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Humans’ claims. “But I will have to send home for clearance before we continue these talks.”
    “What?” Arn blew up yet again. “Didn’t your Galactic overlords even send someone empowered to treat with us? What sort of game do you think you’re playing?”
    “I was sent to treat with the Mer,” Jance tells them. “My job was to broker a new treaty with them. I have repeatedly told you that you have no known official status within the Alliance and so before I can discuss anything of substance with you, I must consult with my superiors.”
    “Yeah?” Arn asked nastily. “Well, when you do, you tell them we expect the first back payment on your Luna rent to be delivered before we start.”
    “No,” Jance shook his head. “We will pay nothing until the talks have been concluded.”
    “Possession of Luna and the matter of rent was already established,” Dannet reminded them all yet again.
    “Perhaps,” Jance replied, “and perhaps not. There is some question as to whether the acting governor had the ability to concede that monetary restitution was in order. That is something else that must be established before we procede.”
    “A governor is the voice of the Alliance in his territory,” Dannet argued.
    “True,” Jance allowed, “But Gount was only acting while Governor Therent was incapacitated. As acting governor, Gount was not appointed by the Confederation Diet and therefore did not have full gubernatorial powers.”
    “Since when?” Dannet challenged him.
    “This is an extraordinary situation, young man,” Jance told him calmly. “At such times only a duly appointed governor can make such concessions.”
    “I never heard that,” Dannet told him.
    “I imagine there is much a man your age has not heard,” Jance replied coldly and once more left the room without paying attention to the rounds of protests that erupted behind him.

Six
     
     
    “Dannet,” Park told the young man as they were preparing to return to Earth, “I really think you and your people ought to use this opportunity to go home. There are enough ships to take you all and we have no need for hostages.”
    “No,” Dannet disagreed. “It is only because we are your hostages that Jance is taking you so seriously. I can see that now even if I didn’t before.”
    “You call this taking us seriously?” Park laughed.
    “He came here, didn’t he?” Dannet countered. “He negotiated with you as well as the Mer, right?”
    “I’ll have to get back to you on that after I have conferred with my superiors,” Park replied in a perfect imitation of Jance.
    “Right,” Dannet grinned, “but we really should stay until this is settled, and besides, my ransom has not yet been paid.”
    “We don’t want ransom,” Park told him.
    “You would insult my father and family if you refused,” Dannet replied. “Oh, I understand by now that you don’t mean to, but that’s just the way it is.”
    “Sounds horribly medieval,” Park grumbled lightly. “Well, nothing new under the suns, huh? If that’s the case you’d better finish packing. Having stayed on board Trenisi , Iris and I are ahead of the rest of you there.”
    The trip back to Earth was uneventful although Park found the thrill of seeing the approaching planet never waned and he spent the trip as always on the bridge in what he called the “Captain Kirk Chair” which had been built for him, complete with a retractable cup-holder.
    “What next?” Arn asked Park a few hours later while Tina was still adjusting their orbit in preparation for the approach to Van Winkle Town.
    “I imagine we land and have dinner,” Park replied. “Would you and Patty like to come over? I have some grazer steaks in the freezer.”
    “Be serious,” Arn told him.
    “I wouldn’t invite you if I didn’t mean it,” Park replied. “Okay. The next step is to wait. Jance isn’t going to meet with us until there’s been enough time for his report to reach whatever central