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Or," he added musingly, "perhaps even at the hands of the Kerothi, if someone decides that a scapegoat is needed to atone for the loss of the war." "If you are guilty of treason," Hokotan barked, "you will die as a traitor! If you are not, there is no need for your death. The Kerothi do not need scapegoats!" "Talk, talk, talk!" Tallis said with a sudden bellow.
We've been acting like frightened children, not knowing what it is we fear, and venting our fear-caused anger on the most handy target! "Let's act like men not like children!" After a moment, Hokotan said: "I agree." His voice was firm, but calm. "Our job will be to get our hands on one of those new Earth ships. Anyone have any suggestions?" They had all kinds of suggestions, one after another.
He extended his hands and MacMaine took them. A choking sensation constricted the Earthman's throat for a moment, then he got the words out the words he had to say. "Believe me, General Hokotan, there is no need for an apology. No need whatever." "Thank you," said Hokotan. Then he turned and left the room. "All right, Tallis," MacMaine said hurriedly, "let's get moving."
"Not 'superweapons'," MacMaine corrected almost absently. "All they have is a method of making their biggest ships indetectable until they're so close that it doesn't matter. When they do register on our detectors, it's too late. But the weapons they strike with are the same type as they've always used, I believe." "All right, then," Hokotan said, his voice showing more anger.
"According to this, MacMaine and I are to be placed under immediate arrest as soon as you find it necessary to act." "Yes," said Hokotan bitterly. "So you can both consider yourselves under arrest. Don't bother to lock yourselves up there's no point in it. General MacMaine, I see no reason to inform the rest of the Fleet of this, so we will go on as usual.
MacMaine was waiting in his cabin when General Hokotan brought the news that the planet was secured. "They are ours," the HQ spy said with a superior smile. "The sniveling animals didn't even seem to want to defend themselves. They don't even know how to fight a hand-to-hand battle. How could such things have ever evolved intelligence enough to conquer space?"
"Again," said MacMaine, "I swear to you that I know nothing of any third intelligent race in the galaxy." "If there were such allies," Tallis said, "isn't it odd that they should wait so long to aid their friends?" "No odder than that the Earthmen should suddenly develop superweapons that we cannot understand, much less fight against," Hokotan said, with a touch of anger.
We want to make sure that someone can use those ships to take the news back to Earth." "And the rest?" Hokotan asked, with an expectant look. He knew what was to be done, but he wanted to hear MacMaine say it again. MacMaine obliged. "Hang them. Every man, every woman, every child.
"If MacMaine deserted his former allegiance, knowing that they had a method of rendering the action of a space drive indetectable, then he was and is a blithering idiot. And we know he isn't." "All right, all right! I concede that," snapped Hokotan. "He knows nothing.
Tallis shook his head. "You sent no message, Sepastian. You were watched. You know that. You could not have sent a message." "You saw me send it," MacMaine said. "So did everyone else in the fleet. Hokotan helped me send it made all the arrangements at my orders. But because you do not understand the workings of the Earthman's mind, you didn't even recognize it as a message.
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