"Sir. The planes are fueled up and waiting. What shall we flatten next, huh, sir?"
"Let me see...." General Drak examined a wall map upon which the important enemy cities were circled in red. There were Alis and Dryn, Kys and Mos and Dlettre. Drak could think of no reason for leveling one more than another. After a moment's thought, he pushed a button on his desk.
"Yeah?" asked a voice over the loudspeaker.
"Which one, Ingif?"
"Kys, of course," said the cracked voice of his old hardware store assistant. "Fellow over there owes us money and won't pay up."
"Thanks, Ingif." Drak turned to the corporal. "Go to it, soldier!"
"Yes, sir!"
The corporal hurried out.
General Drak turned back to the reports on his desk, trying again to puzzle out what had happened at Allani. Repulsed Us? Us Repulsed? How should it read?
"Oh, well," Drak said resignedly. "In the long run, I don't suppose it really makes much difference."