Executive by Piers Anthony Page B

could have spotted the other. Not easily—but as Commander Jenkins (rest his soul) had reminded me, Saturn was no slouch in space. In fact, Saturn was the most sub-oriented of all the planets. If anyone had the technology to spot a sub, Saturn did.
    If this was the correct scenario, then Saturn did not necessarily know that we knew of its Gany plot. It was simply exercising normal caution. Or special caution, because of the importance of this particular mission. There need be no suspicion of the premier.
    But our sub had been there. Why should we have been there, if not to take out the Saturn ship? That had to suggest that we did know.
    Spirit sighed. “Brother, we are in trouble.”
    “Double trouble,” I agreed morosely. “Not only does Saturn now know or strongly suspect that we know, it is about to dock that ship on Ganymede—the one thing we can't afford.”
    “Maybe we can still put it out,” she said. “We can take the offense. We can accuse Ganymede of blowing up one of our strayed vessels and demand reparation.”
    “That might shield the premier from suspicion,” I agreed, “but it won't stop the Saturn ship from docking.”
    “It will if we get so outraged by the unprovoked attack that we invoke the Navy. We could pick that ship out of space long-distance if we used a saturation launch of homing missiles.”
    “But that would be an overt act of war!” I cried. “That's theoretically a Saturn freighter!”
    “If that ship docks, we'll soon be at war regardless,” she pointed out.
    I pondered, ill at ease. “It would also be a lie,” I said. “Covert activity is one thing; a lie is another. I want my administration to be based on the truth.”
    “The truth is that the Premier of Ganymede tipped us off,” Spirit reminded me. “Do you want to put that out as news?”
    “No. To preserve a confidence is not to lie. We must find a way to act without violating either the confidence or the truth.”
    She shook her head as if in frustration. Then she took hold of me and kissed me. “My brother, you are my conscience. Without you I would be lost.”
    I was halfway dazed by the compliment. My sister does not speak often in that manner. But even in my distraction of the moment I noticed Coral exchanging a glance with Shelia and nodding. Apparently the guideline that was obvious to me was not as clear to the others until enunciated.
    Spirit regrouped. “Well, Saturn now knows that we had a sub in there. Would it be fair to say that we had a suspicion about their ship, that we now feel is confirmed?”
    “Yes,” I agreed. “But we can't say what our suspicion is.”
    “Suppose we accuse them of renewed arms smuggling? That's not exactly what they're doing, but it is something Jupiter has always been sensitive about. After that business with the impounded ship...”
    She meant the ploy Tocsin had used to discredit Ganymede and void our exchange of ambassadors.
    That had been aimed primarily at my candidacy, because I had been the first ambassador to Ganymede after President Kenson reestablished diplomatic relations. I had acted to expose that ruse, but certainly it had heightened Jupiter awareness of that particular issue. It could account for our increased surveillance of Ganymede.
    Where was the line between diplomacy and duplicity? What means were justified for what ends? I remained disquieted, finding this philosophical territory murky, but saw no better alternative. “Do it,” I said.
    So it went out to the media: our accusation that Ganymede was violating the covenant and shipping arms again. An alert went out to the Jupiter Navy, and our ships changed course and made for Ganymede. Of course, it would be days before the majority of them were in position, but the order was dramatic enough.
    “Sir,” Shelia said.
    “Have I mentioned that I plan to have you keelhauled without a helmet, just to keep you quiet, girl?”
    “After the crisis,” she agreed. “A Saturn defector wishes to see you