Connel stopped him. "I understand, Mr. Sinclair. You're a peaceful man and want to keep your life peaceful. But my job is to ensure that peace. As long as a group of militant toughs like we had here are on the loose, you won't have peace. You'll have pieces!"
Tom, Roger, and Astro, sitting quietly and listening, felt like standing up and cheering as the major finished.
"I know you can't tell me what you're going to do, Major Connel," said the planter, "but I hope that you'll allow me to help in any way I can."
Connel hesitated before answering. "Thank you, Mr. Sinclair. But I'm not here officially now." And then he added, "Nor in regard to the Nationalists."
Sinclair's eyes lit up slightly. "Oh?"
"No. As you know, the cadets had quite a time with a tyrannosaurus. They wounded it and it might still be dangerous. That is, more dangerous than normally. I've got orders to track him down and finish him off."
"But I thought you said you were going to put a stop to this business with the Nationalists," said the planter.
"I said the Solar Guard would, Sinclair."
"Oh, yes," mumbled Sinclair, "the Solar Guard. Of course."