"I know of our danger," snapped the ruler of Sscantoo. "Few know it better than I. I was on Terra just before trouble struck, and I know and appreciate the mass against me. And you tell me to submit willingly."
"Might as well," said Billy. "It's inevitable."
"Sscantoo has one chance," said Linzete. "And that is to use Terra's secret weapon."
"You haven't got it," said Billy flatly. "And if you mean spore-bombing, don't be an idiot."
"Idiot?" snarled Linzete. "Better an idiot than a turncoat that is now fighting his conquerors' battles for them. You commanded a certain amount of respect, Thompson. But that debt was canceled on the day that you started to curry favor. Go back and fawn upon the Loard-vogh; do you think that I don't know what's in your mind? You'll willingly sell Sscantoo into slavery in order to gain a little more voice in your plaintive wailing cry to Vorgan."
"I—"
"As you sold Tlembo to the Loard-vogh."
"I've sold no—"
"Where have you been?" snarled Linzete.
"Coming from Tlembo," admitted Billy with a laugh. "And there has been no communication because we have been traveling in subspace. It took us four days to cross space from Tlembo to here. We've been out of touch with the Universe for months, as far as we're concerned. Now if Tlembo is being sold, I don't know about it."