[Damn! Just how many Mega-Gates do you think are out there?] Fang's reply came quickly. He was smart enough to catch the subtext of my demand. [Last time I checked the tactical map, you only had one in your immediate vicinity.]
[There is another one nearby, so I can provide you with two,] I sent back coolly.
[Two!!!] The exclamation marks practically vibrated off the screen. It was clear this came as a total shock to him. Mega-Gates weren't supposed to be this common; they were the crown jewels of planetary invasion.
[If that is the case… then the number of human camps per gate must be reduced to five instead of ten. And regarding the veteran warriors… I simply do not have that many under my direct personal command to give away.]
[How much can you actually offer then?] I asked. I knew he was bargaining, trying to claw back some value, but I wasn't worried. I held all the cards. Anything I managed to extract from him now was a pure addition to my treasury.
