fire until the area below was a large puddle of
molten rock, two-thousand feet deep.
15 On board the two space ships and station, their Commanders, too,
realized the inevitable. Both ships dove into the nearest sun, while
the space station dropped its shields and ordered the ships around it
to carry out General Order 57.
16 In a blaze of beams it disappeared in a bright flash and with it two
thousand of The Fleet's finest Officers. News of the disaster spread
through The Empire like fire. There were sudden and unexpected
promotions to fill the sudden vacancies.
17 When Morn and North got their orders, they were shocked to find they
were both given command of leap cruisers in neighboring sectors! For
new graduates to be given such commands was almost unheard of!
18 The two graduates were overjoyed, yet they were somewhat saddened by
the circumstances that caused it. It was an unexpected boost, also, for
North's plans. None of HIS people had been at that particular
conference. As he now had operatives in Fleet Assignments, he was able
to get many of his rebels into important positions.
19 The plans were made for North's family to be transported to his duty
station while he went out to rendezvous with his vessel. Morn, too,
prepared to depart. But just before he was leaving, he received a
rather surprising letter. One of his Instructors in chemistry had been
very nice to Morn and had invited him on a couple of occasions, to
visit his home for supper. Morn had graciously accepted and the
Officer's young daughter had made much of him on those occasions,
serving the meals instead of her mother and catering to Morn's every
wish.
20 Now Morn received a letter from her. She had wanted to speak before,
she explained, or have her father speak for her. But while Morn was a
Cadet, her father had forbidden it. Now that he had graduated and been
assigned, her father considered it proper that she express her desires