Earth, and made it publicly clear that it was the Tyrant who was escorting her.
Actually it wasn't sex she wanted, just appreciation, so I kissed her and let it be understood that she was
my woman of the moment, providing her a notoriety that would carry through the rest of her life. I felt I
owed it to her, and it really was no chore. I was grateful to her for the service she had done us, and I
respected her as a person, and that really was enough. Partial as I have always been to youth and beauty
in women, I nevertheless respect personality more. Doppie understood that, and was satisfied.
We ran down the assassination plot. As suspected, it was a collaboration between Tocsin and the
nomenklatura of Saturn. Tocsin we could not touch; he was in South Saturn, where they still respected
him. But the nomenklatura we routed out and tried and executed. It was the justice of the Tyrant,
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