private stuff. We discussed our boyhood and our
adventures in The Fleet; just every once and awhile said this would
have to be done, or, that would have to be done. Then, before you knew
it, we had a treaty. No surrender, just an agreement to stop fighting.
178 The Goddens get to keep all territory they were forced to abandon
during the war. We agree to establish colonies only in previously
unexplored systems. Of course what we've already taken we keep. It's a
good thing you made your move when you did! They weren't
expecting it. They thought it would take you several more months to get
on the move. You could have probably gone almost to Haven before you
met any real resistance."
179 "They'll come back, you know," North warned, "when they think
they're ready. Forty or sixty years from now, when they've rebuilt
their colonies, rebuilt their Fleets, they'll be at our throats."
180 "I know that, and you know that, but you also know we're stretched
to our limit. We've got to rebuild, too, and I think we can build
faster and better. Your Agents have already reported they have removed
all population quotas. They're even offering bonuses so people can have
bigger families. They've got to repopulate The Empire, and they're not
going to waste any time doing
it.
181 But we've got time, so why don't you go home, old friend, and get
some rest, get The Peepians settled and come back to Hades? We've got a
lot of work to do. Now we can devote ourselves to some more pleasant
work. There'll be time for other things."
182 So it was The Rebellion came to an end. North returned to Peepi. It
was decided that instead of taking The Peepians out in freighters many
of the space stations that filled The Peepians' system would simply be
moved to the new territory. They were ready made colonies. Dock up four
star drive destroyers to them, and they could be