Hit or Myth by Robert Asprin

“I really hate to admit this,” Big Julie grimaced, “but we was an experiment. Some of the Mob’s beancounters got it into their heads that even though an army was more expensive, the time savings of a fast takeover would offset the additional cost. To tell you the truth, I think their experiment was a washout.”

That one threw me.

“You mean to say your army wasn’t effective?”

“Up to a point we were. After that, we were too big. It costs a lot to keep an army in the field, and toward the end there, it was costing more to support my boys for a week than we were getting out of the kingdoms we were conquering. I think they were getting ready to phase us out . . . and that’s why it’s taken so long for them to come looking for their army.”

I shook my head quickly.

“You lost me on that last loop. Big Julie. Why did they delay their search?”

“Money,” he said firmly. “I’ll tell you, nothing makes the Big Boys sit up and take notice like hard cash. I mean, they wrote the book when it came to money motivation.”

“Sounds like Grimble,” Badaxe muttered. “Doesn’t anybody do anything for plain old revenge anymore?”

“Stow it, General,” I ordered, leaning forward. “Keep going. Big Julie. What part does money have in this?”

“Well, the way I see it, the Mob was already losing money on my army, you know? To me, that means they weren’t about to throw good gold after bad. I mean, why spend more money looking for an army that, when you find it, is only going to cost you more money?”

“But they’re here now.”

“Right. At the same time Possiltum’s about to become suddenly rich. It looks to me like the Big Boys have found a way to settle a few old scores and turn a profit at the same time.”