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Mayerd, then Currald, joined him, their faces paling as they watched the long lists grow. "Commander Arly?" That was the admiral, impatient of the long silence. Ar!y answered, surprised that her voice was steadier than her hands. "Sir, our Ssli reports an incoming Seti fleet, definitely hostile." She heard a gasp, but did not stop. "Apparently they've got Insystem help that's supposed to disable some of the system defenses. They're timed to arrive here during the Grand Council session. There's some kind of coup planned." The display had stopped. She tapped in a question to the Ssli, asking for the source of all this. "But how do they know?" Coromell asked. The answer came up on the screen even as he asked. "Sir, our Ssli says there's a Ssli larva, captive, on the Seti flagship, and a Fleet officer . . . Dupaynil." Her own surprise carried to him. "Who s that?" "A Fleet Security officer assigned to us a few months ago. Then he was transferred, I think to go look up something in Seti space." "Which he quite evidently found. Well, Commander, you have my permission to leave orbit and make life difficult for those Seti ships." Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html She opened her mouth to ask what about Sassinak and realized the futility. Even if the captain had been at the shuttle port, they couldn't have waited Page 207 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html for her. Not knowing where she was, they certainly couldn't delay. "Yes, sir," she said. Then, "Request permission to drop a shuttle and pilot in case Commander Sassinak shows up. She may need it." "Granted," he said. GENERATION WARRIORS 271 That was all. She was now more than acting captain: she had command of a warship about to fight an alien fleet. This is impossible, she thought, touching the button that set red lights flashing throughout the ship. She punched the ship's intercom. "Ensign Timran to the bridge." And, off intercom, to Bures, "Get one of Sassinak's spare uniforms from her quarters and whatever else she might need. Get it up to Flight Two, fast." More orders to give, evicting the Insystem Security monitor teams that had the weapons locked down, to Engineering to bring up the drives. "Ensign Timran reporting, ma'am!" He was very quick or he'd been lurking in the passage outside. She hoped he would be both quick and lucky with the shuttle. "Report to Flight Deck Two. You'll be taking a small unit to the surface." Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html The admiral had said nothing about an escort, but whatever had happened to Sassinak, a few Wefts and marines couldn't make things worse. When she looked at Currald he nodded. "Ten should do it," he said. "Leave room for her and that Aygar, coming back." He picked up another comset and called his own adjutant. "Yes, ma'am!" said Tim, eyes gleaming. "Do I have permission . . . ?" "You have permission to do whatever is necessary to assist Commander Sassinak and get her safely ofiplanet at her command. Bures will have some things for you to take. Check with him." He saluted and was off at a run. She hoped she'd done the right thing. Whatever had happened to Sassinak, if she was still alive, she would think she had a cruiser waiting for her. And now we're leaving I'm leaving, taking her ship, leaving her nothing but a shuttle. Arly couldn't believe this was happening, not so fast, but it was. Through her disbelief, she heard her own voice giving orders in the same calm, steady tone she'd cultivated for years. Longscans on, undockmg procedures to begin immediately, two junior Weft officers to 272 McCaffrey and Moon Page 208 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html report to Flight Two. A loud squawk from the Station Dockmaster, demanding to know why the Zaid-Dayan was beginning undock without permission. "Orders of Admiral Coromell," said Arly. Should she tell them about the Seti fleet? "We'll be releasing one planetary shuttle." Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html "You can't do that!" "We're releasing one planetary shuttle," she went on, as if she had not heard, "and request navigational assistance to clear your Station without damage." She punched the all-ship intercom and said, "Ensign Gori to the bridge." "But our scans are showing live weapons ..." That voice abruptly stopped, and an Insystems Security Force uniform appeared on one of the viewscreens. "You are in violation of regulations. You are requested to cease and desist, or measures will be taken ..." "Ensign Gori reporting, ma'am." Not as quick as Tim, but eager in his own way. "Ensign, the cap Commander Sassinak said you knew regulations forwards and backwards." He didn't answer, but he didn't look worried, either. "You will discuss regulations with Insystems Security. We are withdrawing under threat of enemy attack, at the orders of a higher officer not in our direct chain of command." Gori's lace brightened and his mouth opened. Arly pushed him toward one of the working boards, and said, "Don't tell me, tell him." Yet another screen showed Flight Two, with the hatch closing on one of the shuttles. As the launch hatch opened, the elevator began raising the shuttle. Arly could just see some part of the Station through the open hatch. ". . . no authorization for such deliberate violation," the Insystem voice droned on. "Return to inactive status at once or regulations will require that force be used." Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html Arly's temper flared. "You have a hostile Seti fleet incoming," she said slowly, biting off" each word. "You have traitors letting them past the defenses. Don't threaten me. So far I haven't hurt the Station." GENERATION WARRIORS 273 Perhaps not all the Insystem Security were in the plot. This one looked as if he'd just been slugged. "But. . . but there's no evidence. None of the detector nets have gone off. . Page 209 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html "Maybe someone's got his finger on the buzzer." The shuttle cleared the Zaid-Dayans hull, and disappeared. Arly sent a silent prayer after it. "If I were you, I'd start looking at the systems with redundancies." By now, the Zaid-Dayan's own powerful scans were unlocked. Nothing would show, yet. The enemy was too far out. Arly glanced around and saw that the regular bridge crew was now in place. It felt very strange to be in Sassinak's place, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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