"I am not good at bargaining,"Sol said.

      "You could have some bright tribesmenbargain for you, just as you would have others to fight for you. The masterdoesn't have to do everything himself; he delegates the chores to others, whilehe governs over all."

      Sol was thoughtful. "That neveroccurred to me. Fighters with the weapons and fighters with the mind." Hepondered some more. "How long would it take to train such a tribe, oncethe men were taken?"

      "That depends upon how good you areat training, and how good the men are that you have to work with. How well theyget along. There are many factors."

      "If you were doing it, with the menyou have met in your travels."

      "A year."

      "A year!" Sol was dismayed.

      "There is no substitute for carefulpreparation. A mediocre tribe could perhaps be formed in a few months, but notan organization fit to conquer an empire. That would have to be prepared forevery contingency, and that takes times. Time and constant effort andpatience."

      "I do not have patience."

      The girl finished her work and returned tolisten. There were no compartments within the cabin, but she had gone aroundthe column to the shower stall and changed. She now wore an alluring gown thataccentuated a fine cleavage and a narrow waist.

      Sol remained thoughtful, not seeming tonotice the girl though she drew her stool close to him. "Where would therebe a suitable place for such training, where others would not spy andinterfere?"

      "In the badlands."

      "The badlands! No one goesthere!"

      "Precisely. No one would come acrossyou there, or suspect what you were doing. Can you think of a bettersituation?"

      "But it is death!" the girlsaid, forgetting her place.