



Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net









                       THE DESERT AND THE STARS

                            BY KEITH LAUMER

                     The Aga Kaga wanted peace--a
                     piece of everything in sight!

           [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
             Worlds of If Science Fiction, November 1962.
         Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
         the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]


"I'm not at all sure," Under-Secretary Sternwheeler said, "that I fully
understand the necessity for your ... ah ... absenting yourself from
your post of duty, Mr. Retief. Surely this matter could have been dealt
with in the usual way--assuming any action is necessary."

"I had a sharp attack of writer's cramp, Mr. Secretary," Retief said.
"So I thought I'd better come along in person--just to be sure I was
positive of making my point."

