Blish,James – And all the Stars a Stage

“Yerrow Warming Ome,” the voice rasped. “Arr hamds. Arr hands.”

He fled, and the bulkhead was secured behind him by willing, shaking hands.

“Great Ghost,” someone quavered. “What … what is that?”

He did not answer for a few minutes. He could not have spoken had he wanted

to.

“The armorer,” he croaked at last.

“That!s Prin Tober,” Kasi said in a bushed voice. “I’ve called her,

Father.”

“Call her again. Tell her to bring a flame-thrower.”

“Jorn-” Ailiss said hesitantly.

“Yes. Now it’s up to you, Ailiss.”

“No, no, I-I just wanted to ask a question. My me?’

“Because you’re in command now. Ertak’s dead, the doctor’s dead, the

stand-by captain died on Salt Flats, Kamblin’s dead. That leaves you.”

‘Absolutely not,” Ailiss said, sounding a little surer of herself. “I

relinquish it, formally and officially. I Will not be in command over my own

husband-not at my age.”

“Well,” Jorn said drily, “since I’m the last other officer, I’m getting at

least one order from you: Take over. All right. Where’s that girl?”

“Here, Director,” a voice at his right said. He was still too deeply in

shock to take more than marginal notice of the title. He was a little too

old now to be tickled by such gauds, anyhow. He was even less able to

notice how completely, in only half a century, the last faint traces of the

Matriarchy had vanished.

He looked the girl over, bearing in mind that she had not seen what still

awaited them inside the Diree-

176 James Blish

tor’s cabin. She was sturdy, flat-footed, straight-haired, and her gaze was