“Oh, we won’t pay them,” said Gerd. “Or rather, we’ll pay for it all by the cost of the fuel you won’t be buying. And by the lack of repair needed by the tanks that Alf has seen to. He’s really very talented.”

“I can see that,” said the four-star. “But…”

“We won’t use the tanks you give us anywhere on planet Earth,” said Thor.

That information hung in the air for a moment.

“Think of it as foreign aid,” said Thor.

“You aren’t foreign,” said the four-star.

Gerd rattled off something in a language that Buck didn’t think he’d ever heard before.

“We’re as foreign as we need to be, she said,” Thor translated. “If we don’t get the tanks, we can offer our services to someone else who’ll think a ten percent tariff is a bargain.”

Buck thought of calling for some Marines to come and blow these hicks to kingdom come. But he didn’t think the Marines would get anywhere near the Norths.

“I will recommend to the President and the Joint Chiefs that they honor your request,” said the four-star.

“We like the President,” said Thor. “Auntie Gerd thinks he’s weak, but it’s a good sign that he wants our services. We’re used to thinking of ourselves as Americans.”

“Sort of,” murmured Alf.

“We wouldn’t want that to change,” said Gerd. “But I can assure you that we have desperate need of these weapons on this world, too. But in respect to our agreement, we will explain the missions we need accomplished and the U.S. military can take care of the problem. Our tanks we’ll only use off-world.”

It made Buck’s skin crawl, to see the four-star agree to everything. To treating the Army like these hillbillies’ private security force.

But he said nothing.

“How many of these tanks do you already have built?” asked Alf.

“Besides the prototypes, only two dozen.”

“Then you need to stop the assembly line and implement the simple design changes I outlined for you yesterday. Meanwhile, Gerd and I will retrofit the existing M1A3s. Fair?”

“Deal,” said the four-star. “As long as you understand that only the President’s word is binding.”

“We’re way past the Constitution and separation of powers and all that, don’t you think?” asked Gerd.

“I do not,” said Buck.

“You’re a brave boy,” she said. “But you must not bluster unless you can back it up. Which, at the moment, you cannot.”

“You can’t just come in and take over,” said Buck.

“And yet we did. Last week. But we want it kept quiet. People should think the government is proceeding as normally. You wouldn’t want to contradict that, would you?” She directed the question at Buck.

“I don’t think it’s polite to contradict a lady,” said Buck.