Battlefield Earth

“Ah,” said Lord Dom, “he is invoking Clause 41, responsibilities of the planet responsible for assembling emissaries.”

“Ah,” said Fowljopan. “Then you ca

A Chinese guard was ru

“Under Clause 41,” said Jo

Lord Dom looked at Fowljopan.

Fowljopan shook his head. “All that can be arranged, per Clause 19, is a temporary suspension of hostilities where warfare threatens the physical safety of a conference.”

“Good!” said Jo

Lord Schleim simply spat at them.

They were wrapping him in chains now. Somebody had found a spare filter in the hamper and replaced the shattered ones over his eyes so he could see. They had him on the ground and he looked like a huge coil of hoist chain. Only his face was visible now. His lips were drawn back and nothing but hisses were coming out of him.

Jo

Lord Dom accidentally solved it before Jo

This was the bit of grass that Schleim had been wriggling to get. “On that condition, and if the captain of that fleet up there will forego his piratical venture and follow my orders, give me the radio.”

It was promptly shoved to his mouth by a Jo

Schleim looked at the faces above him. When Jo

Some prearrangement or regulation must be going into effect up there in space. Rogodeter Snowl's voice came back through the scepter, “It is my duty to inquire whether the emissary of Tolnep is under any physical threat or duress.”

They looked at each other. It was obvious that Tolnep naval regulations covered such sudden and otherwise inexplicable orders.

Schleim, wrapped to the chin in heavy, mine-hoist chain, smiled. “May I speak to him again?”

“Tell him to comply at once!” said Jo

Again, Schleim said exactly what Jo

Rogodeter Snowl's voice came back, “I can only comply if I am assured that the personal safety of the emissary of Tolnep is guaranteed and that the conference promises to return him unharmed to the planet Tolnep."

Fowljopan said to Lord Dom, “It simply precludes execution.”

“By Clause 42,” said Lord Browl, “a trial can still be held. It is quite normal.

I move we guarantee this emissary's safe return as a personal matter. All those in favor?”

The ayes came back, unanimous this time.

Fowljopan was looking around. “Where is...where is...?”

The small gray man appeared among them. He took the scepter from Jo

Snowl's voice came back: “Thank you, Your Excellency. Please inform the emissaries that I will honor a temporary suspension of hostilities and at this moment am withdrawing to an orbit clear of this and all Combat areas. End transmission.”

Jo

“Ah,” said Fowljopan. He thought. “We have no guarantee that only Tolnep ships were up there. It would be irregular for these others not to agree.”

But the Bolbod, Drawkin, Hawvin, and other combatant lords were pointing at Sir Robert who was standing outside the ops room.

“We agree!” shouted Sir Robert with an expression of disgust for their delays.

The combatant emissaries started to look around for communication facilities. A mob of communicators with mikes rushed out and almost knocked them down.

With a spatter and batter of many tongues, the other combatants ordered a temporary suspension of hostilities for all their ships.

Good god, thought Jo

And who was this small gray man who exerted such power over them? Where did he fit in? Who was he? What would he want out of all this? Another threat?

Chapter 9

The emissaries were dragging Schleim off when Quong, Sir Robert's Buddhist communicator, ran up to Jo

“Sir Robert asks me to tell you,” whispered the boy, “that there will be a sudden exodus in a moment and not to be alarmed. They have been working it out in ops for the past half-hour and the orders are being issued this instant. There are hundreds of people trapped in shelters in Edinburgh. The tu

Jo

If they still lived.

“I should go!” said Jo

“No, no,” said the boy Quong. “Sir Robert said you would say that, Lord Jo

At that moment pandemonium broke loose. Sir Robert raced out of the ops room. He had somewhere changed his clothes and the gray cloak billowed as he do

“Goodbye, Lord Jo

Sir Robert was at the passage, waving his arm with an urgent swing, “Come on!” he bellowed. “Come on!”

Doctors MacKendrick and Allen sped out of the hospital area, shutting valises as they ran. Allen turned and shouted something at the nurse and then sped on.

The walking wounded hobbled and limped out, heading for the passage.

Four pilots raced by.

Guards who a moment before had been covering Schleim from pits were yelling to one another and a soldier carrying several packs raced toward them and then they were gone.

A crowd of officers and communicators slammed out of ops and headed for the passage exit.

Suddenly, Jo