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And there's more. They want the CDT delegation included in the massacre for a reason. It will put Petreac out of the picture; the trade agreement will go to Rotune; and you and your new regime will find yourselves looking down the muzzles of your own blasters." Zorn threw his dope-stick to the floor with a snarl. "I should have smelled something when that Rotune smoothie made his pitch."
You have one hundred thousand Standard-class Y hand blasters. Just the thing to turn the tide in a stalemated war fought with obsolete arms." "Good lord!" Magnan said. "Retief, are you " "I have to tell him," Retief said. "He has to know what he's putting his neck into." "Weapons, hey?" Zorn said. "And Rotune knows about it?" "Sure they know about it. It's not too hard to figure out.
Zorn looked angrily at Retief. "It's fool-proof." "After you get in power, you'll be fast friends with Rotune, is that it?" "Friends, hell! Just give me time to get set, and I'll square a few things with that " "Exactly. And what do you suppose they have in mind for you?" "What are you getting at?" "Why is Rotune interested in your take-over?" Zorn studied Retief's face.
"I'll tell you why," he said. "It's you birds. You and your trade agreement. You're here to tie Petreac into some kind of trade combine. That cuts Rotune out. Well, we're doing all right out here. We don't need any commitments to a lot of fancy-pants on the other side of the Galaxy." "That's what Rotune has sold you, eh?" Retief said, smiling. "Sold, nothing!"
"The Corps is getting a little tired of Petreac and Rotune carrying on their two-penny war out here. Your privateers have a nasty habit of picking on innocent bystanders. After studying both sides, the Corps has decided Petreac would be a little easier to do business with. So this trade agreement was worked out. The Corps can't openly sponsor an arms shipment to a belligerent.
I'll present the CDT with what you call a fait accompli." "What does Rotune get out of this? I thought they were your traditional enemies." "Don't get me wrong. I've got no use for Rotune; but our interests happen to coincide right now." "Do they?" Retief smiled grimly. "You can spot a sucker as soon as he comes through that door out there but you go for a deal like this!" "What do you mean?"
"I'll tell you guys a few things. You ever heard of a world they call Rotune?" "Certainly," Magnan said. "It's a near neighbor of yours. Another backward that is, emergent " "Okay," Zorn said. "You guys think I'm a piker, do you? Well, let me wise you up. The Federal Junta on Rotune is backing my play. I'll be recognized by Rotune, and the Rotune fleet will stand by in case I need any help.
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