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her square face. Beyond doubt Dame Clytie was a forceful person, though perhaps deficient in frivolity. “I too confess to curiosity. What is the emergency which brings you so dramatically to Stroma?”
    Egon Tamm responded that all would soon be clarified; further, he hoped that she would find his statements interesting.
    Dame Clytie gave a disdainful grunt, started to turn away, stopped short and pointed to the clock. “Are you not due at the Council Hall? The emergency would not seem to be so urgent if you are able to loiter here in the Spaceman’s Rest tippling with your cronies.”
    Egon Tamm looked at the clock. “Quite right! I am grateful for the advice!” With Warden Ballinder, Bodwyn Wook, Glawen and the others, Egon Tamm repaired to the Council Hall, at the eastern end of the third level. He paused in the ante-chamber and looked into the hall, where the notables of Stroma stood in small groups, conferring with each other. All wore the garments of conventional formality: long full-skirted black jackets, tight black trousers, long pointed black shoes. He turned to Warden Ballinder. “I see no sign of Julian Bohost.”
    “Julian is still off on his travels. No one misses him overmuch, save possibly Dame Clytie.”
    The two men continued into the hall. Egon Tamm showed a bleak smile. “My daughter Wayness saw something of Julian on Earth. His conduct was not the best, and she has nothing good to say of him.”
    “I’m not surprised, and I very much hope that he stays on Earth, since I prefer his absence to his company.”
    Dame Clytie, who had just entered the hall, searched out Egon Tamm and marched across the room to stop directly in front of the two men. “If you are indulging in casual pleasantries, I will contribute my share and express my pleasure at seeing the Conservator in such robust health, though unaccountably absent from his post of duty. If, however, you are exchanging information pertaining to public matters, I wish to be included in the conversation.”
    Egon Tamm said politely: “Our talk so far has dealt only with trifles; in fact, I had just inquired after your nephew Julian.”
    Julian is hardly a trifle. In any case, the question more properly should have been put to me.”
    Egon Tamm laughed. “Surely I may speak to Warden Ballinder without your prior permission?”
    “Let us not bandy words, if you please. Why are you here?”
    “I have come to make an announcement.”
    “I suggest, then, that you discuss this announcement with me and the other wardens, so that it may be modified, if necessary, by our wise input.”
    “We have gone over this ground before,” said Egon Tamm. “You are not a Warden and you have no official standing of any kind.”
    “Not so!” thundered Dame Clytie. “I was elected by a substantial vote, and I represent a definite constituency.”
    “You were elected by folk who had no franchise. The most that you can say is that you were voted an official of the LPF social club. If you think otherwise, you are embracing an illusion.”
    Dame Clytie showed a small grin. “The LPF is not utterly toothless.”
    “I will not argue the case,” said Egon Tamm, “since it is now moot.”
    “That is utter bosh!” declared Dame Clytie. “I have it on good authority that both the original Grant and the Charter are lost, so that you have not so much as a wisp of legitimacy.”
    “You are misinformed,” said Egon Tamm.
    “Am I so?” Dame Clytie chuckled. “Inform me, then.”
    “Certainly. My daughter Wayness has just returned from Earth. She tells me that Julian had gained possession of the original Grant and the original Charter.”
    Dame Clytie stared incredulously. “Is this a fact?”
    “It is indeed!”
    “Then that is very good news!”
    “I thought that you would take it as such,” said Egon Tamm. “But there is more to the story. He was allowed these only after they had been superseded by a new Grant and a new Charter, which are currently in