12-Upjohn’s answering whisper must have been audible to
every man there.
‘The briefing said nothing about a second inhabited
planet,” the Consort said, a little peevishly. “But then
there’s very little we do know about this systemthat’s
part of our trouble. What makes you think it’s a colony?”
“A colony from Calle, not one of ours,” Hammer said,
in more or less normal tones; evidently he had decided
against trying to keep only half of the discussion private.
“The electromagnetic ‘noise’ from both planets has the same
spectrumthe energy level, the output, is higher on Calle,
that’s all. That means similar machines being used in similar
ways. And let me point out, Your Excellency, that the outer
planet is in opposition to Calle now, which will put it
precisely in our rear if we complete this maneuver.”
“When we complete this maneuver,” 12-Upjohn said
firmly. “Is there any evidence of communication between
the two planets?”
Hammer frowned. “No,” he admitted.
“Then we’ll regard the colonization hypothesis as unproved
and stand ready to strike back hard if events prove us
wrong. I think we have a sufficient force here to reduce
three planets like Calle if we’re driven to that pitch.”
Hammer grunted and resigned the argument. Of course it
was quite possible that 12-Upjohn was right; he did not lack
for experiencein fact, he wore the Silver Barring, as the
most-traveled Consort of State ever to ride the Standing
Wave. Nevertheless Oberholzer repressed a sniff with difficulty.
Like all the military, he was a colonial; he had never seen