“Now don’t be silly,” Merdon said, taking her hand in his. “Of all the girls on the planet of Shinar, there is none that I would rather have standing here beside me, dazzling the Komani with her radiant beauty, more than you. There, are you happy now?”
Altai shrugged noncommittally. “May I join the discussion, or must I merely listen?”
Merdon glanced at the other four. They were grinning broadly.
“You may speak,” he said, “if you have something serious to say. This is a serious matter.”
“Yes I know,” Altai countered. “But it’s good to see you all smiling again. You looked so solemn a minute ago.”
“For good reason,” Merdon said.
“Okatar Kang thinks that the Komani can conquer the whole Terran Empire. Shinar is just the first step in his plan,” Romal said, his voice squeaking in excitement.
“We face the prospect,” Merdon said calmly, “of having the Komani as overlords after the Terrans have beenriven away.”
Altai shuddered involuntarily. “They wouldn’t even try to govern us. They would take whatever they wanted byorce.”
The others murmured agreement.
“Don’t be so sure,” Merdon argued. “If the Komani are going to tackle the whole Terran Empire, they won’t want to be bothered by uprisings in their rear. If they act belligerently toward us, we can fight. Okatar knowshat.”
‘”Yes, and he knows his warriors can whip us,” said Tarat, the lanky son of a fanner, who now served as Merdon’s chief tactician. “Our men are willing fighters, but—I hate to admit it—we’re just not strong enough or experienced enough to stop the Komani.”