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MacMaine had known, long before he had ever heard of General Polan Tallis, that the Hegemony of Keroth was governed by a military junta, and that all Kerothi were regarded as members of the armed forces. Technically, there were no civilians; they were legally members of the "unorganized reserve," and were under military law.
"Let me ask you one thing, Tallis," MacMaine said. "Would you do anything in your power to save Keroth from destruction? Anything, no matter how drastic, if you knew that it would save Keroth in the long run?" "A foolish question. Of course I would. I would give my life." "Your life? A mere nothing. A pittance. Any man could give his life. Would you consent to live forever for Keroth?"
The Shudos of Keroth. The flagship of the Kerothi Fleet." The look in the major's eyes was the same look of hatred that had come into the captain's. "Even if its armament is still functioning, we have to take the chance," Major Thornton said. "Even if they're all dead, we have to try to get The Butcher's body." He picked up the microphone again. "Attention, Group.
Yes, I would consent to that if it would be the only salvation of Keroth." "Would you slaughter helpless millions of your own people so that other billions might survive? Would you ruthlessly smash your system of government and your whole way of life if it were the only way to save the people themselves?" "I'm beginning to see what you're driving at," Tallis said slowly.
The High Commander of Keroth had called MacMaine a "computing animal," but the term was far from accurate. MacMaine couldn't possibly have computed all the variables in that battle, and he didn't try. It was a matter of human intuition against mechanical logic.
But he watched, nonetheless. In one way, Tallis' face was typically Kerothi. The orange-pigmented skin and the bright, grass-green eyes were common to all Kerothi. The planet Keroth, like Earth, had evolved several different "races" of humanoid, but, unlike Earth, the distinction was not one of color.
"Thanks for trying to find an excuse for me, Tallis, but I'm afraid it isn't so. Listen. "I had to find out what Earth was up against. I had a pretty good idea already that the Kerothi would win would wipe us out or enslave us to the last man. And, after I had seen Keroth, I was certain of it.
MacMaine could accept the reason for that attitude; the general's background was different from that of an Earthman, and therefore he could not be judged by Terrestrial standards. Besides, MacMaine could acknowledge to himself that Tallis was superior to the norm not only the norm of Keroth, but that of Earth.
He was seated in one of the easy-chairs in his "living room," smoking a cigarette and reading a book on the history of Keroth, but he put the book down on the low table as a tall Kerothi came in through the doorway. MacMaine allowed himself a smile of honest pleasure.
As a member of a self-enslaved society, he knew that to betray any sign of intelligence was dangerous. A slight slip could bring the scorn of the slaves around him; a major offense could mean death. The war with Keroth had thrown him slightly off balance, but after his one experience with General Matsukuo, he had quickly regained his equilibrium.
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