Antagonist - Childe Cycle 11 (78 page)

"You're
all
remembering
the
old
stories
about
the
Dorsai,
and how
they're
unbeatable
in
battle,"
he
went
on.
"They're
mostly just
that—stories—now;
because
times
have
changed,
and
changed
in
our
favor."
There
were
some
mutterings
on
the
edges
of
the
circle,
but
he
ignored
those,
seeking
to
supplant
their
concerns,
while they
were
still
young,
with
his
own
words.

'if
the
Dorsai
were
able
to
conquer
all
the
Younger
Worlds,
they'd have
done
it
long
ago,"
he
said.
"They
never
even
tried.
Remember, they
have
the
smallest
population
of
any
of
the
worlds.
We
have
all the
advantages:
population,
resources
...
and
most
of
all,
a
clarity
of purpose."

"'Clarity
of
purpose'?"
Prosper
Fulton
asked,
frowning.

"It's
the
main
thing
our
leadership
gives
the
Younger
Worlds," Bleys
said.
"We
know
what
we
want.
The
peoples
of
those
Younger Worlds
not
under
our
leadership
are
confused,
preoccupied
with
the details
of
their
own
lives;
because
of
that,
they're
divided
among themselves.
That
goes
for
the
Exotics
and
the
Dorsai—divided, they'll
never
be
a
serious
threat
to
us.
Just
as,
divided,
they
can
never amount
to
anything
in
any
other
endeavor."

He
paused,
and
looked
about
the
circle
once
more,
pulling
their attention
back
to
himself,
away
from
their
fears.

"It's
as
simple
as
this,"
he
continued
after
a
moment:
"People
want
to
be
led.
Most
of
them
lack
the
confidence
to
deal
with
anything
outside
the
scope
of
the
way
they've
always
led
their
lives— when
something
unusual
happens,
they
become
frightened
and want
someone
to
hold
their
hands
and
tell
them
they're
in
the
right and
everything
will
be
fine
if
they
just
do
what
they're
told."

"And
that's
what
we'll
do,"
Ameena
Williams
said,
nodding.

"Until
they're
able
to
take
care
of
themselves,"
Bleys
said.
"It's
a tremendous
responsibility,
as
I
think
you
realize.
But
it
becomes our
mission
simply
because
we're
the
only
ones
able
to
deal
with the
unexpected,
with
change—it's
an
ability
we
have
because
we grew
up
outside
the
usual
mold
of
society.
It's
not
just
that
we're generally
more
intelligent
than
most
of
the
race;
it's
that
we're
able to
see
how
to
use
what
we've
got
to
achieve
our
goals."

"But
war"
Sami
DeLong
said
softly,
a
troubled
frown
still
on
her face.

"Oh,
we'll
do
everything
we
can
to
avoid
it,"
Bleys
said,
his
voice filled
with
confidence.
"We'll
build
up
a
military
force
of
our
own, one
so
powerful
no
one
in
their
right
mind
would
try
to
fight
us— that's
the
best
way
to
avoid
having
a
war
at
all."
He
paused
to
take
a small
sip
from
his
snifter.

"But
war
might
come,
anyway,"
he
went
on.
"People
aren't
always
sensible."
There
were
troubled
nods
about
the
circle.

"We'll
make
sure
it's
not
fought
on
our
own
planets,"
he
said. "That's
one
of
our
responsibilities
as
leaders."

"But
what
about
Old
Earth?"
Prosper
Fulton
said.

"What
about
it?"

"Won't
Old
Earth
be
likely
to
want
to—well,
to
stop
us,
when they
see
what
we're
doing?"

"Now
you're
getting
into
matters
I
planned
to
discuss
during
the course
of
our
meetings,"
Bleys
said.
"Believe
me,
Eve
been
thinking
about
this
for
a
long
time."
He
paused,
projecting
seriousness.

"We'll
talk
more
about
this
later,
I
promise,"
he
went
on.
"But
I firmly
believe
we're
more
likely
to
fall
into
commercial,
rather
than military,
conflicts
with
Old
Earth."
He
smiled
at
them.
"After
all,
the mother
planet
doesn't
really
care
much
who
rules
the
Younger
Worlds, does
she?"

The
nods
around
the
circle
were
slight,
hesitant.

"I
think
you
all
know
Old
Earth
doesn't
really
pay
much
attention
to
the
Younger
Worlds,"
Bleys
went
on.
"She
doesn't
have
to. Old
Earth
is
too
involved
in
her
own
internal
conflicts,
and
her
citizens
worry
more
about
living
their
own
good
lives
...
and
in
the end,
remember:
if
war
should
come,
are
those
spoiled,
pampered Earthmen
likely
to
come
out
from
their
planet
and
fight
very
hard?"

He
looked
about.

"I
don't
think
so,"
he
finished.
"But
that
doesn't
mean
we
won't have
conflict
with
them."