Executive by Piers Anthony

have to deal with them.”
    “How?” I asked. “I seem to remember a debate with Thorley that bore on this, and he was tearing me up. If we imprison all the hard-corists, we are in effect supporting them at the expense of the state, and that will, as Stonebridge will surely advise me, add to the deficit. But I really don't like capital punishment.”
    She half smiled. “Maybe you should put Thorley in charge of crime.”
    “Thorley is a good man,” I said seriously. “We differ on principle, but I respect his competence and integrity. If I thought there was the ghost of a chance that he would work for the Tyrancy—”
    She shook her head. “Not even the suggestion of the ghost of a chance. Have you seen his recent columns?”
    “I've been too busy.”
    “You have been most eloquently castigated. He makes you seem a complete ass, and dangerous as well.”
    “All true,” I said, smiling.
    “Most of the other critics are silent. They are waiting to see what happens to Thorley.”
    “ Nothing will happen to Thorley!” I snapped. “I honor freedom of the press; you know that.”
    “ All dictators promise freedom and reform,” she reminded me. “Few follow through.”
    “Asoka did,” I said.
    She shrugged. “As I recall, Asoka had some consolidation to do at the outset.”
    “And so do I. What next, on that Saturn doom ship?”
    “How about a Naval exercise that happens to cut off its approach to Ganymede?”
    We explored that. Emerald had sent a representative, a lower officer who was conversant with the current situation of the Jupiter Navy. That enabled me to get information without going on the beam to her ship and also protected my privacy.
    “Sir,” the officer said, “that isn't feasible. Such exercises have to be scheduled well in advance and planned meticulously. The Saturnines know all of our schedules, as we know theirs. Such a deviation would be well-nigh impossible, and even the attempt would alert them to our real problem. They are not fools, sir.”
    Which was exactly what I had suspected. Naval fleets are not turned on a dime; I had learned that well during my own Naval command. If we tried to arrange something on the spur of the moment, it would be a virtual advertisement that we had some pressing ulterior motive. We might as well challenge the ship outright.
    But that I was not ready to do. Mondy's advice was sound: Do not let Saturn know that the premier of Ganymede had tipped us off. Learn about the ship some other way.
    Hopie came to me in her official capacity, distraught. “I went to my teachers,” she said, “and they gave me all sorts of fancy reasons why all the present subjects are necessary. I don't believe them, but I can't convince them. I can't find anyone who agrees with me to advise me.”
    I smiled. “All Tyrants should have such a problem! Most men of power are surrounded by yes-men who only echo what the leader wants to hear. That's no good.”
    “Daddy, you aren't helping,” she said severely.
    Something clicked in my mind. “I can give you an excellent source of advice whose notions will agree with those of no one you know but who can really critique contemporary education. Listen to him and argue with him, and you will surely emerge with some positive ideas.”
    She viewed me somewhat distrustfully. “Daddy, you're up to something.”
    “Of course I am,” I agreed. “But what I tell you is true.”
    “All right, I'll bite. Who?”
    “Thorley.”
    “Thorley!” she exclaimed, shocked.
    “Go to him. Tell him your problem. Ask his advice. If he fails you, I'll suggest another name.”
    “He wouldn't help you in anything!” she said.
    “But you he just might help. You're not the Tyrant; you're just an underling trying to do a job. That, he might understand.”
    She shook her head doubtfully. “All right, Daddy, I'll call your bluff. But you'd better be ready with another name.” She flounced off.
    Spirit nodded. “Tyrant, you play an interesting