“My name is Aladoree Anthar.
I had the secret from my father, six years ago, before he died.
I had to give up the life that I had planned, and make a very solemn promise.
“The Purples, of course, have known about AKKA from the first.
Endlessly they have conspired and bribed and murdered to get possession of it for themselves.
With it, they’d be supreme, forever.
Now I think Eric Ulnar has come to take it!”
“You must trust Eric!” protested John Star.
“Why, he’s the famous explorer—and the nephew of the Commander of the Legion!”
“That’s why I think we’re betrayed.”
“Why, I don’t see———”
“Ulnar,” she said, “was the family name of the Emperors.
Eric Ulnar, I believe, is the direct heir, the pretender to the throne.
I don’t trust him, or his scheming, plotting uncle———”
“Adam Ulnar, scheming, plotting!”
John Star was outraged.
“You call the Commander that?”
“I do!
I think he used his wealth and influence to become Commander, so he could find where I am hidden.
He sent Eric here!
That ship, last night, brought the traitor reinforcements, and a way to escape with me!”
“Impossible!” gasped John Star.
“Vors, perhaps, and Kimplen.
But not Eric!”
“He’s the leader.”
Her voice was cold with certainty.
“Eric Ulnar slipped out of the fort last night.
He was gone two hours.
I think he went to communicate with his allies on the ship.”
“Eric Ulnar is a hero and an officer of the Legion.”
“I would trust no man named Ulnar!”
“My name is Ulnar.”
“Your name—Ulnar,” she whispered, shocked.
“You’re kin———”
“I am.
I owe my commission to the Commander’s generosity.”
“Then I see,” she said bitterly, “why you are here!”
“You are mistaken about Eric,” he insisted.
“Just remember,” she whipped out furiously, “that you are a traitor to the Green Hall!
That you are destroying all liberty and happiness!”
With that she whirled and ran back down the old stone stairs.
He stared after her, breathless and disconcerted.
Even though he had defended Eric, he was left with a haunting doubt.
Vors and Kimplen he mistrusted deeply.
The proximity of the strange ship had alarmed him.
And he was very sorry, just now, that he had lost the confidence of Aladoree Anthar.
It would make her harder to protect —and, besides, he liked her!
Eric Ulnar met him when he came back to the court, and told him with a grim, sardonic smile:
“It appears, John, that Captain Otan was murdered during the night.
We’ve just found his body in his room.”