"At Tarroon, you mean? Oh, yes. Planning some adventure."
"That would be the invasion of Smorbrod," Magnan said. "And unless we hurry, Retief, we're likely to be caught there with the last of the evacuees!"
"How many Qornt would you say there are at Tarroon?"
"Oh, a very large number. Perhaps fifteen or twenty."
"Fifteen or twenty what?" Magnan looked perplexed.
"Fifteen or twenty Qornt."
"You mean that there are only fifteen or twenty individual Qornt in all?"
Another whistle. "Not at all. I was referring to the local Qornt only. There are more at the other Centers, of course."
"And the Qornt are responsible for the ultimatum—unilaterally?"
"I suppose so; it sounds like them. A truculent group, you know. And interplanetary relations are rather a hobby of theirs."