They discussed the questions of provisions and other logistics problems for another hour. Neither Okatar nor Merdon mentioned the weapons again, or the arsenal in Katan. But both knew that the other was thinking hard about the matter,
When Merdon finally left Okatar’s tent, he started back toward his own quarters, with his four top lieutenants accompanying him. As they made their way through die Komani bubble-tents, Altai came up and joined them.
“My uncle would like to speak with you,” she said, striding along beside Merdon,
“It will have to wait. There are other things to do.”
She looked up at him. “I heard that Okatar made a speech.”
Merdon grinned humorlessly. “Several of them. He announced his plans for crushing the Empire, told us that he will expect us to support nim by paying his clan ribute, and showed quite a bit of suspicion about the weapons tallies.”
“He knows that we’re keeping back some weapons?”
“He suspects.”
“What are you going to do?” Altai asked.
“I’m going to hold a conference with my four best men, and we’ll decide on what to do.”
“A conference? In your tent?”
“No,” Merdon said, shaking his head. “Right out here, in the open. We’re going to stroll around the camp and talk. I don’t want to go to the tent … too much of a chance that a microphone might be hidden there.”
Altai nodded in agreement. “All right. I’ll wait for you at your tent.”
“No. Stay with us. We might look a little less as though we’re plotting something if there’s a girl with us.”
“A girl?” Altai repeated. “Just any old girl? Just someone to make the Komani think you couldn’t possibly be talking about anything serious?”