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“Trade about is fair play, to quote an ancient maxim,” Drake said, grinning. “And I am a firm believer in fair play.

“But that’s neither here nor there. The point is: what do you have to offer? Why shouldn’t I just pinch the gems myself and do a quick flit across the Galaxy? That would give me all the loot.”

She shook her head. “Belgezad is on to you, you know. He knows you’re here. His own private police and the Shan’s own Guard will be at the Coronation to protect all that jewelry.” She cocked her pretty head to one side and looked at him. “What’s between you and Belgezad, anyway?”

“I stole his toys when he was a child,” said Drake, “and he hasn’t trusted me since. How do you propose to get the Necklace of Algol if I can’t?”

She smiled and shook her head slowly. “That would be telling. You let me take care of my part, and I’ll let you take care of yours.”

Drake shook his head–not so slowly. “Absolutely not. We either work together or we don’t work at all.”

* * * * *

The girl frowned in thought for a moment, and then reached into the belt pouch at her side and pulled out a square of electro-engraved plastic. She handed it to Drake.

Underneath all the flowery verbiage, it boiled down to an invitation to attend the post-Coronation reception. It was addressed to “Miss Caroline Smith” and was signed and sealed by the Shan of Thizar himself.

“I’m ‘Caroline Smith’,” she said. “I’ve managed to get in good with the family of Belgezad, and he wangled the invitation.

“Now, the plan is this: Right after the Invocation, while the new Shan is being prepared in his special Coronation Robes, the Nobles have to change their uniforms from red to green. Belgezad will go into his suite in the Palace to change. He’ll be accompanied by two guards. One will stay on the outside, the other will help Belgezad dress. I’ve got the room next to his, and I’ve managed to get the key that unlocks the door between them. I’ll use this–” She pulled a small globe of metal from her belt pouch. “It’s a sleep-gas bomb. It’ll knock them out for at least twenty minutes. No one will come in during that time, and I’ll be able to get the necklace and get out of the palace before they wake up.”

“They’ll know you did it,” Drake pointed out. “If you’re still missing when they come to, the thief’s identity will be obvious.”

She nodded. “That’s where you come in. I’ll simply go out into the garden and throw it over the wall to you. We’ll meet here afterwards.”

Drake thought it over and smiled devilishly. “It sounds fine. Now let’s co-ordinate everything.”

They went over the whole plot again, this time with a chart of the palace to mark everything out and a time schedule was arranged. Then they toasted to success and the girl left.

When she was gone, Anson Drake smiled ruefully to himself and opened a secret compartment in his suitcase. From it, he removed a long strand of glittering jewels.

“A perfect imitation,” Drake said. “And you’re very pretty. It’s a shame I won’t be able to hang you around the neck of Belgezad in place of the real Necklace of Algol.”

But his original plan had been more dangerous than the present one, and Anson Drake was always ready to desert a good plan for a better one.

* * * * *

Coronation Day dawned bright and clear, and the festivities began early. There were speeches and parades and dancing in the streets. A huge fleet of high-flying rockets rumbled high in the stratosphere, filling the sky with the white traceries of their exhausts. For all of Thizar, it was a holiday, a day of rejoicing and happiness. Cheers for the Shan filled the streets, and strains of music came from the speakers of the public communications system.