“In the meantime, we will be gathering supplies and equipment from the natives.”
“Exactly so,” Okatar said. “With every day, our strength will grow, and the Shinarians’ dread of our power will grow equally. With every day, the Terrans will become weaker.”
As the exec sat in Vorgens’ quarters and listened to what the Star Watchman was telling him, his eyes widened more and more, until white showed almost all the way around them.
“I—I can’t believe you mean what you’re saying,” the exec protested.
Sergeant Mclntyre, standing at the doorway to the tiny cubicle, nodded grimly. “Neither could I, when he told me, sir. Can’t you talk him outta doin’ it?”
Vorgens half turned in his webbed chair and surveyed the sergeant with a wry smile. “My aide, here.” he said to the exec, “said he thinks the idea is crazy.”
“It’s certainly .. . unusual,” the exec said, lamely.
The smile faded from Vorgens’ face. “Unusual or not, do you think the idea is sound?”
“From a military point of view, yes sir, I do,” the xec admitted, nodding. “But from your own personal point—”
“That’s my problem,” Vorgens said, abruptly getting up from the webbed chair. “All right, if it’s sound militarily, we’ve got to do it. Let’s go.”
“Now?” Mclntyre asked.
“Right now, and I want the two of you along as witnesses.”
With a frown on his beefy face, Mclntyre led the way down the narrow passage to Brigadier Aikens’ quarters. When the sergeant hesitated at the door, Vorgens knocked-
“Come.”
Mclntyre opened the door, and the three of them stepped in. Aikens was lying in his bunk, reading a report projected overhead.