Twenty minutes later, General Whip arrived. He was a tough old campaigner but he had a nice smile. His high forehead showed lots of brains.
Madison's camera crew took some pictures of him. The two logistics men looked him over very carefully.
Madison then went in and had a word with Lombar.
He beckoned from the door to General Whip, who entered.
"General," said Lombar, "there is a Fleet officer named Jettero Heller. He has been stirring the people up. He is now an outlaw. I want you to run him down."
The general smiled, "If you mean Jettero Heller, I'd like to point out that he is a Royal officer. I heard there is a general warrant out for him but courts just won't accept that. If you will give me a Royal order, I will see what I can do."
Lombar glared at him. "I'll have you know that I am Dictator of Voltar. Heller has forfeited any status he may ever have had. I am ordering you right now to get the entire Army busy and run down this outlaw!"
General Whip looked Lombar up and down. Then he shrugged and left.
"I didn't like that," said Lombar to Madison.
"Be patient. You'll see how this works out. All we have to do is wait for a report from one of my crew."
Two hours later, one of the actors of Madison's crew, dressed as an Army officer, signalled to Madison from the door. Madison went over and they exchanged a few words.
Madison came back to Lombar. "It was just as I suspected. General Whip went back to his headquarters and began to laugh at you."
"WHAT?" cried Lombar.
"I expected that he would," said Madison. "What this requires is a show of force. They will only obey you if you are shown to be a man that cannot be trifled with. Only after that can you trust them. Please sign this order."
Lombar looked at it. It said:
GENERAL WHIP HAS REFUSED ORDERS TO FIND JETTERO HELLER. BRING ME THE HEAD OF GENERAL WHIP.
Hisst grinned like a toother. He grabbed his pen and signed it. He stamped it.
Madison took it. He left.
Madison's camera crew came into Lombar's office and set up. Lombar, agitatedly going over Earth invasion plans, hardly noticed them: camera setups were a common occurrence lately. He was much more concerned that, despite his adulterations, speed supplies were very low.
Suddenly the door opened. Five women dressed as noble ladies-they were the circus girls-came in and knelt before Lombar. They were crying.
One of them, collapsing, was supported by two on either side of her. One of these said, "Forgive her. She is the wife of General Whip. She came to plead for mercy. But she has fainted. I plead in her stead. Please, please, please spare the life of General Whip!"
The cameras were grinding. The angles were such that one could not see the faces of the women, only their backs. What predominated in the scene was the ferocious scowl of the red-uniformed Lombar Hisst.
Suddenly there was a commotion at the door. The two actor officers, dressed in Army uniforms, came in. Between them they bore a platter. And on that platter, sopped in gore, appeared to be the head of General Whip!
The women screamed and fainted dead away.
The two officers knelt. "Sir," said one, "your orders have been followed. General Whip has been executed for failure to take your command to hunt down Heller. Here is the head of General Whip."
Lombar glared with ferocity. "That will teach him! My word is supreme! Remove that carrion and these females at once!"
The whole scene had been shot. The room was cleared. Madison walked back in.
Madison had filled out another blank Grand Council order, ready for the signature, as well, of Hisst.
"I think," said Madison, "that when they see that on Homeview, there isn't a single officer out there who won't obey you. Please sign this."
Hisst read it. It said:
TO ALL OFFICERS OF ARMY AND FLEET: YOU WILL AT ONCE BEGIN TO HUNT FOR AND YOU WILL FIND THE NOTORIOUS OUTLAW JETTERO HELLER.
He signed it with a flourish.
Madison grinned. The manhunt he had envisioned would now take place.
The heat and beat of the elation within his veins was close to ecstasy.
WHAT HEADLINES!
Will Earth survive Hisst's final rage?
Find out in
the final book of
MISSION EARTH
Volume 10
THE DOOMED PLANET
Mission Earth 09 - Villainy Victorious Page 37
