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the Jupiter Navy,” I told Shelia.
    “Admiral London,” Emerald said.
    After a moment Shelia reported: “His office doesn't answer.”
    “Then put out a planetary bulletin: Admiral London has one minute to report to me via this network, or he will be disciplined.”
    “In process, sir.” She made her connections, and in a moment Emerald's face on the screen was replaced by that of a staff officer.
    “By order of Hope Hubris, Admiral London to report within sixty seconds or be disciplined. All units advise.”
    Coral emerged, clean and fresh. She was in her mid-thirties but possessed the figure and features of a woman a decade younger. “I begin to get nervous,” she murmured.
    “It's being handled,” Ebony said.
    The minute finished without response by the admiral. “Admiral London is as of this moment relieved of command,” I said. “Admiral Emerald Mondy is elevated to that command. Notify all units—immediately.”
    Shelia got busy again, sending out the word. Emerald's face reappeared on the screen. “Further orders, sir?”
    “Consolidate your position,” I said. “You know what to do.”
    “Aye-aye, sir,” she said, saluting smartly.
    I returned the salute. For an instant it was like old times, when I had commanded my own task force.
    But now we were playing for larger stakes.
    “Sir,” Shelia said. “Broadcast from Admiral London.”
    “Put it on.”
    The Admiral's face appeared on the screen. “...usurper,” he was saying. “Repeat: There is rebellion in the Navy. All loyal units to declare for President Tocsin and against the usurper. Report immediately.”
    But Emerald was on the job. “The Constitutional Convention is the ultimate authority of North Jupiter. It has appointed Hope Hubris to govern the planet. Hope Hubris has appointed me commanding admiral of the Jupiter Navy. Neither Tocsin nor London retains power. Verify this for yourselves and do as you deem proper.” She smiled. She was the same age as I, fifty, but still a compelling woman.
    The units, for the moment perplexed, did just that. Then, one by one, they declared for the new order.
    My authority, however precedent-breaking, was legitimate; Tocsin's was illegitimate, and it did not require any great amount of research to verify that. The ongoing news of my elevation to power had been dominating the media; very few citizens, whether civilian or military, could be in ignorance of it. When it became apparent that the majority supported me, the conversion of those in doubt was prompt. Only a few units held out, and these were promptly isolated and nullified without violence.
    I relaxed. “So the Navy supports me,” I said. “I know that the majority of the people support me too.”
    Later there would be stories published about the supposedly horrendous campaign I waged to tame the rebellious elements of the Navy, making it seem as if Planet Jupiter was the center of a blazing battle, with several ships holed and several more plummeting into the deadly depth of the atmosphere. The truth was otherwise; it was really only a minor question, settled peacefully in a few minutes. No blood was shed at my accession. If this makes my own narration seem trivial, so be it; I have seen more than enough genuine bloodshed and do not care to enhance my notoriety by fiction. Admiral London was guilty of a misjudgment, no more, and was permitted to take early retirement with an unblemished record.
    The irony is that though many of the dramatic stories about me are false, there are true episodes that would have been equally dramatic in print but that were never published. In some cases the reasons for nonpublication are as interesting as the items themselves, for I never practiced censorship. My enemies could have blasted me with the truth, but their attention was so firmly fixed on what was false that they overlooked the reality. In this manuscript I mean to present as much of the truth as is warranted. About the only ugly action was in