“I must protest,” Sverenssen said in a shocked voice. “Yes, I admit that the Thuriens did establish a link somehow. But the accusation that we have allowed our operation to be penetrated is without foundation. There is no evidence to-”
“Then you are either blind or stupid!” Broghuilio spat. “I was there, in Thurios. You were not. I tell you they knew everything. The Terrans must have turned half the imbeciles in your organi-. zation and had them working against us for years. How long have they had a link on Earth direct into VISAR?”
“We. . . have not been able to ascertain that yet, Excellency,” Sverenssen admitted.
“Obviously since long before they started anything on Farside,” Broghuilio said. “The whole Bruno operation was a façade to fool you and keep you occupied, and you swallowed every inch of it.” He screwed up his face and mimicked a fawning tone. “We have gained complete control, Excellency,’ I was told. Pah!” Broghuilio slammed a fist into his other palm. “Control! They were manipulating you like a puppet. They probably have been for years. Overlord of Earth? You’d be a laughingstock trying to govern a kindergarten.” Sverenssen paled, and his jaw strained, but he said nothing.
Broghuilio raised his arms in front of the rest of the company as if inviting them to witness his predicament. “You see what I have to contend with-imbecile engineers and imbecile agents. And what of you? Clearly the enemy will not sit idly by and do nothing while we complete our preparations. But we are told that it will take two years. Thus we have a problem situation that demands some form of action now, while we retain the initiative. What are your plans?”
Some of the generals looked uncertainly at one another. Eventually Wylott replied hesitantly, “We are still analyzing the latest developments. The situation calls for a complete revision of every-”
“Never mind your academic analyses and evaluations. Do you have firm plans drawn up for offensive action, now, to secure our position while the quadriflexor program is being completed?”
“No, but we’ve never-”
“The general does not have a plan,” Eroghuilio told the rest of them. “You see-on all sides I have to deal with imbeciles. But fortunately for all of us, I do have a plan. Our weapons production program here at Uttan has begun showing results, has it not? We have ships, armaments, and sufficient generating capacity to transfer them to Gistar at once, while the Thuriens have nothing. It is a time for boldness.”
Wylott seemed worried. “That is not the way we have always intended,” he said. “Our plans have never included launching an unprovoked assault on Thurien. The weapons were to be used against the Cerians. We would find it hard to justify such an action to the people. It would not be popular.”
“Did I say anything about attacking Thurien?” Broghuillo asked. “Can you conceive of no methods other than brute force and clmnsiTiess? Have you no sense of subtlety?” He turned his head to address all present. “War is as much a matter of psychology as it is of weapons, and in particular of understanding the psychology of one’s enemy. Study the history of Earth, or even of Minerva. Many great victories have been won by seizing an opportune psychological moment And such a moment presents itself to us now.”
“What are you proposing?” Estordu asked uneasily. “That we might intimidate Thurien into submission?”
Broghuilio looked at him in surprise and with unconcealed approval. “For a scientist you are thinking quickly for once,” he said. He raised his voice. “You hear? The scientist is thinking more like a general than any of you. The Thuriens have no taste for war, nor even any concept of it. At this moment they believe that we have retreated into a shell and will not trouble them for a long time to come. They feel secure for the time being, and that is why they are vulnerable.”
He strode slowly to one side of the dome and stared out at the distant ball of Uttan for a few seconds. Then he came back to the center and resumed, “I will tell you what the Thuriens are thinking at this moment. They realize that we present a threat which they do not have the stomach to face, but which the Terrans do. On the oth~er hand they possess the technology necessary to counter that threat, whereas the Terrans do not. So what will be their obvious strategy?”