“I think not,” Clanthas said. “I’m going back to Katan.”
“Is my uncle still with you?”
“He was, until this morning. Helped tremendously in convincing the other leaders that you were trustworthy, too. He started back to the hospital at Matara this moming. Should be there by nightfall.”
The three of them chatted for a few minutes longer.
When Clanthas’ image had faded from the viewscreen, Vorgens touched a button and called for Mclntyre-
The Sergeant’s face took form on the screen,
“Please give my compliments to Brigadier Aikens and ask him to meet me in the control center as soon as possible. Tell him that the native leaders have decided to work with us, and we must draw up a battle ‘plan immediately.”
“Yes sir,” said the sergeant.
Within a half an hour, Aikens, the executive officer, and the top officers of the Mobile Force’s staff were crowding the control center. Vorgens was still at the command desk, with Altai beside him and Mclntyre standing behind.
“I have already drawn up two tactical plans,” Aikens said, with a slightly malicious emphasis on me word tactical. He dropped two thick notebooks on Vorgens’ desk.
“One of the plans is based on the assumption that the natives will not aid us, and I assume that such an assumption is now outdated.”
“That’s right,” Vorgens said.
‘Very weB then.” Aikens tapped on the cover of one of the notebooks. “This is the plan to use, in that case.”
Vorgens opened the book and thumbed through it. “Very detailed,” he said. Then looking up at the brigadier, he asked. “Would you care to give me a brief rundown on the main features of the plan?”