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〃That's Spiteos。 The camp is called Camp Endurance on the maps but the real name is Camp Kill。 If the Apparatus gets unhappy with you； they send you there to be thrown into that chasm。 It's a mile deep。 You're in the Apparatus now。 By the way； what was your crime？〃
〃I haven't mitted any crimes！〃 said Madison。
〃Oh； space gas！〃 said Flick。 〃If I'm going to have to drive for you； we might as well open our coats。 I was one of the best thieves on Calabar until I got caught and sentenced to death and the Apparatus grabbed me。 And here I been ever since。 You must have done something。〃
Madison thought fast。 He did not want a bad image with his driver。 〃I failed to finish a job；〃 he said。 And then he knew for sure that this strange planet was rattling him： he had told somebody the truth。 He better watch it！
The driver laughed。 〃Well； if you don't cut their throats when you get a chance； they'll catch up with you sooner or later。 I think you and me will get along just great。〃
Heavens； the fellow had catalogued him as a murderer！ Hastily he changed the subject。 〃What are those mountains over there to our right？ I can't even see their tops。〃
〃Them's the Blike Mountains。 Fifty thousand feet。 We can't fly over them。 Not in this junk heap。 Where we're headed is right down there。〃
The driver was pointing。
NOTHING！
No； it was a sort of greenish mist。
They were diving so fast toward that mist he knew they would crash！ Oh； to e this far and not even have an obituary：
Madison dead。。。
Then suddenly he was nauseated。 It was a strange feeling。 So this was how it was to die。 Maybe the shock of the crash was so awful he had started for heaven at once。
No； he was going through a gate！
Round buildings were glittering on every hand； bathed in a greenish light。 What strange structures！ They had round staircases； jewels everywhere。 Huge； expansive grounds with enormous； lifelike statues painted in natural colors。 The giants were surrounded by round pools and flower beds。 A glittering sign pointed across a grassy circle。 It said Royal Chambers。
SUDDENLY HE SAW TEENIE！
She was in a sackcloth dress； filthy with mud from head to foot。 Her ponytail was undone。
Oh； he knew she'd e a cropper。 Here she was a slave。 Two old gnarled men were beside her； also grubbing away。 An Apparatus guard with what must be a rifle was standing by。
She had an implement in her hand。 Madison's car was skidding along five feet off the ground and it went close by her。 She was just standing up； placing her muddy palm against her obviously aching back。 SHE SAW HIM！
Then he was by her。 Oh； she must have done something awful； to assign her to filthy manual labor。 The knight…errant rose in him。 〃Never mind； Teenie；〃 he whispered； 〃I'll rescue you if I can。〃
They stopped in front of a huge； jewelled building with twin curving stairs you could have marched a regiment down。
Two tough…looking officers in black rushed up。
〃Delivering J。 Walter Madison；〃 said Flick。
〃In the name of seven Devils；〃 said one； 〃where have you been？ The old （bleep） is tearing his toenails out waiting for you！ Get the Hells up those stairs！ Guard； guard！ Shove this guy through to the chief； triple pace！〃
Hefty hands seized Madison on either arm and propelled him up the stairs and into a corridor at a dead run。
The fatal moment had arrived。 J。 Walter Madison was about to meet Lombar Hisst。
I have dwelt upon it at length； for it was a moment which would mean much to Voltar's history and Jettero Heller。 And； dear reader； I assure you； not for the good of either！
Chapter 2
On every hand the pomp of millennia rose： the golden ropes curved in intricate patterns along jewelled friezes depicting parades and battles down the ages； the glowering eyes of long…dead monarchs frowned at Madison as he went along the curving hall。 The consciousness reached him that he was dealing with power ensconced in the awesome traditions of history far longer than man； on Earth； had even known how to use an axe of stone。
He was rushed at length into a huge circular room； jewelled and glittering。 It was the antechamber of the Emperor's sleeping quarters。
On the other side of it； a huge desk； carved from a single block of onyx； seemed to be barring a door。 All around the desk； machines and equipment had been set up to make an impromptu office。
At the desk sat a huge man； rather swarthy； an odd sheen on his skin。 He was dressed in a scarlet uniform； corded round with gold。 His eyes had a crazy light。
LOMBAR HISST！
The guards had dumped Madison in the center of the room。 Not one to be overly impressed by the trappings of the mighty； Madison straightened up his clothes； picked a bit of imaginary lint from his lapel and sauntered forward。
Without preliminary； Hisst said； 〃Is Rockecenter all right？〃
Madison weighed up the situation。 There was concern and worry； not hostility； in Hisst's voice。 〃Well；〃 said Madison； 〃he was the last time I talked to him。〃
〃You were close to him； then？〃 said Hisst。
Any unease Madison felt； he did not show。 He was asking himself how good Voltar intelligence was： Did they know the true situation？ That Rockecenter would have Madison's head for failing and running away？ He saw what appeared to be a TV screen flickering away： How fast were munications between this place and Earth？ He decided he would take a chance。 He would name…drop。 〃Oh； yes；〃 he said； careful to sound bored。 〃I handled delicate things for him： telling the prime minister of England or the president of the United States what to think； things like that。 My account was several million dollars a year。〃
〃What a salary！〃 said Hisst。 〃You must have been very valuable to him。〃
〃Well； he often said there were a lot of things only I could handle。 I was his top PR man。〃
Hisst frowned。 This is what the investigators had run into and hadn't solved。 〃What is this thing you call PR？〃
〃Well；〃 said Madison； 〃I noticed； talking around； you don't have a very good image。〃
Hisst looked angry。 〃Nothing wrong with my image！ I'm six foot three inches tall。 I weigh 271 pounds … 〃
〃No； no；〃 said Madison。 〃The way people think of you。 The image of you other people carry in their minds。〃
〃Huh！〃 snorted Hisst。 〃Is it important how I am thought of by the riffraff？〃
〃Well； yes； it is；〃 said Madison。 〃I have heard that you are the virtual ruler of Voltar。〃
〃Well； of course I am！ I can see that what these （bleeped） Lords think of me could matter。 But what does the riffraff have to do with it？〃
〃Well； you see； PR means 'public relations；' though the letters don't add up to that in Voltarian。 The Lords and the riffraff are different publics。 But if you don't have the right image； they could rise up and kill you。〃
Hisst frowned。 He was thinking that could very well happen anyway。 They were all against him。
Madison saw the frown。 〃You know； Mr。 Hisst； I was very close to Rockecenter。 I call him 'Rockie' and he calls me 'Mad。' Many a time； late at night； he used to slip his shoes off and put his feet on his desk and； over a panionable Scotch and soda； he'd confide in me。 He trusted me when he really wanted something。 I was； so to speak； his most intimate confidence man。 I think it's time we opened our coats。 Is there something you desire more tha