“A Star Watch officer has such authority?”
‘T do, now. Whether or not I had the right to take such authority into my own hands is a matter that will be settled by a Star Watch court, sometime in the future.” Sittas leaned back in his webbed chair. “The lieutenant you sent to Matara with the medical supplies said that you wanted to see me.”
/-. “That’s right,” Vorgens replied. “First, I want to thank you again for your part in saving my life—and the lives of all the men in mis Mobile Force. Nothing that we could do can ever repay the debt we all owe you.”
Sittas waved a hand of protest. “That is all in the past. It is tomorrow that interests me—and you, I should judge.”
“Yes, tomorrow, and all the days that come after,” Vorgens agreed. He hesitated for a moment, framing the right words in his mind, then asked, “If I invited the leaders of the Shinarian rebel movement to a truce conference here, would they come?”
The old priest shook his head. “No, I doubt that they \ would.”
“Suppose I went to Capital City and asked them to meet with me there?” “They would still smell a trap,” Sittas answered”They 5 realize perfectly well that you do not know who they are. ^ Why should they expose themselves?”
“I know Merdon,”
^ “Everyone on the planet knows Merdon. But he is ^ only one of the leaders. He commands the youngest, and ^ the most aggressive of the rebels, but there are many ^ other groups—in the cities, in the hills, among the farmrf ing villages. They do not make up an army, as Merdon’seople do, but they will fight in their own ways for Shi^ nar’s freedom. These are the people you must reach, andhese are the leaders you do not know.” ^L “Then help me to meet them,” Vorgens pleaded earH nestly, “They trust you Tell them that I want to discuss jl, a peace settlement with them. Tell them that I’ll meet hem in Capital City, if they like, and they’ll be guaranteed freedom from arrest.”