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smoothly. "In which case Mega-Metals could acquire the rest of the planet at a bargain basement price.
    "And, given the fact that the Emperor has seen fit to grant the corporation quasi-governmental powers where Angel's concerned, they have the means to make things quite uncomfortable. Like placing enormous duties on fertilizer for example. A substance the colonists need in order to be self-sufficient.
    "The company claims the duties are 'just compensation for the expense of protecting and administering the planet,' but that's little more than a legal fiction. Mega-Metals doesn't do anything on and around Angel that it wouldn't do anyway."
    "And there's something else," Wendy added, fingering the pin at her throat. "Have you heard of the Church of Free Choice?"
    Now Lando remembered where he'd seen Wendy's brooch. It was a symbol used by The Chosen, much like the Christian cross, or the Star of David.
    Like some other controversial religious groups, The Chosen had been featured on countless vid casts, and gradually acquired a reputation for quiet intransigence.
    On Lando's home planet of Ithro, The Chosen had refused to pay that portion of their taxes which went to defense, and many had been jailed as a result.
    Lando's father had referred to the situation as "damned foolishness," and Lando had been inclined to agree. As long as there were pirate raids, and the possibility of war with the alien Il Ronn, weapons were a necessary evil.
    But like most smugglers, Lando was anti-authoritarian to the core, and not very fond of the Establishment. Strange though The Chosen might be, Lando found that his sympathies lay with them rather than the corporation. He smiled.
    "Yes, of course. Your Church gets a good deal of publicity."
    Wendy's laugh was a pleasant surprise. "We get publicity all right… especially when our membership refuses to pay taxes. So you can imagine what sort of hearing we'd get at the Imperial Court on Terra. I can see the headlines now: 'The Chosen refuse taxes, but demand justice.'"
    There was silence for a moment as Lando sipped his coffee. "Okay, I think I've got the picture. But you failed to mention the most important thing."
    "What's that?" Wendy asked innocently.
    "Money," Troon answered smoothly. "Pik wants to know how you plan to pay him."
    "Oh that," Wendy said, as if money were nothing more than an unimportant detail. "Well, our supply of cash is somewhat limited, but we wondered if you'd considered a trade."
    Lando groaned internally. What could The Chosen possibly have that would interest him? He tried to look intrigued. "Oh? And what did you have in mind?"
    Wendy fumbled with an inside pocket and withdrew a holo cube. She handed it over. "This is what we have in mind— well, not the cube, but what it shows."
    Lando gave it a squeeze and the holo cube came to life. It showed a large industrial-type scale with something sitting on it. A rock or a boulder.
    Lando squeezed again. The previous shot dissolved to a close-up. The color was unmistakable. Gold… and a lot of it. He looked at Wendy. "Is that thing real?"
    Wendy nodded. "All sixty-nine pounds of it. Elder Perez found it while clearing his fields."
    Lando opened his mouth to ask a question but Wendy held up her hand. "No, we looked, and didn't find any more. But Lord help us if Mega-Metals finds out. They'll peel Angel like an orange."
    Lando did some mental arithmetic. At 650 Imperials per ounce, or 10,400 Imperials to the pound, the gigantic nugget would net around 717,600 Imperials. Assume some impurities, plus the costs involved in refining the stuff, and add normal overhead.
    He'd still clear a cool half million, and maybe more. Enough to buy a better ship with change left over. Assuming the nugget was real.
    Lando handed the cube to Wendy. "I'm tempted, but how do I know the nugget's real?"
    It was Troon who answered. "It's real, but I don't blame you for being cautious. I think this will put your fears at rest."
    So saying, the shipping