He had assured her he would prepare the plans。 He had left her pacing up and down the room； pounding a fist in her palm and then shaking it in the air； swearing luridly in gutter English； vowing that if it was the last thing they ever did； they'd have to GET Gris！
The guard had been told to turn him loose and to admit him to the palace any time he called。
Madison； in the lower washroom； got into his clothes。 He was trembling with relief。
Earlier； when he had been sitting in the hall； scanning through everything he had heard her say； a line from an Earth playwright had leaped up； and oh； was Madison glad that he remembered his Shakespeare。 〃Hell hath no fury like a woman kicked in the teeth。〃 It had given him his SPLENDID idea and it had worked。
Tonight he had escaped death thrice！ Once at the hands of Teenie； again from the threat of being unfaithful to his mother； the third and the far more important one of being wiped out by the deadly Bury。
With Teenie's influence； cleverly working step by step； he could now get on with his job。
Heller； he thought； here I e！
The universe will never again see such magnificent and skillful PR as would now occur！
He had to be clever； he had to be careful； he had to advance step by step。 BUT HE WOULD GET THERE！
PR was the one weapon against which there was no defense。 Oh； there were pitfalls on the way that would yawn。 But； in gleeful confidence； Madison strode into the Voltar night。
Chapter 3
Across another night； twenty…two and more light…years away； Heller was talking on a viewer…phone in his New York office to Prahd on another one in the hospital in Afyon； Turkey。 There was no problem in being overheard： the viewer…phone operated on a time…skip at the topmost quiver of energy bands and Earth was far from being up to that technology。
The subject of the conversation also involved time。 〃You can't rush these things；〃 said Prahd。 〃I've told you all this before； sir。〃
〃But he DID speak；〃 said Heller。 〃When I entered the room at the palace； as soon as he was aware someone was there； he opened his eyes and spoke。 He even recognized what I was。〃
〃When you got to him；〃 said Prahd； 〃he must have been on the tag end of an amphetamine dose。 It was keeping him conscious。 Some time before that； the quantities of speed he was being given must have set him up for a cerebral hemorrhage； because that's what he's got。 Speed wrecks the central nervous system and he has had it。〃
〃You mean he won't recover consciousness？〃 said Heller。
〃Look； I'm doing all I can to hold on to this sudden elevation to King's Own Physician。 I'm doing all I can to rebuild the nerves and vessels； but you don't seem to understand。 It's the central nervous system！ It's going to take months。〃
〃So long？〃 said Heller。
〃I'm being optimistic。 Did you know it takes a day of therapy for every day of use anyone has been on speed？ I don't know how long they had him on it。 Could have been years！〃
〃What you're telling me is that he won't e around soon。〃
〃I think I finally got my point across； sir。 Of course； I could bring him around so he'd be alert a bit with some amphetamine； but that would then kill him。〃
〃We don't want THAT！〃 said Heller。 〃pletely aside from our duty to protect him； it would be a rotten thing to do just to get our own heads off the block with a signed order。 Skip any idea of it。 We'll take our chances。〃
〃I didn't mean it as an out；〃 said Prahd。
〃Well； don't think of it at all；〃 said Heller。 〃You and I are quite expendable。 He isn't。 So you just go on doing what you're doing。 Can you switch me over to my lady？〃
The face of the Countess Krak appeared on Heller's screen。 She threw him a kiss and then said； 〃Hello； dear。 It's just like Prahd said。 He's just lying there in fluid； rebuilding。 There's absolutely nothing going on。〃
〃I know；〃 said Heller。
〃I told them to build up defenses here。〃
Heller shrugged。 〃All right。 But I don't think anybody will e。 Ghoul…face doesn't know we came here。 I've been giving this some thought and it's almost funny that he'd issue a general warrant for me： they're questionable on a Royal officer…courts usually just throw them out。 It would take a Royal warrant and he just plain can't get one issued。 It would have to be signed by the person who's lying there unconscious。 Actually； Ghoul…face must be having fits。 There was no mention of His Majesty on that broadcast and I don't think Hisst will admit he's gone。 If he were to do so； the whole Confederacy would go into chaos。 There is no heir： the other Royal princes are dead and Mortiiy is forbidden succession for starting a revolt。 The Grand Council would have to have a body before they would proclaim Cling dead。 So all Lombar can do is blunder around trying to locate me。 He's only got the Apparatus； a small force。 The Fleet and Army won't cooperate on the basis of just a general warrant on me。 The Fleet would laugh at him。 The 'drunk' is on the spot。 If he doesn't dare admit I have the Emperor； then I can't think of anything he could say or do to get people incensed against me。 He's only got the Apparatus and I'm not afraid of 'drunks。' So I quit worrying。〃
〃Dear； could you be being too calm？〃 said the Countess。
〃That's my profession；〃 said Heller。 〃Keeping calm。〃
〃I've seen you overdo it。〃
〃What's being overdone right now；〃 said Heller； 〃is our separation。 It's silly you sitting there alongside a fluid tub while I'm having all the fun。 I've got an AWFUL lot of things to neaten up and I can't possibly get away from here。 So I had Bury contact the air force and they'll be sending a new Boeing Mach 3 Raider for you。 They take off and land vertically and can put down in Afyon。〃
〃WHO？〃 said the Countess Krak。
〃A Boeing；〃 said Heller。 〃All the airlines are messed up trying to get back into operation and their backlogs are awful。 You'll be only three hours in flight。 I'll have you met at La Guardia。〃
〃I mean BURY！〃 said the Countess； still in shock。
〃Oh； he works for us now。 I forgot to mention it。 But it's someone else I want you to meet。 You'll like her。〃
〃HER？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Heller。 〃We need her permission to get engaged。〃
〃WHAT？〃
〃Look； your clothes are still in the condo； so don't bring much。 Now that I have verified there is no sense in your staying there； I'll tell the Boeing to take off。 It'll be there about 2：00 P。 M。； your time。 The Silver Spirit will bring you to the condo and you'll be in time to powder your nose and have a lovely lunch。〃
〃Wait a minute； Jettero。 You've got me all in a spin。〃
〃They better not spin or we'll court…martial the whole air force。 Wear your best smile。 Tell you all about it when I see you。 Love you。 Bye…bye。〃
〃Jettero；〃 wailed the Countess Krak； 〃do you think your estimate of this situation is safe？〃
But he had clicked off and the screen was dead。
Chapter 4
An amazed Countess Krak had been saluted on both sides of the world； had been set down to 〃all runways cleared〃 at La Guardia； had not even gone through immigration or customs； and had been rushed； sirens screaming； with an escort of six New York motorcycle police； straight to the condo。
She had managed to slip by the beaming Balmor and； despite the tears and sobbings of an overjoyed lady's maid； was able to change her clothes and get neatened up。
Now as she entered the luncheon salon； she was promptly all messed up again by the hugs and kisses of a smartly uniformed Jettero。
The place was crammed with flowers； the tables groaned with food and strains of triumphal music shook the chandeliers。
Izzy； Bang…Bang and Twoey were clutching at her hands； bowing and beaming in adoring wele。
There was a one…foot stack of something on the table before her chair； and when she tried to sit down； the stack tipped over and cascaded into her lap and all over the floor。 Credit cards！ Of every possible pany and they all said 〃Heavenly Joy Krackle；〃 and the Bonbucks Teller one was in a blue orchid corsage。 She was trying to put the corsage on when Balmor and two footmen came in with an enormous gold frame。
It wasn't for her。
They put it on an easel。 It was some kind of parchment apparently printed by special run。 It was a banner headline of the New York Grimes and just one story。 It said：
NO DECLARATION！
LEADERSHIP OF
PRESIDENT