"Yeah," Aarens said in a dubious tone of voice, "but that sat would see the scout's ion trail, wouldn't it?"
"Not if the speed of the scout is sufficient to get it behind one of the moons. Its direction would be unknown."
"What about if there's a fast ship just waiting for us to try something like that?"
"There are ways," Zainal said with a grin. "That scout is much faster than anything but another scout. Such ships are never used as watchers."
Aarens shrugged and sat down.
"That is the first step," Zainal said.
"If you're going back to Barevi, I've a long shopping list," someone said and received a chuckle.
"No, Barevi would be too hot for us right now," Zainal said. "We go to Earth and we use two ships; the scout and the KDM which will renamed and altered to look as if it had been hit by space… stuff."
"That metal'll be hard to dent," Gino said, shaking his head. "You Cat-teni make a good hull."
"It'll be camouflaged;' Hassan Moussa said and grinned. "I'm a past master at that."
"But going back to Earth?" Aarens asked, stunned.
"Last place they will expect us." And Zainal turned to one of the Victims who nodded agreement. "Ricky Farmer here was senior air controller for O'Hare airport while there was still Human air traffic. When all your planes were grounded and he was victimized, he took notes on Catteni routes and procedures. He has code words-though his Catteni is about what my English once was;' and that rated some chuckles from the audience, "and these will help us get into some of the landing places now used by Catteni transport ships. I understand from Jeff Fawcett," and he gestured to the other Victim, "that large amusement areas have been built around the landing sites for the crews. These would be useful places for us to find out more information."
"You mean, that cool as a cucumber, we're going to reinvade Earth?"
Lenny Doyle said.
"We also intend to…" and Zainal had the merest smile on his lips, "invade Catten."
That provoked a widespread eruption from the audience, more an elated one than fearful, although quite a few faces bore skeptical expressions.
"Hey, ain't that pushing our luck?" Lenny Doyle asked, raising his voice to be heard above the babel.
"Only volunteers," Zainal said with a sly grin. "And mostly to learn what would be impossible to learn on your planet. More codes are needed and Catten is the only place to go for that;'
Kris waited for someone to ask what was so obvious to her: if Zainal was going to contact Catteni dissidents. She didn't know how many people on Botany-besides Chuck Mitford-knew anything about that facet of his grand scheme. Surely Zainal would have confided in Ray his hopes that he could muster assistance on his home planet to help overthrow the Eosi.
"We got to have information we can't get any other way," Ray Scott put in. Kris heaved a small sigh of relief. Ray did know and seemingly ap"We're also going to ask for volunteers to remain on Earth and con-the resistance groups."
"I don't know all of them;' Jeff Fawcett said in a voice still hoarse from. recent ordeal. "But enough for us to get the word spread.
"Jeff's also going to need a volunteer to go with him;' Scott said, ' from the First or Second Drops…;'
The number of hands that shot into the air gave Kris a thrill of pride.
most eager had jumped t°their feet, to establish their willingness: Joe Latore, both the Doyle brothers, Mack Dargle, Bart Lincoln, Matt Su, and / Areson were those she recognized first in the show of hands.
"Thank you very much;' Zainal said.
Granfyng, most graufymg, Ray satd, holding up his hand, too, as did all the other military men seated at the table. "More than the ships can?hold."
"Some must speak and understand Catten," Zainal said.
"We're learning;' quipped someone.
"You will learn harder;' Zainal said with a wry expression.
"What about the Farmers?" Jay Greene asked when the laughter at (that threat died. "Shouldn't we wait for their response? And their advice?"
"No, the time to move is now;' Scott said.
Zainal stood. "The Eosi will try very hard to break through the Bubble. That is their way. Run shod roughly over any opposition with the force ii of their weapons. We must leave before they reinforce their warships. They have many:'
"But they haven't been able to penetrate the Bubble, and we know they've tried;' Jay said.
"They will keep trying until they have;' Zainal said. "That is why they tried to discover new information in the minds of your specialists)'
Dick Aarens jumped to his feet, his expression angry and obstinate.
"And what happens to those of us left here when they do break through the Bubble? Have you contingency plans for that-if you're taking all three ships away with you?"
"We move quickly and not where they expect us to go and learn what they plan and how to…" Zainal looked down at Kris for the word he needed.
"Counteract;' she murmured.
"Counteract their plans."
"We're still fleas on a dog's back/' Jay said, "with all the ships you said they have. I was talking to Rick Farmer, and he says they've got hundreds in their navy. What if they use all of them against the Bubble?"
Judge Iri Bempechat raised his hand and was given precedence over others who wanted to add their comments.
"Zainal, such a fleet is widely dispersed, is it not?" And when Zainal nodded, the Judge went on, still looking at Zainal, "and it would take weeks, even months, to direct them all here. So we have some leeway if we make our moves quickly. Admiral Scott believes that they would try to install a battery on the moons that are outside the Bubble. To do so, they must bring in machinery, material-and life support systems for whichever unfortunate species is drafted for such an undertaking. I am also of the opinion, with which our military and naval representatives concur/' and, with one hand on his chest, he bowed his head to the right and left, "that the Farmers must have placed some sort of sentinel to monitor our protective Bubble. They made it clear, in that one regrettably short interview with various groups of us, that they intend to preserve us. I believed in their sincerity as well as their interest in us… even if it should be the interest of a scientist watching ants to see how they contrive-"
"Now, wait a bloody minute…" and Geoffrey Ainger jumped to his feet. Kris had not noticed him, seated at the back, and wasn't happy at his presence. "What is all this going to do for us? Except put the colony in more danger? Simply because one…;' and his pause was pregnant with his distrust and animosity toward Zainal, "… person wants to pursue a private revenge?"
"First duty of a captured soldier… sir…;' and it was a stern Mitford whose parade ground voice dominated the shouted reactions from an angry audience, "is to do his best to escape and return to his unit. Mine is on Earth. And if Zainal wants to see his people freed of the Eosian domination, we sure as hell do, too, cause it means we'll get out from under 'era.
Militarily, a combined assault has many advantages;'
That speech set the cat among the pigeons, Kris thought, struggling to keep from cheering. Or maybe the night crawlers after live meat.
Ray Scott, with help from Peter Easley and udge Bempechat, finally restored enough order to continue the meeting. Easley had been discreetly seated to one side where Kris had not noticed him. Not too far, as it turned out, from Ainger. Not far either from Beggs, whom she saw sitting by the British ex-naval officer. Had Pete sat there to keep an eye on those dissidents?
Quite likely, she thought.
"You gave me the impression, sergeant, that you had no wish to leave Botany now;' Ainger could put a wealth of venom in a seemingly casual comment.
"I don't, but I'll do a great deal to preserve what we all have made here.
So I can enjoy what I've-we've-worked so hard to achieve." Satisfied with the applause to his answer, Chuck sat down again.