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By Root 216 0

to make sure Winton couldn't come back when Ashe was asleep to take the guns. Then he had second thoughts. Doors were never locked in the dome, except to stop the Primitives from stealing their scarce food supplies. If Winton found the door locked, it would be thought an aggressive act by Ashe. And Ashe believed that with patience he could win back the support of the colonists. He knew Winton meant well, but the colony needed Ashe's calmness and maturity. He got back onto his bed, and tried once more to read his book.

There was a gentle tap on the door. 'Come in,' he called, hoping it was Winton so that they could make friends again. There was another tap. 'I said “come in” he called. Suddenly the door burst open and Morgan and Captain Dent rushed into the room and pinioned Ashe on his bed before he could move. The room seemed suddenly full with the black uniforms of IMC guards as they helped themselves to their high-powered weapons.

A moment later, Ashe heard shots from the colonists' shotguns down the corridor. An IMC guard reeled into the room, shot in the head. Other IMC guards took up defensive positions in the doorway and returned the fire.

Dent held a handgun at Ashe's head and Morgan went to the door and called to the colonists, 'Stop firing or we kill Ashe!'

The firing continued, and Ashe wondered if none of the colonists now cared whether he lived or died. Morgan called again, this time louder, 'Stop firing or we kill Ashe on the count of three. One, two...' The firing abruptly stopped.

Still holding the gun at Ashe's head, Dent ordered, 'Have all the colonists in the outlying domes brought in for the trial.'

Morgan went away to carry out Dent's orders. 'Trial?' said Ashe. 'What trial?'

'The Adjudicator's decision made me legal Governor of this planet,' said Dent. 'You will be charged with armed rebellion against Earth Government. Under the law, every man who carried a gun can be executed.'

'You'd never do that,' said Ashe. 'The ordinary people on Earth would be horrified. They'd turn against IMC, and make the Earth Government disown you!'

Dent smiled. 'Perhaps you've got a point there,' he said, putting away his gun now all danger was over. 'So I might give you an alternative.' The smile suddenly faded, 'You can pack yourself and all your colonist friends into that old spaceship of yours and get off this planet!'

'Our spaceship can never make another journey,' said Ashe, 'it's too old. Don't you realise what may happen?'

'Every year,' said Dent, 'thousands of people are killed in accidents. My only concern is the good name of IMC. Whatever happens to you all once you're off this planet, it can't reflect on us'

Morgan returned. 'Captain Dent, sir,' he said - Dent noted with satisfaction that Morgan had started calling him 'sir' again - 'the guards are rounding up all the colonists. I've also searched the dome for that fake Adjudicator but he isn't here.'

Ashe said, 'Did you say fake Adjudicator?'

Dent was aroused. 'Of course, you're hoping that he'll help you people against us! Sorry, but you'll get no assistance from that direction. I want to find out who he is and what his game is. Where is he?'

'I don't know,' Ashe lied. He had no reason to believe anything Dent said.

'Or don't you want to tell us,' said Dent. He turned back to Morgan, 'Go and check his spaceship. If it's locked, use explosives. Take Caldwell with you.'

' Caldwell ?' said Morgan. He had come to think of Caldwell as not to be trusted, all too often Caldwell had said a good word for the colonists. Morgan knew that to do his job properly he had to hate the colonists.

'I said, take Caldwell .' Dent did not like his orders being questioned. 'He's our mining expert - he knows how to use explosives.'

Morgan had noticed the sting in Dent's voice. 'Yes, sir,' he said, 'right away, sir.' He hurried off, pushing by two IMC guards who held between them a colonist prisoner.

'Sir,' said one of the guards, 'this is the man you particularly wanted to see.'

Dent looked at the frightened face of the colonist. It was the man who had hit Dent