Randomiser wrote:NHBL wrote:I was not suggesting that they should; I was just puzzled that the people in charge on Mesa defied the Manties, saying that they couldn't take the planet.
I suspect they hoped the Manties didn't have the intestinal fortitude to bombard even legitimate targets on Mesa, knowing that the Mesan government and Sollie newsies would immediately be crying Eridani Edict violation, whether there was one or not. Just like there is no evidence at all that the explosive ending of the book is down to the Manties, but they are getting blamed anyway.
<Hands slapping cheeks> "But who else could have done it?"