Umung is not a large planet. Its atmosphere is thin and dry, its landscape mostly dreary plains. The Ulugani soldiers stationed there grumbled about its dullness. But not many were needed, and soldiers have always complained; it is a healthy sign.

Technicians were required in large numbers, to educate the Umungi in the use of machine tools. But the hive dwellers learned fast. Goln of Aldebaran was invaluable, he knew the ins and outs of native ways. Before long, a good part of the entire planet was ready to start producing for Ulugan.

It produced!

* * *

“All right, colonel, don’t just stand there! Give me your report.”

“If it please you, lord, my scout squadron was investigating the Junnuzhik System as per orders—”

“I know! We have to watch every planet of this cluster now, we never know where the Patrol may sneak in next—Well, what is it? Don’t tell me they’re trying to build another base!”

“No, lord. Our intelligence unit captured some leading natives of Ilwar for questioning—”

“Ilwar! What do you mean? I can’t remember every stinking native name for every worthless little area of a thousand inhabited planets.”

“The world is Junnuzhik III, lord, the only inhabited one in the system. The natives are centauroids—big scaly fellows, beaked heads, crests—Oh, yes, I see that my lord remembers now. Well, Ilwar is the leading nation on the planet. They’ve attained a petroleum technology, are pretty good metallurgists, and so on. Under pressure, it was found out that the Patrol has been dickering with them. Wants them to supply several million troops, presumably for an invasion of our planet.”

“Patrol have any luck?”

“Well, lord, the natives are thoroughly anti-Ulugan. They assume that if we aren’t stopped, we’ll conquer them.”

“True enough. But…oh, and damn! We’ll just have to take over the planet.”

“They’re tough warriors, lord.”

“I know. And occupying a whole planet is a major operation. But we can’t simply sterilize; we’ll need it ourselves in the long run. And we must take over the entire world now, colonel. At the very least, we must garrison thousands of key points, or the Patrol ships can simply sneak in and pick up their recruits. At this time, too!”

“Lord—”

“Shut up: File a complete report. Now get out of here. Hello, hello, give me the General Staff building…Commander Tuac? Ready your planners, boy. We’re going to invade still another world.”

* * *

“Tuac? Listen and obey.”

“Yes, lord.”

“You know the planet Yarnaz IV?”

“Hm-m-m…let me think, lord.”

“Don’t. You’re not capable of it—you and your planning section!”

“Lord, how could we know the Hwari would be such guerrilla fighters? Even under extreme difficulties, we’re carrying all the conquest—it’s just going more slowly than we had anticipated. If we could only have more troops, more supplies—”

“Shut up, I said! We haven’t even finished with Tukatan itself, thanks to that Patrol. Junnuzhik will have to make do with what we can spare. Now listen, or I’ll have your head. Yarnaz is a red dwarf sun about fifteen light-years from Tumu. Its fourth planet is trackless desert, poisonous air, venomous life. Nevertheless, our checkup reveals that the Patrol has been there. Not a base. They’ve been mining near the equator. Why?”