"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!"
Zorn ground out his dope-stick, lit another. He snorted angrily.
"Okay; what's your idea?" he asked after a moment.
"You know what Petreac is getting in the way of imports as a result of the agreement?"
"Sure. A lot of junk."
"To be specific," Retief said, "there'll be 50,000 Tatone B-3 dry washers; 100,000 Glo-float motile lamps; 100,000 Earthworm Minor garden cultivators; 25,000 Veco space heaters; and 75,000 replacement elements for Ford Monomeg drives."
"Like I said. A lot of junk."