“One eye,” Reich muttered. “Two eyes. Tension, apprehension, and dissension have begun.”

“What?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know. I’ve had a rough time the last month. Maybe… Maybe you’re right. But—”

“You want to go to Kingston?”

“No!”

“You want to stay here and mope about them stars?”

Abruptly, Reich shouted: “What the hell do I care about the stars!” His fear turned to hot rage. Adrenalin flooded his system, bringing with it a surge of courage and high spirits. He leaped into the cab. “I’ve got the world. What do I care if a few delusions go with it?”

“That’s the way, Mac. Where to?”

“The Royal Palace.”

“The which?”

Reich laughed. “Monarch,” he said, and roared with laughter all the flight through the dawn to Monarch’s soaring tower. But it was a semi-hysterical laughter.

The office ran around-the-clock shifts, and the night staff was in the last drowsy stages of the 12-8 shift when Reich bustled in. Although they had not seen much of him in the past month, the staff was accustomed to these visits, and shifted smoothly into high gear. As Reich went to his desk he was followed by secretaries and sub-secretaries carrying the urgent agenda of the day.

“Let all that wait,” he snapped. “Call in the entire staff… all department heads and organizational supervisors. I’m going to make an announcement.”

The flutter soothed him and recaptured his frame of reference. He was alive again, real again. All this was the only reality… the hustle, the bustle, the annunciator bells, the muted commands, the quick filling of his office with so many awed faces. All this was a preview of the future when bells would ring on planets and satellites and world supervisors would scuttle to his desk with awe on their faces.

“As you all know,” Reich began, pacing slowly and darting piercing glances into the faces that watched him, “We of Monarch have been locked in a death-struggle with the D’Courtney Cartel. Craye D’Courtney was killed some time ago. There were complications that have just been ironed out. You’ll be pleased to hear that the road is open for us now. We can commence operation of Plan AA to take over the D’Courtney Cartel.”

He paused, waiting for the excited murmur that should respond to his announcement. There was no response.

“Perhaps,” he said, “some of you do not comprehend the size of the job and the importance of the job. Let me put it this way… in terms you’ll understand. Those of you that are city supervisors will become continental supervisors. Continental supervisors will become satellite chiefs. Present satellite chiefs will become planetary chiefs. From now on, Monarch will dominate the solar system. From now on all of us must think in terms of the solar system. From now on…”

Reich faltered, alarmed by the blank looks around him. He glanced around, then singled out the chief secretary. “What the hell’s the matter?” he growled. “There been news I haven’t heard yet? Bad news?”