〃Did you set Gris up some way？〃 pursued Madison。
Lombar was still laughing。 Finally he said； 〃If I were ever accused of anything； nothing could be proved。 Every order that ever went to Blito…P3； every shipment that ever came from there； bears only the name of Soltan Gris。 He stamped his life away！〃
〃Then you wouldn't mind if Gris came to trial？〃
〃What's a trial got to do with it？〃
Madison said； 〃A trial that was public； that was reported in the media。 Blow by blow。〃
〃That's a funny idea。〃
〃You can even try him first in the media and then he's certain to be found guilty in the court。 That's the proper way to do these things。〃
〃How strange。〃
〃You'd emerge the hero；〃 said Madison。 〃It would help build your image。〃
〃Oh； trials have nothing to do with this；〃 said Hisst； suddenly looking angry。 〃My problem is how to get the Army and Fleet cooperating。〃
〃Is that very vital？〃 said Madison。
〃He asks me if that's vital；〃 Lombar asked an invisible spectator who wasn't there。 〃I'd have to withdraw the whole Apparatus from Calabar to invade Earth。 At least the Army and Fleet could take over there！〃
〃You need the cooperation of the Army and Fleet；〃 said Madison。 〃I CAN GET THEM FOR YOU！〃
Lombar stopped。 Finally he said； 〃How？〃
〃Let me have all the files and witnesses on Gris。 I will get him into the press and on trial。 Then I will get him to accuse Heller。 It can be done so that the whole Army and Fleet will go chasing after Heller like mad dogs！〃
〃Really？〃
Madison took the clipping book he had been carrying。 He flopped it open on the desk before Lombar。 〃These stories are just trial balloons。 I wrote every one。 They'll print anything I issue。 All I have to do is use the media； and the Army and the Fleet will be in your hands！〃
Lombar was staring at the book； leafing through it。 〃They are publishing what you say？〃
〃I control the media of the Confederacy。 It's just a tool。 I can use it to whip up a storm that will give you all the support you will ever need for anything you want to do。 I can mold public opinion like it was clay！ And that is the key to all your projects。〃
〃Miraculous！〃 said Lombar； still staring at the book。 〃Crobe？ A hero？〃 Yet here were touched…up pictures of Crobe； front page！ Laudatory！ Paper after paper！
〃There； you see？ And that's just an exercise to try my muscle。 A nothing。〃
〃Madison； if you can make them think that that demented old criminal is a hero； then it should be no difficulty at all to make a deserving； preselected man like me。。。〃
〃An emperor；〃 Madison finished for him。
Hisst's yellow eyes grew round and then began to glow。 He stood up； towering over Madison a foot。 He took one of Madison's hands in his and stroked it。 Then he turned and bawled toward the door； 〃CHIEF CLERK！ GIVE THIS MAN MADISON EVERYTHING HE WANTS！ EVERYTHING； YOU UNDERSTAND； OR I WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD！〃
Chapter 4
Outside the sun had almost set。 The square was nearly deserted and the Model 99 looked lonely in the rubble。
Madison handed Cun an enormous stack of printouts； gave Flick an address card and got in。
〃You had us worried；〃 said Flick as he got the Model 99 moving。 〃Cun was talking to the driver of that general's tank beside us： he said that was the whole Apparatus General Staff in there planning a full…scale invasion。 When he said 'Blito…P3' we flipped！ Ain't that the planet you're from？〃
Madison was lost in thought and did not reply。
〃Now； I'm from Calabar；〃 said Flick。 〃All that war over there worries me。 They slaughter whole towns； butcher the kids； rape the women； burn the lot。 I should think your hair was standing on end thinking of the Apparatus invading your planet。〃
〃Oh； war is just war；〃 said Madison in a bored voice。 〃I'm a PR man。 Most wars are started by PRs。 So what's there to be excited about？〃
〃Listen to that； Cun；〃 said Flick。 〃What a cool one！ But I guess that kind of attitude goes along with being a murderer。 And speaking of murder； get your stinger out； Cun。 This neighborhood we're moving into is a perfect 'X marks the spot。'〃
They pulled up before a place that was more fallen down than standing： the reek of garbage assailed their noses。 Madison walked up some steps at the risk of a broken ankle and banged on a door。
A man with two tufts of gray hair standing out on either side of his head poked his nose out。 〃Go away。 I've just this minute gotten home。 I'm entitled to a little peace。〃
〃Is your name Bawtch？〃 said Madison。
Bawtch tried to close the door but Madison's foot was in it。 〃I've e to you for information about a man named Gris。〃
〃GRIS！ Get out of here！〃
〃He's in the Royal prison；〃 said Madison； 〃laughing at you all。 I'm trying to get him brought to trial。〃
〃e in！〃 said Bawtch。
For a revelatory half an hour； Madison； in Bawtch's best chair； listened entranced。 〃So then；〃 he finally said； 〃I could count on you as a character witness。〃
〃I'd walk across the Great Desert just for a chance to testify；〃 said Bawtch。
〃And if I asked you to give a lecture on him； you'd talk？〃 said Madison。
〃Indeed I would；〃 said Bawtch。 〃Now； thinking this over； I can give you a couple names。 They're just down the street。〃 He wrote an address and handed it across。
At the door； Bawtch shook him emotionally by the hand。 〃Count on me； Madison。〃
They rolled around the corner and down a hill。 They halted before a very decayed boarding house…For Gentlemen Officers； it said on a twisted sign。
A harsh…faced woman came to the door。 Madison had learned his lesson： 〃I'm here to get you to help me hang Gris。 I presume your name is Meeley。 You were once his landlady。〃
〃To help you hang。。。〃 She whirled suddenly and yelled in the direction of the kitchen。 〃SKE！ E OUT HERE！ WE'RE IN LUCK！ SOMEBODY WANTS TO HANG GRIS！〃
Madison found himself in a parlor； drinking hot jolt。 He listened while Ske； Gris's old driver； poured out his tale of woe； interrupted with curses and tales of woe of her own by Meeley。 He gathered that Gris had given them both counterfeit bills and had they tried to pass them they would have been executed。 But； knowing Gris； instead they had gone straight to the Finance Police with plaints of their own。 Their bitterness against Gris had bound them close together。
Oh； yes； they'd testify at any trial。 Gladly； gladly； gladly！ At a lecture？ Well； they were not really very presentable but they'd be only too glad to say anything Madison wanted。
Smiling like a toother that was all set to snap up his prey； Madison returned to the townhouse in Joy City。 He ignored dinner。 There was no time for that。 He called his whole staff together。
He stood upon the platform in the briefing room。 He stood very tall。
〃Loyal and hard working staff；〃 he said； 〃this is a milestone。 At times PR finds itself on a pinnacle。 We are about to influence the courses of empires。 We are about to direct the very destiny of the stars。 Now listen closely。〃
Chapter 5
Two days later； a very select audience of ninety women sat in the lecture hall on the eightieth floor of the townhouse； conscious that they were being especially favored by an invitation to this highly educational lecture by the famous Doctor Crobe。
They were also conscious； but this was never mentioned； that if they didn't cooperate； they would never again get another chance to 〃get cured〃 at Relax Island。 Also…although this； too； was never even hinted at…if they weren't agreeable； somebody might forget to renew their free supply of pot。
What was discussed amongst themselves and to others quite freely was that； as members of high society； they had a positive duty to use their positions…and their husbands…to do good。 It didn't have a spoken name but they were all members of a very exclusive club made up entirely of those fortunate enough to have been 〃enlightened〃 at Relax Island。
Madison had had a little trouble with Crobe。 He had sneaked an extra dose of LSD into himself outside his rationing and two roustabouts had had to stand him up in alternate hot and cold showers to bring him around。
He stood now on the lecture platform； aware that he would get a small jolt through his hidden electric collar if he goofed up； and steadied himself against the desk。
〃Ladies；〃 he said； repeating what the ear speaker told him to； 〃you are aware that as the chosen inn