[Danny]

I can't put it off any longer... So I've written some more...

CHAPTER 56

The Mess Hall on the Crawler wasn’t designed to accommodate this many people, but there were important decisions to be made here.

“I think the Logging Operation is a greater threat.”

Jal frowned. “I agree, but the factory would an easier target first. We can close the factory, then move on to the Logging Operation before they can mobilise their troops properly.”

The tall purple warrior opposite him banged his fist on the table. “There’s no honour in attacking the weaker enemies first!”

Jal sighed. “No, Incal, there is no honour. But there is victory, and I think we need to get our priorities right here.”

Incal snorted, but said nothing more. After a pause, Bil sat forward. “Would it not be better to take out the biggest threat first? Then we’d have less to worry about…”

“No,” Jal shook his head, “In the factory there are nearly a thousand workers and guards, mostly sligs. I’m confident that at least seven hundred of them will join us, plus of course, this being a Weapons Factory, there will be lots of weapons we can take…”

Incal sneered at Jal. “We have weapons…”

“Ok then, Better Weapons.”

Bil put out a hand to restrain Incal. “If we’re talking about tactical advantage, there will be more workers down nearer the forest, with the sawmills and other processing plants, not to mention the logging itself, won’t there?”

Jal frowned, thinking. “Greeb estimated that there would be about three thousand at the logging site, maybe more, but I think they will tend to be more loyal to their employers than those at the factory. After all, the Glukks wouldn’t choose the lazy or rebellious workers to work on something that secret, would they?”

“How many do you think would defect to us from there?”

Jal shook his head again. “I wouldn’t count on half of them. I wouldn’t even place bets on getting a thousand. But the factory has practically no defences except for the guards, and nearly all of them will be sympathetic to us. It would barely be a fight, let alone a battle, and then we’d number nearly half again what we do now, not to mention being better armed.”

Incal began to nod, reluctantly. “Okay, let’s do it your way.” He rose from his chair. “But if your slig friends betray us, I will personally kill you, along with the rest of them…” Without waiting for Jal’s response, Incal strode from the room, leaving the masses of mudokons in the Mess Hall with mixed emotions…