The Shinarian youth turned away and glanced at Romal and his other lieutenants, sitting at the table with him. When he looked back at the doorway, Sittas hadone.
‘To return to these tallies of weapons …” Okatar said. Merdon focused his attention on the Kang. “One moment, I have never heard you talk before about this plan for conquering the entire Terran Empire. I would
72 ‘ ike to hear exactly how you propose to do it, and how your plans affect Shinar.”
Okatar smiled. “In a few days—a few weeks, at most— the Komani will have left Shinar. The Terrans will be wiped out, and before they can bring more troops to your planet, we will have struck somewhere else, closer to the heart of their Empire. When we leave you, Shinar will be free of the Terrans for all time. never fear.”
Merdon said, “But you are using Shinar as a steppingstone in your plans against the Empire.”
“Of course. What of it? We wiu free Shinar of the Terrans. Our motives are inconsequential.”
“But do you really believe that you can defeat the Empire? With all their resources and manpower, the Terrans …”
Okatar’s smile vanished. “The resources and manpower of the Terrans come from worlds like your own. They are stolen from peoples who will gladly rise up against the Terrans, as they rose against the Masters a century agoAll they need is a leader, and an army to join. The Komani will be that army, and I will be that leader.”
“After you’ve defeated the Empire, what then? Will the Komani become the new masters of the galaxy?”