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roughly military formation: a huge cone, eighteen million miles along -its
axis. The cone was pointed by smaller towns unlikely to possess more than
purely defensive armament. Just behind the point, which was actually rounded
into a paraboloid like the head of a comet, the largest cities rode in the
body of the cone. These included the King's own town, but did not include the
"newcomer," which, despite its size, was flying far behind, roughly on the rim
of the cone-it was this positioning which made it possible for Amalfi's drone
to see almost the entire cone in the first place, for O'Brian's orders were to
keep the big sphere in view regardless of how much of the jungle he had to
sacrifice.
The main wall of the cone was made up mostly of medium-sized heavy-duty
cities, again unlikely to be heavily armed, but having the advantage of
mounting spindizzy equipment which oould be polarized to virtual opacity to
any attack but that of a battleship.
All in all, Amalfi thought, a sensible organization of the materials at hand.
It suggested power in reserve, plus considerable defensive ability, without at
the same time advertising any immediate intention to attack.
He settled the heavy viewing helmet more comfortably on his shoulders and laid
one hand on the balcony railing near the space stick. Simultaneously, a voice
rang in his ears.
"Earth Security Center calling the Cities," the voice said heavily. "You are
ordered to kill your velocity and remain where you are pending an official
investigation of your claims."
"Not bloody likely," the King's voice said, "You are further warned that
current Rulings in Council forbid any Okie city to approach Earth more closely
than ten light years. Current Rulings also forbid gatherings of Okie cities in
any numbers greater than four. However, we are empowered to tell you that this
latter Ruling will be set aside for the duration of the investigation,
provided that the approach limit is not crossed."
"We're crossing it," the King said. "You're going to take a good look at us.
We're not going to form another jungle out here-we didn't come this far for
nothing."
"Under such circumstances," the speaker at Earth Security continued, wittf the
implacable indifference of the desperate bureaucrat operating by the book,
"the law prescribes that participating cities be broken up. The full penalty
will be applijfed'in this case as in all cases."
"No it won't, either, any more than it is in ninety-four cases out of a
hundred. We're not a raiding force and we aren't threatening Earth with
anything but a couple of good loud beefs. We're here because we couldn't hope
for a fair deal any other way. All we want is justice."
"You've been warned."
"So have you. You can't attack us. You don't dare to. We're citizens, not
crooks. We want justice done us, and we're coming on in to see that it gets
done."
There was a sudden click as the City Fathers' Dirac scanner picked up a new
frequency. The new voice said: "Attention Police Command Thirty-two, Command
HQ speaking for Vice Admiral MacMillan. Blue alert; blue alert. Acknowledge."
Another click, this time to the frequency the King used to communicate with
the jungle.
"Pull up, you guys," the King said. "Hold formation, but figure to make camp
fifteen degrees north of the ecliptic, in the orbit of Saturn but about ten
degrees ahead of the planet. I'll give you the exact coordinates later. If
they won't dicker with us there, we'll move on to Mars and really throw a
scare into them. But we'll give them a fair chance."
"How do you know they'll give us a fair chance?" someone asked petulantly.
"Go back to the Acolytes if you can't take it here. Damned if I care."
Click.
"Hello Command HQ. Command Thirty-two acknowledging blue alert, for Commander
Eisenstein. Command Thirty-two blue alert."
Click.
"Hey, you guys at the base of the cone, pull up! You're piling up on us."
"Not in our tanks, Buda-Pesht."
"Look again, dammit. I'm getting a heavy mass-gain here---"
Click.
"Attention Police Command Eighty-three, Command
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