“I want to know who’s behind the smuggling that’s been going on, and why it’s been going on.” The Colonel’s knuckles tightened on his chair. “A criminal is at large in the colony, and you sit quietly by and say, ‘Oh, he won’t hurt anybody, he won’t do any damage, let him be.’ All right, if Cortell is not able to put his plans for revolt in action now, I want to know why not.”

Torm spread his hands. “He just won’t. He can’t.”

“Then what’s blocking him?”

Anson Torm’s face was set. He didn’t answer.

“I want the truth, Torm. What are his plans? What’s blocking him?”

“I can’t tell you …”