“You can’t solve all your problems with a wave of the hand,” Vorgens went on. “You tried to do that by bringing the Komani to Shinar. What’s happened? Chaos. No one’s going to come to Shinar and grant you complete independence at a stroke, but under the Empire you have a better chance to achieve more freedom than any ^ other way offers.” ir
Merdon scratched his head. “Maybe you’re right,” he admitted. “I—I told Okatar he could name his own price if he would just leave Shinar and attack another Empire planet. Anything—all the equipment, food, ammunition he wanted—just to leave Shinar. It was a stupid thing to do. A wrong thing. His answer was—to take the offer, & and at the same time attack Katan.”
“He wants to show you that you’ve been conquered,” Vorgens said.
“Right. To Okatar, we’re already slaves. He’ll take what he wants from us.”
“Unless we stop him.”
“And that’s what I’m going to do,” Merdon concluded grimly.
“Not by attacking his camp,” Vorgens countered. “All you’d accomplish there is your own death.”
“I’ve got to try!”
“Then try this: join us in the defense of Katan. Your father’s organizing the citizens of the city. If he can hold ‘ ut for a few hours, we can bring up Terran Marines, and your own forces, and crush the attackers.”
Merdon shook his head. “Don’t you think I’ve thought of that? I just don’t have enough groundcars to get to Katan that quickly.”
Vorgens grinned. “Don’t you think I’ve thought of that? I can have a squadron of vans and troop carriers here within the hour.”