An Early Morning Discussion

"If Ballentine expects to reach Celestial Mountain by the end of the week, then we don't have very much time," Checkers said. "I long ago lost track of the days of the week, but even if it is now the start of the week then he would be there in six days at the very most. From what I have heard of him, he is an able and forceful person. He may well succeed in persuading the Burgesses to launch a military campaign against the anglideri. But I suppose that such a thing could not be organised overnight."

"No," Fred agreed. "If the Dolomite League is anything at all like the human nations that I've had experience of, then it would take at least a couple of months to organise anything on a large scale. And they would know that a small-scale attack would simply be asking for trouble. So I don't think that we need worry about being too late."

"I think that you are right," Solbert agreed. "So what does everyone think of Astra's idea that we should split up? If that is the right thing to do, are we agreed that the right split would be for herself, Fred and Sartoma to go to this Stan of Westmark, and Checkers and myself to the Gliders? And there is another aspect we need to consider - or rather reconsider. Astra's vision has made it clear that those selected to go to the Gliders cannot be put down in too isolated a spot, now that we know that time is limited. They will need to get to Celestial Mountain fairly quickly. So that seems to rule out the idea that Sartoma and I had of going somewhere like Catfish Lake, where the chances of Astra being spotted in flight would be less. Over what we know is often mountainous terrain, the journey to Celestial Mountain on foot, or even by horse or mule, might take too long." [44940]

1. They reach agreement to follow Astra's plan, and on where the embassy to the Gliders should be put down.
2. They are unable to reach agreement. In the end, they have to put it to a vote.

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