‘That’s what I was afraid of.”
“But we can,” Aikens went on, with a curious crooked smile, “smash that column of savages just the same. Let them hit the city. Let them wreck it. Then we’ll hit them when they’re totally disorganized and unprepared for fighting.”
“But there wouldn’t be much left of the city when we got through.”
Aikens shrugged. “Perhaps the citizens could hold off the attackers for a few hours. You claim they’re fighters.”
Vorgens let the brigadier’s sarcasm slide past him. “That might work. I’ll get in touch with Clanthas and see what he can organize in the way of a defense. In the meantime, your staff should draw up detailed battle plans. Determine how many troops you’ll need and how much transport. Also, I’m going to dispatch a transport group for some of the natives who’re willing to fight in defense of Katan.”
Aikens grunted noncommittally. “Til keep the few planes we have at Capital City in the air to watch the Komani.”
“Should you have them try to bomb the column—slow it down?”
The brigadier shook his head. “No, the Komani are too spread out for nuclear weapons, and trying to go low and hit them with beams or missiles will just get the planes shot up. If we had more planes, or if these backward natives had some …”
^ “They’re not backward. They just don’t need aircraft.” Vorgens said. “Groundcars can go almost as fast as subsonic planes, and they can carry considerably more payt! • loadWith groundcars, and tri-di communications, these people simply don’t need fleets of fast aircraft.”