persuade them to peace. "
8 North thought a minute. "Yes, of course!" he agreed, "The Commandant,
Red Star! That old fox would be the only one that would have enough
sense to know they can't beat us!"
9 North was wrong. The Council of War had taken place several days
before. But Morn was right. Out of all those there, only one voice
spoke with reason. The Commandant of The Academy listened to all, then
asked The Lord God's permission to speak freely. "It is given," The
Lord God
agreed.
10 "My Lord," continued The General, "This is no ordinary Rebellion of
some criminal element, caught in the act and desperately trying to
fight off The Empire to save their lives. This has been well planned,
planned for many, many years.
11 We are facing two of the finest Officers The Academy has ever
produced. Perhaps one of them, alone, could be defeated, but both of
them together? We are faced with a disaster of untold proportions. Look
what they have already done!
12 Where The Empire was once a great ball, moving out from Haven at its
center, it is now like an overturned bowl, thick at the center and
thinning at the sides. Many stations to the south have been lost
already, and because Northern Star has so brilliantly attacked our
freighters and seized so many of them, many more stations
will have to be evacuated before we can make any attempt to counter
attack.
13 At the present moment we barely have enough freighters to sustain
The Empire as it is. None can be drawn off for military service. The
Rebels, on the other hand, have more than they need, and their surplus
vessels can be converted to warships. We have five shipyards to their
three, and will be able to produce vessels faster than they can.