Table Of Contents

 THE UNIVERSE -- or nothing Table Of Contents About Meyer Moldeven Also by Meyer Moldeven The Preface The Prologue Chapter ONE Chapter TWO Chapter THREE Chapter FOUR Chapter FIVE Chapter SIX Chapter SEVEN Chapter EIGHT Chapter NINE Chapter TEN Chapter ELEVEN Chapter TWELVE Chapter THIRTEEN Chapter FOURTEEN Chapter FIFTEEN Chapter SIXTEEN Chapter SEVENTEEN Chapter EIGHTEEN Chapter NINETEEN Chapter TWENTY Chapter TWENTY-ONE Chapter TWENTY-TWO Chapter TWENTY-THREE Chapter TWENTY-FOUR Chapter TWENTY-FIVE Chapter TWENTY-SIX Chapter TWENTY-SEVEN Chapter TWENTY-EIGHT Chapter TWENTY-NINE Chapter THIRTY Chapter THIRTY-ONE Chapter THIRTY-TWO Chapter THIRTY-THREE Chapter THIRTY-FOUR Chapter THIRTY-FIVE Chapter THIRTY-SIX Chapter THIRTY-SEVEN Chapter THIRTY-EIGHT Chapter THIRTY-NINE Chapter FORTY Chapter FORTY-ONE Chapter FORTY-TWO Chapter FORTY-THREE Chapter FORTY-FOUR Chapter FORTY-FIVE Chapter FORTY-SIX Epilogue Afterwords Appendix The References Words With(Out) Diacritics Creative Commons License about "zen markup language"

 About Meyer Moldeven

Meyer (Mike) Moldeven was a civilian logisticstechnician with the United States Air Forcefrom 1941 until 1974. He was an aircraftemergency survival equipment specialistin the Pacific Area during World War II and atechnical writer for several years afterwards. During the Cold War he transferred to a USAFbase in North Africa where he developed logisticsplans for USAF-NATO emergency maintenanceof disabled aircraft that would land along theNorth African coast after returning from missionsin any future war with the USSR. During the U. S. Post-Sputnik initiatives to create a national spaceprogram, he critiqued aerospace industries' logisticsconcepts on future space systems organization, infrastructure and support. Among the studieshe critiqued was 'Space Logistics, Operations, Maintenance and Rescue' (Project SLOMAR). During the Viet Nam War, he was the seniorcivilian in the Inspector General's Office atMcClellan Air Force Base, a major logisticsinstallation near Sacramento, California. Aspart of his 'added' duties during 'Viet Nam' Mikewas a hotline volunteer in a suicide preventioncenter and consequently, an advocate forprofessionally-staffed 'suicide prevention'capabilities throughout the entire Departmentof Defense. He compiled documentation, published, and widely distributed copies ofhis book, "Military-Civilian Teamwork inSuicide Prevention" (1971, 1985 and 1994. )Mike's updated essay on suicide preventionin the U. S. Armed Forces has been includedin his collection of memoirs, "Hot War/Cold War-- Back-of-the-Lines Logistics", which is at:http://hometown. Aol. Com/yarnspinner7191/myhomepage/military. Html

 Also by Meyer Moldeven

 Military-Civilian Teamwork in Suicide Prevention Write Stories to Me, Grandpa! A Grandpa's Notebook

 The Preface

 "It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow. " -- Dr. Robert H. Goddard

 "There is no way back into the past; the choice, as H. G. Wells once said, is the universe -- or nothing. Though men and civilizations may yearn for rest, for the dream of the lotus-eaters, that is a desire that merges imperceptibly into death. The challenge of the great spaces between the worlds is a stupendous one; but if we fail to meet it, the story of our race will be drawing to its close. " -- Arthur C. Clarke

 The Prologue

 The Present

A conclusion in the Report to the Club of Rome:The Limits to Growth states: "... Within a time spanof less than 100 years with no major change inthe physical, economic, or social relationships thathave traditionally governed world development, society will run out of the nonrenewable resourceson which the industrial base depends. When theresources have been depleted, a precipitouscollapse of the economic system will result, manifested in massive unemployment, decreasedfood production, and a decline in population as thedeath rate soars. There is no smooth transition, no gradual slowing down of activity; rather, theeconomic system consumes successively largeramounts of the depletable resources until theyare gone. The characteristic behavior of thesystem is overshoot and collapse. "

Jeremy Rifkin, President of the Foundation onEconomic Trends and the Greenhouse CrisisFoundation, in Biosphere Politics: A NewConsciousness for a New Century (Crown Publishers, New York 1991) reports how industrialized anddeveloped nations exploit the sea beds of the worldfor their rich deposits of industrial minerals andmetals. He notes that the struggle between richand poor nations and multinational corporations overminerals in the vast oceanic seabed is likely to beheated in the years to come, especially as reservesof land-based minerals approach exhaustion. 

News media reported in October 2000 that thePeople's Republic of China announced plans toexplore Earth's moon for useful substances. OnOctober 15, 2003 the PRC launched into Earthorbit its first manned rocket. 

In a speech on January 14, 2004 the President ofthe United States of America unveiled a new visionfor space exploration. He called on the NationalAeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to"... Gain a new foothold on the moon and to preparefor new journeys to worlds beyond our own. "

"We do not know where this journey will end, " saidthe President, "yet we know this: Human beings areheaded into the cosmos. " White House Press Release, January 14, 2004. 

 ##

 The Future

 The Interstellar Mining and Teleport System

The System consists of two terminals, each ofwhich includes an integral, fully robotized capabilityto conduct internal command-and-control, self-maintenance and repair, and logistical, teleportation, communications and other functionsand operations essential to its unique mission. Theterminal positioned in orbit above Alpha Centauri isdesignated the Extractor and the terminal positionedalong the Solar System's rim is designated theCollector. 

The Extractor selects and draws pre-designatedelements, minerals and other usable substancesfrom the Alpha Centauri star system, and collects, accumulates, converts and channels the matterinto its spunnel transmission subsystem for directinterstellar transfer to the Collector. 

The Collector receives the product, convertsit into its original form, identifies, classifies, quantifies and records constituents and mass;refines and ejects the raw product for transportto and storage along the solar rim or at a locationthat Authority determines to be more suitable. 

The Extractor and Collector terminals areconstructed four million kilometers beyond PlanetPluto. During the System's research, development, test, evaluation, engineering, construction, launchand voyage phases, the terminals are spunnel-linkedand tested both as separate machines with theirsupport systems, and as the integrated masterscheme. 

During construction the System is linked to PlanetPluto, employing mass attractors, orbital dynamicscontrols and stabilizers, and other means, asappropriate. 

The System Authority possesses and Commands aSelf-Defense Force under Powers delegated by thePresident of the United Inner Planetary System(UIPS). 

At launch, disengage the Extractor fleet from theSolar System's gravitational and other constraintsemploying Planet Pluto's outbound orbital momentumplus augmentation thrusters in a manner that theExtractor fleet retains its integrity in transit todestination, and on station in perpetuity. 

Position the Extractor in orbit above AlphaCentauri at a location commensurate with dataprovided previously by drone scouts. Authority, at all times, maintains surveillance and exercisescontrol over operations and support systems, andanalyses of the Extractor's functions, structuresand equipment. 

The Collector is positioned along the solar rim, orelsewhere, as determined by Authority. The Collectoris fixed to the Extractor's product launch nodes, functions and operations, and to the Extractor'sorbital dynamics at destination. 

The Extractor, operating at destination, analyzes, selects, and draws substance from proximateasteroids, comets, satellites, planetoids, spacedebris, swarms, star surfaces, subsurface and otheraccessible bodies and strata, reduces the substanceto teleportable constituents (the product), loadsthe product into launch hoppers and dispatchesit to the Collector. 

Critical to the program's success is timing theExtractor's launch. Piggy-backed to Planet Plutoduring construction, the Extractor uses theplanet's orbital momentum for launch. The launchwindow is precise and short-lived along PlanetPluto's outbound orbit; there is only one launchopportunity in centuries for the Extractor. 

Disengaged from Pluto, the Extractor fleetaccelerates along its course to optimum velocitythrough integrated thrust of augmented thrustersor other more advanced propulsion systems thatare or become available in time to accomplish theObjective. 

 ##

The Terminals and their command and control, supporting research and development schemesand projects, facilities, spunnel teleport and otherlogistics and communications networks, surface andspace stations and outposts is formally designatedThe Interstellar Mining and Transport System. Authority acknowledges that the mission, launch andassets acquisition processes intrigued the whimsicalfancy of the solar community during pre-programdefinition studies and the System was nicknamed"Slingshot". 

 THE UNIVERSE -- or nothing

 Chapter ONE

The recon-patroller's leg and torso-pads fine-tunedtheir tensions as Lieutenant Pete O'Hare shiftedposition. His eyes ranged the banks of flickeringlights around him. An aberrant indicator caught hiseye and he mind-stroked a sensor control. Satisfied, he moved on; the greens held firm. 

Planet Pluto arced into view from starboard, halfa million kay distant. The mottled moonlet, Charon, orbited the mother planet tightly. Only tanktownColdfield's dome and its hard unblinking lightsbroke Pluto's drab crust. A dozen or so ruttedtrails formed a network that connected encapsulatedoutposts to each other and to Pluto's solitary city. 

The recon-patroller's omni-directional screendisplayed the huge cylinder that floated in spacebehind him, its gravity-enhanced rotation barelyperceptible to O'Hare's vision. Five-meter highorange letters glowed brightly along its bluntbow and stern, and on each quarter sector of itsexposed surface, proclaiming the huge cylinderas the UIPS SLINGSHOT LOGISTICS DEPOT. 

Space transports, no two alike, rode theirmagnetic-beam's moorings along the Depot's flanks. Space tugs and barges labored in all directions, taxis charged about, and space-cranes swayed abovedozens of platforms that protruded from the Depot'shull. 

Leviathans off-loaded to barges as other ships in amultitude of shapes and sizes grappled with cargofrom flex-conveyers that snaked from the Depot'sgaping portals. Slender, multi-armed space cranesraised and lowered crates, bundles and modules, andarranged, aligned, connected and disconnected gearand cargo in all directions. 

Aggregations of netted or tethered girders, platforms, multi-meter-wide conduits in hundredsof shapes and lengths, and modules linked bystabilizer-beams crossed open spaces, pulled orpushed by robot tugs controlled from the station'scargo control centers. In trains or clusters, machines traversed the open stretches betweenthe Depot's portals and nearby transports in theirfinal step toward a long journey. 

The brightly checkered Depot slipped from O'Hare'sscreen. A deployment station to O'Hare and hundredsof his colleagues, and to more than four centuriesof his predecessors, the Depot was as much hometo him as his permanent station afloat in spacebetween Earth and Luna. 

"Time, " O'Hare silently flashed the code thatopened his spunnel channel to Keeper. "This is aSlingshot Tac Ops from Red Fox to Keeper. I am hotto trot on Point Charlie off Fandango Force Field. All coordinates green for Scout Operation XrayDelta slash Four. Time for go is 2112 slash 14Solar. Keyed to transmit status on Spunnel Channel9212, scramble 38. Confirm. Over. "

The response was equally silent, registereddirectly in his consciousness. The message'sclarity was unaffected by passage throughhundreds of spunnel boosters that linked O'Hareto a shielded bunker beneath Luna's surface. 

"Keeper to Red Fox. Your orders to scout PlanetPluto Zone confirmed. You are cleared to startat 2112 slash 14 Solar. Spunnel 9212 slash 38 isopen for your transmissions. You are spunnel-psymonitored by Spacetrack Ceres. Out. "

O'Hare tensed, psy-blinked his view screen down tothe instruments vital to his immediate mission, andmind-keyed several controls. The fifteen-meters-longvessel, with a barely two-meter beam, swoopedlow and snapped into its run barely fifteen metersacross Pluto's desolate plains. 

The view screen readouts showed subsurfacegalleries, several outlined in irregular outlinesbut empty, others reflected high-mass warshipconfigurations. He focused to adjust hisinstruments for deeper penetration. 

Quite suddenly, O'Hare's vision blurred. His headand body swelled. In an instant, his brains, bonesand guts burst and splattered the cockpit as hisship exploded. 

 ##

Lieutenant Jake Ramirez smoothly accepted thetarget blip that registered on his mind-screen. Itinstantly displayed the target's dimensions, mass, spin, velocity and coordinates. As the data strungout Jake whistled, soft and low. He tapped thechannel traffic override to the Depot's spunnelbooster. 

"Spunnel Flash to Keeper. Switch to Scramble 2. "Jake flipped the key and, without pause, mind-casthis alert. 

"Blue Fox to Keeper on Scramble 2. Message keyedat 2115 slash 14 Solar. Request Spacetrack Ceresverify ship's position and readings. Field is aboutone-fourth by three-fourths kay, depth one-fourthkay. No organics. Neutronic penetray analysis showsthat in addition to thermonuclear power plantsthe aggregate includes machined parts configuredto Catalog 11 long range lasers, explosivedecompressors, particle beamers and gun mounts. I suspect this is a cache of contraband ordnanceand spares positioned for pickup by Planet Plutoinsurgents. Orders? Over. "

"Keeper to Blue Fox. Spacetrack Ceres confirmsunregistered objects proximate your position. Ceres' sensors verify the findings. Space Forceconcludes the stores present an immediate threatto Slingshot. Your orders: Destroy the cacheimmediately using your Type K1 nuclear explosivemissile setting: Baker Two Seven. Launch atnot less than 15, 000 kay. Remain on station andfollow up. Search out and dissolve all residues; useyour laser-doubles at setting 8. Report when taskcompleted. Your Tac Ops and psych systems aremonitored. Start now. Out. "

Keeper's message simultaneously loaded into therecon-patroller's computer as authenticator for themission and demolition and laser gun settings. Thecomputer adjusted thrust and vector to bring theship to the 'fire' point and engage the countdownand sequence to launch, arm the warhead, and followup. Missile launch was at six seconds. 

Without warning, the computer froze. The frameof the pilot's enclosure glowed red, then white. Aninstant later the ship disintegrated into thousandsof metal and composite fragments, and shards ofwhat had been human flesh and bone. 

 ##

"Flash -- Spunnel Transmission Priority One. ToSupreme Commander, United Inner Planetary SystemSpace Force, Earth Headquarters, from Keeper, Luna Station. Attack report. Repeat: attack report. Recon-patrollers R-19557, Red Fox, and R-87265, Blue Fox in Planet Pluto Special Zone on reconmissions under Keeper control, were attacked anddestroyed by particle beams; attack times: Red Fox212014; Blue Fox 215514. 

"Beamers fired from unidentified batteries, sourceSectus Gorge, coordinates GT165, Planet Pluto. TheUIPS patrollers were on directed Tac Ops missions:cite our messages to Red Fox and Blue Foxpast half-hour, info recorded in Tac Ops ActionsRegister, your Headquarters. Regret to inform youthat no life signals emanate from Red Fox and BlueFox wreckage. Spacetrack Ceres will monitor forsurvivors. Ship recovery and investigation teamsdispatched from Log Depot to both sites. Out. "

 ##

"Flash To President, United Inner Planetary Systemfrom Supreme Commander, Space Force. Thisis my initial report of attacks on two of ourrecon-patrollers while on UIPS-directed missionsin the Planet Pluto Special Zone. No survivors. Iconclude that Plutonian weapons destroyed bothships. UIPS ships and support stations sunsideof Neptune hold on Defense Alert Level Two. Defense Alert One remains in effect at Slingshotconstruction site and throughout Plutonian SpecialZone. Details follow. "

 ##

"To President, UIPS from Commander, Space Force. Copy to each Senior Elder of the General Assembly, to Ministers of Intelligence and DiplomaticProtocols, and to Slingshot Director. This isfollow-on to my initial report of attacks on ourrecon-patrollers in Planet Pluto Special Zone. Recon-patroller Red Fox was destroyed while onassigned mission to scout Special Zone to locatelaunch and support sites for spacecraft thatpresent a clear and present danger to Slingshot. Thirty-five seconds later, sister ship Blue Fox, ondirected survey of the Planet Pluto Special Zonefor unregistered space debris and contraband wassimilarly attacked and destroyed. 

"Transmissions from the patrollers Tac Ops systems, and scansplays of their external observations ceasedinstantly at time of attack. Note that SpacetrackCeres' reports of the events, confirmed byKeeper, indicate conclusively that in the last fewmilliseconds of functional stability before theships' defenses were breached their damage reportsystems salvoed message bursts to spunnel boosters. The signals confirm that each patroller had been thetarget of long-range particle beamers. 

"The missions of the two patrollers have not beencompleted. Although the Red Fox scout mission canbe rescheduled, we must be prepared for an increasein such attacks throughout the Special Zone. BlueFox was four seconds from a missile launch todestroy a cache of contraband, and was attackedbefore it could complete the task. Consequently, Plutonian insurgents have now added significantlyto their already large stores of space weapons. 

"Repeat alerts have been spunneled to Commandersof UIPS ships, posts and stations throughout theUIPS, and to all UIPS vessels that enter or are in theOuter Region; also to ships under way, and at spaceand surface moorings. Note that UIPS ships en routeto Slingshot, the Log Depot, and work sites havebeen on Defense Alert Red since the Outer Regionseceded from the old United Planetary System, therefore Slingshot readiness in their sectorsremains unchanged. 

"This completes Commander Space Force AttackReport. "

 Chapter TWO

Rymer Camari, President of the United InnerPlanetary System entered his official residence'sconference room in a brisk walk, a loose, grayankle-length robe draped about his thin shoulders. He nodded perfunctory greetings to his Ministersof Intelligence and Diplomatic Protocols, and to theCommander of the UIPS Space Forces as he tookhis seat at the head of the long table. An abundantmane of white hair framed his aged features; hisstony glare reflected the rage they shared. 

A panel in the wall slid upward to reveal atwo-meter square well. A cylindrical view tankfilled its available space. The tank cleared to theUnited Inner Planetary System's standard simulation. Colored and geometric symbols glowed the realtime positions of UIPS planets and their natural andartificial satellites and outposts, schema of spacetraffic lanes, space spunnel booster stations, the Asteroids, and the twenty Guardian Stationsequidistant along the Asteroids' outer perimeter. 

Stroking a key embedded nearby in the table thePresident brought the Strategic Concepts Computeron line. "Computer, " he said, "integrate theseproceedings into the database. Follow, analyzein depth across-the-board and display. "

Turning to the Space Force Commander he said, "What's the situation, Jim?" His voice was flatwith the effort to control his anger. 

Admiral Jim Selvin, shifted his stocky torso aboutto ease his discomfort. Battle-flinty eyes cast aquick baleful glance at his colleagues and turnedto face the President. Thin lips, slashed acrosshis rough-hewn face, twisted as he spoke. 

"There's little to add to what we had an hourago, " he said. "Two good pilots dead; twoimpossible-to-replace patrollers destroyed. "

Rubbing his chin vigorously, he grated, "Weconfirmed that the bandit beamer drew back intoan underground tunnel that cuts into an ice gorgesouth of Coldfield. Their weapons' cache is evennow being approached by unidentified tugs. No doubtthat they're Narval's thugs and they're going toclamp a tow beam on the stores and haul them off tosome subsurface storage or assembly shop. Once theweapons are assembled, installed and calibrated wecould be on the receiving end of more nastiness. "

Leaning forward over the table, he looked directlyat the President. His hand transformed into a fist, and he pounded the table in cadence with his words. 

"Mr. President, " he said, "the real hell of it iswe can't stop them, and we've got no one to blamebut ourselves. It's downright unrealistic to keepour self-defense forces in the Special Zone so farbelow what's needed to protect our vital interests. "

"What do you suggest, Jim, " the President shrugged, "break our treaties with the Outer Region? What'llthat get us?"

Jim looked directly into the President's eyes. "But they're the ones violating the treaties, "he growled. "If we've ever needed irrefutableevidence, we've just had it rammed down ourthroats. We'd better get off our duffs and dosomething. "

Allen Dynal, Minister for Intelligence, nodded inagreement, but did not speak. His turn was coming. 

Selvin leaned back, turned his head to scowl at theview tank. Together, they contemplated the formingscene. 

The Admiral's outburst had given subject matterguidance to the computer. The display shifted tothe Planet Pluto Special Zone. Two tiny red lightsflashed rapidly at the coordinates where theattacks had occurred. A steady blue light trackedthe hijacked stores. 

Selvin continued. "The entire sector from whichthis attack was launched is honeycombed withutility passages and subsurface supply andmaintenance shops, " he said. "They date back towhen our earliest construction cadres went in. The subsurface should have been returned to itsoriginal state when we had no further use for thetunnels and galleries. We did start to collapse theice walls and overheads; obviously, we didn't getvery far. "

Selvin sighed, heavily. 

"Understandable, " he went on. "Hundreds ofjunctions and cutouts were dug to serve one-timeneeds. They were never mapped. The same can besaid for subsurface technical facilities. No questionthat many are still usable. "

The view tank's image blurred, then cleared to showa broad expanse of Pluto's barren surface out tothe planet's horizon. A white, steady glow identifiedColdfield, the surrounding red and blue linesidentified scores of subsurface passageways andrutted trails that curved away from the domed cityin all directions. 

"There's no doubt that the underground passagesand caverns are being used by Narval as maintenanceand operations hangars for his fleet, " Selvin saidreturning his eyes to Camari. "Many have enoughroom to accommodate nuclear energy capsules, shipand equipment repair shops, and catapult launchers. Pseudo-gravity enhancers during constructionstabilized the floors. Foundations are secured deepin the frozen surfaces, and bonded well enough, so that even under the planet's low density, they'lltake the weight of battle wagons. "

The silence hung heavily as Selvin glared at theview tank. His voice rasped. "They must haveinstalled heavy screens in the overheads. Manyof our penetration readings are dim, even withour most advanced sensors. "

"That's all I have for now, Mr. President, " hesaid, leaning back. Absently, his stubby fingersdrummed the tabletop. He caught himself andglanced about guiltily as he drew his hands backto the edge of the table. 

Camari's eyes moved on to a somber-faced ancientwho gravely returned his stare. "Let's hear theintelligence review, Allen, " the President said. 

The Minister for Intelligence placed his claspedhands before him on the table and spoke. His voicewas hoarse, low and intense, and his eyes movedfrom the President to Jim Selvin, who faced himgrimly. 

The view tank flickered, clouded and cleared to anoverview of the Outer Region. The scale reducedplanets, satellites, and stations to the coloredpinpoints of light with which they all were longfamiliar. The computer adjusted to focus ona magnified Plutonian sector. The Uranus andNeptune orbits, although contained within thetank displays, were cut out by the compression. The Slingshot Construction Site rode the rim. 

"Updating, the latest reports of militaryconstruction, commitments and politicalrealignments among the Outer Nations are ominous, "Allen said. "They're pledging themselves to eachother through mutual assistance pacts and arebuilding military spacecraft, weapons and supportsystems to back up their agreements. "

Pointing thoughtfully with his right forefinger athis left palm, Allen updated the military assets ofeach opposing nation, and correlated its potentialcapabilities to economic resources over the comingdecades and centuries until Slingshot reduced thesolar system's deficits. He wove into his analysisthe effects of orbital dynamics on normal andspunnel transit times from each Inner and OuterRegion point-of-origin to the Slingshot work sites. He moved on to the status of weapons researchand development, and identified the locations ofthe Outer Region's weapons manufacturing sitesand military training facilities. 

"The long-term defense of Slingshot through purelymilitary means, " he added, following a deep breath, "especially in protecting our routes and the LogDepot, is, as Jim stated, not possible given theprevailing circumstances. The so-called membersof the Independent Nations of the Outer Region areexpanding their field of operations, and they getgenerous support from satellite collectives andindividual sympathizers throughout the region. 

"Our intelligence sources, " Allen concluded, "report that many supporters of Plutonianobjectives are, themselves, descendants of theinsurrectionists that fomented the dissolutionof our first interplanetary union. Now, it seems, their intent is to destroy Slingshot, and us aswell. "

Allen Dynal and Jim Selvin glanced at each other;they were not in disagreement. 

Camari broke the hush that followed Dynal's words. 

"We are well into an armed confrontation, " he said. "Nevertheless, whatever actions we take mustminimize destruction to life and property, require no diversions from resources allocatedto Slingshot, and in no way restrict Slingshot'sconstruction and launch schedules. "

Turning his head slightly, he nodded at the lastof his three advisors. Chan Dahl, Minister ofDiplomatic Protocols, laid his massive forearms onthe table, palms down. His abrasive voice matchedhis heavy features and rotund body. He spokerapidly in summary fashion: offering little thatwas new, Chan passed quickly over the diplomaticchasm that had formed between the UIPS andthe Outer Region after the dissolution of the firstUnited Planetary System. He summarized the complexalliances that had evolved among the independentgovernments beyond the Asteroids following thesecession, and moved on quickly to the initiativesof his Ministry to reconcile inter-regionaldifferences. 

"The issue of the transit fee is critical, " hesaid. "Each Outer Region nation has expressedvehement impatience to get on with its toll tax onthe UIPS for each transport or other vessel thatenters space contiguous to their planetary andsatellite orbits. They insist that such spaceis legally within their natural boundaries, andthat by merely passing through, we trespass. Restitution, they claim, is in order. 

"Negotiations remain in limbo. The impasse will, quite likely, remain for some time. Our position isunchanged: the fees that they demand are withoutjustification, an extortion to which we cannotsubmit. "

Throughout the discussions, the Strategic ConceptsComputer flashed a continuing display. As eachtopic was opened for discussion the view tankportrayed the corresponding regions, sectors, planets or satellites, shifting from one to theother as needed to clarify points under discussionor accompany the exploration for alternatives. Thelower section of the tank registered the computer'squantification of speculations by the President'sadvisors, and their probabilities towardrealization. 

Finally, President Camari raised his hand. Hepressed a softly glowing disk on the table. Theview tank cleared. Resting his chin in the palm ofone hand, Camari gently rubbed his temple withthe fingertips of the other. 

"Instructions to Strategic Concepts Computer, " hebegan. "Summarize the facts adverse to our causeand our options for dealing with each. Arrange andrate the options according to their probabilitiesfor results favorable to the UIPS, and separately, favorable to the interests of the Outer Region'sNations. Consider UIPS limitations in nonrenewablemetals, minerals and other vital reserves untilSlingshot begins to produce. Take the options intoaccount and assume that Slingshot will succeedon schedule and will generate sufficient refinedmatter over time to meet the needs of both Regions. 

"Project each option's draw down on resourcescommitted to Slingshot, and estimate their impacton schedules. We may need to gamble here. Crankin the latest estimates on the years it will takefor the Extractor to reach Alpha Centauri, getorganized around the job, go online, and begin toproduce. Compute out to the time that we willhave rebuilt stockpiles within the Solar System. "

Leaning slowly back into his chair as he spoke, Camari lowered his hands into his lap. His eyesmoved from one advisor to the other. They returnedhis gaze, the bleakness in their eyes matching hisown. "Try different combinations within the optionsand rate them, " he continued. "Examine our treatieswith the other powers and status of currentnegotiations and pending proposals. Show howeach option, which has statistical probabilityfor success up to exponent three can adverselyaffect those treaties or negotiations. "

Camari drew a deep breath. "We need to takea fresh look at where we are. We've also got toavoid political irritations that may exacerbate thesituation further. On the other hand, revisions totreaties and to our positions at the negotiatingtables may be essential. Slingshot may solve ourdisagreements, but we cannot wait. 

"Review our readiness and activation sequencesconsistent with our Quick Reaction Capability todeal with contingencies in the Slingshot SpecialZone. Work up details on what needs to be done andby whom to upgrade our QRC initiatives for eachcontingency that I keyed in as probable. Showcosts in still accessible resources separately andintegrate results with relevant commitments andschedules. Draft implementation plans and executiondirectives to commit resources. Update constantly, but keep all implementation directives on 'hold'until I direct otherwise. 

"We meet again in two hours, " Camari, said, risingfrom his chair. "Computer: be ready to give apresentation on each option and its variationswithin the parameters I specified and which surfacethrough your analyses. Double-check resourcerequirements and schedules, and tactical optionsand their possible effects on UIPS forces andassets in the Special Zone. Maintain current. WhenI select the course of action and authenticate themwith the Presidential Implementation Designators, release directives to implement the decisions. Monitor and report. This completes my instructionsto Computer. "

The President turned toward the door from whichhe had entered. Pausing, he glanced back at theMinister of Intelligence. 

"Allen, " he said, "give me a rundown, within thehour, on our intelligence assets throughout theOuter Region. I am especially interested in yourability to intensify earliest possible infiltrationand disruption throughout Narval's domain. "

The door slid shut as he passed through. Thewall panel across the view tank cavity loweredas the advisors departed. 

The Strategic Concepts Computer presentedvisual displays accompanied by a gently modulatedaudio. The analysis was incisive, the coveragecomprehensive. At its conclusion, the Presidentscanned the faces of his Ministers and theCommander of the Space Forces. 

"Comments?"

Scores of questions probed and tested thecomputer's logic and conclusions. Questions becameobservations, which, following discussion, becamerevisions that, were instantly extended tocorollaries. Often, objectives and programswere adjusted. Finally, it was done -- for thetime being. 

Rising from his seat, the President's eyes tookin his grim advisors. Speaking softly, he passeddecisions on several recommendations to hisMinisters, Admiral Selvin, and into the Computer. Done, they sat silently for several moments, weighing the decisions' potential effects. 

Rising and making his way toward the doorway, Camari motioned to the Minister of Intelligence. "I've read your report on our assets in the OuterRegion, Allen. I have a special task for yourMinistry. "

He motioned the Minister for Intelligence to joinhim. They passed through and the door closedsilently. 

 Chapter THREE

The Watch Commander drew a hand weapon from therack, adjusted the power to low stun, and checkedthe safety. He slipped the sidearm into the sheathat his waist and scanned the monitors displayinghis areas of jurisdiction. 

The agri-ecol bays and industrial shops of theGuardian Station were orderly and busy. Theofficer's fingers ranged the console's keys. Aud-viz transmissions from passageways, wardrooms, and work and recreation areas slipped across thescreens in rapid succession. Inmates and guardsmoved about, operated equipment, or worked attheir benches, each, in his or her own way, puttingin their time on the station's business. 

A keystroke brought up the eight people boardingthe Station through the lower air lock. Two werestation guards, their weapons sheathed butretainer clips disengaged for instant withdrawal. 

A slight adjustment brought into sharp focus theclosed features of the three men and three womenin dun-colored coveralls, under escort. He studiedtheir faces for a moment and turned away. Thebank of screens shut down as he stepped acrossthe doorway of the cubicle that served him as bothcommand post and sleeping quarters. He strodebriskly toward a hatch at the far end of thepassageway. 

The lead guard, who had appeared a moment beforeon the screen, stepped off the ladder leadingfrom the lower level and glided forward in the lightpseudo-gravity followed by the six prisoners hehad escorted from the transport. The prisoners, without constraints, walked silently. All had their hairtrimmed uniformly close to their heads. The men'sfaces were as hairless as the faces of the women. 

The second guard brought up the rear. 

The forward guard came abreast the WatchCommander, stopped, barked a command to halt, and turned to face his charges. They knottedforward, not anticipating the order, separatedand spaced themselves. 

"OK, inmates, " the guard grinned, "up againstthe bulkhead, please. Relax. You're gonna get theofficial greeting to this paradise of the outback. "

Swinging about, he tossed a perfunctory salutein the officer's direction. At ease againstthe opposite bulkhead, he watched benignly ashis charges shuffled about and lined up in noparticular order. The guard at the other endstood astride the passageway in a casual stance. 

The Watch Commander cleared his throat witha slight cough to focus their attention. 

"I'm Lieutenant Malcolm, " he said. "I run theReception Center on this station. You may ormay not know where you are; let's be certainthat you do. "

The six faces stared at him. One of the men inthe lineup, third from the head, shifted his gazefrom the officer to the guards and back again. A bit above medium height, ropy necked andthick-shouldered he gave the impression of a maleat ease, confident but wary. Below his gray-blackbristle of close-cropped hair and space-bleachedbrows his deep-set green eyes moved on to calmlyscan the deck, bulkheads and corridor. He returnedeyes to the officer and the guards. He had the airof a leader. 

The officer drew a deep breath and continued. "The manifest of the transport from which you justdisembarked listed you as 'cargo' transferred tothis station from the temporary holding jails ofEarth, Luna or Mars, or wherever you were beingheld. Don't let being recorded as 'cargo' botheryou. Official visitors and guests are passengers, prisoners are cargo. If the transport's brigs werecramped, that's the name of the game; they're notbuilt for comfort. Each of you did get a separatecell on board, I understand. In that respect, atleast, you all got better than routine treatment. "

The last remark raised sardonic eyebrows on twofaces in the line. The rest remained impassive. 

Malcolm paused, then continued. 

"Be prepared to be here for a while. You know yourcommitment period. Whatever happens to you heredepends on your attitude and your compliance withorders, and on decisions by those conducting yourrehabilitation. "

Pacing the line he stopped before each prisonerand stared at him or her from under bushy blackeyebrows. Relaxed against the wall, or tenseand erect, they returned his gaze. Inspectioncompleted, he nodded at the guard astride thepassageway and turned back to address the line. 

"You are inmates in the Social RehabilitationCenter of Guardian Station 15, about five millionkay outbound from the Asteroid Belt's rim, or whatwas the Belt before the space-miners got throughwith it. This station was the mining operationscenter for this sector. 

"Our internal security is good. We've had noattempts at breakout in a dozen years. In theattempt that was made before then, the inmatedidn't clear the sector. When it was over, I mightadd, he was a bit the worse for the experience. "

Malcolm paused to let his words sink in. 

"This prison, " he continued, "is where the rehabsystem confines its high-risk and special treatmentprisoners. Inmates include persons convicted ofpiracy of spacecraft, smuggling controlled mineralsand other substances, theft of government andimportant private properties, hijacking, espionage, armed robbery, gun-running to insurgents andterrorists in the Outer Region, and murder. That'sthe short list. "

The prisoner's faces remained expressionless. 

"Bear in mind... " the Lieutenant reached the end ofthe line and reversed direction, "that although theGuardian Stations are along the border between theInner and Outer Regions, we're far from isolated. For example, this station's present orbitalcoordinates accommodate Inner Region traffic to thePlanet Pluto Special Zone through both normal spaceand spunnel express. 

"Escorted Inner Region convoys regularly passthrough this sector on their way to the Slingshotconstruction site. They include high-mass-loadedcontainer ships, construction rigs under towand objects too large for the spunnel are routedthrough this sector when we're lined up. 

"Sometimes they stop to pick up and dischargepassengers and cargo, or technicians to service ourspecialized posts along the way and at destination. We may have a half-dozen or so spacecraft alongsideat any one time, just doing their jobs. When themoored ships are perceived as crowded, inmatesdream of stowing away to somewhere else. That'sno more than a dream; don't underestimate oursurveillance systems. You've been warned. "

He pointed at one prisoner, then another in ajabbing gesture. 

"Our job is custodianship of those who can't adjustto the realities of our society, and rehabilitationand training of those who can be helped, eventually, to return to the outside world. Thereare other options for inmates who have specialattributes. You will learn more of those in time. "

Pausing, he scratched at his jaw. 

"You are sojourners among us, and transient, " heclosed. "We will not abuse you; on the other hand, we will not coddle you. We tell all new inmates, asI'm now telling you: cooperate, and you'll find yourstay tolerable, resist, and take the consequences. "

A stern, hard stare, a shrug and his featuresrelaxed. 

"OK, that's the official greeting for allnewcomers. I know you've all had a long, boringtrip on a beat-up transport. I expect you'll wantto unwind a bit. "

He glanced at the forward guard, back againstthe bulkhead, and turned back to the prisoners. 

"First, we'll get you into some decent quarters, and let you clean up and rest. Get to know eachother; you'll be together for a long time. 

"The guards will escort you to your corecompartment. Normally, you would have startedorientation and psy-phys testing immediately. Your schedule is different. Your first orientationlecture will be in two hours. Sergeant Jenkins, " hemotioned the lead guard forward, "will escort you toand from orientation. Don't play games with him; heknows them all. "

"All yours, Jenks, " he said. "Move 'em out. "

Jenkins came forward, pointed to a hatch furtheralong the passageway. 

"Follow me. "

Lieutenant Malcolm stepped aside. He watched theline move past silently and climb the companionwayout of sight. None looked back. 

Lining up in loose formation at the head of thecompanionway and responding to Jenkins signal theprisoners started along a passageway. The otherguard brought up the rear. 

They crossed spidery overpasses that spanned busyworkshops and agriculture bays under cultivation. People and service robots moved about; the newprisoners drew few glances. 

Jenkins drew them to a halt in a wide corridor. Ahead was a shimmering force field. He murmuredwords and placed the palm of his hand on a dullcomposite plate embedded in the wall. The forcefield faded to a haze. They passed through, andthe haze resumed its shimmer behind them. 

A portal came into view up ahead. 

Jenkins motioned toward it and stepped aside as theprisoners passed him and on through the opening. The guards did not follow. 

Of a sudden minus their escorts, the inmatesclustered inside the entry and stared about. 

The compartment was generous by space habitatstandards. Well-lighted, it stretched ten metersfrom wall to opposite wall. Parallel in the centerof the room a double line of four gray tables stoodfused to the deck, each with benches on each longside, similarly immobilized. Evenly spaced alongthe wall were curtained sleep-privacy enclosures. Behind partitions on opposite sides of thecompartment were entries to two standardwash-lavs. The furnishings were functional and clean. 

One after the other, the prisoners drifted off toinspect the enclosures. All were back in less thana minute; they silently kept distance from eachother. 

The inmate who had so carefully examined thecorridor while Malcolm talked, leaned against oneof the tables and crossed his arms. He repeated hisscan of the compartment, but this time one sectorat a time, turning to take it all in yet pass overeach cell-mate that entered his field of vision. Hismovements gave the group a focus; it was easierthan to just stare at the walls and the austerefurnishings. 

"I don't get this, " the table-leaner locked armsacross his chest as he spoke with a puzzledexpression on his face. His voice was low, flat yetcourteous. "We may as well get the formalities outof the way. Who are we? Names will do for starters. I'm Brad. "

Faces relaxed a mite. One of the women sat on abench. The ice may have cracked, but the silenceheld. Brad had their attention. 

Seconds passed. 

"Hodak. "

The word welled up as a growl, low and rumblingfrom a squat, muscular man. His deeply embeddedeyes circled the room from under a boulder-browthat bridged the space beneath his bald pate toblend with the stub nose, wide mouth and crinkledskin of a seemingly amiable face. 

"I'm Zolan, " said the third male. He was of mediumheight, slight of build, waxy features and a highbrow with the pallid complexion of a spacer. Asalert and tense as a coiled spring, Zolan leanedagainst a bulkhead, eyes moving rapidly fromBrad to Hodak to the walls to fix on an oppositebulkhead. 

"That takes care of the men. " A woman's voice, melodious, dulcet. "I'm Adari. "

Sturdy, tightly curled hair and chocolate-tonedskin. Her soft, rounded features were dimpled, cheerful, animated. Standing near a sleepenclosure, her grin was infectious. She broughtlong-absent grins, twinkles and nods from theothers. 

Repeating her name slowly, she smiled invitinglyat the petite woman seated on a nearby bench. 

"My, aren't we cautious, " the little one said asshe looked up and returned Adari's grin. "I amKumiko, " she shifted her eyes to take in theothers, "and I regret to say that I am notparticularly pleased to be among you. " Shepaused, looked down. "Nothing personal, mindyou, it's just that I did have other hopes. "

Eyes shifted to the last of the group. Tall andslender, olive-skinned, she paced the narrow spacebetween the wall and the cell's central section. Her turn, no longer to be put off. 

"Myra, " she said flatly. 

The silence closed back in. 

 Chapter FOUR

The meeting hall was roughly triangular, the rowsof form-fit seats molded into the deck which slopeddownward toward a slightly raised platform jammedinto a corner. Alongside the platform a meter-wideview tank rose from the deck to merge with theoverhead. A single cable snaked from the viewtank's base and disappeared into the nearbybulkhead. 

The six inmates entered, milled about, silent, their features without expressions. In their owntime, they each took seats, several empties apart. The first three rows remained vacant. 

Hodak broke the silence. "The Blue Plate Specialthe Looie gave didn't sound right, " he growled. "I want to know more about what he was gettin' atwith that crack about our schedule 'being different'. "

Adari turned, eyebrows raised, to stare at himthoughtfully. She nodded slowly and turned backto join the others to focus on a figure perchedon a high stool beside the view tank. 

He looked tall, despite his being seated. Aslate-gray uniform covered him from neck to ankles;his feet shod in high-top deck slippers that matchedthe shade of his garment. He wore no insignia. Long, crowded features and tawny space-worn skin formeda face of planes and angles. His hairless head andlong hands looked like they might have been hackedfrom a block of Mercurian tuscanite and left toweather for a few million years in the sun's glare. 

The hall quieted. Satisfied that he had theirattention, the man stood. The mere suggestion ofheight, seated, did not do him justice. He unfoldedlike an articulated, mechanical crane. Fullyextended, his towering frame rose more thantwo meters from heels to naked, gleaming scalp. 

His first words took Hodak's challenge. 

"You will know, Hodak. " His voice was soft, andcarried the gravity of authority. 

His eyes moved from one to the other. 

"What I say here applies to all of you, " he said. "I will not answer all of your questions, but youwill be told all you need to know at this time. "

He stepped down toward them from the dais, halting inside the curve of the first row of seats. 

"I am Ram Xindral, " he said, "your orientationlecturer, your trainer and, should you need one, your counselor. I am also your Control. Takespecific note of the term 'control'. It has onlyone meaning: you are in a prison, but from here ontake no orders from prison staff. You take yourorders only from me; I am not 'prison' staff. "

"What the hell!"

Hodak again, bouncing up, down, up again. Adari, her mouth open in surprise and alarm, also stood, paused, and moved to stand beside Hodak. Zolanremained seated, his hooded eyes on Xindral. Kumikoshifted position slightly and stared vacantly atthe deck. Myra remained motionless, her face alsoclosed. Brad, brows drawn into a frown, crossedhis arms, waiting. 

"Hah! This sure as hell isn't the standardorientation lecture for new inmates. " Adari'sjeering laugh burst from her in a sardonic cascade. 

"No, Adari, it isn't, " Ram said with a smile, "buthear me out. "

The hall was suddenly charged with tension andwariness. Hodak remained on his feet, bent forward, hands gripping the back of the seat in front of him, challenge in his eyes. 

Xindral clasped his hands behind his back. Thegesture tightened his frame and seemed to increasehis height. He faced away from them, strode backto stand beside the view tank and turned. Hodakgrunted, sat, muttered under his breath; Adari tookthe seat alongside, leaned in toward Hodak, listenedto him mumble, and grinned, nudged and nodded. 

"Details later, " Xindral continued. "Let's getthis first part over with. I'll talk. Cut in withquestions if you must, and bitch if it helps; we'llget to know each other better. If you take offon a tangent, so be it. I'll go along, within limits. I didn't expect this to be a monologue, by far. It'll take a while, but you'll get the informationI intend you to have. "

An uneasy shifting about ensued. The prisonersweren't buying. Brad sensed the apprehension inthe others that he felt in himself. Xindral's openingremarks along with his aura projected formidablepower despite his slender frame. 

"Before we continue, " Xindral said, "know thatyou are not quartered in the penal section of thestation. The usual new arrivals don't get this sortof attention. Furthermore, the lectures givento them are confined to station routines. Theirprocessing includes a few tests that are evaluatedfor basic intelligence and skills. It helps thestaff assign them to shops, rehab training, and eventually for return to the outside world. You're not that lucky. "

Xindral's last words jolted Hodak back on to hisfeet. 

"Look, whoever the hell you are, " he rumbled, jabbing a stubby finger at Xindral, "let's cut outthe crap about our luck. First the Looie, now you, puttin' on this mystery act with fancy hints thatdon't make sense. You said we're allowed to askquestions. OK, here's one: am I an inmate in thisprison or not?"

"You are, and you aren't, " Xindral shrugged. "That's my answer at this time. As we talk, the picture will clear. "

Xindral's face flexed into a grin. 

The animosity in the hall was palpable, exacerbatedby Xindral's evasive response to a fair question. As Hodak grumbled his way back down into his seatthe elongated figure drew a flat, palm-sized controlfrom a sheath fastened to his belt and pressed anembedded key. 

The view tank's haze cleared to the standard solarschematic. The scene faded, replaced by a ring oftiny multicolored lights: the Asteroid Belt. 

"This display is tailored to the general run ofinmates processed through orientation, just to givethem an idea where they are. Their familiarity withdeep space is often limited, so station lecturesstart with fundamentals. We'll pass on this. "

Brad tensed at Xindral's choice of words, andsensed the others had been similarly alerted. He glanced sideways. His companions, as he, stared at one another as if seeing them forthe first time. Were they of a kind?

Xindral continued as if he hadn't noticed. 

"A footnote, " he said. "The Belt's been cleared ofalmost all rocks and swarms, plus the big ones thatwe couldn't use for outposts. As you may recallfrom your school days, it wasn't easy haulingmicro-spunnel terminals around the Belt and rammingrocks into the hoppers for transfer to meltdown andrefining above Venus. 

"In short, the big space sweeps of five to eighthundred years ago cleared away most of the residuein Belt orbits that had no beneficial purpose andwere a hazard to traffic. The Belt was a goodsource for minerals -- while it lasted. "

He paused to key the instrument in his hand. 

"That's done, " he said. "What's left are only a fewof the big asteroids, like Ceres. They serve bothregions as Solar Spacetrack Centers, communicationsrelays, search and rescue operations, space lanesdebris collection teams, urgent care hospitals, andfor spunnel gateways management. "

As he spoke the ring of lights in the tankflickered. Another ring formed, evenly spaced rods, each glowing a contrasting color. 

"The Guardian Stations, " Xindral said, "have beenin position for more than six centuries. Twentystations; no more are planned. "

The tank zoomed in on five of the twenty rodsin a quarter segment of the full orbit; the rodsexpanded to form slowly rotating cylinders. 

"The Guardians are apportioned among fourgenerally equal sectors, any one of which servesthe quadrant that it happens to transit at thetime. Responsibilities and missions overlap, andare passed along from the station moving out of aquadrant to the one entering it along the commonorbital path. Using standard and hyperspaceomnidirectional surveillance, each station'sprimary job is to monitor its sector: inward towardthe Sun, and outward to the rim and beyond as far asour technical capabilities extend. The service areaschange constantly in keeping with the alignmentsand dynamics of planets and their satellites, traffic-lane management, neutralizing debrisintrusions, and conventional and spunnel teleportmaintenance. "

Xindral folded himself back on to the high stool ashe spoke. 

"After the political separation of the Inner andOuter Regions these Guardian Stations revertedto us by the treaty. Formally, they serve only theInner Region's jurisdictions. Informally, however, the stations cover the entire system; to dootherwise would bring about enormous disruptionsand disasters in space traffic and communications. 

"The Guardians' functions include standard andspunnel communications, disaster relief, search andrescue of distressed spacecraft, intercepting anddiverting comets-of-hazard, meteors, debris andother threats to traffic in the space-ways thatserve the Inner Region's space colonies needs. Often the Outer Region's folks help when theirinterests are involved; just as often they don't. It's one of the prices we pay for this politicalbreach, and one of the most frustrating. "

Zolan turned to aim a remark at Adari. She giggledand elbowed Hodak. He growled and twisted away. Kumiko's eyes lifted from the deck to lazily roamthe blank overhead. 

Myra's face openly played non-listener. Bradcontinued to observe Xindral closely, glancingoccasionally at the tank. 

Aware that he was losing his audience, Xindralpaused and stood quietly for a moment. 

"Do my words bore you?" He leaned forward totake them all in. His voice, still soft, neverthelessexposed a cutting edge. 

Zolan looked at Xindral as he contemptuously gavethe tank the back of his hand. 

"Who're you trying to kid?" His challenge wascast low, tight. "I don't know about the rest ofthese folks. I haven't asked any of them aboutthemselves, nor have they tried to check me out. But you wouldn't have brought us together withoutfirst investigating us for whatever your purposemight be. For example; you must know I'm a spacecommunicator. So, frankly, your rambling on likethis not only bores me, its phoniness is clear andinsulting. "

Hodak slapped his knee and laughed. He pointed atZolan, then wagged his finger at Ram. 

"Comm isn't my beat, " he said. Thumbing over hisshoulder at Zolan, he added, "but what he said goesfor me. "

Xindral brushed the keys on the control andreturned it to its case. The view tank fadedas he fixed his eyes on Zolan. 

"Yes, Zolan, I am familiar with your background. "Shifting to Hodak, "Yours, too. " His glance widenedto include the others, "as I am with the backgroundsof you all. "

In response, the prisoners silently glared defiance. 

"Zolan's observation is correct and on point, "Xindral said, ignoring their disdain. "We're notfooling one another. Simply stated, you have muchin common. You are professional space men andspace women, and highly qualified at that. Yourskills and resourcefulness remain with you andI am aware of them. "

Slouchers straightened. Hodak and Adari lookedaround and their faces broke into grins, which werereturned. Tension remained, but subtly altered. 

"A couple of points, " said Xindral. "First, you areall from sunside of the Belt and you are not known, as far as my sources can determine, where I don'twant you to be. Second, together, you represent across-section of space professions and experiencevital to the success of an important and urgenttask. What you are going to be asked to do willplace your lives at risk. You will need to rely oneach other, personally and professionally, underdifficult circumstances. "

Brad had enough. 

"Now let's just wait a minute!"

Brad was on his feet, instantly joined by theothers. 

Xindral, head cocked slightly to one side, satand listened. 

"Zolan said it first, " said Brad. "None of usspeaks for the others, so what I say is formyself. Who are you to force me -- us -- intoa life-risk situation?"

The words, tightened in long-suppressed rage, spewed forth. 

"You just counted off a couple of 'points'. " Bradraised his hand, index finger raised. "Now here'sone for you. I'm here because I was convictedof a so-called offense against society. No waydo I consider myself a criminal; furthermore, Idon't know if these others, " motioning in theirdirection, "consider themselves criminals or not. Again, I say, not my business. I'm here to servea prison sentence, and that doesn't include doingodd jobs where my life goes on the line. "

Brad and Xindral faced each other acrosstension-charged space. The momentaryconfrontation passed, Brad, obviously fed upwith Xindral's evasions, crossed his arms acrosshis chest and waited. The tall man studied him. 

"Your point is well made, " he said. "You haveforced the issue forward, and your challengemust be answered before we go much further. Here are a few of the pieces. Think about them. "

He stepped back on to the platform and took hisseat. 

"You were selected only after a searchinginvestigation into your backgrounds, " he said. "We considered your records, personalities, and your capabilities: phys and psy, professionalskills, job performance, resiliency, whatever thetask I assign to you will likely call for. 

"You are now a UIPS task group, for want of abetter designation. One of you will be appointedCommander. You will be given a job to do. Youwill depend on each other in most difficultcircumstances: your records for reliabilityunder stress were among the selection criteria. You were acceptable. 

"As to your appointment, that was made by anauthority outside this station, actually, outsidethe Correctional Service of which this penalinstitution is a part. From the time you weremoved into the holding cells for transfer here, youcame under the jurisdiction of a Ministry that isinvolved with the most vital interests of the UIPS. The specifics of your mission will be covered in ournext session. "

"The hell you say. " Hodak bounced again. "You'restill dangling us on a string. Lay the whole bitout. Now!"

Nods and grunts followed Hodak's demand. 

"Very well, " Xindral said, after a short pause. "Actually, there's no reason to delay your marchingorders. "

His voice flattened. 

"By direction of the President of the United InnerPlanetary System you are appointed to the StrategicPenetrations Detachment of the Ministry ofIntelligence. Your unit identifier is 'Sentinels'. Your unit commander is Brad Curtin, present. 

"Copies of your orders are in a secured file inthe Ministry of Intelligence. A copy is temporarilyposted in your core compartment. When you read it, note that all requests for release or reassignmentare denied. "

Xindral folded back into his normal, slightly bowedposture. His audience, frozen, stared at him blankly. 

"That's it for now. " Xindral ordered, the flatnessgone. "Return to your compartment and reportback here in an hour. Brad, please stand by. "

 Chapter FIVE

His jaws clamped tight, eyes glaring, Brad sensedhis companions rise to their feet around him. Kumiko first, stood and wordlessly glided to theclosed passage portal. Her back to the others, shewaited for the panel to clear. Zolan, on his feet, mouth agape, stared at Xindral. 

Adari, still seated, gawked in bewildered disbelieffrom Xindral to Brad to Hodak. Hodak glowered, gestured rudely and cursed furiously and loudly. Myra stood, silent behind an icy mask. Xindral, perched on his stool, arms in his lap, impassivelyobserved their reactions. 

The scene held for several seconds. Xindral brokethe silence. 

"Your formal orientation and training begins whenyou return. First I must speak with your Commander. Please excuse us. "

He turned and touched a disk on the bulkhead. Theentryway cleared and Jenkins appeared. 

"Escort our friends back to their compartment, Jenks. Commander Curtin will remain with me. Return the group in an hour. "

"Yes, sir. "

Myra, Adari, Hodak and Zolan milled about for amoment, then joined Kumiko at the portal. Passingthrough, they spoke and gestured animatedly toeach other. The portal clouded over. 

Xindral hefted his stool forward, placed italongside Brad, and folded his long frame onto itfacing the view tank. 

"Just so you know, Brad, " he said gently, bridgingthe silence between them, "those of us who work inStrategic Penetrations carry no formal rank. If wedid, yours would be the equivalent of a LieutenantCommander in the United Inner Planetary SystemSpace Force. Mine would be a notch or so above. "

He shifted his frame about and bent a long legto bring his foot up to the lower rung. His toneshifted into neutral. Cool. 

"My friends call me Ram. OK?"

Brad nodded, eyeing him. Ram drew back a bitand contemplated the control in his grasp. After amoment he stroked the keys. A rainbow of colorsswirled and drifted off, replaced by an ash-graysphere. Planet Pluto spread across half the tankwith its flat stretches of methane frost brokenby low, jagged chasms, hillocks and craters. Charonand the Slingshot Logistics Depot hung off nearthe edge of the tank's flattened top. 

Brad glanced at the scene, and back to Ram. 

"Brad, " Ram spoke slowly, quietly, "a triteexpression, repeated all too often during ourhistory, is 'humankind now faces its greatestcrisis'. The statement has been declared so oftenacross the ages that it's lost meaning, obviouslybecause it changes in context and perceptionfrom one event, century or millennium to thenext. I suppose those who said it, believed it. Nevertheless, even if the term 'crisis' neverreally applied in the past, it does in these timesfor humankind's destiny. 

"The deficits in our nonrenewable assets, and themany other natural substances we depend on, ifnot resolved within the next few centuries, couldforce us back into caves, and I don't use that word'figuratively'. Ceramics, composites, and othersubstitutes are fine as far as they go, but theydo only a tiny part of the job. 

"We'll soon be running short of substitutes forour substitutes. Building bigger and better coloniesin space over the past thousand years or so hasconsumed far more of our resources than expected. Earth is almost barren and many space colonies inboth regions can no longer meet existing needsfromtheir regions, let alone those of the future. 

"In short, our dispersed civilizations must haveaccess to sources for minerals and other industrialsubstances, not only now but in perpetuity, in orderto survive and evolve. Our species isn't built toaccept inactivity or slipping backward. If we don'tmove on to something new and challenging, thenwe'll drift into extinction. You've heard this alldozens of times; I won't dwell on it further. "

Ram stood, paced, and turned his head to keep Bradin sight as he paced and reversed direction. Brad'seyes fixed on the view tank and stayed there. There was nothing new in Ram's words, so far. 

"Slingshot schedules are in their most criticalphase. We have a launch window for the Extractor. It's not much of a window. If we miss it, Slingshotfails. It's that simple. The launch cannot beaborted; there'll be no second chance. Peopleacross the system, by the millions, are committedto the schedule. You, and your crew now serve inthat legion. "

"What's going on here?" Brad cut in. "Are youtelling me we've been pressed into this job withno choice of our own?"

His anger showing, Brad thumbed over his shouldertoward the entryway, then at his chest. 

"Tell me, Ram, " Brad demanded, "how did it happenthat we six, three men and three women, are hereat this time for this purpose?"

"We'll get to that in time. " Ram said, "I'vereviewed your trial record, but I'd like to hear itfrom you -- straight. What happened?"

Brad stared at Ram for several seconds, obviouslymaking up his mind. Finally, he shrugged, andcontemplated his hands. 

"Well, then you know I was Captain of a spacefreighter, " he began. "My job was to transporthigh-mass mining equipment, ores and refinedstuff between Mercury, Venus and Luna. 

"When this mess happened, we were Luna-bound witha full load of worn out track-layers, rock-crushers, drill robots, filters and other tools in theforward and aft storage bays, and ingotswell-secured in stress-certified compartments. The ship was at capacity, but within legal limits. Mass and balance had been certified by SpaceTraffic Control before they cleared us from Venusorbit. The ship was in order. 

"We were only about twenty-million kay fromthe Luna Space Traffic Control Zone, but still inmax drive. Plenty of time to kick-in vector anddeceleration programs. "

Brad paused, shifted position, rubbed his jaws, sighed deeply, glanced sideways at Xindral and, his voice tighter, continued. 

"That's when that strung-out jock in a space-buggytook us on for a game of 'chicken'. 

"The buggy was a single-seater, tiny, barely tenmeters bow to stern, but the way she whippedaround us, it was plain to my duty officer thatshe was charged by a micro deep space drive. My duty officer hit the alarm; I got to the bridgewithin ten seconds after the buggy's first pass. 

"I checked our status and proximity-to-massin vicinity; then my ship's scope analyses of thebuggy's thrust and gyrations. She was obviouslyoverpowered for mass, especially in the confinedlanes plowed by slow freighters like mine. 

"My three-hundred-meter freighter with all storagebays packed bulkhead to bulkhead with high mass, isbarely maneuverable under the best of circumstances. Evasive action against some hot shot in a souped upspace-buggy was out of the question. 

"It got worse. Not only did the jock ignore mywarnings; he lined up alongside my bridge anddanced on his thrusters. He flipped from relativevertical to horizontal, then corkscrewed uslengthwise fore to aft and back. To add insult, hewhirled his buggy on its tail like a damn dervish, right alongside where I stood on my bridge andthen cut across my bow. That hotshot was onegood pilot, I'll grant him that. 

"After a minute or so of that, the buggy circledmy ship, close. The pilot probably liked what he saw, because he surface-snaked us again bow to stern. That must have been boring; he peeled away, toreahead a quarter-million kay, skewed around, andcame straight at my bow, curdling space. Whencollision was just about unavoidable, he did an upand over. In doing that, he cut us much too close, snapped off a dozen masts, sensors and nav guides. 

"The jock must have gone berserk; he took us onfor full 'chicken'. He shot ahead about a million kay, flip-flopped, and came at us head-to-head, tauntingus with his collision signals. Our computer showedhim as boosting all the way. "

Another long pause. Brad looked directly at Xindral. 

"We collided, head on, " he said. "That brightlycolored, beautiful little flitter buried itselfdeep in our forward cargo bay. My rescue teamwent in, but we knew ahead of time what we'd find. It was there: chunks of metal, shards of bone, and scraps of flesh splattered on mining gear, rock-crushers, and other odd pieces of equipment. 

"The Space Guard hearings were followed by aquick trial. The jock was the son of a politician, so here I am. "

Brad looked away, then back at Ram. 

"Your turn, " he said. "What's the story on how webecame the 'chosen'?"

"The selection was certainly not random, " Ramstood and stretched to his full height as hespoke. "Despite the billions of citizens in the UIPS, we're all tagged and catalogued. It's a simple jobfor the computers to correlate any unique manpowerrequirements the government might have to the UIPSindex, cross-check phys-psy profiles, professionsand technical skills plus experience, competence, reliability and anything else that we crank in asrating factors. You mentioned 'three men andthree women'; your mission can not excludegender compatibility consistent with the prevailingpsychosocial construct -- this is what we are. 

"In my line of work, our data bank producesan optimal selection of personalities, skills andidentities for the best possible teams we mightneed to support our contingency plans. Old stuff;we've been doing that throughout history. Why youfolks? The computer selected you, showed whereeach of you was located and why, and that you wereall, shall we say, relatively unknown and available. None of you will be missed. "

Brad and Ram locked eyes as Ram added, "As far asthe mission goes, you and your colleagues were senthere for confinement and rehab, whatever the reasonand however rehab was to be done. It's just thatyour team has been diverted. Coddling and otheramenities of confinement are not part of ourprogram. If you feel you're being treated unfairly, that's unfortunate. We need every qualified manand woman we can get. The prime requisite is thatthe team, meaning you and your colleagues, haveand share the intelligence, initiative, guts andwhatever else it takes to do the job. "

"That's another point right there, " Brad shotback. "You've assigned us a mission, you tell us it'sdangerous, and then add, as an aside, you've judgedus up to it, whatever in hell that's supposed tomean. But let me tell you, if I'm the guy to runit, I want to know a lot more. I've got to haveconfidence each team member will be there whenthe chips are down. So, what can I expect?"

For a moment, Ram gazed shrewdly at Brad. Hiseyes twinkled, and his features mustered a sly grin. 

"You seem to have slipped into the role of teamCommander, " he said. 

Brad looked away, hesitated a moment, and rubbedhis jaw thoughtfully. 

"Well, " he said, "I agree with what you've saidabout the mess we're in. No question in my mindthat Slingshot is our only option. Obviously, Ihave nothing else on my schedule. Just doing timein this tin can would be a bore. But that doesn'tjustify your pushing me -- us -- around. OK, that'ssaid, let's get back to my crew. I'll not pry whereI've no business to, but who are they?"

"Their psychological profiles are available toyou, " said Ram. "I agree, you'll know all you needto know about them to get the job done. I can giveyou a quick rundown on each now, if you wish. "

"I do. "

"Myra is a logistician and a Medic certified toLevel 4 in space-related trauma, physical andpsychological. She was Med-Exec to a researchteam in a mini-tank town off Venus. Somehow, she got involved with the leader of a gang runningcontrolled substances around the Inner Region. Whenthe net was pulled in, there she was. Tried as anaccessory and judged guilty. Nowhere near criminalin my judgment. She's quite bitter because she wasused, and then convicted and sentenced on whatshe feels are false charges. "

"I understand her bitterness. "

"Nothing we can do. Your engineer, Hodak, is adamned good heavy-duty spacecraft maintenanceengineer. Also lots of experience on a broad rangeof space support equipment used in surface ops. He's been all over the Inner Region, and workedon Ceres where he was the spaceport's Chief ofMaintenance for about ten years. Got into a fightoff Mars while on R & R and killed a guy. Convictedof manslaughter. He's an expert in the martial artsand in using exotic weapons. Space-wise. "

"Understood. Next?"

"Zolan. As he said, a communicator and, I mightadd, from way back. As a child, he was classified'gifted' and treated accordingly by the system. At the age of twelve, he came up with designrefinements for spunnel cracking and transmissionthat raised eyebrows among the top pros inthe field. His skill caused his downfall: he wasconvicted of illegally penetrating and modifying adatabase that was integrating a highly sensitiveproject. Just enjoying the challenge, he claimed. The project engineer didn't get wise until toolate. During the trial he told off his formerbosses; called them incompetent and not qualifiedto pass judgment on him or his work. Anyhow, he got a couple of years to cool off. "

"Does this job call for his kind of communicationsexpertise?"

"Yes, and more. Zolan is an extremely importantasset for your mission. You'll agree, I think, whenwe get to your orders and the operation. I shouldadd that, when your training is over, you will allbe good communicators. But Zolan is at the hub. "

"That leaves Adari and Kumiko. What's their input?"

"Adari is your navigator. She knows both Regionslike the palm of her hand, and her record showsshe's well versed in nav for the entire system. Shegot drunk on duty and borrowed the ship's recreationfunds without permission to have a gambling holidayon Luna's Station Vegas. She returned broke as wellas hung over. To add to her problems, some joker onVegas gave her a whiff of Titan's deep strata gas. Almost blew her mind, but she's OK now. Spenta year in hospital on Guardian 18. No permanentdamage. Now, she's doing time on the funds charge. Excellent navigator and gutsy. "

"Kumiko?"

"Ah, little Kumiko, " Ram smiled. "Last, but farfrom least. Kumiko is a former officer of the UIPSSpace Force and an expert in space armaments. She can break down entire systems, and repair andreassemble them, blindfolded, from micro-miniaturesto the big stuff. For some reason, her talentmade her rather defiant of authority. Tookmanual control of her ship's guns when her patrol'ssensors tagged unknowns inbound across no-mans-landsunside of the Jovian orbit. The unknowns wereunder a heavy screen and wouldn't cooperate withthe Space Guard's self-identification requirements. Her Commander told her to punch a tiny hole in thescreens, just enough to identify. 

"Instead, she not only blew the screens away, shescorched the bow of a UIPS cruiser on a classifiedmission. The cruiser was out-of-line, of course;they should have responded to the query; protocolscall for them to do so. But Kumiko went too far. She was forced to resign from the Service, andoffered a choice to either join a penetration teamto the Outer Region or work in an arsenal undertight supervision. She made her choice. "

"Quite a group. "

"All different, yet six of a kind, " he said. "Noneof you, by far, are hardened offenders of the law. The crimes you were convicted of were, how shallI put it, less than deliberately malicious. "

"Hah!" Brad's bitter snort curdled in his gullet. 

Xindral shrugged. His manner changed; tightened. He motioned toward the view tank. 

"Let's get on with it, Brad, " he said. "There's alot we need to cover. "

 Chapter SIX

Brad leaned back, drew his legs in and stretchedthem straight, heels to the deck. His eyes followedRam to the dais and as he turned to face him. 

"You and your crew will start intensive training inintelligence operations using our most advancedmethods. It will cover infiltration, interrogation, psychological defenses against psychic probesand other means that might be used to acquireinformation from you, under duress or otherwise. You will absorb intelligence countermeasures andcounter-countermeasures, identification of militaryspacecraft and weapons used by both the UIPSand INOR, analysis of our military capabilities andthose of our adversaries, covert communicationsthrough conventional, unconventional and spunnelchannels, and other tricks of the trade. Your quickreaction reflexes will be enhanced through meansthat will not be apparent to you. "

"What does that last part mean?"

"I'll get to it. First, your mission. Your escapefrom this Station has been arranged. The piecesare being moved into place. Your immediatedestination is tanktown Coldfield on Planet Pluto. "

The view tank's image of Pluto expanded as didthe gray-black contrasts of the planet's surface. A white light in a mottled area blinked, drawingBrad's momentary attention. His eyes returnedto Ram. 

"Your initial field of operations is centered inColdfield, " Ram pointed to the light. "Where you gofrom there depends on the contacts you developand how well you exploit each opportunity. The tanktown has a permanent population of about fiftythousand plus about ten thousand transients. Mix with the transients for starters. "

"Get to the mission, Ram, " Brad cut Xindral short. 

Ram sighed. "We've sent a succession of formaldiplomatic missions to INOR, " he said, "including afew to the renegades that now run Planet Pluto. We've asked them repeatedly to not interfere withthe Slingshot program. We've emphasized to eachINOR government that Slingshot is as importantto them as it is to us. They're not listening. We'restill pressing diplomatic means, meanwhile, ourlogistics is being disrupted by Pluto's PresidentNarval's hoodlums. "

"How does this team fit in?"

"If we send in a military force to sweep awaythese scoundrels, our action will be seen as animperialist intrusion into the Outer Region. Itwill create such resentment among the governmentsout there that the Slingshot schedule cannot helpbut suffer serious harm. Getting INOR's cooperationwill also become more difficult than ever. 

"Maybe, if we gather enough hard evidence ofa conspiracy and confront them with it, they'llchange their ways. Right now, they're blaming theattacks on partisans over whom they say theyhave no control. We don't buy that. We need youto gather and send confirmations to us and, whileyou're doing that, disrupt the plans and weaponsbeing marshaled against us. Use whateverinitiatives you can devise on site. Go where youneed to, do whatever it takes to frustrate ouradversaries. "

"What happens if we fail?"

"Failure is unacceptable. As long as you or anyof your people are alive and useful to us we'll getthrough to you and we'll expect you to keep uscurrent on developments. "

"Big order. "

"Yes, it is. "

"I am, or rather, I was, skipper of a spacefreighter, " Brad said, tenting his hands. "I knowalmost nothing of military operations, intelligencegathering, and especially covert actions, whateverthose might entail. I'm not familiar with spaceweapons except for garden-variety small arms. Otherthan Kumiko, I gather that the members of this teamare not experts in the weapons and explosives weare likely to encounter or use. You're sending usin against a rough crowd, from the way you describethem. Aren't you risking a lot on us?"

"Absolutely. "

"I refuse. "

"You're not being given the choice. Neither arethe others. "

"I can withhold my cooperation. "

"I repeat, Brad, you have no choice. "

Ram paused, eyeball to eyeball with Brad, whose eyes had gone cold. Ram's voice went asflat as when he had read the group their orders. 

"You will be psychologically adjusted as youprogress through this indoctrination. The'adjustment', for want of a better term, isnecessary for several reasons. It applies tothe entire team. "

Brad stared. 

"What does that mean?"

"Just that we can't afford to let normal humanweaknesses and scruples interfere the mission. "

"The hell you say, " Brad raised his voice. "You'retelling me we're expendable?"

"You're in covert intelligence work, Brad, andyou'll be in the enemy's camp. Doesn't thatanswer your question?"

"Come on, dammit. "

Meeting Brad's eyes, Ram shrugged. 

"Each of you will be full to the brim withmotivational boosters to keep you oriented tothe mission. You won't stray, whatever thetemptations. We'll install undetectable barriersagainst psychic probes; then there are... "

"Damn you, Ram. " Brad cut in, his voice cracklingwith rage. "You sons of bitches are going torobotize us. Expendable is bad enough; you'reprogramming us into suicide. "

"Not quite, Brad. Hear me out. "

Ram paced restlessly as he spoke, his tall, slenderframe swaying, his head changing direction tomaintain eye contact. 

Brad rose and stood erect, legs apart, fists onhips, fury pouring out in his body language. 

"Your team has just been assembled, " Ram said, "yet we don't have a moment to lose to get youin place and operational. Orientation and trainingwill allow no more than four sleeps. The specialknowledge and skills each you needs for thismission will be implanted into your conscious andsubconscious minds, and, as it suits our needs, into your survival instincts. We have a longhistory at this game. "

Brad rose and strode angrily up the aisle to thedoor and pressed the panel that would slide itopen. The panel did not function. Other than raisehis eyes to follow him to the door, Ram continuedtalking as if Brad had remained nearby. After amoment's hesitation, Brad returned to his seat. Ram paused and gazed at Brad sympathetically. 

"If you're all going to operate like a well-lubedmachine, without appearing to be doing so, " hesaid, "you'll need all the gimmicks we can hang onto each of you. "

Ram shrugged and went on, "News of your escapewill be broadcast system-wide; all part of the cover. They'll be suspicious for quite a while, but you'vegot to infiltrate, despite the risks. 

"The mission has many subtleties; you must allunderstand how they interact. Above all, you mustnever, despite the most extreme interrogation, betray the mission. In that sense, yes, you areexpendable. Small comfort, I know, but insuranceagainst betrayal will entail a simple psy-mod. "

"Is there to be a complex one?"

"Yes. "

"Let's have it all, man. "

"If you are to join these terrorists, pirates, orwhatever they are, your characters must be suitableto blend with theirs. On the one hand, you will beloyal to each other and to us; on the other, you, and I mean each of you, will lie, cheat, bribe, subvert, sabotage, and kill for the mission, andif it serves our greater purpose, act convincinglyagainst us. That's one complex psy-mod. "

"There's more?"

"There's communications and one other. Aboutcomm, off-planet messages from Planet Pluto, especially through spunnel channels, are underthe tight control of Pluto's insurgent government. Transmission facilities are under constant heavyguard. You'll all be checked out by the Pluto'ssecurity people to make sure none of you arecarrying prohibited comm gear or are otherwisewired. "

"The 'other'. "

"Last resort. It's need-to-know, if and whenneeded. When you become aware of thecrisis to which it applies it will surface in yourconsciousness and in the mind of one other memberof your team. You'll each know what to do. "

"Sounds like a jolly crowd. "

Ram grinned. 

"I'm sure you'll all have a party. Back to comm:the Log Depot and the Terminal work siteshave spunnel centers. Zolan will have the accesscodes to the Log Depot. At all costs, keep theconstruction site from becoming involved inthis intelligence operation. If word got out thatwe used the Terminals for covert intelligenceor military transmissions, the Outer Regiongovernments would blow their collective tops. We can rationalize using the Log Depot if weexperience piracy and harassment of ourtransports and citizens. It'll be extremelydangerous to go beyond that. "

"No chance of using the Pluto comm center?"Brad asked. 

"Don't count on it. " Ram replied grimly. 

"What happens afterward, assuming that wesurvive? Also, can what you're doing to eachof us be reversed so that we can return towhat, for us, would be normal?"

"In the order you raise them: first, after thisis over you will all be free citizens, recordscleared, and we'll help you to return to yourformer lives, or reasonably close to what theywere; second, the mods are reversible and youwill all be de-programmed. 

"You mention survival, Brad. You may be searchingfor assurance that you'll come through alive. Ican't give you that assurance, for you or for yourteam. In all sincerity, I think that you and yourteam have less than an even chance for survival. Understand then, the name of the game is dare, but not stupidly. "

 Chapter SEVEN

Arms folded across his chest, Brad half-listenedto Hodak reeling off status from screens that linedthe Raven's flaked, time-battered bridge. 

The indicators in Brad's line-of-sight, at leastthose that still functioned, displayed erratic anduncertain status of systems and accessories in themain power plant, fluids pressure pumps, oxygengenerators and other vital gear. More than slightlyprecarious, according to the dials and blinkinglights, but the records would show that the ancientutility had been accepted at the spunnel gatewayin the void between the Asteroid Belt and Jupiter, despite its technical difficulties. 

Sneaking into the tail end of a crowded convoy ofSlingshot-bound transports gave them the 'jump'they needed. The Neptune spunnel exit would dofine and provide a seemingly reasonable storyunder interrogation, if it came to that. 

Stripped to her vitals, all but the simplestdecisions diverted from her computer, the Ravenreminded Brad of his old freighter when he firsttook her over. The Raven's maintenance recordsshowed that she had slipped to less than marginal. Hodak's expertise with duct tape and hand toolswould get credit for the successful escape. 

Planet Pluto, in her ashen melancholy, lay deadahead. Sprawled across the frozen methane plaina couple of points to starboard Coldfield's lightsshimmered through its frost-crusted, barelytranslucent dome. Stretching away from thetwenty-kilometer-wide city, the mottled terrainspread in all directions, slashed by ravines andman-made, soil-fused excavations, roads andbridges. Mooring towers, launch and landing padsspotted the barren landscape across whichcrawled processions of utility tugs. 

Near-space cargo and passenger shuttles andtaxis landed at and departed from pads adjacentpressurized air docks into the city. Deep-spacetransports and utilities rode high, immobilizedby fore-and-aft mag-beams at the pinnacles oftwo-hundred-meter mooring towers. 

The Raven drifted closer. Brad noted the hardorange glow of energy packs encapsulated invehicles moving about on the dome and surroundingland surfaces. Adjusted magnification defined thevehicles as personnel carriers, flatbed trailers, dome fissure-fusers, and methane frost scrapers. Coldfield was a busy place. 

Charon drifted into view from over the horizon asthe Raven nosed forward. Only Lamplight's domeand high-intensity flashers that pinpointed itslanding pads, gateways and walkways broke themoonlet's solid gray-green landscape. Further out, the logistics depot slid slowly across the sky likea glowing green-and-orange sausage. 

Zolan keyed a signal to Pluto Traffic Controlas the Raven crossed the line into the planet'sjurisdiction. He added the ship's name and callsign. Several minutes passed without response. Zolan leaned back from the console and winked atBrad. News of their presence had preceded themand the locals were likely wondering why had theship appeared in their skies. 

The receiver squawked, "Raven. Stand by for escort. "

A yellow-and-green-striped space tug driftedalongside and flashed its 'Follow Me' signal. Bradnodded at Zolan who acknowledged the tug'sinstruction. Adari trimmed the Raven's controlsand clamped a mag beam on the tug. She and thetug driver exchanged salutations and prattlednavigational details as the escort moved off withthe Raven following like an elephant leashed to aflea. Adari logged their destination: Slot 09 alongColdfield marker 13K. 

Their passage was slow. Despite the heavy trafficof tugs, taxis, and other small craft the laneswere orderly and the flow steady. Traffic thinnedas the ship drifted across surface-parked lots forsmall vessels and disappeared entirely as the Ravenclosed on its mooring towers. 

The escort rattled off the coordinates and theRaven fixed her position. Adari released themag-beam. The tug slipped around to starboardand mag-nosed the clumsy vessel into its slot. Acommand from the tug and mooring beams glowedat the fore-and-aft towers to immobilize the Raven. Adari and the tug driver exchanged rough civilitiesand the escort was up and away. 

"Lock down, fore and aft, " Brad intoned. "Safetycheck mooring beams and vital connections. Secureall internal hatches and passages. Set environmentcontrols at minimal levels for an indefinite stay. Report. "

He keyed the order into the log, added the timeof entry, and keyed the record closed using hissuspended Space Master's code. 

Myra assembled records required by port officials. Hodak and Adari consulted checklists as theytrooped from one compartment to the next; Hodakopened and closed switches, turned wheels andsecured and sealed valves as Adari observed andverified. She surveyed each station, mumbled, "confirmed, " and initialed the appropriate itemson her copy of the checklist. 

Zolan closed down the deep space communicationssystem and inspected their suit's intercoms. Kumikodrew six handguns from a rack, checked firingcontrols and charges, and fitted the weapons tosuits. 

Zolan called for a taxi. 

 ##

"Lock-sealing the effective range on personalweapons is the first order of business for allnewcomers. "

The officious clerk in the Port Registration Officewas skinny, short, stooped and sallow; and hesquinted as if he had just emerged from darknessinto glare. The deep wrinkles around his mouthtwitched from cast-iron grin to scowl and back ashe pointed from Brad's holster to the waist-highcounter that separated them. 

Brad drew his sidearm, checked the safety andset it on the counter. His companions followedsuit. The clerk hefted each weapon in turn, double-checked the safety, and positioned itunder a penetray scanner to check for illegalmodifications and, using a hand-held standard, reset the range to Coldfield's limits. 

"Five meters, max, " he said as he worked, "andminimum-effect level at all times. Set it any wayyou want when you leave the dome, but reset it assoon as you come back in. We do the first one forthe record; after that it's up to you. Penalty forviolation depends on circumstances; minimum isa couple of sleeps in the brig. "

He peered at them across the counter. 

"We know who you are and where you came from, "he said. "Keep out of trouble and you'll get by OK. "

As he finished each weapon inspection he returnedit to the countertop, pointing the muzzle intoa shielded enclosure and stepped back behind abarrier. The owner picked up the sidearm, recheckedthe safety and the setting, and slipped it back intoits sheath. 

"Hope you were listening when I said we knowwho you are, " said the clerk, scowling, lookingfrom one to the other. "If you didn't hear methe first time, I'll repeat it: keep out of troubleand you'll get by OK. Y'hear?"

Brad scowled back, silent. Hodak grinned; Myra andKumiko nodded and vigorously pointed at themselves. 

"I hate trouble, " Myra said with solemn sincerity. 

"Me too, " Kumiko chimed in. "I hate trouble. I really do. "

Adari laughed, leaned over the counter, andrumpled the little man's scant hair. He jerked away. 

"Wouldn't think of it, Buster, " she boomed. 

She drew her hand back, looked at the palm, and rubbed it on her suit as she turned away. Zolan ignored the scene. 

Hodak leaned over the counter and waved the clerkcloser. 

"So you know where we're from, do you?" His voicewas a friendly growl and he got a curt nod in reply. 

"Then you know we came here for sanctuary, "Hodak said. "How do we get it?"

"Your entry permit is provisional; permanent partystatus depends on how you adjust to our rules. "

"This is the only place left to us, " Hodak addeda whine to his voice. "We're not about to starttrouble and wear out our welcome. " Switching toa hoarse whisper, he added, "Look, man, we needa place to put our stuff, and then we want to lookaround. Maybe we can find action in our kind ofwork that'll build up our credits. We've talked itover. " He thumbed to include his companions. "We're available, and we can't afford to be choosy. The Inner Region doesn't mean a thing to us. Knowwhat I mean?"

"Sure. "

The clerk repeated his grin-scowl, snickered, andslapped Hodak on the shoulder. 

"What's the word on living accommodations underthe dome?" Adari cut in. 

"Gotta register for permanent quarters, and you'llneed a permit to build a place of your own. They'realmost impossible to get. Try for 'temporary' untilyou know your way around. Good place to start isthe Condor over on Con-man Slash. "

"How do we get there?" Kumiko asked. 

"Taxi to dome air lock 22, " he replied. "Inside, take the second transit strip. The off-ramps areSmuggler's Alley, Faithhealer's Spread, PlunderCove, Bunco Crawl, and then Con-Man Slash. It's in the center of town; you can't miss it. "He waved them toward the air lock. "On your way, folks; you're cleared. "

He watched them suit up and enter the air lock. When he heard the whisper of the outer door, helifted a comm device, pressed buttons and spokehurriedly. 

 Chapter EIGHT

Clearing the outer door, Zolan leaned against thebuffer, tightened his bootstrap with one glovedhand, the other pressed against the wall to steadyhimself. Seconds later, he pulled away, shook hisleg to settle the boot for comfort, and caught upwith Brad. 

Grasping Brad's elbow activated the secure to-suitcircuit. Myra, Hodak, Adari and Kumiko crowdedin close and energized a camouflaging mix ofartificial jive and loud laughs on the nature ofthe terrain, the location of the Transit Strip, thetank town's appearance in the distance, whateverserved as a barrier to electronic penetration. 

"The clerk passed the word about us, " Zolan said. "Gave full descriptions and said to notify someonecalled 'Scarf'. By the way, he did a lot more thancheck our weapons while we stood at the counter. We were scanned down to our bones. He's sendingthe file to his control, including the main portal'slock combination on the Raven. He'll have a lifterready for someone who's to arrive soon. Lookslike they're going to search the ship. "

"Fine, " Brad nodded. "Nothing there to causeus a problem. Pass the word as we move along. No changes in plans until some contacts develop. Then we'll regroup and go on from there. "

Boarding a robo-taxi that had just dischargedsuited figures at a nearby mooring tower, theSentinels lined up along the taxi's portal. Zolanconsulted a placard on the instrument panel andpunched in the coordinates for Air Lock 22. Asthe flitter rose and headed toward the dome Bradthought back as he weighed their chances. 

The processes of intense physical training andweapons drills, the concentrated telepathic loadingof Plutonian political history and its government'sdespotic apparatus had been cleared from theirconsciousness; the substance remained. Nor werethey aware of any new or altered neuro-muscularcapabilities or functions. They knew they had a jobto do, and what the job was. They were on their own:no mercy from one side, no help from the other. 

More than three-score sleeps had passed sincetheir choreographed escape; only the events flashedthrough his mind; why they happened did not. 

The Raven, on a lengthy umbilical-catwalk, hadbeen tethered to the Guardian Station, ostensiblyfor maintenance after a servicing round ofnearby communications boosters. The ship wasskeleton-staffed. Brad and his companions hadbeen secretly transferred beforehand to a cubicleadjacent access to the catwalk. 

At Brad's signal, the Sentinels moved quickly. Hodak, acting as clumsily as he could, slammedand locked the passageway safety doors with theloudest noises he could generate, broadcasting theunusual activity to all within hearing range and forelectronic sensor pickup. 

They had lurched and stumbled noisily along thecatwalk, Adari suppressing giggles. As the lastof the six cleared in through the Raven's airlock, Hodak had hit "Emergency, " on appropriateswitches and the ship-to-station servicing lines wentthrough quick-disconnect. Portals closed and locked. 

Within seconds, Brad was on the bridge and his crewat rehearsed departure stations. The caretakerofficer and his two aides stepped aside, silent, businesslike. They were Ram's men. 

Adari hit the tether-disconnect. Disengaged, thecatwalk coiled in toward the station as the shipedged away. Signaling Hodak for minimal repulse andacceleration to increase the drift, Brad ordered allhands immediately into accelo-nets. He increasedthrusters to 'low' and, following a moment's pauseinto 'intermediate'. As soon as he sensed theycould handle the acceleration he stepped the thrustup to successive levels. 

The old tub creaked, pitched, rolled and yawed;lights flickered and dimmed; systems slippedinto yellow or borderline red on half a dozenindicators, all recorded on the ship's log. TheRaven all but flapped wings, and true to hername, took off. To the hundreds who watchedfrom the station's portholes, the escape wasreal. The cover might hold. 

The alarms went out from the Guardian Station toSector Space Guard, and from there to a patrollerconveniently distant. 

Messages spunneled throughout the sector andto Earth and Luna: "Escape of dangerous felons, ", "Sabotage of station surveillance system, ", "Station 15 unable to respond in time, " or"Immediate pursuit and capture essential" withabundant 'Expedites' and 'ASAPs' scatteredthroughout the text. 

The scenario was exquisite. The word was out, and within hours, had spread system-wide. 

 ##

A couple of million kay out, Ram's men boardeda well-stocked lifeboat and headed back to aprearranged pick-up. The Raven settled intooutbound, Brad aware of an opportunity to mergewith traffic at a not too distant spunnel gate. 

 ##

Brad brought his mind back to the present asthe flitter settled on the landing pad near air lock22. Entering the pressure compartment and attainingatmospheric balance the Sentinels removed theirsuits and sealed them in wall lockers. The switchof weapons and holsters to clips on their innercoveralls completed, they strolled out of thestorage room and mingled with a throng of citizencommuters. Moments later they were on a movingtransit strip on their way to beautiful downtownColdfield. 

The strip cut across and through narrow streetsand alleys lined with huts fused from the graydetritus of the planet. 

Occasionally, a mall or square appeared along thetransit route, lined with workshops, playgrounds, and colorful private houses or apartment complexes. Occasionally, they passed a dwarf tree or aflowering shrub in an earth-filled container. 

Running and leaping alongside the moving strip asit passed slowly through stations, hawkers wavedand shouted at the commuters and passers-by, inviting them to examine and purchase the noveltiesand artefacts they waved about or in nearby openair stalls. From above, lighted globes, strung closebeneath the dome, cast a harsh, grotesque glareacross the city. 

People swarmed, and a raucous clamor shrilled alongthe tightly packed streets and alleys. Men, womenand children in all shapes and sizes: tall, short, stocky, slender, organic, bionic, robotic, andcombinations thereof. Hairstyles ranged fromtotally shaved skulls to elaborate hair-puffs, andgarments from dreary, simple shifts to flamboyant, complex robes that twisted, circled, and knottedaround their wearers. 

This was Planet Pluto post-secession: a mixture ofmigrants from across the system. The tank towntook them all, for itself or for Slingshot, or both. Those who stayed procreated, natural or clone, according to their customs or inclinations. Theeffect was a mixture of breeds whose interactionshad brought out a bewildering patchwork of hybridcults, philosophies and arts. Behavior ran thegamut; newcomers accepted or were overwhelmed. 

Kumiko pointed ahead. The Condor loomed, a sprawling, multi-storied, down-at-the heelsapartment-hotel, its surface colors akin to thelow, drab rise on which it stood. 

Disembarking the strip, the companions assembled, slipped into an alley and entered a portal into thecrowded lobby. Joining the laughing, chatteringthrong, they squeezed their way to the desk robot, and registered as a group. Individual identicardsejected from an aperture, assigning them to a smallapartment with sleeping cubicles off a common room. The communal lavatory and electronic bio-showerwere down the hall. 

Entering the apartment and tossing their gear intoa corner, they kept up a running chatter. Hodak'smain concern was where their next meal was comingfrom. 

"Gotta find jobs or we don't eat, " he barked as hehoisted his pack on to a sleep pad and tore at itsflaps. 

Kumiko and Adari opened and slammed cabinets, checked housekeeping supplies and "ooh-ed" and"ah-ed" each discovery. Myra and Brad stompedinto a sleeping cubicle and heaved the sleepingpads first one way, then the other. 

"Look in the corners, " Hodak bawled across thenarrow hall, "that's where the little buggers buildtheir nests. "

Myra shrieked and drew her sidearm as Brad steppedback. She set the ray-spread to conic and ran thebeam from one end of the pad to the other, intothe corners and along the walls. They inspectedthe results, laughed loudly, and went on to the nextcubicle to repeat their exuberant performance. 

Zolan strolled from one room to the next, sharing the action with his noisy friends, meanwhile scanning the walls, ceiling, floor, lighting fixtures, visi-screens and cabinets. 

He rounded toward Brad and brushed againsthim. His fingers pressed their message. Theothers, watching, drew the correct conclusion. 

The rooms were bugged, sight and sound. 

 Chapter NINE

Brad and Hodak pushed into the Charnel Pit, Coldfield's popular tavern. 

The bar-room was noisy, grimy and crowded. Incense streamers slid and coiled along thesoil-fused floor, their dissipating pungencyunable to disguise the acrid stench of sweatybodies and unwashed garments. 

The long bar was hidden by leaners. Narrow aislessnaked among benches and clustered tables aroundwhich boisterous, elbowing humanity teemed. 

A coarsely seamed face along the bar turned, observed Brad and Hodak as they glanced aroundfrom inside the doorway. Whispers went down theline, jumped to the tables and around the room. 

The tumult ground down as necks craned. A humrose and fell as Brad and Hodak were inspected, commented upon, and judged. It didn't take longfor the noise to return to its former level: theamenities of bar-rooms everywhere. 

From where he stood, Hodak failed to see atable with a couple of empty chairs. They waited. Shortly, nudging Brad's arm, he nodded towarda table newly vacated against a wall. 

They shoved and twisted through the narrow spacesto the table in time for Hodak to slam his hand, palm down, flat on the tabletop, glaring off a trioof competitors. 

They sat, and Hodak pressed the glow-disk in thecenter of the table to summon the robo-dispenser. Meanwhile, they surveyed the throng. 

Some types were recognizable; others wouldneed to be guessed at. Mostly, they were familiar:spacefarers and space tug cowboys in tight-fittingfoundation suits, construction stiffs in fittedhelmets and spacer harnesses, clerks and tradesmenin business tunics, and street people in coarselywoven, grimy open-necked shirts and shorts. Slingshot technicians' jumpsuits were markedby distinctive shoulder patches. 

Scattered in knots, or leaning against walls andsupports, men and women, bare to the waistand sporting sheer breechcloths or none at all, flaunted their wares. 

Brad recognized spoilsmen plying their trades. They were the dandies attired in colorful, skin-tightsports suits: thieves, pickpockets, high-tech gearrustlers, black marketeers, professional gamblers, and experts in all the scams that are or ever were. 

Hand and shoulder weapons were everywhere: lashedto thighs or slung across backs, flat on tables orstacked along the bar. Churning and jostling, theswarm shifted constantly: singly, in couples andgroups; from fledglings newly on the wing to oldtimers diminished by adversity. Most were in theirprime: hard of face and body, wary, unbridled andself-seeking. They mixed freely. 

At a table further along the wall near to whereBrad and Hodak sat, Drummer gently swirled thecontents of his drinking goblet. He was gaunt, wellpast middle years, with a high-boned countenance. His head was capped by snow-white hair trimmedstraight across at his shoulders. Dressed simply, Drummer wore a dark cloak over a white, open-neckedblouse tucked into loose breeches that ended a bitbelow his knees. He did not bear a weapon. 

Drummer stared about and searched for strangersthat might serve his purpose. When he heard thatthe Raven was at planet-fall, he had called forand reread all available newscasts and reports torefresh his recollections of their crimes, personalbackgrounds, and escape. 

Were they really escaped prisoners? Or werethey agents of the UIPS? If they were fugitivesthey might be suckered into President Narval'smercenaries where their spacer skills would helpfill the gaps. If they were revealed to be UIPSagents, they would be quickly disposed of, ormanipulated and exploited through false leadsto Narval's benefit. When no longer useful theywould be terminated. 

The newscasts and intelligence summaries on theescape were insufficient. Drummer's position asone of Narval's closest advisors, and his own privateand secret ambitions, compelled him to learn moreabout the newcomers. How could they fit into hisschemes?

Drummer ordered a fresh drink from a passingrobo-dispenser. It arrived in a large snifter. Cradling the rounded bottom in his palm, he swishedthe gold-hued liquid with a gentle motion, eyesmoving from the drink to the crowd to Brad andHodak, and randomly round again. 

A hard-muscled sledgehammer of a man bargedinto the Charnel Pit, sullen anger knotting his beefyface. His military uniform was skin-tight: a blacktunic belted over blood-red breeches. The militaryhelmet he wore was also halved black and red aswere his holster and the handgrip of the protrudingweapon. His black cavalier boots were made forswaggering. Formidable. 

Deep, red-rimmed eyes glared from under thehelmet's visor, searching for an open space alongthe bar. The line was solid. 

"Open ranks, " he snarled, and leaned heavily intothe instant gap. 

The barman rushed forward and raised his handin respectful greeting. 

"Honored to see you, Major Scarf, " he said, "what'll it be?"

"Firehouse Red, and I don't mean the runny slopsyou peddle to the bar flies. "

The barman dashed off and returned with along-necked flagon and a large tumbler. He poureda slow-flowing, crimson liquor that bubbled as itsettled. The barman set the brimming tumblerclose to the Major's massive, thick-fingered hand. 

The Firehouse Red disappeared in a single, spasmodic swallow, for all its slow-flowing nature. The barman stood by. The instant the tumbler slammeddown, he refilled it, the ritual repeated in silence. 

 ##

Finally, the sledgehammer hesitated, belched, and, with a satisfied sneer, scratched his crotch. Thebarman filled the tumbler a third time and turnedaway. Instantly, the flagon was yanked from hishand. The barman glanced back at the flagon, MajorScarf's face, grinned sheepishly, and kept going. 

Placing the flagon alongside on the bar, Scarfraised the half-filled tumbler, fondled it, andtossed a scornful glance up and down the line. Fewmet his eyes, and those who did looked elsewhere assoon as he fixed on them. With a snort of contempthe wheeled to face the room. Removing his heavyhelmet and lowering it to the ground alongside hisleg, he leaned back to rest his elbows on the bar'sedge. 

His eyes scanned the room, sectoring the crowdand scrutinizing each person. Taking in the tablesalong the wall, he paused at Brad and Hodak, andscowled at them steadily through half-closed eyes. 

Brad and Hodak returned Scarf's gaze withexpressions cold and closed. The Major's eyesmoved on and fixed on Drummer. His face twistedinto a malevolent grin. 

 Chapter TEN

"Hey, everybody, quiet. " Scarf's spit-and-phlegmbellow tamped the bar-room noise. It ground down. 

Pointing at the solitary figure seated at the walltable, Scarf smirked and barked, "Give us the magicwords, Drummer. "

The crowd's eyes went from Scarf to Drummer andback. No one spoke. 

"Drummer knows, " Scarf added sarcasm to histone, raising his finger to tap his temple. "The futureis open to him. "

Drummer sat, transfixed, staring at Scarf. His freehand closed into a tense fist, then opened to caphis knee. 

"C'mon, Drummer, " Scarf went on, derisively, "tellus what you're going to do to make things rightfor all of us, and how we'll all be prosperous afterSlingshot cuts away. "

His voice became harsher, gibing. 

"You've been sittin' on that Plutonian Council foryears, Drummer, pushing your pet ideas to loosenup controls here and give more civil liberties there. You call yourself a Progressive, whatever thehell that's supposed to mean. To me, you're arevolutionist, undermining Narval's government, and trying to cram your politics down our throats. "

Scarf moved away from the bar, drink in hand. Taking a long noisy swallow, he fixed his eyes onDrummer from above the rim. 

Lowering his drink, he belched again and wiped hismouth with his sleeve. Placing the tumbler on anearby table he took another step toward Drummer. 

"Being on the Council saves your neck for now, Drummer, " he said with venom. "Soon as Narvalgets wise to you, and kicks your tail off, I'll becoming after you. "

He reached Drummer's table. 

"On second thought, why wait that long, " his voicechanged to a snarl. "Now's as good a time as any. "

He grasped the front of Drummer's cloak and jerkedhim to his feet. 

"Tell me, old man, what can you do that Narvalcan't?"

The onlookers' silence hung heavily. The staleincense rose in eddies and diffused the shadowscast by the glowing wall sconces. 

"Show's over, Scarf, " said Drummer in a low voice, trying to twist away. "I've got to be on my way. "

He placed his hand over Scarf's huge paw to loosenits grip. 

They were of equal height, but Scarf, more thantwice Drummer's mass and build, would have noneof it. 

"The hell you do, " he growled, tightening his hold. 

Scarf began to shake Drummer, at first slowly, thenwith growing violence. Drummer, unable to maintainbalance, slipped to his knees. Scarf jerked upward, raising Drummer on unsteady feet. Ramming hisface close, he cursed in a loud, coarse monotone, swinging Drummer in one direction, then another. Unable to disengage, Drummer was confused. Hiscloak tore, his hair fluttered about his face, andspecks of spittle flew from his lips. 

Brad and Hodak watched the action from wherethey sat. Scarf's sudden outburst was of morethan passing interest. He had called his victim"Drummer, " a name familiar to Brad through themany intelligence briefings he had been given duringindoctrination; also, "Scarf" was a name used inthe immigration clerk's call from the landing site. 

Other than military, who and what was Scarf, andwhy was he tormenting Drummer? More important, could this bar-room brawl be exploited to theSentinels' advantage? They desperately neededcontacts within Narval's regime. Their mission didnot allow the luxury of time. An opportunity hadjust fallen into his lap. Brad leaned toward Hodak. 

"The bruiser, " he said. "Take him down, but easy. "

Hodak shot a quick glance at Brad, rose andshambled between the tables until he was behindthe sledgehammer. 

Tapping Scarf on the shoulder, he said quietly, "Hey, c'mon, let the old geezer alone. He was justminding his... "

Scarf reacted with incredible speed for his size. Shoving Drummer away, he whirled, arm extended. Powered by the force of his pivot, the edge of hisrigid hand aimed directly at Hodak's throat. 

Hodak stepped back and to the side, gripped Scarf'sthick wrist in his muscle-corded hands. Using hisattacker's momentum, Hodak twisted and bent. The Major's huge body catapulted through the airand crashed on to a table and its several chairs, sending the occupants spinning. 

A hand appeared from nowhere and pulled Scarf'spistol from its holster. In seconds, Brad was backat his table. The bar-room went deathly silent. 

Scarf bounded up, spitting saliva, floor dust andcurses. He reached for his weapon and gaped whenhe felt emptiness. 

Recovering, hunched forward, he charged Hodak, murder in his eyes. 

Freed, Drummer stepped back to the wall, shaken, not understanding what was happening. He searchedfor a safe place. 

Focusing on the struggle he recognized Hodak as oneof the escaped prisoners he had been speculatingabout. Taking a chance, he moved toward the tablefrom where Brad watched the action and the crowd. 

Hodak, waiting for Scarf's charge, stood balanceduntil the last fraction of a second, then steppedaside. Scarf passed like a juggernaut and smashedinto the bar. 

Leaning heavily over the bar, breathing inconvulsive gasps, Scarf turned his head to glare atHodak. Running his hand down his thigh he felt againfor his weapon. Eyes narrowed to slits, he searchedalong the filth-strewn floor. Scanning, his eyespassed the table where Brad sat, stopped, andsnapped back. 

The weapon, distinctive by its red and black grip, lay there. He saw Brad watching, and Drummernearby, back to the wall. 

Scarf lunged at Hodak, arms grappling. Hodak dancedback and away. As Scarf passed, Hodak grasped hiswrist and elbow, twisted, and curved Scarf's armback and up between his shoulder blades. 

Hodak was gentle. With his free hand he probedand manipulated nerve centers in Scarf's neck andshoulders. Scarf dropped to his knees, then slippedback on to his rump, legs spread, arms slack, faceperplexed. It was enough. 

He sat there, shaking his head to clear it. Lookingup, he saw Hodak standing a short distance away, and beyond, a ring of faces, several grinning, othersfrightened and wary. Shifting his eyes to where hisweapon lay, Scarf glared at Brad and Drummer. 

The silence was broken by the shuffle of Scarfgroping upright, using a nearby table for support. He lurched to the bar and leaned over it forseveral seconds. Straightening, he grasped hishelmet with one hand, wrapped the other aroundthe flagon of Firehouse Red, and stalked out ofthe Charnel Pit. 

 Chapter ELEVEN

The bar-room's heavy vapors seemed to ceasetheir dreary ballet. An uneasy cackle, strident andjarring, erupted from a corner, accompanied bythe flat slap of a hard hand against the bar's roughcounter. The tension dissolved into a ripple ofraucous laughter. The hubbub resumed, and quicklyreturned to its former level. 

Myra, followed by Zolan, Adari and Kumiko, enteredthe bar-room, spotted Brad and Hodak, and movedtoward them, snatching empty stools along the way. Placing the stools, they encircled the table. 

Their eyes took in Scarf's heavy-duty red-blackweapon, and then Brad and Hodak, elbows on table, scanning the crowd. They saw Drummer nearbyand noted his disheveled appearance. 

They rose silently, rearranged their seats, andsat again, backs against the wall. Kumiko fixed hereyes on the entryway; Adari scanned in the oppositedirection, taking in the bar. Zolan and Myra joinedBrad and Hodak to observe the roisterers resumetheir bar-room habits. 

Drummer still showed his embarrassment, apprehension and rage. His eyes darted fromthe doorway to Hodak to Brad. Brad turned hishead slightly to take him in, then pointed to anoverturned stool nearby. 

"Pull up and sit a while. "

"You in charge?" Drummer asked. 

"No, " Brad said, "we're each on our own. Justsocializing. "

He motioned at the stool again. 

"C'mon, join us. "

Drummer looked closely at Brad, then at the otherswho ignored him. Brad's expression was bland, neutral. 

Drummer felt certain that Scarf would return soonwith reinforcements. He had to get out, fast, andhe needed an escort to safety. Beyond that, hewanted to know why the squat powerhouse, nowsitting calmly at the table, had intervened. Hemust have realized that his interference had beenmade at great personal risk. 

Drummer righted the stool and stared intently atHodak as he sat. Hodak, sensing Drummer's scrutiny, glanced sideways at him, winked straight-faced, andreturned to observe the crowd. 

Drummer finally turned to Brad, convinced he wasthe leader of this pack. 

"We'd better get out of here, now, " he said, his tone urgent. "Scarf'll be back as soon as hecollects a few of his goons. "

"What was it about?" Brad asked. 

"No time for talk, " Drummer replied, gesturinghis impatience. "We've got to get away from here, and I mean right now. "

"Sure, but who is that guy?"

"Major Scarf, Chief of Internal Security forPresident Narval. He has his own troops, and Idon't doubt that he's lining them up right now. "Drummer's fingertips tapped the table in nervousstaccato. "Let's get out of here. Now. "

Brad stood, and the others rose with him. "Leadthe way, " he motioned Drummer toward thedoorway. "We're not familiar with the territory. "

"Leave that to me, " said Drummer. 

Brad hefted Scarf's weapon, slipped it into 'safe'and, passing the bar, handed it to the bartenderwith a nod that was returned with a respectful wave. 

 Chapter TWELVE

Mixing with the street people, Drummer in sight upahead, they moved swiftly. Adari trailed Drummer;Brad next followed by Myra and Kumiko. Zolan andHodak brought up the rear. Drummer successfullyresisted the temptation to look back. 

Zolan tensed, activating the mind-mike in hisarmpit. Brad acknowledged by stepping up his pace. He passed Adari and drew alongside Drummer. 

"Your buddy, Scarf, must have had a friend in thebar, " he said. "We're being tailed. "

"Another hundred meters. Cut into the alley on theleft. "

Drummer responded. "It'll take us through amaze that still confounds the street people. We'llhave a better chance in there to lose whoever isfollowing. "

A corner loomed. They squeezed into a narrow, rubble-strewn passageway between high, roughwalls. Stumbling along the barely lighted shaftthey entered an alley, equally shabby, crowded withstreet people, refuse, and abandoned machinery. 

They sped along the alley, noting its darkened, fuser-formed doorways, some empty, othersclogged with trash. Inside, they saw the shadowyoutlines of men, huddled women and children. 

Drummer twisted from one alley into the next, and then another. 

He ducked through a gap in one wall, squeezed alonga narrow hallway and exited into an open space. Theypacked up close, running and stumbling. 

Drummer slowed next to a wall of composite blocks. Several were missing, leaving a space throughwhich they squirmed. It was tighter than they hadexperienced. In near darkness, they had reacheda dead end. 

Ahead was loose rubble forming a heap about twometers high. Drummer clawed his way around theside. He motioned the others forward and slippedout of sight. 

Following one behind the other, they saw an openingin the surface. Responding to Drummer's beckoning, they dropped into its darkness. The fall was lessthan a couple of meters. A light glowed from a wallto just enough to illuminate Drummer. 

They were in a small, roughly rounded chamber. The walls were fused rubble, irregular and jagged. The floor was a mixture of Plutonian detritus. 

Drummer knelt beside a rock that protruded fromthe wall. He twisted the rock, pulled, and pushedit sideways. Reaching into the vacated space, heplaced his palm on a flat, smooth disk. 

A low hum from the wall. A fissure formed wherethe wall met the trash-laden floor. The breachlengthened and curved, its ends meeting the wall. The section dropped away into darkness. 

"Move, move, " Drummer snarled his impatience. "Scarf has this entire sector blocked out by now. He'll throw his gangs into the alleys and coverevery square meter. These subsurface crawl spacesand links are our only way. Feel for the ladder. "

He lowered himself through the opening and vanished. 

Brad was committed. His glance ordered the othersto follow Drummer. Hodak passed his light to Bradand dropped through first, then Zolan followedMyra, Adari and Kumiko. Brad dropped throughand pushed the cover up until it snapped. Closed. He felt vibrations above him, then, after severalseconds, silence. 

"Must be spreading the dust of our tracks and theoutline of the cover, " Zolan murmured, looking upfrom immediately below. 

The ladder was rickety, and the shaft narrow andlong. When Brad reached bottom, he was in a lowgallery, about two meters square, hacked out of therock. They were in the hub of a dozen passagewaysthat led off in as many directions from low entries. 

Drummer bent and disappeared through one ofthe entries. One after the other, they followed. 

The entry led into a utility service tunnel, thewalls lined with scores of braided cables and banksof wall switches and junctions. Neutro-lightedsconces glowed at intervals, providing dimdirection to their flight. 

Scuttling in single file and dodging cables slungbetween supporting columns, they covered distanceswiftly. Brad moved up behind Drummer, replacingHodak who dropped back to rear guard immediatelybehind Zolan. 

"Scarf knows about these utility passages, and thatwe would head for them, " Drummer gasped over hisshoulder. "What he doesn't know is which access andbranches we took and where we'll surface. A slightadvantage, if we act quickly. "

They scampered and slithered for more than halfan hour. "Looks like we're the only ones down here, "said Brad. 

Drummer halted to recover breath. The line closedup. 

"Normal, " Drummer gasped. "These passages wereabandoned years ago, after we switched to localtransmission from control modules suspendedbeneath the dome. Too much trouble to collapsethe subsurface tunnels, I suppose. Also, we hadto consider the surface effects of a collapse. Couldn't afford the chance. As you see, thenetwork is still useful. "

He shot a quick glance at Brad, then ahead alongtheir route. 

"Don't get the impression I've got to run fromScarf, " Drummer said, heaving another deep breath, "or even to avoid him under ordinary circumstances. Obviously, he was drunk. My presence in the bar-roomgave him an opportunity to enhance his image. Your companion's intervention, I admit, relievedthe pressure, but the method he chose may proveunfortunate. "

"Why this melodramatic escape?"

"To avoid a confrontation in which Scarf, backedup by his troops, would be in complete control; aconfrontation in which you couldn't possibly holdyour own. The encounter has already causedme embarrassment. I don't relish a repetition. "Drummer paused. "And there's another reason. "

"Oh?"

"I know who you are, and the circumstances thatbrought you and your associates to Planet Pluto. I want to know more. "

"Why?"

"My answer to that depends on what I learn aboutyou and your companions. "

Drummer slowed to a fast walk, searching spacesbetween the bundles of the thick cables. 

"So that you know, " he said, "we're heading for myvilla-dome about five kay from the city. "

Drummer grunted that he'd found what he hadsearched for. Clawing under a flap, he uncovereda depression in the wall alongside a cable junction. He pressed himself in behind the junction andinto a cranny, motioning to Brad. One by one, theysqueezed through, and found themselves at the footof a flex-ladder. Drummer climbed; they followed. 

They emerged through a manhole into a kiosk nextto a transit strip. Darting from the kiosk Drummerboarded the strip and nodded back to Brad to joinhim. Within moments they were all gliding towardan air lock leading to the outside. 

Entering the air lock, they hurried into spacesuits from the public service rack, checked eachother's seals and oxygen reserves, tested thecommunications and pressurization systems andcrowded into the pressure-equalization chamber. Airlock and suit pressures up, balanced and checked, Drummer jerked a lever and, a moment later, theyducked under the rising panel to the outside. 

Running along the ramp Drummer flashed his suitlamps at a parked robo-taxi. The signal activatedthe craft and it was in ready status when theyreached it. Boarding first, Drummer keyed incoordinates. As the last Sentinel scrambled throughthe hatch he hit the lift button. The taxi rose andcurved away. 

 Chapter THIRTEEN

The black skies and drab mounds of Planet Plutowere spotted with color. From where he stood onDrummer's enclosed patio, Brad looked throughthe transparent shields at ice-gray Charon lowover scarred ridges to the west. Shifting hiseyes slightly brought into focus the panorama ofColdfield's dome and its multi-colored lights. Theorange-green cylinder of the Slingshot LogisticsDepot gleamed in the black sky. 

The Fandango force field around the depotshimmered. A wide gap separated the transportsloading and unloading at the portals inside theforce field from those outside waiting in lineor in clustered formations until moorings insidebecame available. 

The short taxi ride from Coldfield had beenuneventful. The formalities of introductions behindthem, the host and his guests had refreshedthemselves, dined and rested. 

Drummer joined Brad and followed his gaze to theorange-green cylinder and its gaggle of transportsand tugs. The silence was brief. 

Drummer said, "I've had your ship searched. "

Brad shrugged, eyes scanning the scene outside, andreplied dryly, "Hope it was worth your while. To us, it was transportation. Any old tub would have done. As it turned out, we were lucky. "

"I'll accept that it's an 'old tub'. I gathered asmuch from the reports I received, " Drummer said, "but I understand the primary systems are in goodcondition, considering the vessel's history and thespunnel shocks the ship must have experienced onthe way. How does it all fit together?"

"How does it concern you?" Brad turned to faceDrummer. 

"Come, now. " Drummer shook his head impatiently. "Let's not act naive; it doesn't go with the restof you. But, " he added waving his finger at Bradas he turned away, "just so you don't make a habitof responding to my questions with diversions, beaware that I am a member of President Narval'sCouncil of Advisors. Despite the incident withScarf, I have considerable authority and resourcesat my command. 

"I've checked through my confidential sources inthe Inner Region, " he went on, "and confirmed youare all convicted criminals that escaped from aGuardian Station prison. Now, for starters, howdid you manage to get a lift by spunnel and make itthis far without tearing that old wreck apart? Thosevessels don't have navigational gear for trips tothe rim, nor do they carry the required gear andsupplies. Straight answer. "

"We're spacers, " Brad said. "One of us is anexperienced maintenance engineer. Another isa space navigator. We've all knocked about thespace-ways a bit on assorted jobs. I was Captain ofa freighter before the Space Guard and the TransportBoard took my ship away from me on trumped upcharges, and then sent me up for five years ofrehab. We teamed up on the Guardian Station, workedout the details, kept our noses clean and our eyesopen, and, when the chance came, grabbed it. We didhave a few breakdowns, but we kept her moving alonguntil we could attach the ship to a convoy throughthe spunnel. We took our chances and made it. "

Drummer shook his head. A muscle twitched in hisjaw. 

"The reports I received identified your formerprofessions and gave me the rest of your personalhistories. Frankly, it has me wondering: a ship'scaptain, paramedic-logistics type, a maintenanceengineer, communications specialist, navigator, anda weapons technician. Wasn't it odd to have thesespecial skills fall into place?"

"Not really, " Brad countered. "I could have made upany kind of crew I wanted. The station has lots ofspacers under lock and key. These folks happenedto fit in with my plans, and they were as anxiousto get out as I was. It worked. Now, what's theproblem?"

"The problem, " Drummer replied, "is that ahalf-dozen escaped convicts with exceptional spaceskills make it to Planet Pluto; that one of themdefends a high level official in a tavern brawl, making for himself a mortal enemy of theirsanctuary's chief security officer. To cap it, theescaped convicts are now guests in the home of theofficial that they defended in the bar-room scrapewho, I might add, also happens to be a member ofthe President's Council. See the problem?"

"Crank this in, " Brad remarked, "the citizen, whoconsiders himself a high government official, moves about without a bodyguard thus invitingconfrontations. Also, his attacker's arrival at thebar-room couldn't possibly have been predicted, letalone his drunken behavior and my colleague and Ihappening to be there. Add who it was that took theinitiative for departure from the tavern, and thatit was the high government official that invitedthe escaped convicts to his home. He wasn'tthreatened or coerced into extending hishospitality. "

Drummer grinned, nodded. "You ordered Hodakto intervene. Why?"

"First, tell me more about Scarf. "

Drummer shrugged. 

"He's been with Narval since the beginning of theregime. Did, and still does, most of the dirty workthat keeps any government in power, and he'sbetter at it than most. He has a special hatredfor dissidents to Narval's policies and usesspies, informers and killers to infiltrate theirorganizations and tear them apart. By the way, he also had your ship searched. Watch out forhim. Now, my question. "

"When Scarf began to hassle you, I had no idea ofhis identity or position. His words and actions inthe bar-room gave me an impression that, if wegot you out of that mess, you might reciprocateby helping us to get permission to remain onthe planet, and maybe steer us to jobs. It wasa chance. Now, as to your problem with us:is it insurmountable?"

Drummer studied Brad's face, trying to read histhoughts. "Not really, insofar as getting you andyour friends temporary resident status, " he said. "Scarf will not be easy with you and your friends, especially my rescuer, Hodak. I'll talk to myassociates. The skills you have might be usefulto us. Since you're a former ship's captain, I'llconsider you spokesman for your colleagues. "

 Chapter FOURTEEN

President Narval invited all INOR ambassadors tomeet with him in his conference suite; the subjectwas not announced in advance. The ambassadorssought guidance from their home governments. Inresponse, they were instructed to attend, make nocommitments, and report back immediately on theproceedings. 

As the appointed time neared, the PresidentialSecurity Guard, augmented by a detachment ofheavily armed police, moved into the conferencearea. They took up positions at doors leadingfrom the President's Suite, along the connectingcorridors, and inside the Conference Room. Allrooms, corridors and exterior approaches leading tothe meeting site were physically and electronicallysearched, and the identity disks of all individualspassing through the area scrutinized and verified. 

Shortly before the meeting, the President's Councilentered and took seats along the wall, leaving thechairs around the table for the guests. A lackeyscampered about, lifted the lids of beakers, peeredin, made minute changes in the alignment of goblets, and scuttled out. 

A view tank rose from a well at the front of theroom, glowed, and cleared to show the SpecialZone. Charon and its background of stars had beendimmed to reduce the clutter. In the foreground, the Slingshot Logistics Depot and its maze of ships, tugs, articulated cranes and flex-conveyers wereportrayed busily engaged in loading and unloadingthe moored vessels, and the new arrivals thatwaited for their turn. 

A flurry rippled through the room as a door panelslid back into its slot and the Ambassadors strodein from an anteroom. They were men and womenof varying appearance: tall and short, slenderand rotund, and cadaverous and fleshy. More thanhalf wore the military uniforms and ranks of theirnation, and the rest were in the colorful robes oftheir offices and governments. 

Mostly in their middle years, they had the hard, arrogant look of ruthless power, survivors of craftand intrigue. Faces suspicious and wary, they tookplaces around the table. None spoke. 

A brusque announcement cut the silence. "ThePresident of Planet Pluto. "

President Narval, haughty in appearance and adornedin red-black robes of office, entered to the soundof sliding chairs and rustling garments as allpresent rose to their feet. Narval's massivebody, pear-shaped and tapering into short legs anddiminutive feet, shuffled forward in top-heavy gait. 

Drummer entered behind Narval and moved to standsilently beside a lectern adjacent the view tank. 

Sunken between ponderous shoulders, Narval'shairless head was small and neckless, his facesmooth-pale with thin-lipped mouth and a stumpynose. Cold, deep-embedded eyes constantly shiftedfocus and direction. His small hands, fingers ladenwith rings, appeared to drip from his sleeves. 

 ##

Lumbering to his raised chair at the head ofthe table, Narval laboriously stepped up andsat, lifted his hand to his mouth and nibbled ata fingernail. Finally, satisfied, he held the fingerup, examined it and redirected his attention tohis audience. 

President Reen Narval had earned the fear andrespect that he enjoyed. A victor of scoresof battles for control of the planet's criminalsyndicates and political machinery, Narval had lefta trail of blood and broken bones behind him as awarning to challengers. Challengers to his rule didnot survive. 

A man of many talents, Narval had migrated toPlanet Pluto from an independent colony orbitingCallisto. He had accepted expulsion from theplace of his birth as the alternative to the court'ssentence of labor in Callisto's encapsulatedsubsurface mines. 

Educated and trained to practice law in the OuterRegion's inter-satellite and interplanetary courtshe had, instead, become a serious liability to hisgovernment and to his community. 

At his disbarment, the investigating officer ofthe Callisto Ethical Practices Board had presentedirrefutable evidence of Narval's numerous conflictsof interests, extortions, frauds and other crimesin the performance of his responsibilities as anofficer-of-the-court. Removed from the judicialarena, he was proven to have also cheated in theCallisto gambling halls, swindled citizens of soundrepute, and twice convicted of murder. 

Callisto and its orbiting colonies were wide open, but Reen Narval was too much for them. He wastold to quickly depart Callisto's jurisdiction ortake the consequences. 

He left gracelessly, found a haven on Planet Pluto, and applied his many talents with vigor. OrganizingColdfield's fragmented criminal elements, he ruledwith an iron fist. Solidly entrenched, he imposedtactics of terror on the population and encounteredlittle resistance. He rose to the top, balanced ona mound of cracked skulls and crushed bodies. 

Soon after INOR came into being, Narval proclaimedPlanet Pluto's independence, with himself asPresident. Despite the UIPS urgent need for PlanetPluto to support Slingshot, the newly formed, but weakened government of the Inner Regionwas unable to influence a populace under the fistof a ruthless despot. 

"I will govern well, and we shall prosper, "President Narval glibly promised the Plutoniancitizenry. "I have studied and practicedinterplanetary law for many years. I shall demandjustice for our planet and for all our people. Wewill not be slaves to the imperialists of the InnerRegion. "

The new President organized a brotherhood with likemorals, and bestowed on them ministries of greatpersonal influence and profit. A bureaucracy roseand flourished; the spoils systems and corruptionmatched those of ancient Earth. 

Reen Narval, President of Planet Pluto, was caughtin a dilemma. 

Slingshot construction was approaching completion. The Terminals and Planet Pluto would come to aparting of the ways before the end of the century. Employment and extortionate profits from Slingshotservices and industries would plummet as PlanetPluto continued outbound along its eccentric orbitinto interstellar space. The economy would wither, and the inhabitants move elsewhere. 

Narval had to provide for himself. For the moment, he held a good hand, and the stakes made the gameworthwhile, providing it was himself that shuffledthe deck and dealt the cards. 

Leaning back in his chair, Narval scanned the facesat the table. 

"I have dispatched a message to the Presidentof the United Inner Planetary System, " heannounced solemnly. "It will open a new and betterrelationship between INOR and the UIPS. "

The Ambassadors stared at him, aghast. Severalrose partially out of their seats, looked at othersat the table, reconsidered, sat, and glared grimlystraight ahead rather than toward the head of thetable. Narval smirked. A bombshell, indeed. 

"Until now we have played children's games with theUIPS, " he continued, raising his voice to the leveland tone of a despot's traditional bellow to repelan imagined enemy. "That time is past. We mustmove on to a strategy that is more aggressivethan petty raids on UIPS shipping or to merelydestroy a few of their insignificant patrols. 

"The build-up of INOR's military forces hasreached the level at which, together, we have thestrength to influence the final stages of Slingshotconstruction. That includes the launch schedule ofthe Extractor station to Alpha Centauri. We mustuse this new power to benefit all nations in theOuter Region. In short, the warships and weaponsin Planet Pluto's military fleet, along with those ofyour governments, are a force that the UIPS cannot ignore. "

Narval motioned to Drummer. 

"The Proclamation. "

Bringing his hand close, he inspected its palm andfingers. 

Selecting a fingernail, he commenced nibbling atit, giving the task his full attention. 

Drummer rose to his feet, drew a scrolleddocument from the sleeve of his robe and unrolledit. Holding the scroll low so that his listenerscould see his face, he read from the scroll withouthesitation or inflection. 

"The President of Planet Pluto sends greetings tothe President of the United Inner Planetary Systemand to all citizens of the Inner Region. 

"I, President Reen Narval, hereby declare andproclaim that Planet Pluto, as an independent andproperly constituted member of the IndependentNations of the Outer Region (INOR), has the legaland inalienable right to use and to defend INORterritory under my jurisdiction consistent withtime-honored custom and interplanetary law. 

"The Government of Planet Pluto, now andhenceforth, assumes for itself as lawful alldominant rights of independent nations to possessand control all territory, properties, materials, supplies and all other resources on and beneaththe surface of Planet Pluto. Such rights extendoff-planet to national boundaries established inconformance with treaties in effect for delineatingplanetary and satellite jurisdictions in near andcontiguous space. 

"Through this Proclamation, we, the Governmentof Planet Pluto, exercise our rights and imposeour legitimate authority. 

"On the other hand, we are realists. It is notpossible for us, at this stage of Plutoniannational and industrial development, to assume theoperation and servicing of vital life and communitysupport systems, nor has the Planet Pluto Governmentthe technical skills and facilities at this time toproduce and deliver infrastructure and commoditiesessential for a self-sustaining economy. "

Drummer raised his eyes and quickly scanned theINOR ambassadors seated along each side of theconference table. His voice raised slightly foremphasis. 

"We, therefore, " he intoned, "conditionally grantto the Government of the United Inner PlanetarySystem license to install, operate, and service alllife and general infrastructure support systemsin Coldfield, and in all posts, camps and stationson the surface of Planet Pluto, its satellite Charonand throughout its contiguous space. 

"We are, furthermore, gracious hosts. We herewithgrant conditional permission for all spaceports, landing pads and mooring towers, and theirassociated technical accoutrements and equipment, to remain open to UIPS traffic. This conditionalpermission is granted providing qualified UIPStechnicians and administrators under the oversightof Plutonian citizens staff these facilities. ThePlutonian overseers will be afforded training bythe UIPS to qualify them to assume the primary'soperational and management responsibilities in allfunctions within two Earth years from the date ofthis Proclamation. The Government of Planet Pluto, as sovereign, will provide for station security andwill exercise oversight and offer guidance throughits appointed administrators. 

"The Government of Planet Pluto hereby leviesan inventory tax on all materials and productsarriving in Plutonian territories from the UIPS. The tax base includes all raw materials, partialand fully fabricated structures, technicalequipment, and components thereof which are oryet to be committed to Slingshot. The SlingshotLogistics Depot, which occupies space withinPlutonian jurisdiction, and all UIPS cargotransports entering Plutonian space, are subjectto this inventory tax. 

"Our inventory tax is merely an extension ofthe passage tax on ships intruding on INOR'sjurisdictions and which is currently beingnegotiated by the UIPS and INOR governments. We anticipate the successful completion tothese negotiations. 

"This Decree is in effect. Your cooperation iswelcomed. "

 ##

Drummer released the lower end of the scrolland watched it curl up. He finished rolling thedocument, bound it with a ribbon, and tucked itinto his sleeve. He stood silent, eyes on Narval. 

Narval rose as he spoke slowly, his tonedisdainful. "I suggest that you communicate withyour Governments concerning my message toPresident Camari. Add my expression of trustthat they appreciate the advantages of presentinga common front. "

Waddling toward the door, he beckoned Drummerto follow. 

 Chapter FIFTEEN

Narval slouched back into his overstuffed chair. Drummer faced him from across the enormousebony-composite desk. 

Bringing his hand close, Narval searched for afingernail that demanded his attention. 

"President Camari must accept that we have themilitary forces to impose our will on Slingshot, "he said, momentarily shifting his eyes to Drummer. "If he does not accept my offer I want to ram itdown his throat. Have you come up with an actionto implement our new policy?"

"I have. "

"Lay it out. "

"With no advance notice, impose the inventory taxon all Slingshot supplies on board the Depot andon UIPS vessels on both sides of the Fandangoforce field. The first step is to conduct our owninventory of UIPS property in Plutonian space; todo that we must have on site access to the Depot'srecords, and spot check the records against theassets. The presence of our military forces inspace close to the Depot will back up our inventorystaff. Businesslike, formal, and highly visible. "

"Why don't you use that tactic on the dozens ofSlingshot laboratories and assembly centers hereon Pluto's surface? Seems to me that would beless risky. "

"For good reasons, Mr. President. We needan exercise that is sufficiently visible, evenspectacular, to make both the UIPS and ourINOR allies respect our will and capabilities touse organized military forces throughout ourlegitimate jurisdiction. A surface operation onPluto will be barely noticed and not impress themwith our military strength. "

"How do you expect the Depot to react?"

"At first, with confusion. The Depot Commanderwill try to bluff. Meanwhile, he'll spunnel an alarmto Earth and insist on guidance. We must notaccept delay. "

"What if you meet resistance?"

"Overcome it. Set an example. After all, we areexercising our rights as a sovereign nation. "

"And after the inventory?"

"If peacefully accomplished, we withdraw. We'llspunnel formal documentation to the UIPS on theamount of taxes due, the schedule for paymentand penalties for delinquencies. "

"The penalties?"

"I have several in mind. Fines for minor delays, blockade of the depot and, eventually, militaryaction should they get nasty. "

"How soon can you launch?"

"Three days. "

"Do it. "

Drummer turned to leave. Narval raised his jeweledhand. Drummer paused and turned back. 

"What's this I've heard from Scarf about you takinga pack of escaped Inner Region convicts under yourwing?"

"There's more to it than that, " replied Drummer. He filled in the gaps. 

Narval scrutinized his fingernails as Drummertalked. 

"I'm surprised to hear you patronize drinkingestablishments where such raffish elements gather, "Narval murmured around the focus of his attention. 

"I feel it my duty to get about, to see, and tolisten. There is much to learn by observing ourpeople going about their daily lives. The CharnelPit is one of the few places in Coldfield wherepeople gather to relax and talk. "

Narval peered sideways at Drummer from narrowedeyes. 

"Hm, you see and you listen to the people. Whatelse, I wonder? Do the people also see and listento you? What do you tell them, Drummer?"

"I tell them nothing, President Narval. I don'tknow what you mean. "

"Well, let it go for now. Back to your littlebrood. You say they're experienced spacers, andyou've checked the facts of their escape. Youknow we're short-handed in technicians for themilitary fleet. Can we use them?"

"I'm not certain that I trust them, " Drummerresponded. 

"Test them. "

"How?"

"Take them along on the inventory operation. "

"... And?"

"As I say, test them. Force whoever is leading theminto a difficult situation. Keep him close to youand watch how he works himself out of it. If hedoes well, throw him to another pack of wolves. Gethim and his gang involved, deeper. Make them provethemselves. When you're satisfied, bring them upto a level where we're squeezing from them allthey have that's useful to us. "

"Scarf is after them. "

"Leave Scarf to me, Drummer. That's all. "

 ##

Scarf entered and waited for Narval to notice him. Narval's eyes were fixed on his hands. He spokewithout looking up. 

"Drummer has given me his side of the incidentin the bar-room, " he said, his voice cutting withsarcasm. "The hangers-on in that sinkhole have, by now, spread their version all over Coldfield, Lamplight, as well as the depot and Slingshot. You came out of it looking like a fool in aconfrontation that enhances Drummer's image tothe detriment of the President's Chief of Security. "

Narval raised his head. His small eyes drilled intoScarf. 

"I don't trust Drummer, " he said. "I suspect himof trying to subvert my rule. He's too popular inthe Council and among the officers and men ofthe military fleet. I can't chance direct actionagainst him at this time. For the moment, I needhis expertise in military strategy and managingour resources. 

"I'm looking to you to find or create enoughevidence so that, when I'm ready, we can undermineDrummer's reputation. As it is, you've built him upby embarrassing your high position in my government. Do your job right, and my problem with Drummerwill fade away. I'm not pleased at all with yourprogress so far. "

Scarf's face was flushed. 

"Yes, sir, " he said. "My intent was to accostDrummer in a public place, draw him out, and makehim look foolish. The circumstances in the CharnelPit were fine, or so I thought. Intervention by anoutsider was totally unexpected. When I get myhands on that convict, I have plans for him. "

"Hold off, Scarf. You can have him when I'm donewith the pack, including Drummer. Until then, putyour anger aside. "

"Yes, sir. "

"Now, listen carefully. "

Narval leaned forward, eyes on Scarf. He describedDrummer's upcoming inventory operation. Stubbyfingers smoothed the desk surface. 

"I'll tell Drummer that I want you to go alongon the inventory, " he said. "Think up a reason;I don't care what it is so long as it gets youaboard. The real reason is to keep your eyes onDrummer, the operation, and these convicts he'sharboring. I want to know everything that happens. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir. I do. " Scarf's eyes lit up. He continuedeagerly. "If Drummer goes to the depot or boardsUIPS ships, I should go along to see what he does. As Chief of Security, my position should compel himto accompany him. I suggest, sir, that you appointme as your counter-intelligence representativeon Drummer's task force. My job, then, would beto check if the depot or a transport, whicheverwe board, is conducting secret surveillance ofour military facilities, field training, and shipmovements. Drummer can be told that my boardingthe depot would be essential to the mission you'veassigned to me. "

"Hasn't our man on the depot told us they've beenperforming those observations for the UIPS forquite a while? Wouldn't Drummer see through thatploy?"

"Not if you tell him this would be the firstopportunity for your Chief of Security to entera UIPS domain and report to you directly on hisobservations. It would take me out from underDrummer's command. "

"Hm, yes, I see what you mean. " Narval returnedto examining his fingernails. He lifted a finger tohis lips and nibbled. 

"Very well, Scarf. I'll tell Drummer. "

 Chapter SIXTEEN

Drummer paced the command deck of the Plutonianflagship Dragon, Brad nearby. Scarf, sprawled inan open accello-net fastened to a nearby bulkhead, watched and listened. 

The ship vibrated as it moved along the launch railleading to the mouth of the tunnel hanger. CaptainHyk, the ship's Commander, hunched over a controlcomputer on the nearby bridge and snapped ordersto his Operations Officer. Both cast sideways glancesat Scarf, discomfited by his presence. 

Brad visualized the scene on the bridges and flightdecks of the more than two dozen warships, rangingfrom cruisers to fighters that formed the taskforce. All were in final countdown for launch fromtunnels and galleries cut into reinforced chasmsacross a hundred kay of Pluto's surface. 

At Drummer's invitation, Brad analyzed the launchschedule and deployment pattern. He had tactfullysuggested substantive alterations to minimizewarning time to the depot and its nearbytransports. After some debate, during whichBrad repeatedly justified his proposals to skepticalship commanders, they were computer-tested, modified and accepted. 

Brad knew he was on trial. Ram's words surfacedas he scanned the bridge: "... You will lie, cheat, bribe, subvert, sabotage, and kill for us, andshould our greater purpose call for you to do so, against us. "

"This one, " he mused, ironically, "is on the'against us' side of the ledger. "

Hodak appeared at the entry to the command deckand beckoned to Brad. As Brad approached, Scarf roseand sauntered in their direction, seemingly scrutinizinginstrument dials and panels along the way. His earsseemed to throb with the effort of eavesdropping. 

"I've gone over the maintenance and operationschecklists for all ships and technical supportcommitted to this mission, as you told me to, "Hodak said, "and then spot-checked them againstinstalled equipment. We've only been on thisjob a couple of days, so I couldn't probe to anymeaningful depth. "

He heaved a deep sigh. "From what I've seen so far, Brad, the systems are not as well-maintained as theyshould be, and much of the data and crew trainingare not applicable or out of date. 

"My recommendation is that as soon as we get backwe conduct a hard-nosed professional inspectionof the fleet to pinpoint all the cats-and-dogs thesedunderheads have jerry-rigged into the equipmentand the software. We gotta give priority to thechecklists that need to be updated to correspondwith installed equipment. No two ships have thesame configuration, so each checklist will haveto be tailored. That's only the first step, and it'llbe one helluva lotta work. "

"Drummer's main concern right now is gettingthrough this operation without using weaponsor incurring a technical breakdown, " Brad said. "Either one will detract from the image we'retrying to build. He should know ASAP what youfound. I'll pass it along to him. Stand by withKumiko in case Drummer needs some technicaladvice on weapons or engineering. "

"Right. "

Hodak turned to leave, and his eyes met Scarf's. Hodak grinned, and gave Scarf a thumbs up. Scarfglowered and turned away, moving back to the net. Hodak disappeared down the passageway. 

The ship advanced along a rail into a gallery atthe mouth of the tunnel. Captain Hyk turnedto Drummer. 

"The Dragon is at launch station, " he said. 

Drummer and Brad stepped from the command deckto a small balcony overlooking a shallow pit coveredby a pale, translucent screen. A network of lines, representing tunnels and galleries, formed on thescreen, each incorporating a tiny, yellow movingand blinking light to indicate a warship underDrummer's command. As each light reached launchposition, it halted and changed from yellow togreen. Drummer and Brad watched the last ofthe yellows convert. All green, ready to launch. 

Drummer picked up a microphone, Brad beside him. 

"This is Drummer, " he said. "Operationauthenticator Tornado Six. Execute. First wave. Launch. "

Five green lights flashed to red and disappeared, on their way to predesignated stations outsideFandango: one off each blunt end of the Depotcylinder and the remainder at the entry to thegateway force field. 

Ten seconds later Drummer repeated his codes andlaunched the second wave. The corresponding lightson the screen flashed red and out. New green lightsappeared in their place, this time moving in arcsconverging on the cylinder centered in a sphere:the depot in its force field cocoon. 

The converging lines massed, reformed, and spreadinto a pattern resembling the spoke tips of an openumbrella, with the Gateway, the crowded transportsand the depot centered at what would be theumbrella's handgrip. 

 ##

Drummer turned his head and looked at Brad. 

"Went off rather well, " he said. 

"Seems so. That was the easy part. I don't envyyou the next. "

Drummer touched a switch connecting him to thebridge. 

"Captain, " he said. "Launch the Dragon. Take yourposition at the coordinates I gave to you. Activateour comm system to the depot. "

The ship shuddered as it shot from the gallery andheaded for the concentration of spacecraft abovePluto. It slowed as it passed through the umbrellaformation and stopped fifty kay from the nearesttransport. 

Time lapse from launch was less than two minutes. Surprise was complete; the effect, paralyzing. 

All movement around the depot slowed to a halt. The intranet filled with "What the hell's going on?", "Who are these guys?", and "Bring on the dancinggirls. " Then, suddenly, the channels blanked, replaced by silence. 

Drummer keyed his microphone open and handed itto Brad. 

Brad took on a harsh tone. 

"Attention: Commander of Slingshot Logistics Depotand Masters of all vessels, inside or outside theFandango Force Field. The national interests of theGovernment of Planet Pluto demands compliancewith Plutonian laws by all persons and propertieswithin its jurisdiction. You and your vessels andthe Logistics Depot are in Plutonian territory, therefore, our laws apply to you. 

"The Fleet Commander of this Plutonian SecurityForce wishes to speak with the Commander of theSlingshot Logistics Depot. Depot Commander, pleaseidentify yourself and stand by. Acknowledge. "

Silence. Thirty seconds. 

"Logistics Depot. This is the Plutonian SecurityForce. The message we sent you moments ago was forthe Depot Commander. Did you read? Acknowledge. "

The reply came. 

"Your message received. Please identify FleetCommander. "

Brad and Drummer exchanged glances. Drummerchuckled. 

"The formalities must be observed, " he chuckled, his tone dry. "Tell him. "

Brad keyed the mike. 

"Fleet Commander Deke Drummer. " He put a raspinto his voice. "Now, get on with it. "

Another voice came on. 

"Colonel Hanno here. I'm the Depot Commander. What the hell game are you playing, Drummer?"

Brad's tone turned icy. 

"Let's get one point straight, Colonel Hanno. Youwill be speaking with a Fleet Commander with therank of Admiral. Should you need to be reminded, Planet Pluto is a sovereign and independent nation, and you are a guest within our borders. Your choiceof words is offensive. Do you read?"

A long pause. 

"I read. "

 Chapter SEVENTEEN

Drummer reached for the mike. 

"Colonel Hanno, this is Admiral Drummer. " He winkedat Brad. 

"Colonel, my Government requires an inventoryof Slingshot properties, materials and suppliesin your depot and on the transports nearby. Theinformation we develop from this one-time inventorywill be used to compute UIPS taxes while thedepot and transports are in Plutonian jurisdiction. My fleet is escorting the inventory specialists. Please arrange for them to board your Depot andthe transports on both sides of your force field, so that they can get to their work. "

"I have not received instructions from myGovernment concerning the inventory or the taxesto which you refer. "

"That is between you and your Government. I amhere at the express order of President Narval tosee that the inventory is conducted. May I counton your cooperation?"

"If I decline, what then?"

"Blockade, for starters. "

"The UIPS will not permit your interference withour operations. "

"Is that the formal response of your Governmentto my request?"

A short pause. "No. "

"Then I suggest you dispense with posturing andarrange to receive the inventory crews. Pleaseinstruct all Masters of transports and other shipsdoing business with your depot to cooperate withour agents. "

Another voice cut in, heavy with anger. 

"No goddamned shakedown artists are comingaboard my ship. "

Brad motioned Drummer to give him the mike, indicating by his facial expression that theintruder did not deserve a direct responsefrom Drummer's level. 

"This is Commander Curtin, " Brad said withlow-toned authority, "Executive to AdmiralDrummer. Who speaks?"

He winked at Drummer, who leaned back in hischair, grinning. 

"Lieutenant Bura, commanding the transportSandbox. I repeat: keep your damn squeeze clerksaway from my ship, regardless how legitimateyou claim your purpose to be. "

"You're in no position to refuse, " Brad shot back. "You're in Plutonian territory, and we have everyright to employ police or military powers toenforce our jurisdiction. You will cooperate inthis inventory, peacefully, if possible; underforce, if necessary. "

"You'll have to fight your way on to my ship. "Bura's voice was harsh, angry. "Be advised we arearmed and prepared to repel unauthorized boarders. I take your demands to be attempted extortion, anda clear threat to the safety of my ship, crew andcargo. That, at the least, is piracy in my book, and I am within my authority to use force to keeppirates off my ship. Now, chew on that. "

"Lieutenant Bura. " Brad's voice was space-cold. "You now insult the Plutonian Government byaccusing it of piracy. Your attitude gives us goodreason to question the purpose of your presencein our territory. By your words, you command anarmed vessel. Now you dare to threaten legitimaterepresentatives of a sovereign nation with yourguns. We have no choice but to conclude you area danger to our ships and to our people. "

"Ridiculous. I am merely protecting the safetyand integrity of my ship. "

"So you say. Nevertheless, you have threatenedto use force against our exercise of legitimaterights. Tell me, Bura, is your ship really acommercial cargo transporter or is it a UIPSwarship with a military mission inside our legaljurisdiction?"

"What in hell are you trying to do, whoever youare? My ship is a transporter of cargo, and youknow that damned well. "

"I know no such thing. All I know is that you claimto be armed and say you will use your weaponsagainst us. I repeat: are you on a militarymission?"

"No, damn it, I am not. "

"I don't believe you. "

"That's your problem. "

"Not at all, my man, it's yours. You insult andthen threaten harm to us. " Brad grinned at Drummer, who was watching him with an appraising expression. "Our fire control system has you marked and ourguns are trained on your ship. How does that strikeyou?"

Silence. 

"I say, " Brad roared, "Bura of the Sandbox, howdoes that strike you? You have ten seconds toreply. "

Lieutenant Bura's voice came in, low and tightwith suppressed rage. 

"I read you, loud and clear. My gun crews arestanding down. "

"Unacceptable, Bura, " Brad said flatly, "you remaina serious obstacle to the success of our mission. Stand by and do not interrupt again. AdmiralDrummer wishes to complete this transaction withthe Depot Commander. Colonel Hanno, we are waitingfor your answer to Admiral Drummer's request, which, I repeat, is to arrange for our inventoryspecialists to perform their duties aboard yourDepot and the transports within your control area. "

"I take note of your fleet's deployment, AdmiralDrummer, " the voice of Colonel Hanno wassubdued but intense, "and the manner in which yourExecutive responded to Lieutenant Bura's protest. My responsibility for the safety of UIPS supplies, properties and personnel under my commandand for UIPS vessels in the Planet Pluto SpecialZone leaves me no choice but to accede to youroutrageous demands. I do so under most solemn andvigorous protest, and only because your guns aretrained at our heads. Be aware these conversationsare being recorded and spunnel-transmitted to myGovernment as we speak. "

"Your protests are noted, Colonel Hanno, " Drummersaid, taking over. "Please convey our respectsto your Government. Now, as to procedure forthe audit, I suggest we set up a small group ofadministrators and specialists to prepare schedulesand other details. This must be done immediately, as we have no wish to delay your support operationsunnecessarily. Do you agree?"

"Yes. "

"Good. One of my ships is now approaching theGateway. I realize you may have reservationsconcerning one of my military craft entering yourrestricted zone, and I respect your reservations. Please have your representatives board thePlutonian craft outside the Gateway. My specialistsare aboard, and the two groups can work out thedetails. Is this satisfactory?"

"I reject your term 'satisfactory', and accedeunder the same protest. "

"I understand, Colonel Hanno. By the way, oneother matter, concerning the Sandbox. I cannotaccept Bura's assurance that his gun crews areon 'stand down'. "

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, Colonel Hanno, that I insist on aninspection of the Sandbox by members of my militarystaff so that I am certain the Sandbox's guns arenot a threat to the safety of my fleet. I cannotcontinue to dissipate my capabilities by the needto keep the Sandbox under special surveillancethroughout this operation. The Sandbox guns mustbe rendered inoperative and, frankly, I don't trustBura to perform that service for me. "

"Lieutenant Bura, " said Colonel Hanno, "I assumethat you and other ships' Commanders have beenlistening in on this delightful exchange. "

"I have. "

"What do you say?"

"You're the Zone Commander. "

"For the safety of your ship and the rest of us, I recommend you comply with their demand. "

"Yes, sir. "

"Admiral Drummer?"

"Very good. Have the Sandbox stand by to receiveboarders. This completes our discussion, ColonelHanno. I'll get back to you if the situation callsfor it. "

 Chapter EIGHTEEN

Brad studied the Sandbox on the utility's viewscreen. 

"I think you'd better have a look, " he said toKumiko as he twisted aside on the cramped flightdeck. She peered over his shoulder. 

"Got a problem?" Scarf sneered, his bulk crampedthe remaining space behind the flitter's pilotseat. He hunched forward trying to see aroundKumiko. 

Brad ignored the question. He waited for Kumiko'sassessment of the Sandbox, dead ahead. 

Drummer had given him the job. 

"I want this done, " he told Brad, "in a way thatwill demonstrate to the UIPS that we're serious, and can back our words with actions. We've gotto replace their image of us as misfits. They'vegot to see us as an organized military force thatcan defend its vital interests and, if necessary, impose its will. "

"What do you have in mind?"

"I want to use Kumiko's expertise as a weaponsofficer familiar with Inner Region ordnance. I wantboth of you to board the Sandbox and check allinstalled armament that can be directed againstour fleet. Avoid a scrap, but if you find the gunshave not been deactivated, do it for them. "

He pointed at Brad to give emphasis to his words. 

"I don't want their weapons slipping back intooperational status as soon as you leave their ship. Whatever it is you do, fix their armament controlsso that it'll take them at least fifteen hours toget them back on line. We'll need that much timeto finish our job here and return to base. "

Scarf joined them, listening. 

"I don't like it. " His words were angry; hisfeatures petulant. 

Drummer looked at Scarf with open scorn. 

"Your likes and dislikes are the least of myconcerns, " he snorted and turned back to Brad. 

Scarf cut back in. 

"I repeat, Drummer, I don't like it, and what Ilike or don't like is your concern. I'm here oncounter-intelligence work, and I don't like yoursending this guy, " thumbing toward Brad, "andone of his sidekicks over to a UIPS ship on a highlysensitive assignment. I'm not that trusting they'lldo the job as thoroughly as you're laying it out. "

Drummer frowned. 

"What do you suggest?"

"That I go along. "

Brad stepped back to let the two work it out. He didn't relish the assignment. The Sandbox'scommander was not going to accept boardersgraciously. 

"You go along? What the hell for?"

"To see how the assignment is carried out, andfrankly, to make sure this guy doesn't, shallwe say, inadvertently pass information tothe enemy. " After a brief pause, Scarf added, "I'm within my authority, Drummer. Part of thecounter-intelligence function, " adding, with asmirk, "Don't you agree?"

 ##

The utility's approach to the cylindrical Sandboxclosed in on the port side. Brad, at the controls, increased viewer magnification and inspected theship closely. Kumiko, looking at the same image, reached under Brad's arm and adjusted knobs andlevers, zeroing in on one gun turret after anotheralong the Sandbox's length. She whistled softly. 

"They're loaded for bear, " she said. "Circle them, Brad, let's see what's on the other side. "

Brad took the utility around to starboard, thentopside and below. 

Scarf again. "OK, you've looked her over. Now, what's the problem?"

"The ship has four laser-quads and a couple ofexplosive decompressors. She's a heavily armedattack transport, that's all. "

"So what? Can you do the job?"

Kumiko looked at Scarf, her normally soft featurestwisted, passive but icy. "Oh, yes, " she said. "I can do it. May take a little time, though. "

Scarf leaned back. 

"Well, let's not fool around with these jokers. Ifthey don't cooperate, I'm for back to the Dragonand let our guns talk for us. "

"Listen, Scarf, " Brad said, exasperated, "our jobis to disable the armament, not destroy the ship. Also, if you recall, Drummer wants to get throughthis exercise without using force. That's why we'rehere: to fix the Sandbox so they and any othership commanders of like mind won't get ideasabout resisting us. It's a psychological play that willmake the rounds of the Outer as well as the InnerRegion. It's to our advantage to show we do our jobwith minimum fuss. So, let's get on with it. "

Brad opened the inter-ship comm-line. 

"Calling Sandbox. This is Curtin on Dragon UtilityOne, approaching from your starboard. Are youprepared to receive us?"

"Ready, " came back. "Your air lock is number 4, starboard. Go there now. We will extend umbilicaland catwalk as soon as you're matched up. "

Brad guided his craft around and along the Sandboxto a portal bearing a large painted "4. " Slowingthe utility, he closed with the Sandbox, gentlyfingering controls until they were matchedprecisely to the heavy transport's bearing anddrift. 

"Now, " he said. 

Kumiko hit a switch, and the utility beam-anchorconnected to a triangular plate above the airlock, immobilizing and fixing the utility to the hugetransporter's axis. 

The number 4 clamshell panels drew back andslipped aside. A yellow and white-striped catwalksnaked out and suckled up to the utility's hatch. 

Kumiko took in the overhead dials and lights. 

"On track, " she said, and after a moment, "connected and secure. "

Brad closed a bank of switches, opened another. "We'll take no unnecessary chances, " he said. "I'msetting the thruster to cut in at twenty percentas soon as we're back in and slam the hatch. Fiveseconds and into forty, another three and wego max. That's for just in case. So, if we needto move fast when we board, hit the accello-netspronto. Got it?"

"Right, " from Kumiko. 

"Scarf?"

"Sure, sure. I got it. "

"Next. I want 'em to be able to see that the powersettings on our sidearms are low enough so asnot to kill or cause serious injury. Is that clear?"

"If they start anything, I'd just as soon take afew of them out for good. " Scarf postured hisbelligerence. 

"Nothing doing, Scarf, " Brad shot back. "Usingour weapons on this mission is bound to delaythe schedule, if not much worse. It's been fouledup already by this little sortie. So don't provoke'em; set your weapon in the lower levels. "

Brad set his weapon at the extreme low settingand noted that Kumiko did the same. Scarf sethis at the highest level in the non-lethal category, and with a sneer at Brad, returned the weaponto its sheath. 

Kumiko looked thoughtful. "We should wear suitswhile we're on board the Sandbox, Brad, " she said. "It may slow us down a bit, but we'll need to lookat gun emplacements that have minimal air ornone at all. "

"Sounds reasonable. OK, keep your suits on. "

They rigged their sidearms for control from withintheir suits and transferred them to outer sheaths. They donned the suits, checked each other's suitsecurity, seal pressure, inter-suit communications, and reported. 

"Move out, " Brad said. 

 Chapter NINETEEN

The Sandbox's receiving officer observed Brad andhis party's approach through a clear pane in theair lock's pressurized section. The four huskydeckhands and the officer-in-charge heftedsnub-nosed rifles. 

A pressure-suited deckhand responded to Brad'shand signal that his crew was aboard by conductinga visual safety check of the ship-to-utilityconnections. He turned away, and Brad felt the deckvibrate as the clamshells slammed shut. Kumiko andScarf moved up to stand behind Brad as pressureequalizers hissed. Moments later, the air lock'sinner door slid aside and they passed through. Opening their helmet faceplates, they returnedthe glares of the receiving party. 

"Rimov, and gunnery is my business, " said theofficer, "what in hell are you gonna do to my guns?"

Brad wished he were beside the grizzled spacefarerfacing their common adversary, rather thanconfronting him. 

"Curtin, and my business is to make sure yourguns don't get you all killed. I want to check yourweapons control center, and every gun emplacement. First, central control. "

"Hey, " chimed in Scarf. "How about a drink with theship's commander? Courtesies of the space-ways, and all that? I'd sure like to sample some Inner Regionbooze. "

"You guys ain't invited guests, no way, " Rimovflashed back. "The Commander is fussy aboutthe people he drinks with. "

"Well, you tell him... " Scarf raised a fist to addgesture to his words, but Brad waved him off, his eyes holding on Rimov. 

"To hell with that, " he snapped. "We're here todo a job and get back to our ship. I repeat: first, the fire control center, then each gun emplacement. Now. "

"Our fire control center has been deactivated. Whydo you have to see each gun?"

"You know damn well, Rimov, " Brad said, putting asmuch harshness into his tone as he could muster. "Your pieces can be fired independent of centralcontrol; I'm going to make sure they won't be. Let's get on with it. "

Brad noted that Rimov was staring at the intensityslide visible on the breechblock of his sheathedweapon. Rimov then tilted his head to scrutinizethe settings on Kumiko and Scarf's weapons. Hisbrows tightened, puzzled. It passed. 

"OK, follow me, " he said, pivoting and taking thelead. 

The passageways were narrow, confining them to twoabreast. Rimov and one of his men walked ahead, theother three escorts followed close behind Brad andhis party. The corridors they traversed had beencleared; no encounters. 

Brad, familiar with transports of the line, memorized their route. They had boardedamidships, lower starboard, and were headed foran armor-enclosed section near the stern. Thesurveillance and tracking gear and the laser-quads'fire control computers should be there. Thatpart should be relatively simple. They reacheda closed, heavy door. Rimov turned to Brad, hisface reflecting rage. 

"You didn't answer my question, " he growled. "What're you gonna do to my guns?"

"Nothing you couldn't fix in a couple of workshifts, " Brad replied, motioning to the door. "Let's move. "

Grudgingly, Rimov placed his palm on the disklock. A click and the heavy door retracted intothe adjacent bulkhead. 

As Brad expected, the fire control center consistedof dozens of consoles, scopes, directional and powercontrol devices, and clusters of computer terminals. 

Kumiko and Brad circled the small room as Scarfwatched from his position inside the entryway. Rimov stood beside Scarf, his guards along thebulkhead, tense, weapons directed at the deck. 

Kumiko pointed to a console. 

"I've got to see behind that panel, Brad, " shesaid, pointing. "The master firing system controlsshould be concentrated there. "

Brad turned and waved Rimov closer. Scarf didn'tmove; he got it all on his helmet intercom. 

"Remove the panel, " Brad said, pointing. 

"Won't take my word, will you, " Rimov growled. 

Reaching over, he snapped several quickdisconnects, slid the panel forward, reached intothe recess behind, fiddled a couple of seconds, and pulled the panel forward again. It came loose, and he stepped back with it in his hands. 

"Cut the power to this console, " Kumiko ordered. 

Rimov shrugged, moved to another console andsnapped several switches. Kumiko watched closely. Rimov turned back and observed her check severallights and dials above the space from where thepanel had been removed. 

Satisfied, Kumiko drew off her outer glove. Herhand remained encased in translucent, skin-tightinsulation. Reaching into the cavity, she withdrewa tiny black chip. Setting it down on a nearbyshelf, she repeated the operation. Shortly, a dozen chips lay on the shelf. 

Rimov flushed with fury as he watched Kumikowork, but remained silent. 

Finally, Kumiko stepped back, pulled a plasticbag from a pocket in her suit, and dropped inthe assorted parts. Looking around the room, she went to a wall cabinet, opened the door, rummaged about and withdrew still more chips. 

"Back up supplies, " she said, adding them tothe others in the plastic bag. 

Kumiko looked at Brad. 

"The fire control center is out of action, " shesaid. "Even if they do have more spares stashedaway, it'll take them at least twenty hours toinstall the parts and calibrate the system. "

Brad turned to Rimov. "Let's start with the aft gunturrets, and take them, in order, moving forward. "

 Chapter TWENTY

The next two hours were given to rushing alongpassageways, climbing companionways and ladders, and crawling along narrow walkways. Several turretscould only be reached from the outside; Kumiko'sadvice to wear suits proved sound. 

At each gun emplacement, Rimov, his guards andScarf watched Brad and Kumiko inspect sectorguides, range and directional interlocks and powerdrives. 

Once satisfied that a gun emplacement was notbooby-trapped, Kumiko inserted random realignmentparameters into laser blocks, twirled trackingsequencers into disarray, and switched about chipsand connectors. When she was done with a turret, the gun had a zero firing potential, and would takehours to repair, calibrate and test. 

Brad noted that Rimov, following Kumiko's workclosely, showed grudging admiration in his eyes. She was disabling the guns with gentle care, notdamaging them, and Rimov knew it. 

Finally, they were at the ship's bow. The finalturret had been rendered inoperative. 

Brad faced Rimov. 

"We'll be on our way. Back to the air lock. "

Brad was relieved. They would soon be in theutility, heading back to the Dragon, the job done. Even Scarf could not fault them. Scarf's reportmight even work to the Sentinel's advantage. 

Rimov took the lead. The deckhands seemed lesstense. They sensed that Rimov was impressedby Kumiko's professionalism, and they, too, hadobserved the consideration that Kumiko had shownfor the ship's equipment. She was obviously nota crowbar techie. 

They moved toward the air lock single file, Rimovin the lead, Brad, Kumiko and Scarf following, andthe four deckhands, two abreast, in the rear. 

Rounding a corner, they stopped. Ahead, threemen crouched, laser-rifles at their shouldersaimed at them. 

"Rimov, and you guys in the rear, outta the way. We're puttin' these bastards down. "

The order came from a short, blond-haired buck, eyes glaring above his gunfight. 

"Wait, " Rimov screamed. "What's the hell's goin'on, Cordy? These guys got safe conduct from Bura. "

"I don't buy that, Rimov. We got the word downbelow that the ship's bein' taken over by Narval'sgoons. We're gonna stop 'em. Come for'ard, I'm tellin' ya. They're goin' down, right now. Getready, Joe, Pete. "

The two guards behind Scarf and Kumiko droppedto the deck and snaked back around the corner. They were not about to shoot at shipmates. 

Rimov dashed toward Cordy, his arms waving. 

"Don't fire. Back off, " he shouted. 

The men with the rifles were momentarily confused, uncertain; one began to lower his weapon. Rimovwas a ship's officer; they would be in deep troubleif they disobeyed. 

Without warning, the decision was taken from them. 

Scarf panicked. 

Stepping back and behind Kumiko, using her ashis shield, he frantically jerked his heavy handweapon loose, at the same time crouching in firingposition. Gripping the weapon with both hands, he rammed the setting into max and fired aroundKumiko. Brad was out of his momentary line offire. Not so Rimov. 

The burst hit Rimov between the shoulder blades. There was a sharp, crackling sound as cloth andRimov's flesh carbonized. He fell forward, deadbefore he struck the deck. 

No one moved. Cordy and his men stared at theirfallen officer. 

Brad didn't wait for them to recover. 

"Back, " he shouted to Kumiko and Scarf. "Aroundthe bend. Now. "

Kumiko whirled and raced around the corner. Scarf rolled back on to his feet and dashed afterher. Brad followed. 

Rimov's guards were nowhere in sight. 

There was a roar of rage behind them. 

Cordy. 

"They shot Rimov. After 'em. Shoot to kill. "

The passageway was long; they would be at thewrong end of a shooting gallery as soon as Cordyreached the bend. The only break was a narrowladder through a hatch in the overhead. 

"Up, " Brad commanded. "Fast. "

Kumiko first, then Scarf. Brad followed. 

As Brad drew his legs up through the hatchwaya searing blast struck the frame, missing himby centimeters. Brad twisted away as anotherbolt flashed up through the hatch, scorchingthe bulkhead from which he had just moved. 

Brad shouted down. "First guy who shoves his headthrough the hatch gets it burned off. " Turning toKumiko and Scarf he whispered, "That won't holdthem for long. "

"Listen, about that shooting... ", Scarf began. 

Brad snapped him short with an impatient gesture. "Not now. Let's get to the utility. "

They looked around. The space was almost dark;the only light from widely spaced, low-powerneutro-lamps. They were standing on a narrowplatform, little more than a ledge, from which acatwalk bridged a complex of girders and cables. 

Brad mentally reconstructed their route beforeCordy's challenge. The portal through which theyboarded should be within fifty meters of wherethey crouched. Their lives depended on the catwalkpassing close to it. 

Studying the arrangement of the structures aroundthem and the coding on cable bundles, Brad peeredalong the catwalk, first in one direction, then theopposite. 

He looked at the open hatch and shouted down. "Wedemand safe conduct to our ship. Do you hear me?"

Silence. 

Scarf shoved his face close to Brad. 

"Are you kiddin'?" he said, his tone expressing hisdisbelief. "I just killed one of their men. They'renot gonna give us safe conduct anywhere. "

"I know that, " Brad replied. "Even if they dopromise us safe conduct, it'll be just to get atus. I want them to think we're going to hole uphere until they give us an answer. Bura must knowby now. We've got to get off before he personallytakes charge of the search. "

Brad again scrutinized the ship's stringers andcable insulation colors. He pointed. 

"Stay close. "

They crossed stretches where ledges and walkwaysnarrowed abruptly to barely enough for passage. Sharp projections along the way snagged and abradedtheir protective suits. They realized that theymight face serious seepage from their suits assoon as they entered the vacuum of space. 

A sudden, raking fire erupted behind them. Metalframes around them darkened from the bolts ofenergy. 

Scarf jerked his weapon and returned the shotsbefore Brad could stop him. The flash of his weaponprovided the ideal target, and brought concentratedfire in return. 

Stooping and sliding, Brad and Kumiko stumbledforward. Scarf scrambled along behind, firinghaphazardly to the rear. 

Scarf howled with sudden pain. Brad looked back. Inthe dim light, Scarf hung over a girder, motionless. Brad raced back to his side. A wide strip fromsleeve and shoulder was burned away; blood oozed. 

Kumiko bent beside Brad. She yanked her gloveoff, reached in through the still smoking sleeveand felt for a pulse in Scarf's neck. 

"Alive. "

She stepped back. Brad, in the cramped space, hauled the unconscious Scarf upright, bent, andwith Kumiko's help, lifted him on to Brad's back. 

Scarf's scream of pain had brought a pause tothe firing. 

Grasping stanchions and cables for support, Brad staggered along the catwalk. 

"Hatch up ahead. "

"Might be it. "

Brad gasped. Even in the light pseudo-gravity, Scarf's bulk was hard to maneuver. 

"Take a peek. "

Kumiko was gone and back in an instant. 

"Looks clear. "

"No choice. Down you go. I'll drop him through. "

Kumiko dropped out of sight. Brad thrust Scarfthrough the hatch and followed. The drop was notdeep. 

The number 4 air lock was less than ten metersahead. Brad heaved Scarf across his shoulders, andwith Kumiko leading the way, they rushed toward it. 

The deck carried the slap of running feet, fast andclosing. 

Cordy appeared at the end of the passage. Seeingthem, he crouched on one knee and raised his weapon. 

Kumiko beat him; at the sound of running, she hadraised her sidearm. As Cordy took aim, she fired. Cordy fell back, stunned. 

Brad had the door to the outer air lock open, Scarfon the deck inside. Kumiko rushed past Brad andhe slammed the door and clipped it sealed. Shesnatched an emergency space stretcher froma bulkhead rack and snapped it open. It took thetwo of them to roll Scarf's inert body into theenvelope, seal it around him and start an oxygenflow. 

They snapped their faceplates closed. Brad hitswitches. The outer portals slid apart. The catwalkand other connections to the utility were still inplace. Carrying the stretcher between them, theycrossed over. 

 Chapter TWENTY-ONE

Brad poked his head into Drummer's office at FleetHeadquarters. Drummer, at his desk, bent overa document, cast frequent glances at electronicdisplays on the wall nearby. Racks of datacapsules, no space for them on the busydesk, crowded the floor nearby. A conical viewtank, recessed in the wall to his left, glowedwith symbols of ships and their militarycharacteristics, along with tactical and logisticallinks. 

Scanning the monitors and view tank, Drummerhefted a hand control and pressed keys. Eyeshalf-closed, he silently transformed mental imagesinto memoranda and messages. Aware of Brad'spresence, he paused and focused on him in the doorway. 

"I thought you planned to take a couple of days offafter Tornado Six, " Brad said. 

"Can't, " Drummer replied, his eyes back to his notes. 

"What's happening?"

"Until Tornado Six, our forces functioned asseparate units. Tornado Six was our fleet's firstintegrated operation. The mission succeeded becausewe got away without military opposition. I can'ttrust that sort of luck to hold. We need to refineour tactics, based on our experience with the logdepot and that armed transport, and in anticipationof an early organized response by the UIPS. "

Brad appeared uncertain whether to remain ormove on. 

"Stand by a moment, Brad. "

Drummer resumed recording. Symbols in thetank flashed off and on too quickly for the eye tofollow, but Drummer was no longer giving them hisattention. He touched a glowing disk on the armof his chair, sighed, and leaned back. The view tankcleared to continue its work unobserved. 

"I need a break. Here's what's happening, Brad. "

He motioned Brad to a seat alongside his desk. 

"Narval was impressed at our success, especiallyhow we bluffed our way through it. Just aswell we didn't push too hard and force aneyeball-to-eyeball confrontation. He wants muchmore preparation before we get to that point. I agree, we'll leave that until our next no-noticeinspection. "

"Well, we did have a fire fight, of sorts, on theSandbox, " Brad interjected. 

"By itself, much less significant than the raidswe've made on UIPS patrols and shipping. TheSandbox incident was the ship commander's faulthowever one looks at it. By the way, " Drummergrinned. "I suggested to Colonel Hanno thathe chastise the Sandbox's commander aboutallowing his people to attack my agents. Laxdiscipline, and all that. "

Brad laughed, but grimly recalled Rimov's wasteddeath. Drummer joined him in the laugh, thenquickly resumed his serious expression. Elbowson desk, hands clasped, he frowned at Brad. 

"In categorizing the Sandbox incident'insignificant' I do so only in the context of itseffect on objectives and strategy. In anothersense, it was quite important. "

"Oh?"

"Narval was pleased with the way you handledyourself on the Dragon in dealing with Hannoand Bura. "

"How did he find out?"

"Scarf's nature, it seems, made him anxious toget a verbatim record of everything said in hispresence during Tornado Six. He was wired, andeverything said in his presence was recorded. Had events gone otherwise, I'm convinced hewould have lifted statements that each of usmade and twisted them to discredit us. 

"Putting Scarf in hospital immediately upon returnto base didn't give him the chance to tailor thetranscript. Since he reports directly to Narval, the recordings were sent to the boss from thehospital as soon as Scarf was admitted -- routinesecurity under the circumstances. I heard a shortwhile ago that Narval spent some time in Scarf'shospital room. I can only assume he was questioningScarf on the unedited recording as well as whateverhe witnessed. "

"What happens now?"

"Got a call from Narval's office a short while ago. Narval wants to meet you. Call his office ASAPand get a time. "

 ##

Narval's stare was long and searching. He ignoredthe armed guards standing within effective rangeof Brad. 

"Sit. " Narval pointed to a heavy chair directly infront of his desk. Straight-backed from flat, hardseat to shoulder level, extension clamshells fromthe upper section of the chair curved forwardsharply to form tapered wings. 

Brad sat. The clamshells closed in and stoppeda few centimeters from his temple. Wired padsextended and touched his skull at several points. The chair was not comfortable; psychic probesweren't meant to be. 

"Tell me about yourself, " Narval leaned back, inspected his fingers, and then concentrated ona monitor in the wall behind the chair in whichBrad sat. 

"My name is Brad Curtin, " Brad began, "and I'mhere with five others to seek sanctuary. "

"Tell me about the crimes of which you wereconvicted, the Guardian Station prison to which youwere committed, how you organized your escape, and how it was carried through. You know, of course, that you're undergoing psychic probe. The probecompensates for your awareness of its being usedon you; the validity of the findings is not degraded. I see the monitor from where I sit, so, let's hearyour story. "

Brad spoke for fifteen minutes withoutinterruption. He related the events on histransport off Luna, the investigation that ledto his trial, his testimony before the Board, and his arrival at the Guardian Station. Withouthesitation, he swung into the cover scenario thathad been burned deep into his psyche by Ram'stechnicians: how he had selected his accomplices, organized the escape, joined the convoy into thespunnel, and finally, his arrival on Planet Pluto. 

Brad let the embedded scripts flow freely. Hetrusted Ram's preparations; his life and the livesof his companions depended on them. Far moreimportant, the Sentinels mission demanded it. Anomalies, he knew, would be sensed immediately, should he even try to color his recounting of thepersonal knowledge and programmed experiencesnow deeply embedded in his mind. 

Brad stopped talking; the general questions hadbeen answered. Narval studied the wall monitorbehind Brad, and returned his stare to Brad. 

"Let's clear up a few points, " he said. "Iunderstand the ship that you, shall we say, expropriated for your escape was no morethan a local utility vessel in the Belt. Yet, fromwhat you say -- and from your ship's log -- yourdestination was the rim. Wouldn't you have had afuel problem?"

"We thought at first that we would. Our plan, originally, was to get to a refueling station, replenish our energy packs, and take it from there. When we checked our bearings, we discovered thatour coordinates put us within range of a spunnel nodeso we headed for that. When we got there, severalconvoys were lined up for entry to the SpecialZone. Our ship had UIPS markings and the gatewaywas crowded. We managed to get in the lineup andmade it. "

Narval glanced at the monitor. 

"I see. Now, the Guardian Station prison, I aminformed, keeps tabs on its inmates using asophisticated surveillance system. How did youmanage to evade observation long enough to getaway?"

"Zolan, a member of our group is anexpert in electronic countermeasures, counter-countermeasures, and so on. The systemon the Guardian Station was installed two to threecenturies ago. It serves fine, I suppose, for theordinary run of inmates confined on the station. Zolan devised a screen behind which we did ourplanning and preparations. When we were ready togo, he rammed both a counter and a counter-counterdevice into the station's sensors. The doublewhammy confused the hell out of the systemlong enough for us to make our getaway. "

"That's my next question. It seems to me theSpace Guard should have been after you immediately. How is it they let you get away?"

"I think I owe you the credit for that. "

"Me?"

"That's the way I figure it. The Guard needs aminimum number of ships to do its work in the InnerRegion space lanes. Those lanes are so crowded thatthey need every ship they can muster to maintainorder. On that I speak from long and bitterpersonal experience. Since the secession, manymore Guard vessels are needed along the Beltand their overlap into the Jovian Void; at bestthey're thinly spread. 

"Because of the threat to Slingshot that theyperceive in you, the UIPS has been draining bothgroups lately to augment patrols along routesthrough the Outer Region that converge on theSpecial Zone. The additional ships are from theBelt patrols. With all that they already have tocover, expending vital resources to chase a fewescaped convicts just wasn't worth it. "

Narval wheezed a chuckle. 

"So, you think you are beholden to me for thisindirect assistance. Really feel that way?"

As he asked the question he looked intently atthe monitor. Brad, in turn, watched Narval's eyes. 

"I can't see it any other way, Mr. President. "

Narval grinned. 

"Your answers to my questions present aninteresting scenario, " Narval said after studyingthe monitor. "The probe, by the way, does notindicate significant deviations from the facts --as you understand them, of course. "

Narval waved the guards away. Saluting, they leftthe room, closing the door softly behind them. Narval motioned Brad to a chair of much gentlerdesign alongside his desk. As Brad exchanged seatsNarval swiveled his chair to face him. He leanedforward and grasped Brad's wrist in a puffy grip. 

"The interrogation is over, " he said. "This littlesession with the probe, along with voice analysesof you and your associates has, up to now, failedto disclose a threat to me or about what you allnow know of my plans and military capabilities. You seem to be what you claim. Nevertheless, you remain under scrutiny. "

Brad shrugged and remained silent; his featuresreflected that he expected no less. 

Narval's smile was vapid, metallic. 

"I commend you for the manner in which yourepresented Drummer and, I add, myself. You didwell with the log depot Commander and that upstarton the transport. I am especially pleased with theway you conducted yourself in that little squabbleon the transport. "

"Thank you, Mr. President. "

"Now, to more important matters, Brad. "

Narval leaned back in his deeply cushioned chairand tented his stubby fingers. 

"Your observations on the deployment of UIPSmilitary forces interests me. It supports mysuspicions. The Inner Region's internal Space Guardis constabulary in both organization and mission. Their jurisdiction is confined by the UIPS borders. Their Military Space Force, on the other hand, hasa charter to roam the Solar System -- comparableto ancient laws ensuring open seas and oceans. 

"Transfer of fighter craft and pilots from the UIPSSpace Guard to the Military Space Force, I suspect, is now taking place. Many will need to be refittedfor long range operations, and their crews trainedin military concepts and tactics in place of thoseemployed in local constabulary duties. "

Narval twisted the rings on his fingers, and histiny eyes seemed to sink deeper into surroundingflesh. 

"The greatest single concern of the UIPS is theintegrity of Slingshot and the Special Zone. I amconvinced that the UIPS military forces, once theyattain optimum strength, will attempt to crush me, or at the least, dominate the Zone. 

"We must prepare to withstand, to resist, andto triumph over this UIPS aggression in the OuterRegion. "

Brad felt Narval's eyes on him. 

"You are going to help me to prepare, " Narval said. 

 Chapter TWENTY-TWO

Drummer expected the call. 

"Drummer, " Narval said as the door closed behindthe guard and they were alone, "UIPS perception ofme as a threat can be as effective a weapon as mytransforming the threat into the deed itself. "

Drummer chose caution. "How so, Mr. President?"

Narval peered sharply at Drummer as he leaned hisheavy body back, and folded ring-encrusted handsacross his paunch. He shifted his gaze to theceiling and half-closed his eyes. 

"The UIPS now perceives us as having demonstrateda capability for military actions against theirvital interests. If we follow up with threats andmenacing gestures against Slingshot, the effect mayunnerve them, to say the least. How do you see it?"

"It seems to me we've gone far beyond merethreats, " Drummer's tone, now grim, continued. "Raiding and harassing their transports, attackingand destroying UIPS patrollers in the Zone, andnow, the inventory tax. We formally notify them byProclamation that we'll lay siege to the Log Depot, we've boarded one of their armed transports anddisabled its armaments. These are not emptythreats and impetuous gestures. "

"Even so, they are prologue, Drummer. Hear me. "

Narval twisted his rings, first in one directionthen opposite. Lowering his eyes to his hands, hepaused often between words, choosing them with care. 

"Here in the Outer Region, the separate nationsare convulsed by internal struggles for power bothinternal to their sovereignty and within the familyof independent satellites that orbit their hostplanet. Their political philosophies are diverse, lack cohesion, and have powerful advocates oropponents, some openly, others covert. The Headsof State are insecure and fear political coups. Rapid changes in leadership cannot be ruled out. "

Drummer watched Narval eyes caress his entwinedfingers. 

"If new leaders arise and take over the reins ofpower from incumbents, so much the better forme. New governments will need time to becomeentrenched, create lines of authority andaccountability, and install bureaucraciesresponsive to the wishes of a new elite. I repeat, confusion in the ranks, within other governments, is to my advantage. "

"Can you count on such events materializing?"

"Of course not. "

Narval wagged a finger at Drummer. 

"But the uncertainty within regimes that thesedisruptions can, and may occur, dissipates andweakens their energies. If they fear enemies fromwithin, and suspect enemies from outside, thenthey are diseased and warrant being replaced bya daring and skillful master. "

"Who might that be?"

"Me. "

"I'm not sure I understand. "

"Then listen carefully, because you play a vitalrole in my plans. "

Narval motioned a now openly apprehensive Drummerto the chair beside his desk. As Drummer sat, Narval leaned close. 

"My strategy has two facets: one involves INOR, the other, the UIPS. They are interdependent. "

Unfolding his clasped hands, Narval's fingersdrummed the desk. 

"I repeat, with INOR in turmoil no head of statecan feel secure. New philosophies surface andattract supporters, occasionally, even strongleaders. If forces with objectives opposing minemove into the Outer Region, I will not sit by idly. I will intervene, even if it means imposing themost stringent discipline and controls. "

"With respect, President Narval, does Planet Plutohave the right to intervene into the affairs ofother nations?"

Narval scowled, recovered, and snickered. 

"Power gives us rights we would not have otherwise. When the old United Planetary System decided touse Planet Pluto as the forward base for Slingshot, they invested the planet with some of their mostadvanced technologies. Other communities throughoutthe Outer Region are just that: places where peoplelive, work, play, consume and little else. 

"Slingshot has given Planet Pluto a far greaterrole in the solar scheme. And now, a role thatwas entirely unexpected when Slingshot wasfirst planned, dissolution of the unified solargovernment released us from UIPS domination. Wegained opportunities to fashion and strengthen aninfrastructure, and freedom to confuse our INORneighbors with a melange of schemes to satisfytheir greed. Slingshot technology, facilities, andmateriel give to us, more than to any other memberof INOR, the means to attain our aspirations. Powercreates its own logic, Drummer. 

"To answer your question: I will intervene into theaffairs of other nations when it is to my benefitto do so. "

Narval's hands clenched into fists. He pounded thetop of his desk in a tattoo as he glared at Drummerthrough eye slits embedded in fat. 

"Understand me, Drummer, " Narval shrilled. "I willbe the dominant force in INOR, and that's only thebeginning. "

Narval quieted, each warily observing the other. Hesitatingly, Drummer tried to respond to Narval'sincredible declaration. 

"Is that what's behind your recent Proclamationto the UIPS on a new foundation for interregionalrelationships?"

"Partly. "

"What else is there?"

"Unfortunately, we cannot repeat Tornado Six. When I approved it, I intended it as a one-timeoperation to, shall we say, test the waters. It succeeded through your command, and theextraordinary initiative of Brad Curtin. Wemust now go on to other probing and design newconfrontations from which the UIPS will be forcedto retreat. Our tactics will, at times, includediversions, as we must keep both INOR governmentsand the UIPS off-balance. They must be keptguessing -- not certain -- where I will move next. "

"How do you expect them to react to suchprovocation?"

"There is little likelihood the UIPS will gamblewith the future of our solar civilization byretreating from Slingshot; they cannot risk thesystem-wide demoralization and desolation thatwould follow. I intend to play on their fears andon public pressures to attain my ends. That's wherethreats come in; we must use them regularly, butwith cunning and consistency. UIPS perception ofdanger to Slingshot, compounded by the enormousdistances from their military centers, willcompel them to be reasonable. If our tacticsare convincing the UIPS will have no alternatives. They will accede to my demands. "

"What if they resist?"

Narval's pudgy fists resumed their cadencedpounding. 

"Let them, " he snarled, "I will be ready; I will gofurther and challenge them. They will be compelledto come to me, and I command the high ground. I will defeat them, and move on quickly to myultimate objective. "

"And what is that?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Yes, President Narval, but I must be certain. "Drummer's face was pale. "My ears want to hearwhat my mind has been forced to conclude. "

"Very well, Drummer, hear this. Planet Plutois strategically situated at this time to be thesingle, most influential force in human affairs. Iwill use that influence to consolidate my militarycontrol over INOR. When I have that I will confrontthe UIPS and beat them down. I, Narval, willdominate the Solar System. "

Narval's ultimate objective was clear and set. Drummer knew better than to dissuade him. 

Having confided in Drummer, Narval waxed garrulous. 

"I have debts to pay, " he said, "and I shall getmuch pleasure in making good on them. Many insultsand humiliations need to be returned to formercolleagues on Callisto. And there are others, in tank towns throughout the Outer Region andin the UIPS. They will feel my wrath. "

"Is vengeance all there is to it?"

Narval caught himself. 

"No, no, of course not, " he said, hurriedly. "Ishall govern. I shall be wise and magnanimous. Magnanimous, that is, to those who supportme, and, " clenching his fists again, "merciless tothose who oppose me or seek to undermine my will. "

"Considering Planet Pluto's distance from thecenters of social and industrial activity, " Drummerinterjected, "and our planet's far-ranging orbit, this could be a difficult location from which togovern the Solar System. "

"I've thought of that, Drummer. I shall move toLuna and rule from there. In stages, we can adjustto its gravity. Once Slingshot goes operational, this planet will revert to an outpost, for most ofits orbit beyond the solar rim. It was never meantto be more. To me, Planet Pluto has always beenjust another stepping stone. "

A broad grin rippled across Narval's features. Drummer, somber-faced, returned Narval's gazeand saw his eyes shrink into lumpy flesh. 

"Drummer, my plans include a position of greatpower and prestige for you. "

"Indeed?"

"A new elite and a new hierarchy will be createdwhen I take control. I will want a council ofadvisors, commanders and administrators forinternal affairs, constabulary and military forces, security, intelligence, and a vast bureaucracy tomanage the affairs of government for an entiresystem of planets, satellites, and thousands ofartificial colonies. Much will need to be done, andyou will be in the forefront. "

"You honor me. "

"I expect faithful service, Drummer. "

"I shall do my best. "

"Good. Now, as to Brad Curtin. "

Narval leaned back and entwined his fingersacross his abdomen. 

"I had him here a short time ago and questionedhim under a psychic probe. He withstood the inquiry. The probe did not disclose any inconsistencies tomy questions; therefore, I can only conclude he iswhat he claims to be. What is your opinion?"

"My talks with Brad and his companions led meto that conclusion. "

"So be it then. "

Narval's attention seemed to wander. He reachedfor a document on the desk, and he perused it asif his mind was elsewhere. 

"Drummer, " he said, raising his eyes, "I want youto give Brad a special assignment, and report tome periodically how it is progressing. Keep Brad'sgroup together, but watch them, and report to meimmediately of any suspicious activities. I've alsoordered Scarf to keep an eye on Brad and his crew. "

"Scarf? To what purpose?"

"I have plans for Brad, if he does well. "

"What is the task?"

Narval locked eyes with Drummer. 

"Tell Brad to prepare plans and evaluate ourmilitary capabilities to penetrate the protectiveshield around the Logistics Depot, to capture itand use it as hostage. "

"Good God! Take the depot as hostage? For whatpurpose?"

"The reason you will give Brad is that INOR willhold it hostage for a greater share in decisions onthe disposition of Slingshot-generated assets. "

"That isn't the real reason, is it?"

"No. The objective is diversionary. "

"And the real objective?"

"You will be told when it is time. "

 Chapter TWENTY-THREE

The Sentinels slouched in chairs, or sat onthe floor, backs against the walls of the smallworkroom. Their faces reflected fatigue. 

"About fleet capabilities for sustained combat, "Brad said. "I need a 'how goes it' on the status ofyour evaluations. Give me a quick rundown and adocumented report by the end of the day. Myra, you first. "

Myra spoke from where she sat on a chair tiltedagainst the wall. 

"I had training facilities and systems, emergencymedical support, and general administrative backup. What I saw was guys and gals floundering around, leaning on each other, and making excuses. Thetraining programs are antiquated; many aren't evenremotely tied in with the equipment installed onships of the line. Equipment operators are learningby hit-or-miss, and they miss much too often. Can't blame them for low effectiveness becausethe procedures are hazardous to their health. Ifwe don't improve the situation fast, the crews willdeteriorate to where they won't be worth a damnwhen the going gets even a mite rough. "

Myra paused, tipped her chair forward, crossedher arms, and gave Brad a hard look. 

"I mean it, Brad. What's more, the medical backupfor combat support is atrocious. If we incurcasualties, the injured won't have much todepend on, and if the troops have no faith in theirmedics, their morale will drop, and I mean fast. There goes your combat capability. For example, medical supplies haven't been checked and updatedfor years, if they were ever checked at all. Theydon't know what they've got or where. 

"The system needs a complete overhaul. Ispot-checked the software and links on training, medical, and administrative systems, and found themto be full of gaps and obsolete links and citations. My report, Brad, is that these areas need one hellof a lot of work to get them up to even minimumstandards. "

Myra tipped her chair back until her head andshoulders touched the wall and she closed hereyes. Her exhaustion was unmistakable. 

"Document your findings, Myra, " Brad said. "Iwant specific recommendations to deal with eachdeficiency that you find, the name of the personaccountable, and a list of the supplies, equipmentand skills to clear the problem. "

Turning to the others, he added, "That goes foreveryone; there isn't much to work with, so berealistic. If you report a problem, tell me how tofix it. If the shortages can't be filled, we mighthave to take from one ship or facility to fixothers. Clear?"

Silence. 

"OK, you're next, Zolan. What's the story oncommunications?"

"The equipment is generally good. It all camefrom the Inner Region, and not very long ago. Partof what we have was taken in the raids on UIPSships; the rest is original equipment installedhere during the Slingshot build-up. Most of thespace-to-space systems are fully operational; thereare some weaknesses in space-to-surface links. "

"That part can be handled. "

Zolan paused to nod at Myra. 

"There's a 'but', though, and here's where I tie inwith Myra's findings on training. We've got a goodsupply of comm spares, but not enough skills to dothe work. The comm folks can operate the equipment, no sweat there. The problem is that althoughmuch of the gear is self-repairing through built-inrobotics, when the robies themselves need fixing, no one knows how. Chain reaction; it won't takelong for subsystems to break down as the pressureof sustained ops builds. Barely enough maintenancerobots on each ship and station to keep theequipment working. The number of out-of-commissionrobots is increasing steadily, and no one seemsto know what to do about it. In time, this couldeasily lead to wide gaps in communicationscapabilities. "

"Do you know what to do about it?" Brad asked. 

"Yes. "

"Lay it out in your report. That's one area wherewe can't afford any screw-ups. Adari, let's hear iton ship's navigation systems and surface nav-aids. "

"Well, Brad, " Adari grinned, "I had a nice summaryall arranged in my mind, but I won't waste timeby repeating what Zolan and Myra reported. Commmaintenance also applies to nav, as does trainingand data. The equipment is good, but only becauseit's fairly new and is robotically self-maintained. But nav robotics have no backups. Generally, whenmaintenance robies need fixing the work's doneby human specialists or other specialized robies. They're not on board. Eventually, this fleet isgoing to be in a sad predicament: nav equipmentwill go down with no way to get 'em back on line. "

"How are you on fixing nav robots, Adari, " Bradsmiled. 

"I get by. "

"Put that in your report, too. " Brad turned toKumiko and nodded. 

"Guns, power packs, tracking and fire-controlsystems in fair shape. Ordnance controllers andgunners are a breed apart, especially when they'retaking care of their own, and even when workingconditions are tight. They normally do most oftheir own maintenance. The guns are modern, andthere's a good supply of ready-to-install chargers. Ship commanders exercise their gun crews frequently, and many have been on the raids, so they have opsexperience that the UIPS Space Force lacks. Asfar as armaments go, this fleet will be a powerfuladversary in any confrontation. "

"Sounds encouraging, " Brad said wryly. "Whenyou prepare your report, just tell it like it is. A bitof good news would be welcome. " Motioning to Hodak, he added with a tight grin, "Last, but not least, what's the situation on structures, facilities, energy sources, and general logistical support. "

Hodak, leaning against the wall, rubbed his baldspot and frowned. 

"I ain't happy at all, " he said. "As I told you onthe Dragon, maintenance training of ships' crewsis sloppy, and standards are either just not thereor obsolete. We're working on the ops and logisticalsupport checklists but they're still far fromcompatible with facilities and installed systems. These guys operate by the seat-of-their-pants. What's more, ship's structural and power plantrobies are down for maintenance half the timeand spare parts are a mess. That also appliesto surface shops and equipment. 

"When ships are taken out of the line for repair, the process is too damn long, mostly because ofthe marginal and nonstandard support equipment. We got a real problem here, Brad. The sooner weget on it the better. "

Brad leveled a finger at Hodak. 

"I want you to include in your report a way toupdate direct support from surface shops. If we'regoing to do ourselves any good on this rim rockone thing we can't afford is a fleet that can't standup to a confrontation with the Inner Region. I'm notabout to be hauled back to that tin can GuardianStation to face escape charges. I don't think anyof us want that. "

Adari and Hodak nodded; the rest sat motionless. All looked somber. 

Brad stood. "That's all for now. I'm going to givean oral report to Narval as soon as I can arrangeto see him. He needs to issue a heads up with awhip in his hands. Meanwhile, you all have jobs todo. Be where I can reach you. "

 ##

Narval and Drummer turned away from the view tankin which they had observed Brad and heard his wordsand those of his cohorts. 

"Well, what do you think?" Narval bit into afingernail. 

"They raise valid issues, President Narval. If weare to challenge the UIPS military we certainlycan't do it with an inferior force. I think weshould listen carefully to what Brad suggests, and then, considering your objectives, adopt thoseideas that will assist you in attaining them. "

"I will listen to Brad, Drummer, " Narval said. "Then, I will tell him to report the details of hisfindings to you. I want you both to do what'snecessary to bring our military fleet to a highlevel of readiness. Prepare instructions to ourcommanders for my signature. We must reachour maximum combat capability in the shortestpossible time. "

Narval's eyes gleamed beady-bright. 

"The shortest possible time. Did you hear me, Drummer?"

"Yes, Mr. President, I heard you. "

"I want to be informed, within the next one hundredhours, when you and Brad expect the fleet willbe ready for sustained operations, and I mean'combat readiness'. The names of ship and facilitycommanders who do not cooperate with you orBrad will be reported to me immediately. Do youunderstand?"

"I do. "

"Very well. Now, I have a special assignment forBrad. As soon as the two of you have the fleetupgrading program under way, I want Brad to conducta joint review with INOR military commanders tofind out what shape they're in for a confrontationwith the UIPS, should it come to that. I've alreadycommunicated with the heads of Outer Regiongovernments, and they've agreed in principle toa preliminary meeting. I've approved a meetingplace off Neptune; Scarf has the schedule and thecoordinates. He will accompany Brad as my Securityrepresentative and sit in on all discussions. TellBrad to use the Dragon for the mission and to chairthe meeting. Let the INOR people tour our ship; wemust give the impression of power. Any questions?"

"Brad may need to reveal what he knows of plansto take the Depot. "

"I want him to do just that early on in themeeting. It will give them all a target againstwhich to plan and integrate deployment schedules, vectors, tactics and combined operations. Anything else?"

"No, President Narval. "

 Chapter TWENTY-FOUR

Brad stood beside Captain Crisper and surveyedthe scene in the tank on the Dragon's bridge. Scarflounged in an accello-net within sight and sound, as he had for most of the voyage from Pluto. 

The Dragon's pilot and communicator, upper bodiesinsulated in instrumented cubicles, concentratedon their tasks. Arms folded across his chest, Zolanstood along a bulkhead where his eyes could takein the full compartment without altering stance. 

Ahead lay Triton in its retrograde orbit aroundNeptune. The moon's expanse was only partiallyaccommodated by the tank. The Dragon's penetrationinstruments revealed Triton's jagged peaks andchasms through vaporous nitrogen clouds. Steady, high-intensity beacons marked the location ofdomed mine shafts that probed and sucked at thesatellite's core. A cluster of tank towns and theiroutriders rode the satellite's horizon. 

Gleaming slivers separated from the surface, converged, assumed an egg-shape and bloomed intoa flight of spacecraft. They formed up abreastfifty kilometers distant, facing the Dragon's bow. 

The speaker above the communicator's enclosurebroke into the bridge's silence. 

"Message from Captain Yargoul of the JovianBattle Cruiser Windstorm to Captain Crisper ofthe Plutonian Battle Cruiser Dragon. "

Captain Crisper spoke without moving or takinghis eyes from the tank. 

"The message. "

"Greetings, Captain Crisper. I have been authorizedby my President and the INOR representativesI am escorting to inform you that we are here inresponse to the invitation of your President. Isthe representative of your Government present?"

The Captain glanced at Brad, who nodded. Theresponse was released. 

"Greetings from Captain Crisper to Captain Yargoul. My government's representative, Commander BradCurtin, is present and prepared to meet with youand your colleagues. Commander Curtin suggeststhe meeting take place in the Command ConferenceRoom on board the Dragon as soon as the primarymembers are aboard. Is that agreeable?"

A short pause, then the reply "Affirmative. "Shortly, utility boats cut away from the ships andconverged on the Dragon. Each utility maneuveredto synchronize axis and align portals. Preciselypositioned, each vessel locked on in turn andextended ship-to-ship catwalks. 

 ##

The Dragon's conference room hummed with themurmur of the Dragon's seated guests when Bradentered and took his seat at the table. Zolan occupieda seat against the bulkhead behind Brad, adjacenta glowing view tank. 

Scarf was there somewhere along the side, knownand ignored; a security agent to peer over INORcitizens' shoulders was normal. 

Professionals long in their trade, they were battlecruiser and destroyer flotilla commanders of themajor INOR powers, backed up by their expertsin military intelligence, tactical operations, andnavigation, logistics and internal security. Brad'smeasure would be taken quickly, and his influenceand INOR's decisions would depend on theirassessments. He expected no less. 

Brad's eyes ranged the table, giving each faceequal time. They returned his scrutiny, casual, arrogant, challenging. It was his show, and hisreputation. 

Brad did not rise to speak. 

"I needn't introduce myself, " he began. "We'veall done our homework I'm sure, and you know asmuch about me as I do about each of you. So, tobusiness. "

Zolan rose, drew an instrumented rod from its nicheat the base of the tank and brought up the quadrantthat depicted the Special Zone. Manipulating keysalong the rod, eyes on the tank, Zolan quicklybrought the Logistics Depot in toward the coreand increased magnification so that it occupiedmost of the tank space. 

"The objective, " Brad said, his voice flat and low. 

A long silence, then from the far end of the table, "What the hell does that mean?"

"Just that. We're going to take it. "

A gasp, this time from his left, followed by, "Youguys are out of your minds. "

Feet shuffled on the grav-plates. Several among theseated were arranging themselves to rise and depart. 

Brad waited. 

The shuffling stopped. They were here to listen, not to commit. 

Brad leaned forward, placed his forearms on thetable, one hand over the other. His steady eyesmoved from one face to the next. 

"No, " he said, "we're not out of our minds. We cando it, and our losses can be kept within acceptablelimits if we work together. Furthermore, the Depotcan be taken with minimum damage to its structuresand to its Slingshot stores. "

"What's the point?"

Brad looked at the questioner, a big man in a blackand gray uniform and a soft helmet liner perchedon the back of his head. Brad knew him through thephys-psy profiles he had studied before the meeting. 

 ##

"Captain Yargoul, " Brad said, "sooner or later theUIPS must accept that they no longer have masteryof space beyond the Belt. "

Altering his tone to include all, he continued, "Ineedn't dwell on the obvious: our collective forcesand Slingshot's distance from the UIPS placesus in a far stronger position than we thought wewould be at this time. I emphasize collective. Onour own, any of us, individually as nations or in analliance of satellites, wouldn't stand long againstan organized assault by a UIPS battle fleet. But, collectively, we will not only resist them, we willwin and take back full control of space throughoutthe Outer Region. "

Eyes cold, voice gritty as space-sand, Brad tappedthe tabletop. 

"Having the power isn't enough. We've got to showit, and make it credible. Planet Pluto demonstratedwhat can be done with real power during OperationTornado Six. I'm sure you're all familiar with thatlittle exercise, and have studied the tactics. "

Closed faces. The silence was broken with low butaudible, "So have their tac ops people. "

"Right, and we think they've concluded thatINOR is in a strong position to run its territoriesand voids without any more interference fromthem. Also, that we can devise tactics and takeinitiatives that put them off balance and upsettheir Slingshot schedule. What we did in ourlegally contiguous space can be repeated elsewhere. The result is the end of UIPS dominance over itsformer colonies and space lanes. "

Brad paused to preface his next words. 

"You can continue to accept invasive UIPS trafficthrough your territorial and contiguous zones. Youcan do the same for their uninvited presence inyour Exclusive Economic Zones even though theLaws of the Seas Conventions over the past severalmillennia expanded treaties to include or affirmeach independent nation's rights. Or you can alignwith Planet Pluto, which is your right as a freeand independent nation. Together -- collectively --we can demand that the UIPS acknowledge INOR'sjurisdiction in the Outer Region. INOR can backtheir demands with military power that the UIPScan no longer ignore. "

There was a long silence, followed by, "What doesthe Log Depot have to do with it?"

"First, it's the closest, most politicallyvulnerable target within INOR's legitimateboundaries and jurisdictions. Second, controlof the Depot equates to a strangle hold overconstruction progress and launch of the Slingshotterminals -- which is life-or-death for the UIPS. "

"... And not for the rest of us?"

"Not for centuries. If it ever really came to sheersurvival, we'll outlast the UIPS. When they collapsewe can move in and feed off their carcasses fora thousand years, if we have to. Meanwhile, we'lltake over Slingshot and have it ready for the nextlaunch window. "

A hard-visaged warrior leaned forward in hischair, and shook his head slowly. "You're a callousson-of-a-bitch, Commander Curtin, " he said, directing his eyes directly at Brad. 

"Maybe so. I'm also a realist. If we play the gameright, and show a united front, this confrontationwon't escalate to major military actions. The UIPShas got to cross our space, there's no other way. Take the depot and we can force them to finishSlingshot, but with INOR playing a major role. It'll take some negotiating, but it's not likelythat they'll shut down Slingshot. "

"How will you take the Depot?"

"You mean, how will we take the Depot?Unfortunately, we can't repeat Tornado Six. Thatwas a crisis we manufactured and ran all the way, a one-shot operation. We've come up with anotherstrategy to take the Depot, and that's what thismeeting is about. You're all in on the action. "

"This is the first I've heard the Depot is to betaken, " said Captain Yargoul, looking around. "What about the rest of you? Have yourgovernments cleared this as a joint operation?"

Heads shook in the negative accompanied byshrugs and grunts. Unanimous. 

 Chapter TWENTY-FIVE

Brad leaned back in his chair both hands pressedagainst the table's edge, arms straight. 

"Your governments have agreed to a united frontagainst the UIPS, otherwise you wouldn't be here. Your Heads of State sent you. We're military men, not politicians or clever diplomats. What does thattell you?"

Silence. 

"Then I'll say it. We're here to plan a militaryaction. That's what we do. The decision on whetherthe plan is implemented is up to INOR politiciansand diplomats. That's how they earn their keep. Thetarget has been made known to you. Our immediatetask is to assess the forces we will have availableand operational to do the job. For that I need toknow your capabilities, now and for the time theywill be committed to the combined operations. Let's start with the Jovian System. "

Brad fixed his eyes on Captain Yargoul. 

Time stretched, no one moved. Finally, at a nodfrom Captain Yargoul, a gaunt spacer seated behindhim reached into a pocket, withdrew a capsule andtossed it toward the front. It floated gracefullyat Zolan in the light gravity. Zolan caught thecapsule, turned, inserted it into a slot at thebase of the tank and pressed a key on the rod. 

The tank shimmered, cleared, and in rapidsuccession flashed images of battle cruisers, destroyers and support ships. Data unreeledacross the lower section of the tank, listingship's armament and ship's readiness rating. 

The recording completed, Zolan withdrew the capsuleand returned it in the same manner as received. Another floated toward him, preceded by a growl"Titan. " The routine repeated, and within a shorttime, the major INOR platforms and weapons fora combined assault on the Logistics Depot hadbeen recorded and rated for readiness. 

When the last capsule had cleared the tank Zolan'sfingers raced across the console's keypad and thescreen recapped the inputs. The Logistics Depotreappeared high up in the tank wrapped in itsprotective cocoon, and lines of transports loadingand off-loading cargoes or waiting their turns. 

The scene contracted, and the vacated space filledwith numbers and codes representing the few UIPSrecon-patrollers in the Plutonian sector followedby a tabulation of INOR's combined assault fleet. The computer presented INOR's combined fleet'sOrder of Battle, and stabilized. 

The assembled commanders, master strategistsand tacticians all, pointed, commented, and proposedoptions on the employment of ships, formationsand weapons. Zolan keyed their suggestions intothe computer and the results appeared in the tank. Finally, there were no further options. Brad nodded. 

"Mark it and distribute a copy to each Commanderpresent, " he said, and turned back to survey thegroup around the table. He waited. 

Captain Yargoul cut the brief silence. 

"What we have, so far, is a textbook tacticaldisposition of forces around a theoreticalobjective. The reality will depend on the strategicplan for the operation and what we expect willcome out of it. When do we get to that?"

Brad grinned. 

"That will be made known to you at the appropriatetime. "

 ##

Brad and Zolan walked silently down the ramp fromthe Condor and boarded the outbound strip. Skirtingknots of commuters they faced outward in amomentarily vacant slot for two along the edge ofthe fast moving lane. Opportune and random, thelocation was as secure as any from eavesdropping. 

"I briefed Narval an hour ago, " said Brad. "He'scertain that he can get the INOR leaders to joinfor a healthy share in the prize. I've been orderedto plan for a combined operation to take the depot. "

"When?"

"He's sitting on that. What he wants from menow is to portray an integrated assault by INORcombined forces from a point halfway betweenthe depot and the Slingshot construction site. I'm to work out the details and keep each elementon a timeline from launch to full military controlof the objective. "

"Doesn't that strike you as odd?"

"Talk to me. "

"Setting the launch point against the depotfrom a couple of million kay outbound from thePlutonian orbit doesn't make sense. It's especiallysuspicious when you consider that the INOR forceswill be coming from sunside of Pluto and thereforesunside of the depot -- the presumed target lessthan a half million kay from here. Why not havethe fleet rendezvous closer to the target?"

"My question, precisely. "

"How do you see it?"

"I'm not sure yet. Narval did say to crank indiversionary tactics that would draw the Terminals'defensive forces away from their normal ops zone. "

"That's weird. "

"Agreed. He's setting it up this way to maximizehis options, he says. The final decision, he said, needn't be made until the final moments. Confusethe enemy and all that. "

"Are you saying the same plan can be used againstthe Terminals?"

"Absolutely. Oh, a few formation and tacticalswitches but they can be made in the field asthe fleet switches targets. "

"Would it work?"

"A bit of delay, but I'm sure it would. But atwhichever target Narval's final order sends thefleet, the results would be a disaster for theUIPS. The real target's spunnel lines will crash, destabilization will disrupt the entire Slingshotconstruction schedule. We'll have lost the launchwindow. "

More commuters swung aboard the strip andcrowded their space. Brad and Zolan eyed them;time to split. 

"What now?", Zolan asked. 

"Not much choice. " Brad replied in a whisper. "Usethe depot spunnel facility to get word to Ram. Don't take any nonsense about getting to Hanno. Once you're through to him, you shouldn't havean access problem. So get to the depot, shoot theburst, and get back here without being spotted. "

"The message?"

"Narval's instructions to me. Everything we learnedat the meeting off Neptune, especially the Order ofBattle capsule with the options on formations forthe combined fleet. List the types of weapons andwarheads installed on each INOR ship of the lineand the coordinates for rendezvous and launchat the depot as the target. 

"That'll get them as suspicious as we are. Crankin what the coordinates might be if Narval makeslast minute switches. Point Icarus is the designatedcode name for the INOR rendezvous. Include that. Tell Ram I said to get his fighting folks off theirbutts and earn their keep. "

Brad shifted, stepped over to a slower lane, andfrom there off the strip. He disappeared amongthe pedestrians. Zolan remained where he was fora distance, disembarked and strolled about nearan air lock as he mind-impressed his message ona comm capsule. 

Colonel Hanno will be surprised, Zolan musedas he pushed his way into the suiting-up room. Contemplating his mission, it might take a bit oftime for Hanno to respond and track the code, interpret the instructions, and acknowledge whatthey required of him. He would need to push Hannohard. 

He selected and checked a suit for fit, freshfluids, air and communications. Climbing in andclosing up, he stepped under a helmet rack, drew itdown, rotated mating surfaces, closed and lockedthe seals. The automatic self-test devices hummedpressure checks, and indicators glowed as thelife support systems balanced internally. The suitinflated, held for several seconds, and subsided tonormal. A tiny light above the inside visor glowedgreen to show status as ready. 

Passing through the outer air lock Zolan turnedtoward a line of flitters. A guard watched himapproach, rifle held casually across his chest. 

"OK, " said the guard when Zolan was within fivemeters. "Hold it there. What's on your mind?"

"Name's Zolan. I need a long range flitter for ahop into the outback. "

"Let's see your authorization. "

"What authorization?"

The guard's head wagged in his helmet. 

"Y'gotta have authorization for a distantdestination, buddy. That's orders. Otherwise, take a taxi. "

"Orders, hell, " Zolan growled. "I can't get where Ihave to go using a taxi. I can't do my work with yousecurity types puttin' the chocks to me for 'orders'each time I need to check a work site. " His tonebecame scathing. "Get your superior on-line andtell him my name and what I want. If he has anyquestions, tell him to check with Brad Curtin onPresident Narval's staff. C'mon now. Move, man, move. "

The guard's manner changed with the name-dropping. 

"Yes sir, " he said. "Right away, sir. "

Zolan's comm contact with the guard went on holdas the guard switched to another line. Ignoring theguard, Zolan surveyed several nearby utilities. 

Moments later his line with the guard reopened. The guard's voice was deferential. 

"Clearance received, sir, " he said. "Got a realgood single-seater here for you. Just came outof the maintenance shops. All systems have beenchecked and she's ready to go. Shall I warm herup and crank in the coordinates for you, sir?"

"That's OK, " Zolan replied, "I'll do the set upsmyself. I've got several places to visit and wantto work out the trip on the box so I don't wasteany more time. Which bird?"

"Follow me, sir. "

Moving along the line the guard stopped at alow-slung framework from which a crude cage hungsuspended, held in position by braces angling infrom connecting structures. Behind the cage, halfway along a shaft running aft, hung a tinynuclear power plant. Nozzles of cone-shapedpropulsion units on gimbals hung in neutral. That would change as soon as Zolan inserted hiscoordinates and activated the thrusters. 

"Here she is, sir, " the guard exclaimed, proudly, offering Zolan a checklist. "All yours. "

"Right, " Zolan grunted. Shifting his eyescritically from the checklist to flitter and back, he walked around the tiny flyer inspecting thespars for alignment and cracks. Moving to thepower plant he examined the reactor's coverand seals for seepage and the thruster nozzles andgimbals for cracks and wear. Finally, satisfied afterscrutinizing the instrument panel, he stepped back, initialed the checklist and handed it to the guard. 

"Looks OK on the outside, " he said. "I'll check outthe warm up. If it cooks OK, I'm out of your way. "

He squeezed into the cage, set and activated thereactor. Observing the power levels rise on thegauges, his fingers stroked the flitter's keysand levers. He tapped his coordinates into thenav-comp as the plant warmed. 

The guard moved closer. 

"Know how to set her? Maybe I can help, sir. "

He stuck his head into the crowded space andwatched the computer screen flip through thecoordinates that Zolan inserted. The screenstabilized and reflected a series of vectors. The guard studied them. Zolan ignored him. 

Zolan adjusted the torso belts and recheckedthe reactor and weight-and-balance indicators. He heaved a heavy sigh. 

"Well, time to hit the road, " he said. "Stand back, man, I'm taking her up. "

The guard stepped back and saluted. Zolan movedthe power lever and directional controls. Theframework and cage quivered and the flitter liftedup and away. 

Looking down, Zolan saw the guard bending backward, watching his direction of flight. 

"Hope he got them all down right, " he thought as heentered new data into the computer. 

 Chapter TWENTY-SIX

Zolan peered ahead. Reaching the depot's perimeterwas less of a problem than he had anticipated. Following a few short stops to surface stationsto inspect military tunnels and comm links, andvalidate the flitter's flight record, he divertedto a depression between Coldfield and the horizon. Resetting coordinates had taken seconds. Resumingflight, he quickly merged for a short distance witha queue of tugs and taxis along a crowded lane, thenveered sharply up toward the Logistics Depot. 

Blending his flitter's comm with the flood ofelectronic signals from nearby tugs and transportsat the Gateway, Zolan drew closer to the hugeDepot and took shelter in a knot of lashed vessels. Taking several deep breaths, he fixed his eyes andmind on the depot. Concentrating, he constrictedand relaxed his neck and shoulder muscles in anirregular pattern, and repeated the rhythm until itinvoked a slight pressure high in his left shoulder. The stresses energized the short-range sendingdevice implanted in him prior to the Sentinel'sescape. 

His words, inaudible beyond his voice box, openedcontact with the depot's command post. 

"Calling Ditch-digger, " he intoned. "Ditch-digger, refer to your k-library program file 6756, andrespond on Bootstrap. "

He repeated the message and waited. It would taketime for the comm technician on duty to work itout. The communications staff would scurry about, searching for the program. Restricted to Sentinel, this contact would be its initial activation. 

The receiver in his ear whispered, "This isDitch-digger in Bootstrap. Continue. "

"Ditch-digger. Scramble 16. "

Zolan hunched and tightened his shoulders to switchchannels. 

The voice came through. "Done. "

"I want to speak with Colonel Hanno. "

"One moment, please. "

A short pause. 

"Hanno. "

"This is a Sentinel call. Break the seal on yourcopy of the Sentinel Support Plan and refer toAnnex C, Section 21, line numbers 416 to 422. Note the encryption structure. I will cite the linein the structure that authenticates my requestfor support. Waiting. "

Minutes passed. Breaking the seal on the highestclassification Sentinel Support Plan was a graveresponsibility that Hanno would not take lightly. He would need to do it in the station's securityvault with no witnesses present. The comm centerwould then need to be cleared of personnel otherthan Hanno before the exchange could proceed. Finally, the receiver whispered again. 

"I have the lines you refer to. Continue. "

"Note how the authenticator is to be stated, "Zolan said. 

He rattled off a sequence of numbers, lettersand symbols. Injecting a short, prescribed silence, he spun off another set. The authenticator wasin two parts, each requiring its own style forpresentation. 

"Authenticator confirmed, " Hanno said after apause. "State request?"

"I'm in a flitter near the Gateway, " Zolan said. "Request permission to come aboard and haveunattended access to the spunnel transmitterfor about five minutes. I will then depart. "

"Permission granted. Do you wish an escort fromyour present position to the dock?"

"Yes, please send an unarmed tug to lead me throughthe gate, match me up, and point me at the dock. Tugoperator and anyone else that observes my presenceor the flitter must not repeat must not log theserial number of my flitter or any of its features. Clear all your people to beyond five meters in alldirection from the passageways I'll be using, andfrom the spunnel comm center. I am armed witha hand weapon set for maximum effect withoutcollateral damage to non-organics. My missionrequires such precautions. Do you accept theseconditions?"

"I accept. "

"Noted. Have an unarmed guide at the air lock toprecede me to the spunnel console. Instruct him tonot speak to me, no questions, and to not interferein any manner in what I do. When I've completedmy work in the comm room the guide is to lead meback to the air lock. The same tug is then to getme through the Gateway, same conditions, and I'llbe out of your way. When I'm gone conduct yourhighest-level UIPS security briefing. This missionis classified UIPS Black. Understood?"

"Understood. Ready?"

"Ready. I am moving toward the Gateway and will bethere in two minutes. Have your man flash his redsand greens at one-second intervals. I will respondwith standard flitter yellows at the same spacing. Over. Out. "

Zolan carefully adjusted the controls to slip theflitter away from the screening vessels. Clear, he maneuvered his craft close to a space buoythat marked the route through Fandango. 

A yellow-green striped tug appeared in the distanceand grew larger. The Gateway's diameter could expandto pass the largest freighters or close completely. It could be straight or as convoluted as a randomlyconfigured corkscrew. The tug passed through, flashing the agreed-on signals. 

Zolan responded. The tug stopped, reversed heading, and waited for him to line up. Inside the forcefield, the route took them over, under and aroundhuge freighters and through swarms of shuttles, tugs, and barges. Five hundred meters from thedepot Zolan pressed a disk on his control columnand a mag beam reached out and locked on to the tug. 

The tug's thrusters glowed brighter with the powerto match up both craft. Aligned, Zolan released thetug, and gentling his thrusters, brought his flitterto rest on a landing platform that had articulatedfrom a portal. 

Space suit closed and glare screens partiallyactivated to veil his features, Zolan strode theDepot's corridors behind his escort. Although hehad docked at the portal nearest his destination, the spunnel console was still almost a quarter kayfrom the air lock. 

Reaching the console chamber, Zolan motioned hisguide to wait outside. He entered and inspectedthe area for intruders and bugs. It seemed secure. 

Approaching the squat spunnel transmitter he notedthat Hanno had activated the system for immediateuse and disengaged all logs and file-for-recordlinks. Confirming the disconnect, Zolan wastedno time in preliminaries. Inserting the capsule hekeyed the transmitter to the channels assignedto Sentinel and set off his burst. 

The transmitter was a model that dated back severalcenturies to the depot's construction. Zolan knewfrom his training for the mission that a spunnelburst from the depot had to be arranged in parts. Each segment was to be inserted separately intothe spunnel dispatch slot. The ancient transmittercould process only so much at a bite. 

Zolan held the final segment and reached to insertit. A couple of seconds and the transmission wouldbe complete. The console was coded to dissolvethe capsule immediately following the burst; therewould be no residue. 

Zolan bent to insert the end of the message. 

Sensing movement behind him, he slipped sidewaysand hit the deck. Without warning and in theline-of-fire, the squat console disintegrated asa rending flash arced across to where he had beena fraction of second before. Off balance, twistingto face the door, Zolan drew his weapon. 

The flash blinded him. His suit shielded himagainst the instant hell-fire that bounced offthe console. 

Silence followed the attacker's second shot. Zolancrouched, weapon extended, vision clearing. Nofurther shots. Snapping a quick glance around, hetook in the damage. The console was a melted lumpand the room a shambles. He had to get out and away. 

Up on his feet, he raced through the open doorway, gun raised. His escort to the comm room layspread-eagled in the corridor, head burned to acrisp by what must have been a max shot. Thecorridor was empty. 

"They cleared the area of everyone but the killer, "he thought bitterly. 

Having committed the route to memory as he followedthe escort to the spunnel room, Zolan raced alongthe corridors, gun in hand. No one barred his way. 

The air lock came in view. He hurried through andtwisted into the flitter driver's cage. He cut themag beam to the dock and signaled the waiting tug. 

 ##

They met on the transit strip. 

Standing close, facing off the strip, observant, Zolan briefed Brad in quick, terse phrases. 

"What's your assessment?" Brad asked whenZolan finished. 

"It was a long, straight corridor. The escort musthave been shot from the bend some distance away. Damage to the comm room was extensive. Scarfmust have an agent there. My having the areacleared alerted him. That brought on the attack. "

"Did you get word to Hanno?"

"No. It would have raised questions I couldn'tanswer without breaking our cover. He'll haveto figure it out for himself. I'm concerned aboutwhat the agent will report to his control. "

"Whatever they conclude, the action eliminatesthe depot as a comm resource for us. Did youget the entire message on its way?"

"I don't know. The last fragment included the PointIcarus coordinates. "

Their eyes met. 

 Chapter TWENTY-SEVEN

President Camari stonily contemplated theincomplete communication and turned to IntelligenceDirector Dynal. Ram sat immobile, nearby. 

"Allen?" Camari's raised brows posed his question. 

"We couldn't get through directly to Hanno to findout why the message was cut short. So we wentspunnel to the Terminals and patched in to theDepot on coded conventional. Hanno reports hisspunnel transmitter was destroyed. He was certainhe was hoodwinked into permitting a saboteur aboardand screamed about a security breach on the SentinelSupport Plan. He said the 'saboteur' escaped beforethe alarm could be acted on. A damned lucky delay, I think. "

"Did you enlighten Hanno?"

"No, sir. Too risky for Sentinel, and he has noneed-to-know. I did tell him to run deep backgroundchecks and truth verification tests on all Depotpersonnel. He objected, thinking he had alreadypinpointed the culprit. I told him to do it anyhow, slap into the brig anyone who didn't pass, and report the results to me under highestclassification through the construction site'sspunnel center. "

"Good. No question they've been infiltrated. Wemust consider the depot compromised for classifieduntil Hanno assures us he's cleared the problemfrom his facility. "

The President touched a button on his desk, running the message through again in its entirety. He switched the screen dark. 

"The Outer Region's target might be the depot, but I wonder. " Ram said. "Perhaps destroyingthe depot's spunnel transmitter is prelude toan attack. If it is, they must realize that theincident set off alarms throughout our defenses. They'll also know we can maintain spunnel contactand relay messages to and from our patrollersand other craft through the construction site. "

"Considering Hanno's report on what happened, the attack on his spunnel transmitter focused onkeeping this message from getting through, not tomerely destroy the machine. That alone would nothave been worth the effort. "

"We're down to one comm spunnel link in the SpecialZone, " Dynal added. "The one we built on PlanetPluto is controlled by Narval's people. "

"Does Sentinel have access to the transmitter atthe Terminals?"

"The sender would need to personally key inthe clearances as well as the text, " said Ram, "otherwise the message would be compromised. Sentinel would be compromised. We do have thelast resort. "

"Have you checked it lately?"

"We run random tests from this end to be certainthat it's ready to function. As you know, sir, ithas its uncertainties and imposes a high price. "

"Back to the message, " Camari sighed and rubbedhis temple gently as he pondered. "Their combinedforces, and the distances involved, place us at anenormous disadvantage. "

"Without question. "

"Ram, what's your estimate concerning the missingpiece?" Camari pointed to the message in his hand. 

"The missing piece, " Ram replied, "the one we needmost is Sentinel's assessment on where and whenwe can strike at INOR's fleet with maximum effect. "

"Depends entirely on Sentinel? No other sources?"

"At this stage, none, sir. "

Camari lowered his head, lost in thought. Aftera moment he raised his eyes to Ram and said, "We've got to get our thinking through to the OuterRegion, to all citizens as well as Heads of State. 

"I want you to get out there, Ram. Be my emissary. Impress on whoever will listen the disasterthat all of us face, and why we must arrive at apeaceful solution. Concentrate on the leaders ofmajor nations; whichever way they go, others willfollow. "

"I'll need the formal weight of our government, "Ram said. 

"Of course. I'll notify them all that you are myAmbassador Plenipotentiary, and that you carrya personal message from me. Use the spunneland send me reports as you go along. "

"Narval, too?"

"Of course. And while you're in his area, learn allyou can from whatever sources; but watch yourselfwith that bastard. He'd as soon cut your throat aslook at you. "

 ##

"Category one message, spunnel-comm to Earth viaGuardian Station 4. Personal to President Camarifrom Ram Xindral. President Gelliman, Callisto, unchanged in his conviction that Slingshotwill benefit only the highly industrialized innerplanets. He repeated charges that the UIPSnon-renewables deficits resulted from poor controland excessive consumption of raw materials, plusbreakdown in recycling and conservation policies. He concluded that Slingshot is our internal problemand that it's being forced on INOR. Demands UIPShalt Slingshot construction, withdraw from theSpecial Zone, and resolve UIPS resource crisesinternally. "

 ##

"Category one message, spunnel to Earth viaGuardian Station 4. Personal to President Camarifrom Ram Xindral. Prime Minister Manra, Io, says hewishes us well in building a bridge to another star. He makes an issue that transportation, constructionand operations for all phases of Slingshot, including ultimate storage of incoming raw matterwill be inside INOR jurisdictions; therefore, theINOR governments have a legitimate right toparticipate in apportioning Slingshot's benefits. Refuses to negotiate this point. "

 ##

"Category one message, spunnel to Earth viaGuardian Station 7. Personal to President Camarifrom Ram Xindral. Foreign Ministers Roab ofGanymede and Slega of Europa represented theirgovernments. At conclusion of meeting they issueda joint communique. Quote: it is only reasonable andproper that the governments of the Outer Region notbe excluded from an equitable share of the enormousfinancial and material resources being lavishedon the Interstellar Matter Teleport System(Slingshot). The UIPS can begin to remedy thisinjustice by agreeing to pay a transshipment taxon all materials, manufactured parts, tools andequipment, and personnel passing through theseparate INOR jurisdictions, space-ways, andcontiguous space generally. Passage feesfor individual vessels in transit also must benegotiated and included in the agreement. Unquote. 

"It is my opinion that the positions taken bythe governments of the Jovian Federationare orchestrated. I suspect that reports onmy discussions with Heads of State or theirrepresentatives are being passed among them. I am departing for Titan to meet with ChairmanStabar. The Chiefs of Staff of the other Saturniangovernments and the governments of the Uranusand Neptune satellite unions have notified me thattheir views are consistent with those of ChairmanStraber. They state nothing is to be gained bypressing for separate meetings with them. "

 ##

"Category one message, spunnel to Earth viaGuardian Station 9. Personal to President Camarifrom Ram Xindral. Chairman Staber's position is thesame as those summarized in my previous reports. Staber openly proclaims that INOR's intent is tocontrol the terminal that will receive and storeincoming substance and oversee its distribution. Insists a formal treaty be negotiated now, otherwise, the entire Slingshot Program willbe viewed as a threat to the integrity of INOR'slegitimate jurisdictions. I am proceeding to thePlanet Pluto Special Zone and will contact Narvalfrom inside the Logistics Depot's protectiveforce field. I will insist on President Narval'sguarantee of safe conduct prior to departingthe depot for Coldfield. "

 Chapter TWENTY-EIGHT

Ram entered the Log Depot's conventionalcommunications center and nodded to the youngoperator. 

"Make the contact, " he said, adding, "Relay themessage through one of the transports; delete allreferences that show this facility is in the loop. "

Switches snapped as the operator nodded. His handssped across the keypad. A few moments passed andhis voice issued as an electronic whisper. 

"Calling Planet Pluto Comm Center. This is the UIPSTransport Akiba, Call Sign 943 dash 792. We have aPriority One message for your government. Stand byto record. Acknowledge. "

A slight crackle. 

"This is Planet Pluto Comm Center to Call Sign 943dash 792. We are ready to record. Go ahead. "

Ram drew a small plastic card from the breastpocket of his tunic and handed it to the operator. Without glancing at the card the operator slippedit into a slot in the console. A light on the panelblinked on and off and the card ejected. Theoperator returned it to Ram with a single motionand a smile. 

"Message dispatched, sir. "

 ##

Narval pushed the message aside and away. Faceflushed in anger, he stared at Drummer. 

"What do you make of it?"

"The message is less than straightforward, Mr. President, " Drummer replied. "Ambassador Xindralseemingly appeals for an audience with you todiscuss matters of interest to both his governmentand ours. The suggested agenda it carries, however, puts us on the defensive with barely room forreasoning with his government. He asks for aguarantee of safe conduct. As a legally constitutedgovernment in a community of nations, and inthe absence of, shall we say, formal militaryhostilities, such a request is not onlyunnecessary, it is an affront. I suspect, Mr. President, that the Ambassador's motives are toplace you at a disadvantage. "

"I agree. "

"His distrust of us is evident in the manner inwhich the message was routed. Transmitted froma cargo transporter off the depot's force field, no less. His personal vessel must be somewhere inthe pack up there, but he obviously intends to keepit hidden. Very unseemly for a formal visit by anAmbassador. "

"Your recommendations?"

Drummer paused, and spoke slowly, carefully. 

"Consider the facts: his tour of the Outer Regionwas preceded by a personal message from Camarito Chiefs of State. He has had audiences with INORPresidents or Ministers. They have informed you oftheir replies to his appeals. Those who declined tomeet with him took the course they did becausethey had nothing to add to what had already beenstated by the others. 

"Because of your initiatives, President Narval, youare central among the INOR leaders in pressing theissues between the Regions. Refusing to see himmay be interpreted by our colleagues in INOR as a lackof conviction in our cause, or even as weakness. Myrecommendation is that you see him, but manipulatethe discussions to give our rights dominance. Insofar as 'safe conduct', I suggest we ignore theinsult, grant him permission to visit our planet, and wish him a pleasant stay. "

Narval drummed on the desk, pushed at the messageagain, and shifted about. He was uncomfortable. 

"I'll think about it, Drummer, " he said. "Meanwhile, extend the invitation, set up suitablequarters for him away from our official guesthouse, meet him when he arrives, and so on. Havehim stand by. When I decide on the approach tothe discussions, I'll let you know whether I'll meetwith him. "

 ##

"Well, Scarf, have you finished reading thatthing?" Narval impatiently bit a fingernail. 

"Yessir, Mr. President. "

"Well?"

"Sir?"

"What the hell do you mean by 'sir'? I asked foryour opinion, dammit. "

"Well, sir, he asks for an audience with you... "

Narval sighed. "Don't just repeat the message, Scarf. Tell me what you know of this man. "

Scarf's face lost its embarrassed flush and hehastily pulled a reader device from his pocket. Striking a series of keys, Scarf peered closelyat the screen. He pointed to the reader asverification for his words. 

"Ambassador Xindral is a senior IntelligenceOfficer assigned to Slingshot. That's about allwe've got on him. Definitely not a run-of-the-milldiplomatic type. "

"That's what concerns me, Scarf. I'm highlysuspicious of his motives even if Camari did notifyus in advance. Intelligence officer, indeed. If hebecomes aware of our preparations and reportsback, our plans will be jeopardized. Drummer wantsme to see him. I don't want to be in the same roomwith this person. Yet I can't refuse without losingface. Now, get me out of this, Scarf. "

"How far can I go, Mr. President?"

"As far as you like, just keep me out of it. "

Scarf rubbed his beefy jaw reflectively, thengrinned. 

"I have reason to suspect, Mr. President, thatthis known UIPS intelligence officer is using anAmbassadorial cover for purposes harmful toPlanet Pluto's internal security. How's that forstarters, sir?"

Narval's eyes gleamed with sudden craft. 

"Go on, " he said. 

"His ostensible mission to meet with the Presidentof Planet Pluto is, in actuality, a guise underwhich he intends to meet with dissident elementsamong our people. His real mission is to subvertand undermine the foundations of our government. In other words, his coming here is to disrupt. Heshould be dealt with according to the rules of hisown game, and not those of normal interplanetaryor interregional diplomacy. "

"Explain. "

"Agents that conduct a mission such as his areexpendable, Mr. President. There are no rules. "

"Repercussions?"

"Whatever happens to him will be outside acceptedprotocols, and will occur prior to his arrival atthe President's Official Residence. The incidentwill result from initiatives taken by the UIPSAmbassador, himself. The Government of PlanetPluto will not be involved. "

"Very well, Scarf. I leave it to you. "

 ##

"Hodak, " Brad motioned him forward. "I want you toshow me the new power pack for the cruiser beingoverhauled in tunnel 3. Where is it?"

Hodak glanced at Brad, then away. 

"It's still in the shop near the north side of thedome. Take us a few minutes to get there. "

"OK, let's go. "

Leaving the cubicle that served as office theyboarded the strip. Standing close, they spokethrough unmoving lips. 

"Ram's here. "

"In Coldfield?"

"Not yet, but soon. "

"What's up?"

"He's to see Narval. His job is to try to work outan agreement that'll keep Slingshot constructionmoving along. "

"How'd you find out?"

"Drummer mentioned it to me in passing. He'sarranging a meeting between Narval and Ram. "

"Has the time been set?"

"Not yet. Drummer's waiting for the go ahead fromNarval. "

"You mean Narval isn't sure he wants to meet Ram?"

"Suspicious, isn't it?"

"Damn right. "

Their eyes met and moved on to the passing scene. 

"If there's to be an incident, " Brad asked, "who'llbe setting it up?"

"Scarf, who else?"

"Soon as I hear when Ram's due and where he's tobe lodged, I'll get back to you. For as long as he'son Planet Pluto your job is to keep him out of harm'sway. "

 Chapter TWENTY-NINE

Entering the Charnel Pit, Ram scanned the tavern. An empty table beckoned, and he folded his longframe onto its stool and delicately leaned an elbowon the least filthy spot of the scarred surface. Shifting his body slightly, he observed the millingcrowd with frequent glances toward the entry. 

Garbed in earth-toned street clothes, he had justleft his room at the Condor, his mind on Drummer. Their meeting at the landing pad had been properand courteous, with no attempts at prying, eitherway. Confining themselves to amenities, theyspoke of tedious space jumps, the quality ofaccommodations in various parts of the system, and generalities on a better life for humankindfrom a benevolent Slingshot. 

Drummer had taken leave following Ram's inspectinghis lodgings at the Condor and shrugging themacceptable under the circumstances. Departing, Drummer informed Ram that he would call for himor send an escort as soon as a suitable time for hismeeting could be arranged with President Narval. Ram expressed his trust that the meeting would besoon and productive. 

As his eyes accustomed to the bar-room'ssmoke-diffused lighting the harsh faces ofthe jostling crowd emerged. A frontier, indeed, he mused. Satisfied that he drew no untowardattention, he glanced once more toward the doorand signaled a robo-dispenser. 

A face drifted past, paused for the briefestmoment, and moved on. It was enough. Ram gaveno outward sign, but felt less alone. Hodak ambledto the bar, where the drinkers greeted him andjovially made room. An hour and several drinksslipped by. Hodak and Ram ignored each other. 

A small man in a nondescript tunic sidled up Ram'stable. 

"Xindral?" He wheezed. 

Ram glanced at him and away. He remained silent. 

"I have a message for Ram Xindral. "

"Give it. "

"If you're Xindral, the person you're here to seeprefers to meet with you away from his normalplace of business. I am to guide you to the meeting. Follow me. "

"Name the man who sent you?"

"Drummer. "

"Why didn't he come himself?"

"He is with his superior at the meeting place. "

Ram was suspicious. It could be a trap. On theother hand, it was not unreasonable that Narvalmight want to meet away from the formal seat ofgovernment. His options were limited. If Drummerhad really sent the message, and he refused theescort, the meeting with Narval would be off to abad start, perhaps canceled. 

The messenger stood by, subservient, waiting. Ram brought his hands to his forehead as ifdeliberating a decision, and gently rubbed histemple to cover a flashing glance at Hodak. Hodaksubtly acknowledged the sign. 

"Be with you as soon as I finish my drink, " Ramsaid. 

Taking a sip, he placed the goblet on the table andbegan to fish about in his tunic pockets, clumsy andtime-consuming. Finally, he rose slowly, toweringover the small man. 

"Lead on, " he said. 

Alarms shrilled in Hodak's mind as he recognizedthe person speaking with Ram. What were Scarf'sstooge and Ram discussing? Ram's mission to PlanetPluto was clearly diplomatic and entirely Drummer'sshow. Drummer would not have knowingly acceptedScarf's involvement in the proceedings. 

Ram's surreptitious glance in his direction anddeliberate clumsy hesitation imparted doubtsconcerning his predicament. Hodak stretched, quickly finished his drink, paid his tab, andslapped drinking partners' shoulders good-bye. Hesauntered toward the door, left the bar-room and, outside, turned away as Ram and his escort emergedand moved off. Hodak turned casually to observe. 

A man in a dark tunic slipped out from a shadowalong the wall and followed behind Ram. Anothertrailed further behind. As Hodak watched, two moremoved out of an alley and took positions ahead ofRam and his escort. Ram was boxed. 

Hodak followed, barely close enough to distinguishRam's swaying form in the street crowds. 

Ram's guide moved toward a break in the wall andmotioned Ram to follow. Hodak saw Ram hesitate, speak harshly, and draw back. He was too late. The others closed in and pushed him forward. Ram stumbled, tripped, fell, tried to rise. Armswhipped about and he stayed down. The four liftedand dragged him through the breach. The fifthwaited until they disappeared and darted away. It had happened fast. 

Direct intervention on his part, Hodak realized, would be extremely hazardous. Recognition wouldinstantly compromise the Sentinel mission. Hehad to help Ram in a way that would not disclosehis own identity. 

He slipped silently into the alley. 

From up ahead came rumbled curses and harshlaughter; they were sure of themselves. 

Hodak's eyes searched the shadows without successexcept for the grind of boots on stony detritus andthe scrape of a weight being dragged. He closed thegap, counting on the procession ignoring their rear. 

The sounds muted and stopped. Peering from arecessed slot along the wall he saw Ram's abductorscrowd around the entry to an open utility. One ofthem crawled in and Ram's unconscious form passedto him. The remaining three followed and the coverdrawn into place. 

Hodak moved swiftly to the entry and pressed hisear against its thick cover. Shifting position andscooping aside loose dirt and pebbles, he pressedhis ear first against the ground then back to thecover. Scraping noises from the other side wereaudible, but diminishing. 

The odds were not with him but timing and surprisemight even them a bit. Lifting the cover slowly, hefelt the texture of the surface and slipped into thedimness beyond. He crouched in the rubble, the faintsounds giving him direction. 

The tunnel lights were low and flickering, theirsconces widely spaced. It was enough. 

Working his way forward along the tunnel, shortdashes from one bend to the next, Hodak closed onthe laughing, cursing pack. They were close beyondthe next bend. 

Feeling along the waistband of his tunic, Hodakdrew a thin, flat metal strip from the weave. Holding the strip gingerly, he jerked their ends inopposite directions and sensed the sharpness ofthe blades that instantly snapped outward alongboth edges. Twisting and turning formed a half-meterlong scimitar and bending it slightly along itslength added a curve comparable to the ancientAustralian boomerang. It was both silent and deadly. 

Hodak eased closer to the bend in the tunnel, andsnaked his way along the ground until he had a viewof the scene ahead. 

Ram lay in a heap against one wall, motionless. His captors, facing the opposite wall, were busilyexamining its surface. Words bounced back alongthe wall. 

"... As good a place as any, huh?"

"Yeah. Let's get this over with and head for theBlind Pig. I'm thirsty as hell. "

"OK, Patch and Swat, you two -- start burningthe hole. Cut it deep enough so all of him can beshoved in. Leave enough room so we can seal itover with the same dirt. Flume, you start collectingrocks to pack around the body once we get itin place. Then we'll just pack and fuse-seal untilit's all smoothed over. This guy'll be riding thisice ball when hell freezes over. "

"What're you gonna do, Angel?"

His tone was sarcastic. It brought a snarl inreturn. 

"Scarf put me in charge of this detail, Flume. Remember? So when I tell you to haul rocks, don'tfight it. " The heavy tone eased. "I was ordered tosearch the guy. Scarf wants everything from hispockets, and all his clothes, just in case he's gotsomething stashed away. I gotta deliver the stuffas soon as we're done here. My orders are also tomess up the body so it'll never be identified, evenif it does get found. So let's get with it. "

As Hodak watched, Flume, the rock gatherer movedoff down the tunnel. Two of the remaining threedrew soil-fusers from a backpack and concentratedon their power settings. The fourth, obviouslyAngel, turned toward Ram who was beginning to stir. 

Seeing Ram's movement, Angel drew his weapon, hefted it, and aimed it at Ram's head. Angel'smouth twisted into a savage grin. 

His companions turned from their work to watch. 

"Wait. I want him to see it coming, " Angel saidover his shoulder. 

Hodak pressed his fingernail against a pip on theinstrument in his hand and felt it vibrate withenergy. Thrusting his arm further into the tunnel'sbend he hurled the boomerang toward Angel. 

The weapon reached its maximum velocity within twometers of the throw. Moving at a speed that madeit invisible to the naked eye, it flew silently andtrue. 

The slender implement curved around Angel's neckand, without stopping, completed its return toHodak's hand. 

Angel's head was gone from his shoulders. 

The sound of Angel's falling body startled thetwo staring expectantly at Ram, waiting for theexecution shot. Turning, they gaped at what hadbeen Angel. They scrambled in panic to presstheir backs against the tunnel wall. Dropping thesoil-fusers, they drew and waved their weaponsabout. 

One of them shouted, "Flume. Can you hear me, Flume?"

"Yeah, I hear you. Whatta ya want?"

"Get back here, quick. "

Flume came running, took in the scene and joinedthe other two against the wall. Together, theystared at Angel, then along the tunnel, onedirection then the other. 

"What the hell's goin' on?"

"How do I know? We didn't hear anything, then thenoise of him falling. We looked and there he wasand there was his head. We had our eyes on thebig guy; couldn'a been him did it. "

"What do we do now?"

"Search me. "

"Let's get outta here. "

"Can't. We gotta finish the job, or Scarf'll burnus alive. "

"Then we better stick together from now on, "Flume said. "You two finish cutting the hole butnow make it deeper. I'll keep watch. Soon asyou're ready we'll load 'em in, seal it up withstuff from around here, and scram. "

As Hodak watched, Patch and Swat recoveredsufficiently to raise their soil-fusers and directthe nozzles at the tunnel's wall. 

An amber glow formed on the fuser's tips and thetunnel wall's surface bubbled and flowed towardthe floor in the light gravity. Wielding the fusersexpertly they distributed its liquefied substancein a rough, irregular pattern, blending it in withthe surrounding surfaces. The excess that reachedthe floor quickly hardened to match the rubblestrewn about. 

Flume, back against the opposite wall, weapon highand ready, peered tensely about. Finally satisfied, Patch switched off his fuser and tapped Swat onthe shoulder. Swat glanced at him, switched off, and they stepped back. 

"This'll do it, " Patch said. "Load Angel in first. The back of the hole is too small for the big guy. "

He leaned over, grasped the open-eyed head bya hank of hair and flung it into the hole. The headdisappeared with a soft thud. Swat joined Patch;each grasped one of the body's arms and legsand they heaved it in after the head. Patch leanedinto the hole and pushed the solid flesh as far as itwould go. Turning, he motioned Swat toward Ram. 

For a moment Flume faced away from Hodak. He did not see the boomerang before it twistedaround his throat and was gone. 

Intent on Ram, Swat and Patch saw neither thestrike nor the weapon. They heard a gurgling soundand whirled. Flume was on the tunnel floor, bloodpulsing from the neck of his headless torso. Thehead, itself, had rolled against the opposite wall, eyes open. 

Panicked, they fired frantically down the tunnelin both directions. 

The boomerang back in his hand, Hodak waited. Anopen assault was unacceptable, both for himself andfor Ram. He would be cut down with a single sweepof the killers' heavy handguns, and with his identityrevealed, Scarf would track down the Sentinels witha vengeance. 

Snapping a quick peek he saw Patch and Swat backto back in the middle of the tunnel, facing in oppositedirections and whispering to each other in terror. Guessing the distance between the two he extendedthe boomerang slightly and pressed the pip. 

Stepping away from the wall Hodak threw theboomerang around the bend. 

One of the targets must have seen it coming. There was the beginning of a scream. 

Boomerang back in hand, Hodak walked around thebend. Patch lay quietly; Swat's body still quivered. 

Hodak took less than five minutes to enlarge thehole, load the newly dead in with their companions, and smooth the surface to match the tunnel's wall. 

Ram, groggy, sat against the opposite wall andwatched. 

 Chapter THIRTY

The space was little more than two meters across, a vault cut into the side of a tunnel to storeconstruction supplies. It was enough. 

Leaving Ram in the dimly lit space to recover, Hodak rushed to an exit, surfaced, took hisbearings, and found Brad in his office. Bradimmediately sensed the urgency from Hodak'sexpression. 

"Let's get our people together, " Brad ordered. Hodak quickly passed the word and, within minutes, the Sentinels convened in an empty air lock. 

Myra left for headquarters to cover; the remainderstrung out behind Hodak to the subsurface vaultwhere he'd left Ram. 

 ##

"And that's it. " Ram finished recapping his trip ashe gingerly rubbed the large bruise on his head. 

"They're lining up for a confrontation, " he said, "both political and military, and Slingshot is theclub they'll hold over us. They think they smellthe blood of victory, and there isn't a cool headamong them. "

He turned to Brad. 

"Your message was incomplete, " he said. "Whatwas left out?"

"Narval's planning guidance on the assault launchpoint, " Brad replied, citing the coordinates, bringing Ram up to date. 

They were silent as Ram mulled over his options. Sighing, he rose and stretched his frame, bendingslightly to keep his head from scraping against thevault's roof. 

"The attack on me must have been approved byNarval, " he said. "My feeling is he didn't want totalk to me because his preparations and commitmentsare too far along. He feared that, had we met, Imight get enough from our discussions to see hisgame plan. I've got to get home -- fast. " Grinningat Brad, he asked, "OK, how are you going to getme out of this rat's nest and back to my ship?"

 ##

Narval screeched, face twisted, hands poundingthe desk. 

"What do you mean, standing there and telling meyou've lost track of your people? Not that I give adamn about them, but you gave them a simple jobto do, and I want to know, now, where it stands. "

"That's just it, Mr. President, " Scarf said, hisnormally ruddy face gray with fear. "I haven'treceived a 'sitrep' from my agent-in-charge. I didget an interim report from the back-up observerI assigned to track them from the Charnel Pit. According to him, the Ambassador was taken intocustody immediately upon leaving the bar. Along theway he resisted and had to be -- uh -- restrained. Everything looked to be under control, so theobserver left to report. "

"Tell me precisely what you ordered your agent todo. "

"Identify himself as coming from Drummer. Takethe Ambassador into custody under the pretext ofescorting him to a private meeting with you. Whilein custody, and without witnesses, Xindral was tobe terminated and his body buried in a tunnel. Thesite was to be returned to its original appearance, and Xindral's possessions brought to me. "

"Where is this site located?"

"My agent was to give me the exact location whenhe delivered the Ambassador's personal effects. "

"You mean you don't even know where to startlooking? Is that what you're saying?"

"I know the location where they took him down. Well, I got a problem there too; the subsurfacejunction branches off in several directions. "

"Is it possible Xindral overcame his restraintsand neutralized your team?"

"Not likely, sir. The observer said he sawsufficient force used against Xindral when heresisted to render him unconscious. "

Narval sank back into his chair, head lowered, staring into his lap. Raising his head, he fixedburning eyes on Scarf. 

"Despite your assurances, Scarf, I think it notonly possible, but likely, that Xindral got awayfrom your team. For all you know, your goonsmay be in hiding, afraid to face you with the truth. If Xindral's still alive, he must have concluded bynow that the attempt against him would not haveoccurred without my approval. So, we're committed, and I can't afford to wait. "

He pointed a shaking finger at Scarf. 

"Xindral can leave Coldfield only through an airlock. Post extra guards. Deploy patrols to stripsleading to air locks on the perimeter. Mark himas a newly arrived renegade, a killer and geneticflake dangerous to Coldfield's safety. Order yourpeople to take no chances with him; he is to bedestroyed on sight. I want Xindral found, andI want him dead. Do it. Now! Move!"

 ##

Hodak was back from scouting the tunnel up ahead. The way was clear with an exit a kilometer distant. The opposite direction would lead them back to thecenter of Coldfield. 

Brad cocked an eyebrow at Ram. Ram nodded. 

Hodak and Kumiko took point, Brad behind Ram. Zolanand Adari rear guard. They covered ground swiftly. 

The passageway widened, and a ramp led up toa mezzanine from which other tunnels branched. Ascending the ramp Hodak disappeared into a low, narrow entryway in the wall. The others followed. Ram folded to his knees and went flat to squeezethrough. The cut ended abruptly at a rock face. A ladder rose to the dim outline of a manhole. 

Kumiko climbed and slipped a slender filamentthrough the tiny gap between the edge of theutility cover and its frame. Below, Zolan insertedthe free end of the filament into a clip on thebridge of a pair of goggles, and donned them. 

"Up a mite, " he called to Kumiko. "OK, hold it, now scan a 360, slow. "

He gave the goggles to Brad who donned themand scoped the ground level through the filament. 

"The manhole is in a cul-de-sac, closed in on threesides by walls set back about two meters from wherewe are. The cul-de-sac accesses a street on whichtraffic is passing. The dome's inside wall is onthe far side, and I see some markings on it. Eachof you, look about and get your bearings. Speak upif you recognize the area or the markings. "

The goggles passed from one to the other. Zolantossed them up to Kumiko at the top of the ladderand caught them when they were lowered. He handedthem to Ram who peered at the ground scene as helistened. 

"Strip markings, " Adari said. "They're usuallylocated to orient folks coming in from the outside. My guess is we're close to a strip or an air lock. "

"Any idea which one?" Brad asked. 

"Not from appearances, " Adari replied, "but I kepttrack of our twists and turns to this point, andthe way I figure, we're in the western quadrant ofthe city. The sector has more air locks than theothers because it's on the main route to landingpads for the maintenance shops. We've lucked out-- maybe. "

"What do you mean by 'maybe'? Don't hold back. "

"The traffic. More people about. "

The silence was heavy. 

"If we can make it to an air lock without beingchallenged, " Brad said, "we'll get Ram to a taxi. Hodak, can you rig a taxi to manual control andleave it with enough power for a one-time flightthrough the depot's cocoon?"

Hodak, Zolan and Adari put their heads together. Ram shoved his head in among them, and vigoroushand motions cut the air. Ram nodded as Hodakturned back to Brad. 

"Can do, " he said. 

"Next item, " Brad said. "Ram, can you get yourlong frame into a standard suit?"

"Once we get into the air lock I'll look for thebiggest suit on the rack. Then I'll just have topush, pull and squeeze. Won't be the first time. "

Brad looked up at Kumiko, holding the scope inplace. 

"Got it?" He called up. 

"Yep. "

"Comments?"

"As long as I'm up here, how about me taking point?"

"OK. Now, all of you. Set weapons at max. Ifwe're seen and tied to Ram, the whole operationis compromised. So we'll have no witnesses. Actaccordingly. "

Kumiko pushed the manhole lid aside, climbed outand darted forward to where she could see alongthe street. She took in the scene quickly. 

Several people passed on a nearby strip. They didnot notice Kumiko. She waited until they passedwhere they could have seen into the cul-de-sac, then signaled the others up. 

As Zolan came abreast of Kumiko he drewa pencil-thin tube from a pocket in his tunic. Holding it in one hand he twisted the knurled knobthat formed one end, and returned it to his pocket. He winked at Brad who had come up beside him. 

Brad saw the question in Ram's eyes. 

"One of Zolan's home-grown gadgets, " he said. "Sets up an omni-interference field for a coupleof hundred meters. We'll be moving throughcomm-override chatter until he switches it off. "

Then to Kumiko, "Which way?"

"Left. Air lock. Hundred meters. " She crouchedand darted away. 

"Ram, stoop, bend, whatever it takes to shrink. Stay close to the wall for as long as you can. Everyone keep a few meters apart. Hodak, you stayclose to Ram and watch the rear. OK, let's do it. "

Two burly men came around the end of a nearbystructure, stopped, stared at Ram as he rosethrough the manhole, and then at each other. Zolancaught both in a conical burst as they backed away. They fell in silence. 

Hodak and Zolan dashed forward. Each grasped aset of ankles, hauled the bodies into the cul-de-sacand dumped them down the utility hole. 

Brad took a quick look in both directions andnudged Adari. 

"Go, " he said. 

Kumiko was at the air lock. Brad, Hodak andRam were well away from the cul-de-sac. Kumikostepped into the enclosure containing the suit racks, her weapon up and level, safety off, finger a tinyspace from the trigger. 

Two guards, sitting on a bench, rifles across theirthighs, gaped at her. 

"What the hell, " one of them yawped, raising hisrifle. 

The other guard flipped the switch on a hand-heldtransmitter and started to raise it to his lips. Kumiko cut them down with a single sweep. Sheraced up and across the long room, checkingalcoves, corridors and behind suit racks. Empty. 

Ram entered, quickly followed by the others. Hodakremained at the door, alert for intruders. Adarimoved across to the keypad control for the outerair lock, and peered through the visi-screen. Shethumbed up. 

Ram rummaged hastily among the space suits onthe rack. Adari left her position, grabbed a suit andworked herself into it. Brad, Kumiko and Zolan werehalfway into theirs. Zolan moved to the outer door. Hodak, suited up, called to Ram, who hurried over. 

"Here's one you might squeeze into. C'mere, give ita try. "

Ram looked distastefully at the suit. "Well, " hemuttered, "that's what happens to a giant amongpygmies. I couldn't find anything bigger than whatyou've come up with. Give a hand here. "

Adari joined them. Together, she and Hodakshoehorned Ram into the suit and closed the seals. Helmets fitted, they ran quickly through air tankand suit connections security and pressure checks. Minutes later they were ready for departure. 

Brad motioned Kumiko closer, and they opened theirfaceplates. 

"Stay here until we return, " Brad instructed, "but keep your suit on. Now that we're all wearingsuits we can't be identified. So, if you get innocentvisitors, just incapacitate them. If anyone comeslooking for a fight, don't wait for an invitation. "

Kumiko nodded and closed her faceplate. Weaponin hand, she took up a position where she wouldnot be seen from the entryway. 

Brad lumbered to the air lock and, a momentlater, the panel to the buffer space slipped aside. Gesturing Ram, Zolan, Hodak and Adari through, hestepped after them and closed and dogged the panelleading back into the dome. He lifted the safetycover and pressed a wall plate. With a swish ofescaping air, the outer doors slid up. They steppedout. 

 ##

A dozen taxis and space tugs were scattered abouton the ramp. Choosing the taxi most distant fromthe others Zolan beckoned Hodak and Adari to followhim. Moving as quickly as their suits and the lightgravity would allow, they reached the taxi andclimbed aboard. Brad and Ram brought up the rear, turning often to watch other suited people movingabout. A ramp guard was some distance away, gesturing among a knot of people. The Sentinelsremained unnoticed. 

Reaching the taxi, Zolan and Hodak began toadjust its controls, vector and power instruments. Adari's helmet filled in the pilot position. Raising herglove she beckoned frantically to Ram. He climbedin beside her. Her hand on his helmet she spokerapidly, pointing at the instrument panel. 

Brad watched Adari move back and out as Ram movedinto the seat she vacated. Bending forward, herhelmet touched Ram's as her gloved hands pointed towhere the depot was visible. She slapped Ram on theshoulder and stepped back. 

The jerry-rigged taxi rose slowly at first, gainedspeed and disappeared into the backdrop of blackvelvet and stars. 

 Chapter THIRTY-ONE

Camari strode into the Conference Room, tookhis seat at the head of the long table, and staredbleakly at his advisors. The faces of the Ministersof Diplomatic Protocols and Intelligence were grim;the Commander of the Space Forces ready to explode. 

"I suppose you've all studied Ram's report, " Camarisaid in a low, angry voice. "What do you think?Selvin?"

"If they take the depot, " Admiral Selvin said, "we're out of business. Even if we get the depotback undamaged, we'll be unable to make up thetime lost. The construction and launch schedulesare that tight. "

"What do you suggest?"

"Stop them -- now. "

"They'll know we're coming when our fleet lines upto enter the spunnel. The gateway can handle ourmilitary craft, no problem there. What we cannotcount on is INOR's failing to see us on the move. "

"How do we get around that?"

"Diversionary tactics; draw their attention toa major initiative on our part in which all of INORhas role vital to its interests, if not survival. Risky, but we have no choice. "

The Strategic Concepts Computer recorded, analyzed, and reported. They listened, then talked. 

 ##

The Solar Spunnel Communications Control flasheda Category One Alert across the system. The Alertwas directed to all planets, satellites, stations, outposts, and all ships in space from Mercury todeep within the Oort Cloud far beyond the Slingshotconstruction sites. 

Rymer Camari, President of the United InnerPlanetary System wished to address the citizensof all nations on a matter of extreme urgency, onethat affects humankind throughout the entire SolarSystem. The INOR Chiefs of State were urged toconvene their Executive and Legislative Councilsand to listen to the UIPS President. 

Interplanetary comm-spunnel boosters were raised tomaximum power and range. The added power clearedCamari's image and speech for override into allopen aud-viz transmitters and receivers throughoutthe system. 

When Camari's features formed in view tanks or onscreens his manner was grave, and his tone solemnand deliberate. The message was brief. 

"Greetings to all citizens and Governments of ourSolar Community, " he began. "We wish you well. I have chosen this time and this means to speakto you directly because the threat to all of use isreal and our peril increases by the hour. Unless weact immediately and in concert, disaster will befallus all. 

"Not long ago two of our manned recon craft wereattacked and destroyed near Planet Pluto. Theseships were part of a small protective force thatthe UIPS maintains in the Plutonian Special Zonefor the safety of the Slingshot terminals and itslogistics depot. 

"The Government of Planet Pluto has been familiarwith the patrollers' mission to protect Slingshotassets in the Construction Zone since the Programwas in its early planning stages. In these latestoperations, one of our patrols was known to bescouting the Plutonian outback for subsurfacetunnels and galleries where unscrupulousadventurers sneak off to hide after preying on ouroutposts and transports. The other UIPS patrollerhad identified a cache of contraband weapons inspace that presented a clear threat to Slingshot. 

"The attack on the two UIPS ships could not haveoccurred without the prior knowledge, approvaland very likely, the direct orders from the highestauthorities in the Plutonian Government. "

The President sat forward in his chair and his faceloomed larger across the system. His voice lowered, and increased its intensity. 

"We cannot consider these incidents in isolation. Our transports to the Slingshot depot andconstruction site are being raided and harassedby terrorists and pirates who are directed byand provided sanctuary by both official andnon-official entities. We are compelled to concludethat INOR criminal adventurers and pirates act inthe context of agreements among their Governments. Doing so constitutes direct military and economicwarfare against the UIPS and is an attempt tosabotage the Slingshot mission. 

"I must tell you now we are outraged by thisconspiracy and these attacks. The UIPS doeshave recourse. It can respond in kind. 

"What then? Warships carrying weapons ofunprecedented destructive power are at the readyin both regions. Have we no choice but to keepescalating provocation, sneak attacks and reprisalsuntil our full military fleets are unleashed intheir fury against each other? If we get to this, citizens of INOR, do not rule out reprisals on yourencapsulated communities. Be aware: history clearlyshows us that there are indeed few, if any, realsanctuaries for civilian populations in times ofwar. "

He paused to let the words sink in. His voicebecame crisp and forceful. 

"I am now faced with this decision: Should the UIPSretaliate against Planet Pluto and all other membersof INOR that interfere with innocent passage of ourtransports to and from the Slingshot sites?

"That is one course open to us; it would bringdeath and havoc all across this star system weknow as our home. We must look to alternatives. Thecreators and wielders of weapons must demonstratereason along with valor. War, in any form and atany level, is a blind evasion of the real problemsthat confront humankind. 

"When the old United Planetary System was replacedby the UIPS and INOR, the relationships amonggovernments and peoples deteriorated. We driftedapart. The few interregional agreements that didevolve supported special interests. Once ingrained, they became acceptable, even generally attractive, practices. Now we each have our spheres ofinfluence, and we guard them jealously -- and oftenwith apprehension. 

"There remains, to this day, a deep distrust andfear that one nation or independent colony, or anycollective, will attempt to secure advantage overanother. Each of us, focused on our own interests, sees the danger and seeks to avoid being itsvictim. This infectious distrust and fear must becleansed from our system-wide community of nationsif we are ever to live in peace with each other. 

"Misunderstandings have arisen over the centuriesconcerning the intentions for Slingshot facilitiesand personnel in place throughout what has nowbecome INOR territories or jurisdictions. We acceptour share of blame for these misconceptions. Let us dispel them. 

"The Collector Terminal, as you all know, will bedisengaged upon completion and take its positionon the system's rim. When the launch windowopens, and it will be open to us for only a very brieftime, the Extractor must depart -- there will be nosecond chance for several centuries. The Extractormust fly as fast and as true as the missile didfrom the sling of David to the head of Goliath. The Extractor is our missile, Alpha Centauri isour target and, as David's leather sling was theinstrument to save an ancient civilization. Theorbit of Planet Pluto powers the sling that willsave our civilizations for the ages which extendbefore us, but only if we act in unity. 

"What happens afterward? When the Extractorhas departed, we will no longer need the logisticsdepot, and UIPS citizens in the Zone will returnhome. All but a small portion of our facilities, equipment, and supplies will be transferred on siteto the Plutonian Government or INOR generally. Whatever is not wanted by its new owners wewill remove and help Planet Pluto to convert andreconstruct Coldfield and the rest of the planetto fit the needs of its citizens. We will providematerial support and training for transition toan infrastructure and administration of Pluto'schoice. We invite all of INOR to share in thistask. "

Camari leaned back for a short pause. His eyeslooked beseechingly at his unseen audience. Hisvoice softened. 

"That was the past and, admittedly, a poorfoundation upon which to build; let us now look toa more positive future. I make this proposal to allGovernments of our star system, the commonheritage of humankind. 

"We are in disarray. As history has demonstratedtime and again there are no real winners incontests of military might, to the contrary. Ourresponse to the incidents off Planet Pluto is thatwe reject reprisal merely for vengeance, or forimposing ourselves on the Plutonian people. In thesame vein, we reject war against any Governmentwithin INOR. Not because we cannot wage war, butbecause war would annihilate cities and lives onboth sides. Further, Slingshot would be lost to us, and ultimately, the entire solar civilization wouldwane and disappear. 

"I propose we meet in space, along the borderbetween our Regions at a place of mutual agreement. Let us convene as equals to examine our differences. We must give greater credence to each other's needsand aspirations and arrive at consensus on sharingin the responsibilities for this, our family ofplanets and satellites. Let us search for waysto combine our diverse interests into a new andmajestic pioneering spirit for the great leap tothe stars yet to come. 

"This is the challenge and the opportunity. "

 Chapter THIRTY-TWO

Narval's rage spluttered from his lips in aviperous hiss as he pointed at a baffled Drummer. Brad, straight-faced behind Drummer, stood easy. Scarf, off to the side, stiff and erect, staredblankly at the wall behind Narval, his featurestwitching to depress a smirk. 

"You were responsible for Camari's emissary, Drummer. I've had you notified that I am ready toreceive him. Where is he?"

"He's disappeared, Mr. President. "

"So I'm told. What does that mean?"

"Your orders were to provide lodgings for theAmbassador somewhere other than the officialguest house. I had no choice but to put him up at theCondor. When I was informed of the time that youagreed to see him, I went to the Condor to extendthe formal invitation. He wasn't there. I inquiredof the Condor's management and also among thecitizens present. Several recalled him becauseof his unusual height, but no one, it seems, sawhim leave. " Glancing toward Scarf, he added, "I immediately requested your Chief of InternalSecurity to put out search parties. That's whereit stands. "

Narval turned to Scarf. 

"Well?"

Scarf stiffened. 

"We've searched the city, Mr. President, " he said, "and can't find a trace of him under the dome. Butwe had several unexplained killings a short whileago and I'm sure he's involved. Two of my agentswere gunned down on the street near air lock 43, apparently without reason, and their bodies weredumped down a utility access. Also, two of myguards, on special detail inside the air lock werekilled. Add to that a communications blank-outswamped the same area about that time, and aspace taxi is missing from the 43 ramp. 

"We can't get a tracer on the taxi; its automaticlocation signal is out, and it doesn't respond todirect inquiry. All this, taken together, is verysuspicious, and leads me to conclude the Ambassadorskipped rather than meet with you. "

Brad's eyes moved gravely from one speaker to theother. 

"Drummer. " Narval turned back to him. "When you metwith Camari's Ambassador, what did you discuss?"

Drummer shrugged and stroked his chin. 

"Just the routine chit-chat of protocol: small talkabout the inconveniences of long hops and living outof traveling kits. Oh, yes, we expressed our hopesfor a better future when Slingshot cuts in. Thatwas about it. "

"Then why would he leave so abruptly?"

"I have no idea, Mr. President. "

"This incident does not please me, Drummer. Aspecial envoy arrives from the UIPS, obviouslycarrying an important message to me from PresidentCamari. He leaves before he delivers the message, with no advance notice. As he leaves he killsseveral Plutonian citizens and steals property. No, I don't like it at all, Drummer. "

His fingernails drummed the desk. Suddenlyconscious of what he was doing, he stopped andbrought his hands close and inspected them fordamage. 

"Drummer, draft a personal message from me toCamari, complaining about the manner in which hisAmbassador conducted himself on Planet Pluto. Accuse the Ambassador of murdering several ofour citizens and stealing our property to escape ourjudicial process. Tell Camari his message to me, ifhe really sent one, was not delivered. That'll throwthe ball back to him. As far as I'm concerned, thematter is closed. I have far more important mattersto discuss with you and Brad. "

He waved his hand at Scarf. 

"Get on about your business. "

As Scarf closed the door behind him, Narval shiftedhis bulk. Placing both hands flat on the desk hestudied each ring. He glanced momentarily atDrummer and fixed his eyes on Brad. 

"I am not a fool, " he hissed as his featurescontorted into waves of quivering fat. 

"That UIPS envoy had motives for coming to PlanetPluto far beyond delivering a message to me andgetting a formal response. His timing was to behere when Camari broadcast his appeal for hisconvocation with INOR Heads of State. He was hereto assess my reaction. " Looking from one to theother, he demanded, "Did you hear Camari's speech?"

"Yes, " from Drummer. 

Brad nodded. 

"Well, as my diplomatic affairs advisor, Drummer, what did you make of it?"

"My feeling is that Camari is willing to meet ushalfway to resolve differences between the Regions. "

"You do, eh? What about you, Brad?"

"I'm neither a politician nor a diplomat, Mr. President. I can't see behind the words. Takenliterally, I suppose, he wants a grand party totalk things out. That might be fine, providing itties in with your plans. "

"Aha, " Narval said, with a gentle slap at thedesk's top. 

"You've hit it a lot closer than Drummer. Thequestion of the moment is how might this so-calledpeace conference affect achieving my ultimateobjective?"

"I have not been made privy to your 'ultimateobjective', Mr. President, " Brad said. "I cannotspeak to that point. "

Drummer looked straight at Narval, silent. 

"My question, Drummer, " Narval demanded, his toneimpatient. 

"You shared your objectives with me in confidence, Mr. President. I am not at liberty to speak on themin the presence of others without your permission. "

Narval stared long and hard at Drummer and backto Brad. 

"Not yet, " he said. "Meanwhile, and especially inthe light of the forthcoming convocation, I wantyou, Brad, to accelerate preparing our militaryfleet to take possession of the depot and thatgaggle of transport and other vessels thatconstantly hover about. They will be the mainbargaining chip when I give my ultimatum to Camari. "

Brad nodded, his features closed. 

Drummer looked dubious. He said, "That means wemust have the depot under our control when youspeak to President Camari. "

"Sound conclusion, " Narval replied caustically. "Now, Drummer, is the time for you, my chiefdiplomat, to engage in a bit of manipulation andencouragement among our allies -- in my nameand behalf, of course. 

"We'll do this one step at a time. Prepare personalmessages from me to the heads of INOR governments. Remind them of our past agreements to standtogether to resist incursions by the UIPS. Pointout that Camari's invitation presents us with anexcellent opportunity to exert our combined willon this issue. Then, state my intention to taketemporary control of the Slingshot LogisticsDepot to add weight to our persuasions. Are myinstructions clear?"

"They are, Mr. President. "

"Good. Emphasize the need for us to act in concertto bring peace and prosperity to the Outer Region. Lay it on thick about how we can demonstrate ourunity of purpose to Camari, and harmony amongourselves if we join forces. This shouldn't bea surprise to them; it was the purpose of theplanning at the Neptune meeting. Wasn't it, Brad?"

"It was. "

"Here, then, is my first objective, Drummer. I wantthe INOR warships that were committed at the Neptunemeeting to be alongside ours to take over the Depot. The Depot must be ours before the conferencegets under way. That is vital to our purpose. In themessage, say that now is the time to strike. Insistthat they send their ships as quickly as possibleto join in the operation. Also, and be shrewd inpresenting this: INOR ship commanders are to besubordinate to and carry out the orders of thePlutonian Fleet Commander for the duration of thisoperation. Clear?"

"Clear, Mr. President. "

 Chapter THIRTY-THREE

Narval sat hunched over as Drummer and Bradentered. He did not wait for them to approach. 

"Well? Speak up, Drummer, " he snapped. "Don'twait for a special invitation. "

"The replies to your message have come in, Mr. President. They are all in the affirmative. Theirfleets are getting ready. "

"Ah hah!"

Narval's head shot up, and he straightened asmuch as his deeply cushioned chair would allow. Hepatted the top of his desk, and his face creasedinto a broad grin, flushed with triumph. Eyesdancing from Drummer to Brad and back, he pattedthe desk once more, obviously enjoying the moment. The grin quickly transformed into one of deadlycunning. 

"That takes care of my first objective, " hesaid. "From here they are both independent andinterdependent. You must plan carefully and carryout my instructions without deviating. "

Eyes fixed on Drummer, he raised his jeweled handto point at him. 

"I have already told you how you fit into my plansfor the future. " Turning to Brad, "You have provenyourself a reliable and resourceful leader, Brad. When I have attained my goals, you, along withDrummer, will be amply rewarded with materialwealth and positions of honor. I tell you thisnow because in my world loyalty has a price, andyou are entitled to know I will pay it. How do youstand?"

"I hear and I understand, Mr. President, " Bradreplied and, without a flinch, "I stand with you. "

"Good. "

Leaning as far forward as his paunch would allow, Narval motioned Drummer and Brad forward. Theytook chairs close to the desk. 

"Drummer, I appoint you Commander of the CombinedFleet, and I now order you to take the objective. Brad, I appoint you Drummer's Chief of CombatOperations. I will issue the necessary orders toall Commanders of the Plutonian fleet and to theCommanders of our allied forces. "

Narval watched Drummer and Brad's faces as hespoke. Both returned his gaze with grim, attentiveexpressions. 

"When you have taken the objective, only Scarf'ssecurity troops are to be allowed to board and takestations throughout the facility. You have anothertask. 

"Once internal security is established, invite theship commanders to a celebration on your flagship. Reject declinations; they must appear. Permit thecelebration to go on for a bit, then, Drummer, thebolt. 

"Announce to the assembled Commanders -- thoseof the Plutonian fleet and those of our allies --that I have instructed you to take their oath ofallegiance to me, Narval of Planet Pluto, and tonone other. Those who refuse are to be eliminatedon the spot in plain view of the others. Those whoagree are to be placed under psychic probes, thenand there, to ensure that their oath of allegianceto me is without reservation. Any who fail to passthe test are to join the ones that openly refused. No second chances. Understood?"

"Understood, " Brad said. 

Drummer nodded, his face gone pale. 

"Transfer contingents of Scarf's troops fromthe objective to your flagship, several hundred ifnecessary, whatever number you need to cover theoperation. Make certain that you transfer enoughtechnicians to set up and operate the psychicprobes. If any Commanders or their staffs choseto be feisty, the troops are your execution squads. 

"The ships of those Commanders who refuse to swearallegiance to me will be boarded by our troops, andall resistance crushed. Subterfuge may be necessary;do not hesitate: the end justifies the means. Replace the original INOR Commanders with officersnext in command; promise them wealth and position, use the psychic probes to verify their decisions;at some point in the pressures that we will applyINOR officers will switch their allegiance to Pluto. 

"When your takeover is complete, the combinedINOR fleet will be under my control. I shall then usethis power to challenge the conferees and dictatemy terms to both the UIPS and INOR's rulers. "

"Timing is of the utmost importance, " Bradreflected. 

"Exactly, " Narval said sharply. "All of your plansand timetables must be synchronized with theactions I take at the conference. "

"Any attacks on the depot will be immediatelyspunnel-flashed by Hanno to the UIPS, " Drummer said. 

"I've thought about that, " Narval replied. "Brad, I want your man, Zolan, to install generators andcontrols for an electronic barrier sunside of thePlanet Pluto Special Zone to keep all messages fromthe UIPS, conventional or spunnel, from passingthrough. Can he do it?"

"Yes. "

"Good. I will transmit a coded message to you frommy ship when I have the agenda for the conference. The message will tell you when to energizethe barrier. I must control the timing on thisoperation so precisely that the conferees haveminimal warning before I make my announcement. Vitally important: the electronic barrier mustgo up sufficiently in advance of launching youroperations against the target so that no messagesof the attack passes through from the depot, theterminals site, or any UIPS ships in the area. Thecomm-blackout will itself set off alarms throughoutthe UIPS. By then, it will be too late for them tointerfere. "

"Sounds reasonable, Mr. President, " Brad said. "Once we get the situation under control, includinglining up the Commanders of the allied warships, we can punch a hole in the barrier just big enough toget a flash through to you at the conference site, giving you the score. "

"Excellent, Brad, excellent. "

Narval beamed at his new Commander of CombatOperations and twisted his mouth into a malevolentgrin. 

"One change, " he said, eyes on Brad. "Up tonow, the objective of your strategic planning andtactics has been the Depot. Now here this: theDepot is no longer the target. Your target isthe Slingshot construction site including the'Terminals'. You are to take control of the entirecomplex and hold it as my hostage. Adjust yourplans, tactics and schedules accordingly. "

 Chapter THIRTY-FOUR

The air was stale in the alcove adjoining Brad'soffice. Hodak and Kumiko hovered over a console, entering and manipulating data. They comparedcomputations against hard print charts, enterednotes in manuals and drawings spread across aworktable, and mumbled at each other solemnlyacross the space separating them. Adari studieda large-scale celestial navigational chart tackedto the wall, Zolan tapped at a remote keyboard, and Myra scrutinized a spreadsheet. All wereengrossed in their own piece of the action. 

Brad, entered and paused to observe them. Myraglanced up, waved absently as her eyes returnedto the spreadsheet. 

Weaving along the tight aisle to a chair againstthe far wall, Brad turned the chair about and sat, his arms on the upper crossbar. He drew a deepbreath and exhaled slowly. 

"Take five, " he said. "Let's talk. "

Zolan pressed a key to save his data, Kumiko rolledup her chart, and Hodak put a marker in the manual. Myra and Adari's charts lay where they were as eyesfocused on Brad. The room was cramped, space formoving about was tight. 

"We have new orders, " Brad said. 

Zolan grunted, "Ahh, nuts, " and frowned at Brad indisgust. Myra groaned and Hodak spit a sullen blastof profanities. Adari shrugged, and Kumiko gave Bradher sweet so-what-else-is-new smile. 

Brad recounted his meeting with Narval and Drummer. So that there would be no misunderstandingsamong them, he repeated Narval's strategy andinstructions, finishing with the new target for theassault. The room was silent. 

"Now that we know the construction site is thetarget we'll use it for working out the details forfleet integration, formation and logistics in placeof what we had before, " Brad rasped. "Better nowthan after we've launched and met up with ourallies. Not much time, though. We'll be workinground-the-clock until it's done, checked out, andspace and surface Commanders briefed. "

He gave orders rapidly. 

"Break out the tactical and support plans we workedup for the Combined Fleet's Order of Battle atthe Neptune meeting. Myra, rework your admin andmedical requirements. Install two dozen psychicprobes on the Dragon. We'll need at least that manyto check out the loyalty flip-flops Narval expectswhen we lay the new target on the INOR Commanders, plus accepting Narval as their new SupremeCommander. 

"Draft an order to Scarf for Narval's signature totransfer three hundred of his shock troops fromour attack transports to the Dragon, and crankits effects into tactics and logistics. Scrounge upenough certified technicians to operate the probes. That'll still leave about eleven hundred troops tosecure the Terminals after we take them, whichshould be enough. Juggle the tactics for thatchange. If anyone asks, we're using Scarf's troopson the Dragon as flunkies during the victory party. I don't think you need me to draw a picture ofthe real reason. We've got to reshuffle the entirelogistics deck. Your job, Myra. Got it?"

Myra grunted, raised her middle finger, thenquickly realigned it with the rest of her hand andsnapped off a mechanical salute. 

"Got it, " she said. 

"Kumiko, the targets will cover an area much widerand deeper than you planned for in your originalcomputations. Rework the combined fleet's weaponsdisposition, analyze our firepower and orient themto the terminals' weak points. Let's talk afterwe finish here and work up formation options andvectors from rendezvous. Cover surveillance andinterdiction against potential threats from UIPSassets in the Special Zone; compute trackingguidance for each type of weapon installed onPlutonian ships, and update target displays forour launchers and guns should it get to that. I especially want you to analyze the combinedfleet's Order of Battle to identify our potentialvulnerabilities and how an enemy force mightexploit them. Provide me with a detailed documentin a capsule so I can use it on the Dragon. "

Brad turned to face Hodak. 

"Re-examine emergency maintenance in this newarena. Our ships will be much further from homebase than when the depot was the objective. Wecan't afford any ships dropping out of the line forrepairs. 

"Adari, got a big one for you. The other INOR shipswill still rendezvous with the Plutonian fleet atPoint Icarus, halfway between the depot and theSlingshot work site. Work out the nav for our fleetto the rendezvous; design formations, convergenceand other vectors that'll keep the ships out ofeach other's way. Employ Order of Battle options tolay out the nav for each ship of the combined fleetfrom Point Icarus to target. Kumiko and I will beworking on tac-options and we'll get them to you assoon as they're ready. 

"This applies to all: compute, coordinate andcommit resources to implement our new orders. OK. Get going. "

Brad motioned Zolan and Hodak closer. 

"I'm putting a fast utility under your command, Zolan. Your number one job is to build, harmonize, test and whatever else it takes to create acommunications interference generator. Camouflageand position it between the Planet Pluto SpecialZone and all sunside comm boosters, both spunneland conventional. Set it up to activate by remote. The screen must have enough spread to block allmessages, incoming and outgoing from Planet Pluto, the combined fleet, plus the depot area and theSlingshot terminals. Exception: Narval wants usto flash him a message as soon as we've taken theobjective and turned the ships' Commanders. Fixthe barricade so that we can shoot a one-timeflash-spunnel message through to him. Clear?"

"Clear. When?"

"Now. I'll go with you to the tunnel where thegenerators are stored to make sure we select thebest of the lot. Hodak, you come with us to give'em a condition check. We can't afford chances withthis equipment. "

 ##

Narval removed the tiny ear piece through whichhe had listened to Brad give his orders, smiled withsatisfaction, and pressed a button along the edgeof his desk. 

"Scarf out there?"

"Yes, Mr. President. "

"In. "

Scarf sidled in and stood deferentially at theentry. 

"Don't just stand there, you idiot, " Narvalsnapped. "Get up here where I can talk to you. "

Scarf hastened forward and halted a couple ofmeters from the desk. He held his helmet in onehand and saluted with the other. 

"Here are my orders to you for while I'm gone. Double the guards on Planet Pluto's spunneltransmitter. No Plutonian communications are to bepermitted to destinations outside the Special Zone. One exception: I've given Drummer orders thatwhen he completes the tasks I've assigned him, heis to send a flash message to me at the conferencesite. Assign reliable technicians to open the spunnelcenter for only that one outgoing message. "

"Yes, sir. "

"Figure out some way to be aboard the Dragonduring the operation. Watch Drummer; I still don'ttrust him. If he tries to undermine my authoritywhile I'm away, shoot him. "

"It'll be a pleasure, sir. What about Brad and hisbuddies?"

"If they resist my orders, kill them. If it doesget to that, send me a spunnel flash after you'vedone it. If you do kill Drummer and Brad, assumecontrol of the combined fleet and the Terminals. If that's not possible, blast the terminals out ofthe sky. "

 Chapter THIRTY-FIVE

Zolan walked into Brad's office and dropped intoa chair, clearly exhausted. 

"How'd it go?"

"Couple of dozen screen generators in positionsunside, " Zolan hefted a small, flat control in hishand as he spoke, then tossed it on the desk. 

"The energizer, " he said quietly. 

Brad turned the control in his hands as he examinedeach safety lock. He slipped the control into apocket. 

"Narval leaves for the conference in a few hours, "he said, almost in a whisper. He could not hide hisdeep sadness. 

They rose and walked together toward the door. Without speaking, Zolan left and disappeared arounda bend in the corridor. 

The hour of Narval's departure brought a whirl ofexcitement to Coldfield. The transit strip from theofficial residence to the President's air lock hadbeen stopped, scrubbed clean, and a padded chairinstalled on it for Narval's comfort. 

Narval boarded the strip, accompanied by hispersonal guards. The guards took protectivepositions ahead, behind, and along the strip'sedges, completely surrounding their leader. Thestrip began to move and maintained a slow, steadypace until Narval was abreast the air lock; it cameto a smooth stop. 

The air lock had been decorated with flags andbunting; a red carpet extended from the strip tothe air lock. Narval swept in and passed throughthe inner compartment. 

The Revenge, Narval's luxurious spunnel yacht wasmoored to pylons above the air lock. The yacht'scommander, Captain Ras Hamdia, stood stiffly atthe head of a line of ship's officers inside its portal. 

A set of taut, parallel cables rose from the airlock to the ship. Fastened to the cables at thesurface, Narval's personal red and black liftcapsule was ready to transfer him aloft withoutthe inconvenience of donning a space suit. 

Narval entered the lift with an officer who doggedthe doors and flashed the ready signal. 

"Up, easy, " the ship's captain ordered. 

The lift rose slowly until it reached the Revenge'sportal. An articulated crane grasped the cabingently, drew it inboard along slackened cables andlowered it to a mobile platform. Suited techniciansdashed forward to disengage the cables, and thecapsule was pushed inside. 

Narval safely aboard, space tugs encircledthe Revenge and took positions along its hull. Mag-beams flashed across. The Revenge disengagedfrom the mooring tower and drifted off. The tugsnudged it along to a hundred kay above the dome, cut their mass-attractors and the ship disappearedinto the node of the Planet Pluto Spunnel. 

Narval was off to his destiny. 

 ##

Zolan stood among a throng of space-suited citizensbelow the Revenge, from where he watched itascend and move off. Minutes later, none but Zolanremained. 

Aware of his awesome responsibility, a sense ofserenity in the power of his will suffused Zolan'sbeing. He had been faithful to the science and artof his chosen profession, and his devotion to theSentinels' mission had enriched his harmony withall about him. It had come to this. 

Tilting his head back in the clear plastic helmetof his suit, Zolan watched the Revenge enter thespunnel node. He lost interest and headed for aspace taxi. 

Climbing aboard, he punched in his identifier codeand the coordinates for a tunnel warehouse fiftykay distant where he had a clearance on file. Thetaxi digested the data, reported to its mastercontrol inside Coldfield, and received the requiredpermission. The taxi rose briskly in a tight turnand accelerated toward a range of low hills. 

Out of sight beyond a hillock, Zolan reachedinto the circuitry behind the instrument panel, manipulated connections, and punched in newcoordinates. The taxi paused and aligned to thenew course, Zolan's hands on its manual controls. The advance notification to control center wasinoperative. 

Charon grew in size up ahead as the taxiapproached. Zolan stabilized the flitter to hoverstationary barely a meter above the frozen methane. As he disembarked, Zolan reached behind theinstrument panel and readjusting the circuits. Transmissions from the taxi's computer wouldsoon resume and indicate a routine return from thepreviously entered destination. Zolan watched thetaxi out of sight. 

The distant tiny sphere that formed the solar Sunwas a wonder to behold against the black velvet skyand the clusters of distant galaxies. He absorbedonce more the splendor of the planets in theirgraceful courses around the giver of life. Herecalled and visualized each planet, natural andartificial satellite and space station out to theGuardians. He had roamed among them all; theywere the only home he had known. 

A sense of weariness seemed to overpower him; hecould not delay. He searched the heavens for a starwith which to orient himself. Finding it, he facedthe direction wherein lay the secret spunnelbooster through which he would send his message. Ram would know how it had come, what it meant, and what it had cost. 

Zolan cleansed his mind, except for the message. He closed his eyes and the strength of hisconcentration brought on trance. A tiny glow, deeply embedded in his subconscious, mushroomedinto a pulsing network of charged filaments. Hisarms and legs throbbed, and the pain of furies cutthrough his torpor and slowly drained him of lifeforce. In milliseconds, his face shrunk and seamed, and his body collapsed in on itself. The filamentsin Zolan's brain crackled and snapped. His brainexploded inside his skull as the message burst out. The rigid suit held his body erect, arms extendedtoward the Sun. 

Standing on the stark and lifeless plain Ram'sstate-of-the-art modification to Zolan's brainand mind had completed its task. 

 Chapter THIRTY-SIX

Ram Xindral, representing the UIPS, met withINOR's advance team on Guardian Station 16to plan protocols and logistics for the upcomingconvocation. Planet Pluto had not sent an emissary. 

Agreements were quickly concluded and thediplomatic cadre took over to prepare an agendafor the meeting's substance. 

Spunnel channels flashed coded messages to homegovernments in the Outer Region, reported onproblems encountered and the options available. Instructions flashed back, rarely agreeing withoffered solutions, more often insisting on newapproaches that in turn became the subjects oflengthy discourse. When an issue was consideredsufficiently clarified for the convocation andreported to the seats of UIPS and INOR Governments, it was almost invariably reopened as an extensionof still another issue. This went on and on. 

Eventually, an agenda of sorts was fashionedto guide the discussions. It limited itself toan agreement, in principle, which identified theparamount issues of urgent and general concern. The preliminaries over, the advance teams departedfor home. 

A fleet of UIPS transports escorted by Space Guardentered the Great Space that separated the Guardianand Jovian orbits. Hauled along by a network ofmag-beams converging from a score of space tugscame the Conference Disk, two hectometers indiameter and a decameter thick at its hub. 

At the agreed upon coordinates the Disk slowedand stabilized. The escorts drew back, clusteredand waited. 

Docking slips scalloped the Disk's rim, each withits own hoists, articulated and flex-umbilicals, power junctions, and docking, launch andmaintenance support facilities. Emergency, fire-fighting, rescue, and med-evac craft dottedthe upper and lower surfaces. Anchored, they wereready to service spacecraft or launch instantlyto where they might be needed. 

Ram and his UIPS technicians, administratorsand security specialists boarded the Disk froma utility transport. A INOR team entered throughanother portal. Members of each team serving aChief of State inspected the suites assigned totheir nation's conferees, made changes to meetpersonal or cultural needs and, when satisfied, installed the scheduled occupant's accoutermentsand trappings of Office. 

Engineers and technicians swarmed throughout theberths and mooring docks, inspecting and testingequipment and procedures to accommodatetheir Leader's vessel, and for routine support andemergencies should such arise. They conductedor observed ship handling tests and space rescuecapabilities. Finally, the administrators andtechnicians agreed the facility was ready. TheJoint UIPS-INOR Security Team sealed the Disk'sportals and posted their guards in armed capsulesaround the rim and on the Disk's gently curvedsurfaces. 

They waited. 

 Chapter THIRTY-SEVEN

Drummer and Brad walked the corridor leading tothe Dragon's bridge. The battle cruiser, aligned withits sisters in countdown on catapults in galleriesand tunnels across Planet Pluto, was minutes fromlaunch to Point Icarus. 

Accompanied by a party of officers, Brad hadcompleted the final formal inspection and sign-offof the Plutonian warships committed to theoperation. Myra, Hodak, Adari and Kumikohad trailed along as specialists, respectfullyresponding to technical questions tossed at themby the official inspection party. 

The Sentinels took Zolan's death hard, aware butunable to share their grief with words that mightbe overheard by their enemy. They were in a sombermood difficult to hide, and Kumiko's eyes werered-rimmed. She spoke little. 

Moving from one tunnel and gallery hangar toanother, the inspection team had checked thereadiness of command and control, function systems, weapons readiness, logistic support and all thatbore on their mission. Openly enthusiastic andcongratulatory to ships' crews on what he observed, Brad was inwardly appalled at the strength ofNarval's fleet. Combined with the INOR forcescoming to join them at Point Icarus, the slimforces that the UIPS maintained in the PlutonianSpecial Zone faced an overwhelming adversary. 

At the companionway to the command deck, Braddeferred to Drummer. Drummer acknowledgedthe courtesy with a slight smile and nod. Theyascended, and Brad closed the door. 

Drummer strode to the forward bulkhead, paused, and drew a small device from his pocket. Hemoved casually about the compartment, meanwhilereading the device's indicators. Brad watched himin silence. After two full turns Drummer pocketedthe device and faced Brad. 

"Routine precautions, " Drummer said with a shrug. "This deck compartment is free of both sight andsound bugs. How did the inspection go? Are weprepared and on schedule?"

"A few glitches here and there, but nothingserious. I've instituted corrective actions, andwe'll be ready. "

Drummer nodded uneasily. Brad waited. Drummer'snext words came with awkward hesitation. 

"Ah -- when Narval gave us his final orders, I-- ah -- sensed, correct me if I'm wrong, somemisgivings on your part. "

"Misgivings? What do you mean?"

"Before we proceed, I must have your word thatwhatever we discuss here will be held by you in thestrictest confidence. Have I your word?"

Brad stared long and hard at Drummer. He thoughtback to Scarf's accusations and threats precedingthe fight in the Charnel Pit. Did Drummer reallysupport Narval? What was Drummer's real objective?Time was short; yet Brad had to be certain. 

"You have my word. "

"Now respond to my first statement. "

"Affirmative. "

Drummer gave a heavy sigh and motioned Brad to abench along a bulkhead. They sat and stared at thebulkhead opposite. 

"How far will you go to take the Terminals?"Drummer asked. 

"Destructively?"

"Yes. "

"You're in command of the combined fleet, Drummer. You tell me. "

A deep silence settled between them. Drummerbrought his eyes around to where he could observeBrad's profile. His breath became shallow. 

"What I now say to you, Brad, puts my life inyour hands, but say it I must. " He paused, as if togather strength and conviction, and to organizehis thoughts. "I believe that Narval is deranged. Hewould rather see the Solar System's civilization'sgrovel in the dust than have them advance, evensurvive, without him as their ruler. "

"Are you suggesting he be stopped?"

"He must be. "

"How?"

"I hoped you would know. "

"Me? Why me?"

"You've become the authority on the capabilitiesand tactics of this operation. The Plutonianmilitary Commanders respect you as a leaderand as a professional, as do the Commandersof the ships soon to join us. Need I say more?"

Brad turned to face Drummer. 

"How far do you commit yourself?"

"My life. "

"It will take that, and more. "

"What do you mean?"

"Betrayal strips men of -- I believe the word is --honor. Would you accept being a traitor to PresidentNarval?"

"If it will bring an end to this madness. "

"Are you willing to follow my orders -- withoutquestion?"

"To what purpose?"

"Your words: the end of this madness. "

"Define your terms, man. Tell me in your words, notmine, to what end I commit my life, and as you putit, my honor. "

"Confusion and disruption throughout the combinedfleet, destruction of Plutonian warships and, possibly, those of all INOR; no assault on theTerminals and, ultimately, removal of Narval fromany position of authority in the Outer Region. "

Drummer nodded slowly. 

"I commit myself to that purpose. And yourself?"

"Committed. "

A knock on the door. The crewman peered in. 

"Comm-center has a classified Category One spunnelmessage for you, Admiral Drummer, " he said. "It's in the President's personal code, sir, to whichonly you have the keys. Have I your permission topick up the message and bring it to you?"

"Never mind, " Drummer replied. "We're heading backunder the dome. I'll get it. "

 ##

Drummer read again the message he had decodedand handed it to Brad who quickly scanned and silentlyreturned it. Drummer glanced at the message againand placed it slowly in the middle of his desk. Thecommunication bore the dispatch symbols of theRevenge within the past hour. The text was brief:

"Narval to Drummer. We have left the spunnel nodenearest the conference site, now two hours distant. Your launch at target must be consistent with theconference schedule just provided to me by theConference Controller. 

"Based on conference agenda and scheduleI order you to energize the communicationsbarrier immediately upon receipt of this message. Further, I order you to have allegiance sworn tome by Commanders of all INOR ships' officers andthe Director of the Slingshot Construction Sitenot more than four hours following receipt thismessage. Spunnel flash to me through the barrier'mind only' immediately upon taking the objective. Spunnel flash immediately to me your understandingof this order. "

 Chapter THIRTY-EIGHT

The soft clicks of switches opening and closing andthe soft thunks of levers rammed home were the onlysounds on the Dragon's command deck as Drummerand Brad climbed the companionway. 

Captain Hyk, standing on the bridge platform abovethe command deck, took them in with a quick glance, nodded, and continued about his business directingand observing the Dragon entering launch. 

Brad followed Drummer to a computer in a tinyalcove on a balcony above the plotting table. Theyswung seats out from under the table on which theconsole rested, sat, and Brad entered his DNA IDand password. He followed with instructions thatbrought a series of real-time graphics across themonitor. 

Selecting first one, then another, the two menstudied the displays, as they pointed and commentedon their observations. Drummer straightened. 

"Recap, Brad, " he ordered. 

Brad tapped keys and the screen listed eachPlutonian ship in the Assault Force and itsCommander in one column and the readiness levelfor launch in the other. 

Brad pointed at the highlighted "Fleet readiness 92percent. "

"Allies?"

"Made the trip from home stations along diverseroutes and under detection wraps. They're insidethe comm-barrier an hour from Point Icarus. It'll take us that long to launch, form up, do thedistance, and position ourselves to receive them. "

A crewman's head appeared at the head of thecompanionway, looked about and fixed on Drummer. 

"Call from security up at the tunnel entrance, sir. Visitor to see you. "

"Who is it?"

"Major Scarf, sir. Says he has urgent business todiscuss with you. "

Drummer and Brad exchanged glances. Hyk immediatelygave his full attention to his monitor's screen. Drummer knew that neither he nor Hyk could refuseScarf's request to come aboard. He addressed Hyk. 

"Any objections, Har?"

"None, Admiral. "

"Very well, " Drummer glanced toward the messenger. "Escort Major Scarf to my quarters. "

 ##

The compartment was small, not built for comfort. Scarf's massive frame crowded the space. 

"I'm coming along. " Scarf's tone was brusque. 

"The hell you are. " Drummer's was equally blunt. 

Brad eyed Scarf. "Your job is on the surface, " hesaid. "What purpose can you serve by tagging along?"

Scarf looked from Drummer to Brad and back, notsure whom he should address. He chose Drummer. 

"Coldfield and the surrounding areas are under fullcontrol of my security forces. I've left my deputyin charge, and he can contact me within secondsshould that be necessary. With Narval away andus here, there's not much going on in the CommandSection. "

Scarf tapped Drummer's chest with his forefinger, "you've got more'n a thousand of my best troops foroccupation duty on the Terminals. They're mine andI'm gonna lead them when they go into action. I'mmoving in over my on-site troop commander, that'sall. What's more, I understand you've reassignedsome of my troops to this wagon. That's fine withme. I'll just move in with them, and assume directcommand until they're back with the main group. Entirely proper for me to do this as chief of theirService. "

Brad thrust his hands into his pockets to hide thefists they had formed. His mind worked furiouslyon the new threat. 

"Our plans are complete, Scarf, " he said. "If youremain, we expect you to follow orders from theFleet Commander. "

Scarf, sure of his victory, showed his pleasure. 

"Sure, sure, " he said, a grin creasing his face, waving the proviso away with the back of hishand. "Anything the boss says. It's your show. Iunderstand. "

Taking Drummer's silence as acquiescence, Scarfpivoted in the small space and squeezed out of thecompartment. He barked at the guard to escort himto the officer-in-charge of the troop detachment. 

Drummer issued the launch order. One following theother, the warships catapulted off of their launchtracks, rose swiftly into space, and formed upbehind mine sweepers Scamp, Varlet and Scalawag. The battle cruisers Dragon and Tiger, guarded bydestroyer screens and support ships, turned towardPoint Icarus. 

Three million kay ahead, the Slingshot terminalsappeared as just another unblinking light in arunnel of multicolored jewels. 

Slingshot had always been real to Brad; in thedeepening crisis for humankind's survival itspurpose was profound. It had been so to himas far back as he could remember. 

Brad keyed the Slingshot complex closer on anearby computer screen. Generally familiar withthe schematics of the Slingshot stations, hewas overwhelmed by the two enormous cones andtheir peripherals, which configured the Terminals'hoppers. Each terminal, almost three kay acrossits base, formed an intricate maze of interlockedspars, beams, panels, conduit and modules. 

The Slingshot stations were centers of activity. Inside and out, the work areas were crowded. Inall directions were massive and intricate fusiongenerators, transformers and power distributionsystems; dozens of spherical, rectangular andcylindrical workshops and clusters of habitat, first aid stations, transports and tugs and bargespushing, pulling, warping and traversing. It was apicture of enormous structures and modules spreadacross the visible space ahead. The scene wasgeometric, multidimensional, and seemingly chaotic. 

Separated from each other by more than a hundredkay of open space, the Terminal schematic expandedrapidly on the Dragon's screens as the fleetnarrowed the gap. At Point Icarus the Slingshotconstruction site filled more than half the viewtanks space. 

Brad and Drummer watched as changes occurredhastily throughout the Terminals' space. Lightsdimmed or blacked out entirely; others increasedintensity. Three destroyers darted through theprotective force field's gates, deployed, and tookdefensive positions. A mine-layer advanced, cameabout and laid a pattern of tac-nuclear eggs. 

The Plutonian Assault Force had been quicklydetected. Their intentions obvious, Slingshot'smanagers prepared as best they could to defendthemselves. Scores of transports were lined up toescape through the gateway; those that had reachedthe outside lumbered away toward deep space. 

 Chapter THIRTY-NINE

 SOLAR LEADERS ARRIVE FOR CONFERENCE TRANS-SOLAR NEWS SERVICE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FLASH: SYSTEM-WIDE Filed at Solar Conference Site

The Leaders of the United Inner Planetary System(UIPS) and the Independent Nations of the OuterRegion (INOR) are at the place they selected toresolve urgent Solar System problems of mutualconcern. Here's how the arrangements worked out. 

Consistent with the schedule, the INOR guestsflashed their international identification and shipnumbers to the Conference Control Center toreport that they had formally arrived in responseto President Camari's invitation. 

Concurrently, at a signal from the UIPS President'sship Eagle, the station flashed an array ofmulticolored beacons. Docking berths along theConference Site's rim opened and controllerstransmitted "Ready" signals to the visitingflagships. Tugs, utilities, and emergency crafttook their stations. 

The UIPS Eagle nosed forward and matched itsheadings and moments to the Disk. Mass attractorstook over, fine-tuned the alignment and drift, andgently drew the Eagle a third its length into thedock. Mooring beams grasped the vessel and it wastransfixed. A red and white candy-striped umbilicalsnaked out from the dock and sealed against theEagle's main portal. 

Eagle, the host, had docked. 

Turning to the guests, the "Ready" signals flashedagain. Taking the lead, Planet Pluto's Revengematched up and was drawn into its docking space. The others followed. The disk was transformedinto a multi-spoke wheel spinning slowly againstthe backdrop of sun, planets, satellites, spacecolonies and stars. 

The umbilicals' seals tested and secure, the Headsof State disembarked, each followed by an entourageof advisors, diplomats, strategists, economists, interplanetary law specialists, sociologists, philosophers, and others expert in the disciplinesappropriate to the agenda. 

The parties walked along separate corridors fromtheir docking berth to an arched entry into theconference theater at the hub. The pseudo-gravityplates had been eased to a comfortable levelfor the inhabitants of the Outer Region. Therepresentatives of Earth wore soft enhancerboots to compensate. 

The central hall was huge, and the round table atits center wide enough to accommodate them all. Massive chairs were at the table, and behind each arow of smaller chairs to accommodate the lessors. A holoview tank, suspended halfway to the overhead, glowed softly. The walls were festooned with theemblems and insignia of all Nations in attendance. 

Arriving under the arch, the Leaders paused. President Camari stepped away from his chair, his open arms an invitation to all to enter andjoin him at the table. 

Entering and approaching the table, the Leadersturned to right and left to greet each other. Formality aside for the moment, they expressedtheir pleasure at seeing one another again, or inmeeting for the first time. They came togetherat the table and formed small groups. 

Camari and Narval took each other's measure as theyworked their way forward. Camari, as host, pausedat each knot or singular meeting to shake handsand express his pleasure to each Head of Statefor accepting his invitation. Politicians all, supremediplomats of the Solar Community, they accommodatedto the occasion and replied in kind. 

Camari and Narval came face to face. Silencegripped the room. 

"Greetings, President Narval, " Camari said, "yourpresence at this conference will contribute muchto its success. "

"Greeting to you, President Camari. I feel certainthat it will. "

"I remind you, President Narval, these are indeeddesperate times. Extraordinary measures areessential if we are to preserve our civilizations, perhaps our species. Separately or collectively, we must be prepared to take risks for our survival. Do you agree?"

"Not only do I agree, Mr. President, but I shallremind you of your words as we proceed throughthese deliberations. "

"So be it. "

Camari nodded and turned away. With everyone'seyes on him, he strode to his place at the table, spread his arms again wide in welcome, and sat. 

Greetings over, the Solar System's leaders tooktheir places at the great table. Their advisorsentered and took seats behind them. 

The first convocation for the survival of theentire Solar Community was under way. 

 Chapter FORTY

Captain Hyk strode the bridge impatiently. 

"Point Icarus in ten minutes, " he reported toDrummer and Brad as they entered the tightcompartment. "The Jovians and Saturnians arecoming up fast, and the Neptune-Uranus teamis close behind. Orders?"

"You'll get yours with the rest, Har, " Drummer'stone reflected his tension. He turned to Brad. 

"Brad, I wish to address the Commanders of allPlutonian ships. Set up closed communications, please. "

"Yes, sir. "

Brad strode to the console he and Drummer had usedto assess the fleet's status a short while before. He detached a microphone from the bulkhead nearby, keyed the computer, and spoke. 

"Attention, all ship Commanders of the PlutonianAssault Force. Rig for secure 'Commanders Only'communications with Admiral Drummer. The Admiralwill speak in one minute. Countdown -- start now. "

He handed the mike to Drummer. The first of manyuncertain steps would now be taken. 

Drummer glanced at the ship's chronometer, thenat Captain Hyk. 

Time. 

"Ship commanders, Admiral Drummer here. Ourallies are approaching in formation and they willlink up with us in seven minutes at Point Icarus. We must greet them properly. I order the Plutonianformation to come about immediately from itshead-on orientation to the Terminals and clusterto face our allies. Do it now. At Point Icarus I willaddress the combined fleet. "

Drummer paused, then added, "I am turning over thedetails of this change in formation to my Chief ofCombat Operations. Follow his instructions withouthesitation. "

Drummer handed the microphone to Brad and steppedback. Brad rattled off the revised orientationsand positions, ship by ship listed in the Order ofBattle. Both he and Drummer watched the effectsin the observation pit's view tank. 

As Brad spoke the close order of the originalformation dissolved and opened. The maneuverwas extremely complex, but within minutes theships had come about in a ragged formation toface their oncoming allies. 

Out of the corners of his eyes Brad observed Hykinput orders to the Dragon's guidance control andnavigation centers. Hyk glared at Drummer as ifthe man was out of his mind. Brad expected theother Commanders to be equally perplexed andangered by the unexpected reorientation. 

Drummer, by his order without prior notice andplanning, had completely disrupted the Plutoniantactical formation. Valuable time would be spent tosort out the confusion and array for the assault. 

 ##

Captain Yargoul, Commander of the Jovian CombinedStrike Team, stood on the bridge of the BattleCruiser Windstorm and scowled into his view tank. The unconventional redeployment of the PlutonianAssault Force amazed and appalled him. 

"What in hell are they doing?" Yargoul pointed atthe tank as his Executive stared aghast over hisshoulder. 

"Damned if I can tell, Captain Yargoul, "replied his deputy. "This isn't called for in therendezvous plan. "

"I don't like it. Get nav on this right now andpass the word to our ships' Commanders. Assumea waiting formation ten thousand kay from therendezvous. Get the Commanders of the Saturnianand Neptune-Uranus teams into a closed conferencecall with me. I'm going to suggest they do the sameuntil we find out what this is all about. "

"They smell the rat, " Brad thought as he watchedthe oncoming fleets slowly alter their formations. He hastily left the command deck. 

Walking swiftly along a passageway he passed Hodakat a workbench calibrating instruments as cover. Their eyes met and Brad moved on. Hodak switchedoff his test panels and headed toward a sidepassageway. 

Myra, checking medical supplies in a wall cabinet, glanced at Hodak's features as he brushed by. Hisgrunt caused her to close the cabinet and walk off. Kumiko and Adari would soon have the message. 

 ##

The storage compartment was tiny, barely enoughto hold them. 

"Drummer will be talking to all ships' Commandersin the combined fleet in less than a minute, " Bradtold them. "I want to be there when he does sothat I can deal with their reactions. Also, Hyk isa problem. I expect they'll all line up against us, including the Plutonian crews. The best we canhope for is a short delay while they argue amongthemselves. It's up to the five of us; six, really, if I can count on Drummer. "

Brad looked from one tense face to the other. 

"Hodak, your first job is Scarf. As soon as hehears Drummer he'll come charging up with hisgoons to take over the ship. Stop him. "

"Kumiko, to the ship's fire controls. Do as muchdamage there as you can without being detected. I want as many as possible of the Dragon'slong-range guns inoperative. "

He turned to Myra. 

"Suit up and head for the hangar deck wherethe two-place fighter-bombers are in position forlaunch. Tell the officer-in-charge I sent you tocheck combat readiness. I want three two-placejobs up front on catapults, fully charged and armed, hot and ready for launch. The officer on duty issure to ask why it's you that's giving the orders. Just say that the fighters are going after theTerminals' minelayers and destroyers that justpopped out through the force field's gate. Tell himI'm briefing the pilots personally and will send youalong as my observer. He won't like it, but I doubtthat he'll interfere. "

"Got it. "

"Remain on the flight deck, Myra. Move around andspot where each guard is stationed. When you seeus coming, start to take them down. Pinpoint theirpositions to us as we come in so we can clean themall out fast. Confusion in the ranks works to ouradvantage. "

Turning to Adari, he asked, "Did you put ittogether?"

"Yes. "

"Come with me back to the bridge. I'll brief you onthe way. "

His look took them all in. 

"Gather round -- close. "

Speaking rapidly, not wasting words, Brad sharedinformation that Ram passed to him before hisdeparture. 

"A UIPS battle fleet should be loading about nowinto an expanded spunnel gateway off Luna. They'llbe here shortly. If Drummer doesn't neutralizethe INOR fleet, the job will be taken on by the UIPS. But they'll need time to re-group as they enterthis arena. Our job is to keep the INOR fleet offbalance until ours is ready. 

"Everyone is to be suited-up and checked out forextended combat. Except for Myra, spread alongthe corridor as close to the Flight Deck hatch asyou can without drawing attention. Keep a low profileand wait for my signal. I expect Drummer will bewith me and we'll all go in together. Go now. "

 ##

Drummer's voice was heard throughout the combinedfleet. His tone was grave. 

"This is Admiral Drummer. My words are, first, forCommanders of this combined fleet. Beyond that, I speak to all ships' crews and troops who make upthis task force, and for all men and women withinreach of my voice, whatever your nationality orwhomever your leader. 

"We are confronted with a dilemma. The missionassigned to this fleet is to capture the SlingshotTerminals. Slingshot and all that it representswill then become hostage to the negotiations nowtaking place between INOR and the United InnerPlanetary System. 

"If denying the UIPS access to their Terminals fora brief period was the real objective, I would haveno qualms in moving forward. But the orders given tome by President Narval go much further, and I mustshare them with you so that you will understandwhat we face. "

Captain Hyk's eyes narrowed and he took stepstoward Drummer. Brad, standing silently behind Hyk, covered the distance to the door he had closed whenhe returned to the command deck. He shoved thelocking dog closed. Turning back his hand brushedhis sidearm, releasing the safety. Hyk haltedseveral paces from Drummer, who ignored him. 

"With heavy heart, I must now inform you thatPresident Narval has a deeper strategy, " Drummercontinued, "one that presents a clear and presentdanger to all nations and peoples of INOR, andperhaps to the entire Solar Community. I state itas simply as I can: Narval's strategy is betrayal. "

The way back had closed; Drummer plunged ahead. 

"Here are the orders given to me by our President. Judge their purpose and their honor for yourselves. First, to capture and hold the Terminals. As soonas the Terminals are taken and secured, I amunder orders to subvert all ships' Commandersof our allies so that they swear allegiance onlyto Narval. Those who refuse, under psychic probeverification, are to be killed on the spot. 

"If this is done, Narval will have consolidatedenough military power to dominate the entire OuterRegion. When his position is firm, his strategy isto use Slingshot to force the UIPS to its knees, and establish himself as ruler over the entireSolar System. These are the real objectives ofPresident Narval of Planet Pluto. If we followhis orders, have no doubt that he will attain hisdiabolic objectives. 

"I refuse to comply with those orders. I urge allCommanders of INOR ships and forces to returnto their home stations and report to their Heads ofState who are now attending the Solar Convocation. Establish boards of inquiry, or conduct suchinvestigations as you feel appropriate. But do notproceed with this adventure concocted in the mindof a madman. It means disaster for us all. 

"I am now opening this channel for replies fromthe Senior Commanders of the combined fleet. "

 Chapter FORTY-ONE

Captain Yargoul's face, inflamed with rage, flashedon the screen. 

"By what right do you take this on yourself, Drummer?" he exploded. 

"I choose to be a free man, Captain Yargoul, andhave spoken as one. "

"I don't believe President Narval gave you ordersto turn us against our own Governments. " Yargoul'seyes glittered his suspicion. "What's your game, Drummer?"

"Those were indeed the orders given to me byNarval. As for my 'game', as you put it, it is, first, to take Planet Pluto out from under tyranny;and second, to bring reason to the negotiations nowtaking place between INOR and the UIPS. You cannothelp me with the first, but you and all honorablecitizens of the INOR federation share in theobligation to help with the second. With whom doyou stand, Captain Yargoul?"

"I stand against you, Drummer, and I charge youwith treason against your Government and disloyaltyto our cause. You are not fit to lead this fleet. As ranking officer next in line I now challenge yourright to act as Supreme Commander of this CombinedFleet. I hereby replace you in that capacity andassume command. " His voice rang with the power ofhis new authority. 

"Captain Hyk, take Admiral Drummer into custody. If he resists, shoot him. "

Drummer switched off the communications consoleand turned to face Hyk. 

"And you, Har, you're a Plutonian and shouldunderstand, better than most where the realtreachery lies. You've seen Narval's psychic probesplaced on board and must have suspected what theyand Scarf's troops aboard must mean. Think, man. Tell me I can count on you. "

"I'm an officer in the service of PresidentNarval, " Hyk growled, "and I remain loyal to him. I accept that Captain Yargoul has replaced you asSupreme Commander of the Combined Fleet. ThePlutonian forces in this combined fleet now comeunder my command. Drummer; I place you underarrest. If you resist I won't hesitate to shoot youdown where you are. "

Hyk drew his weapon and aimed it at Drummer. 

"Easy does it, Har. "

Brad spoke from where he stood off to the side. Hyk shifted his focus and saw the weapon raisedin Brad's grip. Reacting instinctively, he crouchedand swung toward Brad, the nozzle of his gunflaring. A tight beam laced across Hyk's chest, and he crumpled to the deck. Brad slipped his gunback into its sheath. 

Captain Yargoul's commanding voice blasted fromthe ship's loudspeakers, addressing the fleet. 

"All ships' Commanders. You've heard and witnessedAdmiral Drummer's treasonous statements. I amcompelled, by circumstances, to assume commandof the Combined Fleet. You will follow my orders;I order that any commander or crew-member whorefuses to recognize my authority is to be disarmed, and imprisoned. Those who resist will be shotimmediately. 

"The target stands: we will move on the SlingshotTerminals and take them. I order the fleet to arrayitself for the assault. Unfortunately, Drummer hassabotaged our rendezvous, and we must reconstitutethe assault formation. My chief navigator willissue sector orientation and vectors to each shipin the fleet so that we can form up for combatoperations. Follow his orders without question. "

As Yargoul spoke Brad released the clip securingthe door and yanked it open. Adari rushed in anddarted to the communications console, drawinga comm capsule from her tunic. She slipped thecapsule into the computer slot, slapped switchesand pressed keys. She looked at Brad. He nodded. Adari pressed the final key. A light flashed red;the message on the capsule went out to the fleet. 

A deep voice issued from the ship's speakers:"This is Captain Yargoul's chief navigator, " it began. "Here are the formation positions for each shipin our Order of Battle. Use as your referenceAnnex X-ray to the Slingshot Assault Plan. Complyimmediately upon receipt of your ship's newcoordinates. Jovian Battle Cruiser Boulder anddestroyer screen to Sector Alpha, coordinatesR784-212-426; Saturnian Battle Cruiser Encounterand destroyer screen to Sector Gamma, coordinatesR784-856-275; Plutonian Battle Cruisers Dragonand Tiger and screen to Sector Beta, coordinates... "

Adari grinned at Drummer who was staring at her. 

"Lucked out, " she said. "Yargoul brought his chiefnavigator along to Brad's planning meeting offNeptune. His voice was on our tapes, and easy tosynthesize. Even Yargoul himself won't know thedifference. The capsule is transmitting orders toeach ship of the fleet to move to new coordinatesin a three-dimensional tract. This redeploymentwill get them so screwed up it'll take 'em a whileto even figure out which way is sunside. "

"But how did you know events would develop justthis way?"

Adari winked; tapped her temple with her forefinger. 

"Just put myself in their place, and figured theoptions, " she said and turned to Brad. 

"Do you have all the data on where you've sentthem?" Brad asked. 

Adari patted her pocket and nodded. 

"Figured we'd need the information. Run a copy foreach fighter. Meet us on the flight deck. "

Drummer snatched up Hyk's weapon as he followedAdari who raced out of the bridge compartment. Brad motioned Drummer to join Adari. 

Brad followed and pulled the door closed behindhim. He drew his sidearm, narrowed the beam to itsminimum and its power to maximum. He directed thebeam into the space between the door and the frame. Within seconds the door had fused shut. The Dragon'sbridge, at least for the moment, was isolated. 

 ##

Hodak crouched behind a massive generator at thebend of an L-shaped corridor. The rapid-fire beamrifle in his hands was energized and safety off. The passageway had a single entry to the bay inwhich Scarf and his troops were quartered. Hodakhad a free field of fire. He did not expect a longwait. 

Drummer's appeal to the fleet commanders cutinto the talk and laughter rolling down the corridor. Drummer's opening words brought complete silence. Long before it ended Hodak heard shouts and cursesfrom the bay. Scarf's heavy voice rose above theclamor, giving orders. Hodak drew breath, raisedand leveled the weapon. He hoped Scarf would comeout first; that would simplify his job. 

Scarf did not. Instead, armed troops spilled fromthe bay, crowding the passageway. Scarf followed, his coarse features congested. 

"There's five of 'em, plus Drummer, " he shouted. "Search the ship. You know who they are. Shoot'em on sight. I want them dead. "

Hodak tried to draw a bead on Scarf but troopersblocked the line of fire. Several started in hisdirection. He cut a swath through them, searchingfor Scarf. 

The first streaks of concentrated energy wroughthavoc in the forward ranks. The stench of burningflesh came at him with a rush, and the corridorreverberated with howls and screeches of agony. Unaware of what they were up against, the troopsmilled about in confusion. They clawed at eachother in panic to get back into the bay and outof the line of fire. Scarf was somewhere in thestruggle. 

The tiny receiver in Hodak's ear came alive. 

"Sentinels. Flight deck. Now. "

Hodak directed a final lengthy barrage of riflebursts at the entry. Molten metal and sparksbounced off the frames in all directions, followedby screams and shrieks from inside the compartment. 

"Unfinished business, " Hodak muttered as he turnedand raced off. 

 Chapter FORTY-TWO

The watch was changing on the flight deck. Up aheadBrad saw three guards and two technicians enteringto take their posts; moments later an equal numbercame out and disappeared down a companionway. Ship's crew strolled the passageways and onbusiness in and out of maintenance shops, orengrossed in discussions with companions aboutDrummer's appeal. 

Few noticed Brad or his companions; those whodid gave them a passing glance and moved on. The ship was preparing for action, and armed, suited-up crews were to be expected. 

Brad signaled a pause. Adari, in flight gear as theothers were, joined them and stood with Kumikolaughing and talking through open visi-plates. Hodak, against a bulkhead, held a maintenancemanual, slowly flipping pages, apparently reading. Brad and Drummer moved short distances alongthe corridor, seemingly in thoughtful conversation. The scene reflected routine. 

The traffic thinned momentarily. Brad lookedquickly along the corridor and motioned. Theyconverged toward the companionway leading tothe flight deck. 

Brad entered first, followed by Hodak, Adari, Drummer and Kumiko. Inside, Kumiko swung thehatch shut and dogged it. 

Myra, pressed into a corner against the farbulkhead by the Chief of the Flight Deck, smiledup at him, eyes wide. Big and chunky, he talkedfast, trying to convince her of something thathe obviously believed was good for both of them. 

Seeing Brad appear at the head of the companionway, Myra pushed the hulk away with one hand and drewher weapon with the other. Before he knew what washappening, the fleshy man with the high hopes wasflat on the deck, out of it. 

Stooping and pointing, Myra circled toward Brad. 

"Two, there, rifles. " In another direction. "One, on the catwalk, rifle. " Over her shoulder. "Two inthe control room, sidearms, but they may haverifles stashed close by. Fighters on the cats, ready to go but still on control room switches. "

Brad snapped out orders. 

"Hodak and Kumiko, control room. Switch thefighters to self-launch. Adari, the guy on thecatwalk. Myra and Drummer, suit up and intothe first ship. "

Hodak and Kumiko charged into the control roombefore Brad finished speaking. Red and orangeflashes and a clatter erupted through the doorway, followed by silence. Hodak and Kumiko tore out, bent low, splitting to right and left. They carriedrifles raised into firing position. 

Adari, eyes and gun elevated, skirted the fighters. 

"What the hell's goin' on down there?" The shoutcame from a guard on a balcony above. "Who'reyou guys?"

That's all it took. Shots followed each otherclosely. The guard fell slowly in the ship's lightpseudo-gravity. 

Hodak ran to join Brad. Kumiko headed for thefighters to switch the catapults' activators tointernal controls, arm and charge the guns, andinsert into each ship's computer the capsulesAdari had passed to her. 

A guard darted by Brad and took cover behinda line of massive consoles. A succession of rifleblasts cracked through the air close above Brad. Crouching, he raised his weapon and fired. Theguards would be difficult to get at. 

"Down, Brad, flat. "

Hodak's hoarse whisper carried from two metersbehind Brad. As he ducked a soft swishing soundsliced above his head. Glints of light sparkledfrom a curved, shiny object. Seconds later, theboomerang returned, wetly red. 

"Go, Brad. "

Hodak wiped and collapsed the boomerang and slippedit into a sheath along the thigh of his space suit. 

Motioning Hodak forward to climb into the nearestfighter, Brad followed. The others, already inplace, were racing through their checklists. 

Brad began his preflight as he switched his commto 'on'. 

"Myra, Drummer, do you read?"

"Loud and clear. "

"Adari-Kumiko?"

"Right. "

"Kumiko, did you fix our inter-ship comm the wayZolan told you to?"

"Fixed. They'll have to search and analyze dozensof scramble channels to find and fix on ours. Wehave a private and moving channel. "

"OK. Check suits. Batten down and seal up. Nowhear this. "

Brad stroked control panel keys, switches andlevers as he talked. 

"Call signs: Hodak and I are One; Adari and Kumiko, you're Two, and Myra and Drummer, Three. The job isto keep 'em confused and stumbling over each otherfor as long as we can, and hope for the best. Thecapsule Adari slipped into your computer has thecoordinates and formation we hope they've assumed. By now they're well into the faked redeployment. We're dealing in seconds, minutes if we're lucky. 

"The deployment we triggered concentrates them inthree sectors: Alpha, Beta, Gamma. Hodak and I willtake Alpha, Adari and Kumiko, you've got Beta; Myraand Drummer to Gamma. Your sector coordinates arein the capsule; use standard locks to interface thecoordinates with your ship's flight controls. Go forcommand decks, weapons control centers, thrustersor other vitals where disabling is money. Try forbattle cruisers, but don't ignore other targets ofopportunity. Keep your explosive decompressorsand laser-quads at max. Talk as you work so we allknow what's happening. Go. "

The signals from Brad's control panel had theireffect. The rushing sound of escaping air told themthe huge portal was opening. Within seconds thebattlefield stretched before them. 

Brad hit the catapult release. The ship lungedforward. As it cleared the flight deck, Brad maxedthe thrusters. Hodak glanced back over his shoulder. 

"Two and Three are clear, " he announced. 

The three fighters skewed sharply toward theirassigned sectors. 

"Two talking. Battle Cruiser Intruder coming up. Range: 2500 K. Destroyer screen not tight enough. Ex-decomp at max. Range: 2000 -- 1000 -- 400. Threesecond burst. On target, but about 50 meters aft thebridge. Gotta go around for another try, dammit. 

"Back at 900 -- 500. Incoming laser-quads. 300. Two second burst and breaking port. What do yousee, Adari?"

"Made it this time, kiddo. Bridge collapsed. Butmove this baby's tail. I can almost feel theirheat. "

"Three to One. Skip to Channel C for a sec andyou'll hear Scarf. They must have cleared theDragon's bridge. He's giving orders to the P-fleetto line up for a hit at the Terminals. Looks likehe wants a kind word from his boss. I'm headingback to the Dragon. 

"Dragon coming up. Range: 1700 K. Spotted us. Have incoming. You didn't down all their guns, Kumiko. Lousy shooters, though. At 1400 -- 700 -- 300. Decomp on sustained -- Five second burst. Passingover. What's the word, Myra?"

"Their stern sucked a lemon. Totaled. Holdit. Fighter catapulted off the flight deck. It'sclosing with a Dragon screen destroyer. Get backto 'Channel C', it may be Scarf talking. "

He was. 

"Major Scarf to Destroyer Viper. I'm coming aboardand taking command of the Planet Pluto AssaultForce. Notify all Plutonian units to be ready toattack the Terminals and inflict maximum damage. Those orders come directly from President Narval. I'll lay out the attack formation as soon as I'maboard. "

"Two to One. Hear that? The fighter has matchedup and I see Scarf in transfer. "

A momentary silence. 

"Comin' round the bend and linin' up. They seeus and know we ain't their lovers. Destroyer hadto stabilize to bring Scarf aboard; now they'rehustlin'. I'll give 'em the nose decomps, as weslip under. 500 kay -- 350 -- decomps on -- goin'under. "

"Blowout -- they're gone. Hey, Hodak, takes careof your buddy. "

"He was no buddy of mine. OK, Two. Move it, Brad. "

Brad searched for the Windstorm, Yargoul's battlecruiser, now the combined fleet's flagship. Twoand Three had scored hits in the tight field, significantly diminishing the fleet's capabilities. If the Windstorm could be taken out, or evendamaged, the enemy fleet's command-and-controlwould be seriously degraded. 

Two destroyers converged on Brad from 11 and 1o'clock. Brad switched to their channel. 

Brad reacted instinctively. His feet slammedfootpads as his arms and hands yanked andtwisted the other controls. The sensitive fightercorkscrewed and hurtled away just as laser-quadbeams from both destroyers crossed where hehad been a fraction of a second before. Jigglingreversers and thrusters, he space-skidded into atight half circle and dived under the closest ship. Killer beams tracked him but the arc couldn'tcatch up. 

Passing under, Hodak cut loose with hislaser-quads, raking laterally across thedestroyer's underside. At the close range thedamage was devastating. The destroyer splitapart along the shock line with a silent, flamingexplosion. 

Brad spun the ship about and fired the bowexplosive decompressor at the other destroyer. Thedestroyer crumpled into a twisted mass of metal. 

Veering off, Brad searched his instruments forsigns of battle cruisers. Hoping for a lead, heflipped the switch to Channel C and caught the tailend of a transmission: "... Enemy formation is nowchanging course to close with us. They are centeredon coordinates H010 and V210. Distance: 5 point2 million kilometers, closing fast. Tracking, andwill report. This is Lieutenant Asto, Commanderof Titan Patroller Group. Out. "

Brad felt a surge of elation. Drummer reachedacross the intervening space and pounded hisshoulder. Was it possible? The next voice onChannel C dispelled his doubts. 

"This is Fleet Commander Yargoul to all Commandersof the INOR Combined Fleet. UIPS battle fleet hasjust emerged from behind a comm screen sunsideof Planet Pluto. The screen was erected to keepthe Logistics Depot and the Slingshot work site fromcommunicating with their government during thisoperation. Unfortunately, it also kept us frommessages dispatched by our own headquarters. The UIPS fleet is still out of range, but closingfast. All INOR ships accelerate transition into battleformations and stations. Point for convergence iscoordinate H010-V210. Attention: Commander ofPlutonian Destroyer Group Two. Have one of yoursquadrons remain in this sector and to take out theinterceptors that have been harassing our fleet andthen catch up with us. Out. "

 Chapter FORTY-THREE

"One to Two and Three. "

Brad quickly briefed the Sentinels on thetransmissions. It brought a grunt from Hodak, asigh of relief from Myra, a squeal of delight fromKumiko, and a sarcastic "Well, it's about time, "from Adari. 

"Brad. " It was Drummer's voice. 

"Yes?"

"This conversation confirms feelings I've had sincewe joined forces against Narval, but I'd like to askthe question nevertheless. "

"No need to, Drummer. I was going to tell you atthe first opportunity after you made your appealto the ships' Commanders. Your feelings were right:we're all members of a UIPS team sent to PlanetPluto to keep Narval, and anyone else, frominterfering with Slingshot. Our job is far fromfinished. "

Drummer lapsed into silence. 

"Shouldn't we give our side a rundown on what'shappening?" Myra asked. 

"To do that we'd have to use unsecured channels, "Brad replied. 

"As soon as we do that we're in the open. Yargoulwill get a fix on us, and pick us off with theirlong-range particle beamers. Right now we'respecks in a crowded and still disorganized field, and that's our only protection. These fighters arePlutonian, and that's part of our cover. "

"Well, look, " Adari sounded frustrated. "We've beencarrying the ball for quite a spell. Our folks arehere and ready to take over. We know wherethey're at; let's give 'em our report in person. Then, maybe, I can wash my hair. I feel a mess. "

"This fleet still has a helluva lot of firepowerleft. " Hodak's voice was grim and brusque. "We'reright among 'em. We're 'point' for our side. "

"You're right, " Brad said. "Our job has changed:we're eyes and ears for our people, even whilewe're running interference. It's not over for usuntil the fleets are within range of each other, and then we'd damn well better be out of the way. "

He paused to scan the arena, and added: "I'll breakinto 'clear' in two minutes to give our people asitrep. Don't waste time on the INOR squadronthey're leaving behind to get us off their back. Head for the UIPS fleet in two minutes. Holdoutside of their perimeter until I find out whatthey need from us. If you run into Yargoul's fleetalong the way, shoot first. "

"Three to One. Comin' up on a cruiser. Theprotective screen on this one is tightenin' upand it'll be a hard nut to crack. Got me a tail-endcharlie minesweeper. I'll give it a try. At 1300kay -- 800 -- 400. Two seconds burst right upthe thrusters. Gone. They've marked us. We gotlaser-quads incoming. Into e-e-e-v-a-a-sive. Man, this baby's got speed. Out of it. OK, One andThree. They're organized again and sure as hellknow we're jabbin' at 'em. Ain't gonna be easy toget outta here. "

"Two here. I hear you, Three. Got a couple ofdestroyers off my starboard bow. Coming aroundfor a nose job. We're marked. Got incoming, lotsof it. At 1200 -- 800 -- 300. Two sec... "

Silence. 

"One to Two. Come in. "

Silence. 

A guttural howl of anguish tore through Brad'searphone. Myra. 

"I'm heading over, Brad, " she screamed, her voicehoarse and breaking. 

Brad didn't stop her, nor did he want to. 

The battle cruiser Windstorm, surrounded by itsdestroyer screen, was in sight. Brad weighed hischances on getting close enough for an effectiveshot. 

Studying the scene, Brad did not, at first, see thegray sphere separate from the Windstorm and plungeahead. Hodak did, paled, and pointed wordlessly. Brad stared at the sphere. His heart pounded. 

The Windstorm had launched a guided fusion warhead. The target was obvious. 

Brad knew the warhead's capabilities from theNeptune briefings. The Windstorm carried a K12, a fifteen meter-diameter warhead capable ofdestroying a natural minor satellite or a largepopulated colony. The bomb's mass was such thata heavy cruiser could carry no more than one. Onewas all that would be needed to decide the battle. The fireball had a two thousand-kay radius, and thepiggybacked neutronic dispenser, once the cloud wasreleased by the detonation, would inflict radiationdeath throughout tens of thousands of kay in alldirections. 

The UIPS fleet faced annihilation, as did Slingshot. 

Brad reacted instinctively. He jerked his shiparound and pumped max thrust after the speedingwarhead. 

A second later his mind snapped back from itsmomentary panic. 

"One to Three. " He recounted the facts. "If Two hassurvivors get them on board, or lash them to thesides, or whatever makes sense. Then catch up withus at max and give us a hand. 

"These warheads are coated against detection in theold stealth style. I've got to warn our fleet what'scoming so they can go evasive as much as theycan. Our fleet's break from course or formation willmess up any tactics they have in mind. They won'thave time to form up even if they do escape theblast and radiation zones. Firing at the warheadwon't help, even at close range. It's wrapped inso many layers of armor even particle-beamerscan't penetrate, so I don't know what our explosivedecompressors and laser-quads can do. But we'vegot to try. "

 ##

Two was a twisted, gray mass in a slow tumble whenThree drew close. Myra reduced power in her ship'smagnetic beams and directed them at the wreckuntil it stabilized. She maneuvered until the shipstouched. The beams held. 

Myra pushed the canopy clear, climbed out, andcrawled forward. She grasped a jagged projection onthe wreck, swung aboard, and stared into what hadbeen the control pit. She turned away and returnedto her ship without looking at Drummer. Laser quadsleft little organic residue. 

 ##

Brad switched to standard communications channelsand keyed in his identity. In a moment they wereswitched to a channel closed to outsiders. 

"Sentinel One to UIPS Fleet Comm Center. Acknowledge. "

The reply was swift. 

"UIPS Comm to Sentinel One. We read. "

"Sentinel One. Flash Immediate. Must talk to FleetCommander. Fleet in extreme and immediate danger. Now, partner, now. "

"Selvin here. "

"Sentinel One. Enemy Battle Cruiser Windstorm haslaunched a K12 fusion warhead. I do not questionthe warhead's vector; expect that its massattractors and proximity fuses are set to yourfleet's coordinates. 

"I am overtaking the warhead and will try toneutralize. Forcing a change in warhead directionwith my ship is not possible; the warhead's massand guidance system exceeds by far any pressuremy fighter can exert. Suggest you considerevasive action; will advise further if neutralizationaccomplished. "

The warning had been given. There was no time fortalk. The warhead was less than a hundred metersahead, and closing. 

Drummer tapped Brad on the shoulder and pointed. Two was coming up. 

Cold sweat drenched Brad's forehead and drainedinto his eyes. He blinked, shook his head to clearhis vision, and increased airflow in his suit. 

"Brad, " Myra's voice, fast. "Can we detonate itwith our guns from here? At this extremely closerange the concentrations of laser-quads andexplosive decompress energy by both of us ata single point might disable some part of thewarhead or set it off. "

"It would take too much time to cut through. I'vegot another idea. If it doesn't work, we won't haveenough time to try anything else. Hodak, take thecontrols and get the ship as close to the bombas you can, go for less than a meter from thewarhead's surface. Hold and orbit slowly, noseclose to the warhead so that I can scope thesurface. I'll tell you when to stop. Myra, keepclose above in my line-of-sight. Hodak, strapon your tool kit. "

Hodak maneuvered the ship close and set a patternthat covered the sphere methodically. Brad openedthe canopy, and directed the ship's beacon at thebland, gray surface. Seconds passed; the bomb'sgray coating was unbroken. Or was it?

"Stop, " Brad ordered. 

He pointed to a barely visible circular crack halfa meter across. 

"Myra. Get closer. Use your attractors to stabilizeand hold position. Give me a hand, Hodak. "

Brad climbed over the side. The lightgravity-enhancer soles of his space boots providedbarely enough adherence to the warhead's surface. Sliding, he made his way to the finely markedcircle, Hodak close behind. 

"Access to the calibration cavity, " Brad said ashe stooped, shed his outer glove, and felt aroundthe mating edge. "The bomb has to have a place toinsert fuse and trajectory data and fine tune theinitial settings. The well is closed with a plug asthick as the armor, and it's rotated into place. Theplug's outer coating is the same composition as onthe rest of the casing. Cut a radial slot along theedge of the cover. We'll push to rotate the covercounter-clockwise; it'll take both of us to work itloose. "

"Why not cut out the entire plug?"

"Too much time. The shell is too thick. "

Hodak grunted, withdrew a cutting tool from hiskit and after much effort formed a shallow, slantedgroove in the well cover. A heavy metal pry barcame next. Squatting, he forced the flat end intothe notch and pushed. The energy to push forcedhis body in the opposite direction. 

"Closer, Myra. "

At arm's length, and the ship immobilized by itsmags, Hodak braced his back against the fuselageand tried again. He felt the bar bottom in thenotch. 

Brad squatted beside Hodak and, using the fighter'smass to steady themselves, they pushed. The pressurescraped the plug's surface, but remain fast. Theymade a fresh cut, braced themselves, and pushed, sweat pouring from their faces. Very slowly, theplug gave way, eventually the surface rose slightlyabove the warhead's surface. More cuts, and a fingerhold. The plug rose a bit more. It seemed minutesbefore their hands could grasp it firmly. 

They unscrewed the plug. It drifted away. 

"When Ram had our skulls crammed with all thatraw data I thought this was garbage we'd neverhave to use, " Brad said. "I think a lot differentlynow. Myra, hold the mags tight and be ready tobreak away as soon as I give you the word. "

Lying on his side directly above the opening heinserted his arm and shoulder into the well as faras he could. Inside the cavity he located knobsand keypads by touch. At random, Brad twirled theknobs, pressed the keys, and opened and closedswitches. After a brief wait, he tore several wireconnections loose. 

"Working in the dark like this has disadvantages, "he grunted. 

Withdrawing his arm he slipped his outer glove backon. Hastily they climbed back aboard their fighter. 

"Go! Myra. Go!"

Both craft whirled away. 

"The warhead's computer assessed and integratedmy random inputs, " Brad said. "The solution shouldchange its flight path or, for all we know, resetthe switches for the proximity fuses so thatour ships' mass and proximity sets the bomb off. Let's get as far away as we can before it all comestogether and whatever's going to happen happens. "

The two fighters headed toward the UIPS fleet. Barely beyond the fatal radiation zone the nowdistant warhead detonated. The fireball lookedas huge as the Sun from Venus. 

Brad opened the communications channel. 

"Sentinel One to UIPS Fleet Comm Center. We'reapproaching in two Plutonian fighters from thedirection of the blast. Be ready to receive; we'recoming in. Acknowledge. "

 Chapter FORTY-FOUR

The opposing fleets maneuvered warily. It wastoo late for either side to safely fire long-rangethermonuclear warheads. The battlefield wouldbe a tight arena. 

Brad and Hodak matched up to Admiral Selvin'sflagship Ruthless. Without altering formation theRuthless extended a mag-beam and drew the fightersquickly to the flight deck one following the other. 

Wasting no time on boarding formalities, Bradmotioned his colleagues to follow as an escort ledthem at a run to the command deck. Selvin waswaiting impatiently. A debriefing officer tookHodak in tow, and an another escorted Drummerto the VIP lounge. 

At a sign from Brad, Myra trailed after him. 

The fleet command center was fifteen meters acrossand ten deep. View tanks, consoles and displaysalong the bulkheads glowed and portrayed themultidimensional battle zone, updates on readinessof the fleet and whatever had been consideredrelevant in defeating the enemy. Specialists andback-up technicians studied displays, recapped realtime data, checked results and sent them on in anongoing process. The place hummed with muted voicesand the almost silent clicks of an organized combatops center. 

Selvin waved Brad to join him at a plotting table. A globe-shaped view tank, suspended close overheaddisplayed the three-dimensional battle zone. Thecommand center's communicator hovered closeto Selvin, his head encased in a helmet linkedto all ships in the UIPS fleet, fleet headquarterson Earth, and the conference site. A hard-copydispatch remote on a shoulder harness extendedforward waist-high. 

Selvin hastily exchanged handshakes with Bradand Myra. Brad talked fast pointing to the capsuleMyra held in her hand. Listening, Selvin's Executivesignaled the communicator to open the secure linkto Commanders on all ships in the fleet. A nod fromthe grizzled Fleet Commander and Myra insertedthe capsule into a slot on the view tank's base. The Exec motioned the battle staff to observeand listen. Taking turns, Brad and Myra reeled offdetails on the enemy fleet's new Order of Battle. 

Brad pointed to locations in the view tank, suggesting potential UIPS tactical options toexploit the enemy's vulnerabilities. He added howCaptain Yargoul might respond, and how the UIPSfleet might use them to advantage. 

As Brad spoke, a microphone picked up his wordsand fed them into the computer to bring currentthe fleet's, now by-passed database. Selvin and hisstaff, even as they listened to Brad, observed theeffects on the plotting screen. A superseding fleettactical formation spread before them. 

There was no time for discussion; the opposingfleets were too close. Selvin, eyes on the tank andplot, took over and spun out orders to his ships'Commanders. 

"Your view tank has a copy of what I havehere, " he said. "The enemy fleet is down tofour battle cruisers, sixteen destroyers, threefighter-bombers, seventeen fighters, four gunboats, and three attack transports with troops aboard, plus a tagalong pack of armed support ships. 

"Consider the destroyers are in their bestscreening positions. We are totally committed. Launch fighters as soon as the INOR fleet is inoptimum range. Target priorities are cruisers, destroyers and gunships. Take the offenseimmediately against all enemy ships thatpenetrate our outer defenses. 

"Avoid contact with transports or support ships. If an enemy vessel is disabled, engage in rescueif your situation permits; especially should theyretire from the arena and present no hazard to theSlingshot construction site. In such circumstances, do not pursue. If they do begin to approach theTerminals, pursue at max and take them out. Keepthe construction site command center informedso that they can take defensive actions. 

"Engage the enemy. Attack. Attack. Attack. "

 ##

The INOR Commanders facing Captain Yargoul on hisview screen appeared apprehensive. They had notclosed with the enemy fleet yet lost two cruisers, three destroyers and a dozen fighters. Thethermonuclear warhead launched at the enemyfleet had been faulty or sabotaged into prematuredetonation. They had taken savage blows. 

Captain Yargoul rallied his forces. 

"The battle has just begun, " he exhorted hislisteners. "Our surveillance of the enemy fleetshows we are in a strong position. Form up forpenetrating the enemy fleet. Destroyers tightenscreens. As soon as the enemy gets within rangelaunch fighter-bombers and fighters. Gunships andattack patrollers take the point. Attack. Now. "

Optimum range was closing for particle beamers. Fighter-bombers, gunships and patroller-fightersfrom each side sped and dodged toward firing points. 

A Jovian fighter-bomber plunged through a gap inthe UIPS shield and came at the bridge of the UIPScruiser Implacable. Arrayed to fire for effect theImplacable cut loose with successive volleys ofits forward laser-quads. From a turret above thecruiser's upper structures a molecular disrupterflashed a cascade of energy that coalescedinto twisting, jagged bolts. The fighter-bomberdissolved as its guns fired a short burst. Fragments caroomed off its target's hull. 

Two thousands kilometers distant, a Titaniangunboat evaded the UIPS defensive screen andslashed in at Selvin's Ruthless. The flagship'sguns set up a withering fire, but couldn't matchthe lightning speed of the closing gunboat. Araking laser-doubles knifed through the Ruthlessamidships, opening ten meters of hull. The vacuumof space sucked at storage bays, shops andwardrooms; dozens of bodies floated through therupture. The gunboat, caught in a crossfire oflaser-quads, exploded silently. 

The Ruthless' internal safety doors had slammedshut immediately, isolating the damaged bays andcompartments. 

Suddenly, the main bodies of the two fleets werewithin range of each other's heavy weapons. Atangled circus of cruisers, destroyers, gunshipsand fighters careened through space, sweepingthe battle arena with their guns. Battle craft, fromboth sides, blossomed into clouds of wreckage, shards and debris in the first minutes of combat. 

More heavily armed, the INOR forces werenevertheless at a disadvantage. The fleet had notcompletely recovered from the disruptive effects ofthe haphazard redeployment that Adari had contrived. Drummer and Brad had deserted them; Hyk and theDragon were gone. The INOR forces lacked cohesion. Captain Yargoul had barely assumed command of thecombined fleet and needed to assess the situation. There was no time for that. They were face to facewith a powerful adversary who had appeared withoutwarning. An easy victory had become a struggle forsurvival. 

Two UIPS destroyers made a run at the Joviancruiser Boulder. Four explosive-decompressors cutloose simultaneously at the cruiser, striking heramidships. A succession of explosions wrackedthe ship, hurling debris and bodies in all directions. The ship rolled and yawed wildly out of control. The UIPS destroyers cut away. 

The Ruthless' damage assessments flashed to thebridge and the ship's Commander informed the fleetcommand deck. 

"We've still got full power and most of our gunsare operative, " Selvin announced to his staff aftera brief study of the report. "With another of theircruisers gone the big ships have evened out, butthey've still got the edge in destroyers. We've... "

"Fighter-bomber locked on to enemy cruiserEncounter. " The communicator's voice cut in overthe loudspeaker. 

"Put him on, " Selvin ordered. 

The pilot's voice filled the room, low and tense. 

"... 3000 kay starboard. Destroyer screen at 2000, kinda loose. Going in. Have incoming, lots of it. In evasive. I'm hit, but I'm through. 700. Moreincoming. Bridge in sights. Three seconds burst --a hit. I'm out of control. Encounter dead ahead... Gonna... "

Silence. 

Selvin turned away to hide the pain in his eyesat still another death. 

"Cruisers three to two, in our favor. " An officercalled out from his position at the battle monitor. "New ball game. "

Brad pointed, drawing Selvin's eyes to theconstantly changing plotting table and view tank. 

The displays showed the struggle had become aseries of separate skirmishes spread across amillion kay in all directions. Fighter-bombers andfighters without a mother ship, and destroyersthat had lost their cruisers ranged the battlefieldsingly and in pairs, searching out and attackingthe enemy. 

Not visible to the naked eye through the swarm ofspace debris around them, the view tank's sensorsdiscriminated against displaying the laceworkof crossing beams from laser-quads, explosivedecompressors, molecular disrupters, and hereand there, a cruiser's particle beamer. 

Admiral Selvin stared at the tank. 

"Does he realize what he's doing?" He whispered. 

The Jovian heavy cruiser Windstorm and itsscreen of destroyers had changed direction abouttwenty-five thousand kay distant and headedstraight at the UIPS fleet; the Jovian lightcruiser Assault and its escorts lined up behind. The UIPS cruisers Ruthless, Avenger and Implacablewere broadside to the oncoming enemy line. Most ofthe gun ports for the Windstorm's and the Assault'smost powerful long range weapons were alongtheir broadsides and out of position for returningfire at the UIPS battle fleet. Jovian vessels of alltypes that came within range of UIPS weapons wouldbe overwhelmed by UIPS concentrated broadsides. The Windstorm's escorts would not have the rangeuntil the two fleets were closer. 

"They've inadvertently maneuvered themselvesinto an ancient sea battle formation, " Selvin said. "It was once known as 'crossing the T'. They intendedto cut straight through our defenses to optimizetheir broadsides but instead they opened themselvesto ours. That's how the game is played. I have nochoice, but I have to act quickly. "

Selvin's battle computer counted down the enemy'sdistance and flashed estimates on when the enemyline would be optimally exposed to particle beamvolleys. 

"Cruisers: ready your particle beamers, " Selvincommanded, "sustained fire as soon as you havethe range. "

Moments after he spoke, the Admiral's ordertransformed into action. Abruptly, the gun circuitssnapped shut. Lights dimmed and the Ruthlessthrobbed as the beamers sucked up massive amountsof energy. The Avenger and the Implacable joined in. 

Indicators swung wildly. The technicians watchedthe dials and verified that a stream of highlycharged, invisible particles had erupted from thebeamer tubes. The lights returned to normal, andthe throbbing tapered off. 

The bolts struck the leading INOR warship fulllength from bow to stern, and moved on the secondin line as soon as it came into range. The INORbattle cruisers shuddered, smitten as by agiant hammer. Their hulls collapsed and theships exploded into enormous, silent fireballs. Destroyers and support ships in close screenswere caught in the blasts and shattered. 

The INOR fleet's will to continue the battle wasgone; they had disintegrated as a fighting force. 

The battle ground to a halt. What was left of theINOR armada withdrew beyond the reach of the UIPSfleet's long-range weapons, careful to demonstratethat their retreat was in a direction away fromthe Slingshot Terminals. It was just as well, linesof UIPS destroyers and gunships had formed up asa shield between the work sites and any potentialattacker from the residue of the INOR CombinedFleet. 

The arena quieted. UIPS search, rescue and medicalcraft searched the area, marking wrecks of bothsides with electronic signals, collecting the deadand treating the wounded. 

Communications lines opened between the fleets. Admiral Selvin requested the INOR commanders toorder a stand down from all weapons. All PlutonianAssault Force vessels were ordered to form up andprepare for boarders. 

Brad and Selvin stood in a corner of the commanddeck, heads close. Brad drew an object froma pocket as he spoke: the control for thecommunications barrier Zolan had erected. Selvin, hand to chin, stared at the device, listening. He pointed to it, and then in thedirection of the companionway. 

"Notify Camari, " he said. "Now. "

Brad nodded and raced away. 

 Chapter FORTY-FIVE

Camari's impassive gaze roamed the faces of theSolar System's leaders at the conference table. Thediscussions had quickly degenerated into an openclash of wills between Camari and Narval. The otherINOR Chiefs of State sat back to enjoy the contest, posing occasional questions to Camari or Narval, or to both. All knew they were in a waiting game. 

Camari went along, drawing Narval out. Each waseager for a message from the Planet Pluto SpecialZone that would present a new reality and thedefining course for the conference. 

Narval realized that he was being goaded by hisINOR allies to exacerbate the confrontation betweenthe Regions. Noting the time, he decided to dropthe first bombshell. 

"We have been called together to prepare a coursefor the future, " he rumbled, looking about withscorn. "Yet we of INOR sit here and quibble amongourselves, lacking a unified will to confront theUIPS directly and compel them to respect ourdemands. The circumstances of the times call forthe raw strength of an iron fist, not for a pressof beggars with outstretched, pleading palms. "

"I take exception, " President Straber of Titanleaned forward and waggled his finger at Narval. "We are a confederation of nation-states. Are yousuggesting that we abdicate our sovereignty to asingle authority? If we were to do that we face thesame chaos that preceded the separation of theRegions. We of Titan would find that intolerable. "

Narval seized the moment to pave the way forthe supreme power he felt would soon be his. The message from Drummer would surely comewithin minutes. 

"The old United Planetary System from which webroke away, " he countered, "was based on so-calleddemocratic principles and due process. The UnitedPlanetary System fell apart. The fragmented, international order that replaced it, thisgrotesque arrangement of nation-states, is equallyineffective and therefore obsolete. Our systemof authority and governance must be raised abovethe antiquated, interminable rules of the desperatebickering we now witness here at play among us. I will personally impose such changes. "

"Through tyranny?" Camari's words were dry as thedesert winds of Mars. 

Narval's eyes narrowed to slits of hatred as he glaredat Camari. Damn, where was Drummer's message?

Camari continued in the same tone, confrontingNarval directly, "I voice the profound hopes of thepeoples of our diverse cultures, and yet, of ourcommon species, that your threat is nothing butidle chatter. "

He turned his head to right and left, taking in theothers at the table. 

"What say you, leaders of INOR, to this threat froma criminal let loose among us from Callisto? Willyou yield to Narval your constitutional rights andauthority so that he personally assumes the powerto dictate to your nation and to your people?

"I, for one, reject his proposal with contempt anddeclare, here and now, that the UIPS will fight tothe death any attempt by Narval to impose his willon the United Inner Planetary System or, for thatmatter, on any nation in the Solar System. "

Around the table, and in the seats beyond, ashocked silence fell. They were indeed cynical andself-seeking politicians, and devious ploys weretheir stock in trade for getting and holding power. Narval's past was well known to them all. His wordswere a direct challenge to their positions, theirregimes, and their lives. Faces clouded, theyappeared overcome by the realization that Narval'scapture of the Terminals was merely one part of afar greater conspiracy to destroy their sovereignty. 

Advisors leaned forward to whisper to theirMasters. Suspicious glances were cast at Narvalwho responded with a look of mocking amusement. 

"This is all without significance, " he thought, "bynow INOR military forces are committed to me. "

Camari sat quietly, letting it all happen. The dicehad been cast elsewhere. 

 ##

Ram entered and strode swiftly around theconference table toward Camari. Something in theway Ram's elongated frame stooped and flexedas he walked created an impression of suppressedexcitement. Camari tensed with apprehension. Ramcaught Camari's eye as the UIPS leader leaned backin his chair. 

Ram bent and whispered into Camari's ear. Hisurgent manner and Camari's close attention stirredthe conferees. Several at the table and in theseats beyond glanced at each other, eyebrowsraised; others eyed Narval. This was to have beenhis show. 

Narval sat motionless, eyes hooded, his normallyruddy face visibly graying. 

Camari held up his hand for attention. It was anunnecessary gesture; all eyes had been on him andRam from the moment Ram entered. 

"I understand an unusual spunnel communication hasarrived from the Planet Pluto Special Zone. " Camariannounced. "It is addressed to all Heads of Stateattending this convocation. The message calls foran audio-visual presentation in the view tank. Anyobjections?"

Without waiting for a response, he nodded over hisshoulder. Ram murmured into the tiny transmitterin his hand. 

The view tank, centered above the conferencetable, lost its soft neutral glow, blinked, and thePlanet Pluto sector appeared. The tank displayedthe debris of a space battle: ruptured ships, unrecognizable masses and fragments, and bloatedhuman bodies. In the background were the SlingshotTerminals, intact. 

From around the table came sounds of breathdrawn sharply, gasps and muttered curses. 

The view narrowed and zoomed in on a broad sheetof drifting metal. It bore the emblem of the JovianCombined Strike Team. Large letters emblazonedabove the emblem spelled out the partial word"Windst... "

All eyes in the room were spellbound, fixed on thetank. All, except for President Pazzim of Callisto. At the sight of a drifting scrap that had once beenthe pride of his fleet, he groaned loudly, hunchedhis shoulders and lowered his head. He did not lookup again. 

The hull of a battle cruiser formed along thetank's outer edge and tumbled slowly end over endtoward center. Bow collapsed, the ship drifted intoand out of view. Experts from the back seats leanedforward and whispered. The lifeless hulk had beenthe Plutonian Battle Cruiser Dragon. 

Camari shifted his eyes to Narval, half up fromhis seat, face putty-white, lips quivering, eyestransfixed on the view tank. Tearing his eyesaway, he pointed at Camari and screeched. 

"It's a trap. " His voice trembled in panic andbecame a wail. "This is another stratagemconcocted by Camari to frighten us. "

He gestured wildly and his mouth dribbled. "I knowyour ways, Camari. You're trying to divide and pitus against each other so that you can move in andtake over. It won't work. Since you cannot shakeour unity and resolve with empty appeals forSlingshot, you now invent battles that never tookplace. They just couldn't have happened. We'reon to you. You're a fraud and a cheat. I move thisconvocation be terminated immediately. I, for one, have no intention to remain and be subjected tofurther lies. "

Even as Narval squealed and pounded the table, thescene in the tank faded into a broader view of aphalanx of disabled warships, several bow-to-stern, and others in a disorganized cluster. Again, thesecure Terminals were the backdrop. 

The scene cut to the command deck of a warship. A face, contorted in anger and despair, appearedand addressed them. 

"I am Captain Klars Abou, Commander of theSaturnian Combined Strike Team, now actingas Commander of the INOR Combined Fleet, orwhat's left of it. I make this statement of my ownfree will. The original mission given to me by myPresident was to join with other military forcesof INOR to take and hold the Slingshot Terminalshostage as insurance for an outcome in negotiationsthat would be favorable to INOR. 

"The mission to take the Terminals has failed. Wewere attacked and defeated by the military forcesof the United Inner Planetary System. We werebetrayed by the Plutonians. The Commander ofthe UIPS Military Space Force has ordered all ourwarships, except those of Planet Pluto, to returnto their home stations. The INOR military forces, at the outset, had neither strategic nor tacticalplans for the confrontation that we haveexperienced. Our forces are in utter disarray; wehave no choice but to comply with the orders of theUIPS Fleet Commander. I have therefore directedthe dissolution of the INOR Combined Fleet andordered the vessels to return home. The UIPS fleetcommander has granted us leave to use the spunnelsystem for this purpose. "

Captain Abou's features faded. An ominous quietdescended on the conference room. Narval, strickenand silent, remained half-standing, looking fromthe tank to Camari, and at the faces of hisco-conspirators. Camari returned Narval's gapeimpassively. 

There was more. Drummer's features replacedthose of Captain Abou. His features were sternand his head shook slightly with tension and anger. However, his voice was grave and measured in tone, deep and vibrant. 

"Leaders of Solar Governments. To those who donot recognize me, I am Deke Drummer, formerlyan advisor to Reen Narval and, also formerly theCommander of the INOR Combined Fleet. I confirmCaptain Abou's words. The mission against Slingshotfailed. The reasons are many, but failure is thefact. You now have the task, at your convocation, to seek solutions to our common problems throughother means. 

"All military forces and government administratorsof Planet Pluto are under my command. I proclaimthe Government of Reen Narval is fallen. I haveestablished myself as Regent over Planet Plutountil a lawful President is chosen by the will ofour people. I hereby declare Reen Narval personanon grata on Planet Pluto, and have instructed mywarships to attack and destroy his vessel shouldhe enter Plutonian jurisdiction. I remind you all thatNarval came to Planet Pluto as a criminal outcastfrom Callisto. I suggest to the President ofCallisto that he take custody of Narval and dealwith him on the basis of the crimes he committedwithin Callistonian jurisdictions. 

"To President Camari, I herewith declare thatthe original understandings on cooperation andcollaboration with the Government of PlanetPluto until Slingshot is launched remain ineffect. Planet Pluto is an independent nation, nevertheless, I request that, in this singularsituation, that you personally represent ourinterests at the Conference. I look forward to anearly exchange of Ambassadors and consultationsto review our mutual interests and objectives. I have in mind three people whom I hope you willconsider for high position in your representationto my Government. I shall communicate with youseparately on that matter. "

 Chapter FORTY-SIX

 SOLAR LEADERS REACH ACCORD TRANS-SOLAR NEWS SERVICE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FLASH: SYSTEM-WIDE Filed at Solar Conference Site

The meeting of the Solar System's Heads of Stateis a success. President Camari of the UIPS openedthe proceedings with a brief speech. Ignoring pastdifferences, he emphasized common interests, interdependence of peoples and nations, andbenefits through collective efforts to meet theneeds of the dispersed communities of humankind. 

"The singular authority of the old United PlanetarySystem, " Camari said, "had no need for meansto resolve issues among separate nation-states. That is no longer true. We must provide forinterregional and international deliberations anddecision-making. Furthermore, our diminishedreserves of metals, minerals and other essentialsubstances, on the one hand, and the benefits ofan operational Slingshot, on the other, creates newchallenges of common concern and more options inthe search for solutions. Unless we accelerate ourcollaboration to resolve the resources crisis ourcivilizations may well erupt once more towardpotential disasters such as the one we are heretrying to escape. "

Following President Camari's opening remarks, theconference was addressed by INOR Chiefs of State. Each expressed the aspirations of his or her peopleand their capabilities toward attainment. All agreedthat their meeting was timely, that the problemswere mutual, and that the agenda be addressedwithout delay. 

The exchanges were intense as the conferees soughta balance between inalienable rights and solemnobligations. Many issues were extremely complex:What are an inhabited planet's or satellite'sjurisdictional limits within territorial andcontiguous space? What are the rights andobligations of one Region's military and commercialvessels and citizens when inside the lawfulboundaries of another? What is the definitionof "innocent passage" in the context of amulti-national Solar Community? How are ourdynamic and constantly changing interplanetaryand interregional space lanes to be maintained? Whowill pay for such services? Questions posed in onecontext were injected into others or phrased tohighlight a wide range of diverse interests andnuances. 

Discussions among the primary conferees were, attimes, suspended for caucuses of Heads of Statesorbiting a central planet with their advisors. Adhoc committees were set up to explore optionsin depth, or at minimum, to provide clarity andcontext to the issue. The meeting rooms alongthe periphery of the assembly hall filled withspecialists who argued loudly, in whispers, and atlength. 

Often, additional data was needed from Seats ofGovernment. The spunnel communications channelswere loaded with traffic, and archives throughoutthe system opened, many for the first time inmillennia. The Conference Disk's computers absorbedfacts and expert opinions and spewed distillationsof new conclusions. 

Slowly, positions clarified and consensus took form. 

A draft Declaration of Principles emerged fromthe back rooms. It dealt with only a few of manyproblems that needed immediate attention, leavinga broad array of issues open for further review. 

After hours of debate the Draft Declaration ofPrinciples was approved by the Leaders of the SolarCommunity. (See Appendix. )

All agreed that the First UIPS-INOR Conferenceaugured well for the future of humankind. 

 Epilogue

The networks of mass attractors that tetheredthe Extractor to Planet Pluto disengaged nineEarth centuries after construction began. Plutocontributed its orbital momentum to the launch. In time the integrated drives of the most advancedpropulsion thrusters took on the full load, and thedream of humankind was on its way to the AlphaCentauri star system, on schedule. 

Scientists and technicians on The Solar System'sSlingshot Control Center maintained constantreal-time oversight of the Extractor's subsystemsand structures through spunnel monitors. Aconvoy of robot deflectors and screens clearedthe Extractor fleet's path of meteoroids, sand androck swarms and space debris. Hundreds of logisticsrobots crammed the station's cavernous bays, self-sustaining and programmed to activatesub-systems on schedule, deploy robotic specialistsand service the machine during its voyage, and inperpetuity thereafter. 

Maximum acceleration for almost two Earth decadesincreased the fleet's velocity to five percentspeed-of-light, which it maintained for more thana Solar System Standard Century. Deceleration andvector adjustments took another three decades. Alignment to major concentrations of potentialsources, selection of a 'first phase' work site, calibration of instrumentation and activating itsspunnel channels and monitors required still more. 

Back along the Solar rim, the Collector remainedlinked to Planet Pluto for two decades followingthe Extractor's departure. Its schedule alongPluto's orbit provided sufficient time for theCollector's transit to its permanent stationalong the rim, to track the Extractor's positionvia spunnel to refine details for integratedoperations, and for positioning and calibrating thethousands of networks that coordinate the solarand interstellar arrays. 

The citizens of the Solar community tuned in towitness the release of the Interstellar SpunnelSignal from the hand of the President of the newlyformed United Nations of the Solar System. It wouldbe the final signal to synchronize and activate thecollective controls of the Extractor and Collector. 

The President keyed the Signal. 

 ##

Remote spunnel nodes and boosters along the routefrom the Solar System to Alpha Centauri monitoredthe Signal and the response. Rings of laser arraysalong the edge of the Extractor's hopper flashedalive and focused their beams on a large, slowlytumbling planetoid hundreds of kilometers acrossits minor dimension. 

Sensors, analyzers, siphons and beam-guidesparalleled the lasers' signals along anincandescent column of plasma from the dissolvingplanetoid into the Extractor's processes and, whenready, into the hopper. The truncated apex of theExtractor's teleport gate cone glowed red, thenviolet, and thirty meters of its length disappearedinto its new hyperspace home. 

The invisible nozzle hurled a concentration ofelemental substance across hyperspace to itssister station four and a half light-years distant. 

The first sign of incoming was a churning, expanding mass of violet bubbles around the apexof the Collector. Shifting colors as it cooled andsolidified, the mass transformed into a huge brownglobe. The globe separated from the nozzle anddrifted off, replaced by another mushroomingbubbling mass at the nozzle's tip. 

A fleet of robot tugs clamped mag-beams on thefree-floating globes and hauled them off. Anotherfleet of giant space tugs moved into position forthe next gift of crude but treasured substanceteleported across interstellar space from adistant star. 

The cornucopia was in flow and humankind's firstoutbound and inbound highways to the greateruniverse were complete and working. 

 Afterwords

An overview of the times prepared by Level 2students, Luna Middle School, based on recordsand commentaries in the official archives ofThe Interstellar Mining and Teleport System. (Reference: Index, Capsule V67 The InterstellarHistorian, Third Millennium, Interstellar Era. )

In the centuries that followed humankind's giantleap to Luna, scientists, engineers and scholars inalmost all of Planet Earth's disciplines probed everdeeper into space. Explorers studied and charted thesurfaces, depths and atmospheres of each of theSolar System's bodies, and scrutinized the dynamicsand constituents of space matter out to the KuiperBelt and Oort Cloud. They ventured into the voidbeyond Pluto's aphelion for hundreds of millionsof kilometers -- although not yet the stars. 

The first landing on Luna in Year 1969 of the thenCommon Era was judged to be among humankind'sgrandest achievements. At the Luna landing'sTercentenary a universal calendar was ordained tocommemorate the Event as New Year's Day, Year 0, formally beginning humankind's Interplanetary Era. 

By then, populated Moon and Mars bases were wellestablished. Construction cadres had venturedinto and beyond the Asteroids. Their experiences, surface and strata tests and studies influencedthe selection of sites for mining operations andstrategic outposts along the space frontiers. Advance construction battalions built basic habitatand, having attained 'shirt sleeve' environments, conceptualized, planned, gathered local materials, and designed and built infrastructure andindustries that, in time, blossomed into enormousencapsulated cities, social orders, culturaladjustments and civilizations. 

Explorers became teachers and mentors. Initiallyin Earth orbit, later in lunar space and on Lunaitself, they guided settlers in developing newlifestyles and colonizing skills, and showed themhow to wrest and refine usable elements andminerals from nearby sources. They devised andtested methodologies to convert crude spacematter into forms with which to create andintegrate structures, and manufacture and operatemachines and networks that would sustain surfaceand contiguous space and inter-satellite andinterplanetary navigation and logistics systems. 

The emigrants procreated and populated theircities in the void. Their disparate ancestries blendedthrough a natural vitality that accelerated humanevolution so as to survive in a radically newenvironment. In so doing, they turned away fromtraditional conventions still deeply ingrained intheir common species. Adjusting over time to thenovel experience of space, they conceived new waysor adapted their ancient qualities and prosperedin wholly enclosed artificial worlds. Organmodifications, genetic engineering and cloninggave impetus to human transformation. 

Instinctively, humankind-in-space prepared for aneventual voyage to the stars. 

At the close of the first interplanetary millenniumthat shaped and launched The Great Migration toSpace the original emigrants' progeny had becomean indigenous population. Five centuries into theInterplanetary Era's second millennium the SolarSystem included more than five hundred populatedcolonies and outposts, and twice that numberof robot stations for interplanetary andinter-satellite navigation, communication relay, and space rescue. Populated by humans and theirrobots, colonies extended from the voids aboveMercury and Venus through the Asteroids, thesatellites of the gas planets, to Planet Pluto. 

As colonies multiplied and spread across thevast interplanetary realm the solar communitybecame impatient with time consumed in normalpoint-to-point space communications and transport. The excessive transmission and portage time wasespecially irritating in communications, shipmentof priority cargo, and human travel acrossdistances from bodies orbiting along on oppositesides of the Sun. Hyperspace technology solvedthe problem. 

"Spunnels" in the public's jargon, came into being, the term compressed from the phrase "hyperspacetunnels, " a universal phenomenon once suspectedand eventually confirmed. In the centuries precedingThe Great Migration the phenomenon had beengenerally referred to as a wormhole, an archaic andirrelevant expression, even in those ancient times. 

Spunnel networks reduced transmission time betweenthe most widely separated points in the system fromhours to real-time. Successful in communications, scientists and engineers concentrated on thetechnological leap from spunnel communicationsto spunnel teleportation, a capability urgently andclearly essential to move humans, machines, andraw materials across interplanetary distances. 

The flood of emigrants to space colonies andoutposts exceeded tens of thousands eachyear over several centuries, leaving behind astill over-crowded Earth that had long sincecried 'enough'. Among the migrants were artisansand technicians, minimally to highly-skilledadministrators, sociologists, teachers, scientistsand engineers and, scattered among them, contemporary philosophers who preached themetaphysical. Together, they represented allof Earth's peoples and a cross-section of theircultures. 

Technology, however, imposed constraints. Theinsatiable appetite for metals, minerals, rareearths and other nonrenewable substances increasedinexorably. They remained the foundation for theSolar System's industries, driven by the constantclamor of indulgent lifestyles. Fully aware thatvital minerals and other substances were beyondreplenishment from within the Solar System, thesolar community nevertheless squandered itsrapidly diminishing resources. 

In time, reserves of nonrenewable resourcesdropped from residue to gleanings. Recycling, salvage, ever-deeper mine shafts and tunnels, repeatedsweeps of the Earth's sea beds and planetaryand satellites' crusts, trenches, beds and cratersoffered insufficient returns. Scouring the AsteroidBelt, sifting the Kuiper-Oort regions, and intensecompetitions for substitutes provided inadequateand merely temporary relief. The solar community'spopulation, on Earth and in space, had exploded tomore than fourteen billion people. The search forsubstances to support humankind's needs rangedthroughout; there were no more sources, nor werethere sanctuaries. 

Certainly, there would not be enough for voyagesto the stars. 

 ##

At long last, humankind confronted its reality. Netyields from nonrenewable reserves, residues andsubstitutes had dwindled until exhaustion wascertain and a timeline predictable. The choiceamong grim options could no longer be postponed. In the end, there were two:

-- Remain in place, ration, recycle andredistribute minerals, metals, ores and otherusable substances and substitutes with Draconiandiscipline, and take the consequences, or

-- Chance the most awesome venture in humankind'slong history: reach out to a distant star and tearfrom it the raw matter that would preserve andperpetuate the grandeur of the human experience. 

The second option would be the ultimate gamble:winning would bring the cornucopia soughtthroughout the ages. Failure, even at an earlystage, would dissipate what little reservesremained. Vitality drained, humankind would slipback into the pits and the mud from which it hadso laboriously climbed. 

The decision was to reach for the stars. 

 ##

 The Interstellar Mining and Teleport Program

The Objective: To draw from Alpha Centauri, thenearest star system, 4. 35 light-years distant, itsminerals, metals, elements and whatever usefulsubstances could be moved across space, and storethem nearby in the Solar System, accessible to allhumankind. 

The Task: Increase the Solar System's spunnelrange, capability and capacity to teleport matteracross interstellar space in a continuous flow andin sufficient quantities to satisfy the purpose ofthe Objective;

Construct and dispatch an advance fleet of dronescouts to the Alpha Centauri star system atthe earliest possible time to survey, analyze andreport via spunnel on the availability, locationsand accessibility of resources specified generallyin the Objective;

Concurrently, design, construct and position aninterstellar spunnel portage system consistingof two terminals, each of which would includean integral, fully self-sufficient facility forcommand-and-control, self-service and repair, logistical and other operations essential to itsunique mission. Designate the terminal at 'star'destination the Extractor and the terminal thatremains on the solar rim, the Collector. 

-- The Extractor selects and draws usablenon-organics from the Alpha Centauri starsystem, and collects, converts and channelsthe product into its teleport shipping facility forpoint-to-point spunnel transfer to the Collector. 

-- The Collector receives the product, convertsit to its original form, and classifies, identifiesand ejects the substance for storage along thesolar rim or at a point Authority determines tobe more appropriate. 

Construct the terminals four million kilometersbeyond Pluto. During construction, secure theterminals to each other and separately, to Pluto, employing mass attractors and position stabilizers, as required. 

Disengage the Extractor from Pluto at launchemploying Pluto's outbound orbital momentumin a manner that the combined fleet retains itsintegrity in perpetuity. 

Deploy the Extractor to Alpha Centauri and positionit in orbit above a point commensurate with dataprovided by the drone scouts. Maintain constantsurveillance and exercise control over operationsand maintenance via spunnel analyses of theExtractor's functions, structures and equipment. 

Position the Collector along the solar rim andorient it consistent with the Extractor's positionand operations in the Alpha Centauri system. 

 Stages

The Extractor, in position at destination, analyzes, selects and draws substance fromproximate asteroids, comets, satellites, planetoids, swarms, star surface and otheraccessible bodies and strata, reduces the substanceto spunnel-teleportable constituents, loads the massinto the spunnel facility and dispatches the product. 

The Collector, positioned in the Solar Systemoriented to the Extractor, receives and convertsthe Extractor's transmissions, processes substanceinto its original or a refined state, classifiesand ejects the mass for positioning in the storagezone. 

 Resources and Schedule

The Task requires six Earth centuries to design, construct, equip, test, deploy and activate. Themillennia of delay in initiating the Task imposesinescapable hardships on the Solar Community. 

Accordingly, when justified as essential to theObjective, solar governments divert work forces, systems, and material resources from throughouttheir jurisdiction to the Task. The consequencesof these diversions are expected to significantlycurtail construction, activities, lifestylesof Earth and space colony populations, thedistribution of the solar system's residualresources and, possibly, the independence ofgovernments, organizations, and individualsthroughout the solar realm. 

Critical to the program's success is timing theExtractor's launch. Piggy-backed to Pluto duringconstruction, the Extractor exploits the planet'sorbital momentum for launch. The window isprecise and short-lived along Pluto's outbound orbit;there will be only one launch opportunity for theExtractor. Disengaged from Pluto, the Extractorfleet will accelerate along its course to optimumvelocity through integrated thrust of multiplethermonuclear burst-propulsion systems or other, more advanced propulsion systems, that are orbecome available for the Task. 

 ##

The Interplanetary Era's second millennium wastumultuous. The harsh austerity imposed by theincreased deficits in metals, minerals and otherindustrial materials and their substitutes createdone set of problems; human cloning augmented withgenetic engineering and their societal and culturaleffects, especially beyond the Asteroids, createdothers. Human survival in scores of widelyscattered and unaffiliated space colonies, loosely called "tank towns, " encouraged scientificand social experiments that altered traditionalcultures as well as human physiological andpsychological characteristics. 

Cumulative genetic and accelerated evolutionaryalterations to the human body along with theeffects of unique, often hostile, environmentsplus sheer distance from the familiar transformedhumans-in-space into something else. The unifyingforces that had survived the Great Migrationwithered. In time, the once shared interests ofpeoples, and allegiances to a home planet, sundered. 

Varied and increased rates of change openeddoors to pretenders among a colony's populace. Opportunists promoted a multitude of causes, usually self-serving. Anticipating advantages tothemselves, they combined forces and becameinfluential advocates for disengagement frompolitical, cultural and judicial dominance by thetotally foreign open sky government of Earth, billions of kilometers distant. 

Disengagement, the opportunists agitated, waslong overdue; Earth inhabitants would never reallyunderstand what life in deep space was about. 

The crisis came in the middle centuries. Bureaucrats representing the central governmenton Earth were isolated from the affairs of thecolonies they administered. The indigenous populaceignored their authority, their credentials werechallenged, and they were invited to return totheir home planet -- with no options. 

The central government on Earth, weakened byshortages and distracted by agitators at homeand in space, was neither vigilant nor prepared. 

Early in the second millennium of theInterplanetary Era, several colonies in the OuterRegion declared their independence of the originalUnited Planetary System and of each other. Othercolonies and outposts joined and within a decade, all had proclaimed themselves as newly constitutednation-states. Each reserved exclusive rights tonegotiate with other nation-states of the Region. New agreements were implemented on mattersof common interest, such as credits, industry, ajudicial system, trade and commerce, science andtechnology, space traffic control, education andcultural exchange, and creation and managementof infrastructure and management of life-supportresources within their territories and jurisdictions. 

The Outer Region's proclamations panicked thecentral government. 

On the one hand, Earth ethicists argued, were therights of the inhabitants of the space colonies. Asmembers of distant societies they had modifiedtheir bodies, their environment and their cultures, therefore, they had a right to seek their owndestiny unfettered by well-intentioned, butobviously impotent laws that originated on Earth. The advocates of this philosophy emphasizedthe Outer Region's right to their own physical, technological and cultural development. As uniquecivilizations, evolving at an unprecedented rapidpace, they were already radically different fromthe humankind that had remained on distant Earth. 

On the other hand, claimed others, the system-widescarcity of natural sources vital to the survivalof the species was a shared crisis. The crisiscould be solved, if at all, only through the mostconcerted application of humankind's intellectualand collective genius. In one context, they wereindeed unique civilizations: robust, sophisticatedand divergent, nevertheless, instinctively takingnourishment from a common fealty to humankind'sultimate destiny among the stars. Humankindwould be far stronger and effective together, they argued, than it would be, divided within acommon species. 

The debate raged across the System. The separatistswon. 

Earth's General Assembly acceded to the demandsfor self-determination. The new status of the outerand inner regions was confirmed in The Treaties onthe Separation of Jurisdictions for the Planets andSatellites of the Inner Region and the IndependentNations of the Outer Region. 

The outer periphery of the Asteroid Belt became theboundary. The United Planetary System was dissolvedand reconstituted as the United Inner PlanetarySystem (UIPS). The natural and artificial coloniesthat orbited the planets and satellites of theOuter Region, or the central sun, retained theiroriginal identities (Ganymede, Titan, Callisto, etc. ), and Pluto added "Planet" to its name todistinguish itself from planetary satellites. Theformer colonies beyond the Belt formed a loosefederation: Independent Nations of the Outer Region(INOR). 

The United Inner Planetary System insisted thatPlanet Pluto and its contiguous space remain withinthe UIPS Slingshot Special Zone of Operations untilthe Extractor and the Collector were both safelyaway from Pluto's jurisdiction, as judged by theUIPS. The Plutonian government refused. The otherINOR nations, immersed in their own problems, were indifferent. The issue was left to the UIPSand Planet Pluto to resolve. 

The UIPS continued, without prior consultation withINOR and Planet Pluto, to construct and operateSlingshot logistics sites and facilities on Pluto'ssurface, in contiguous space, and within and alongthe Planet Pluto orbit. The UIPS, interpretingtraditions and treaties that had evolved fromEarth's ancient Laws of the Seas and Space, exercised and defended free and unencumberedtravel and passage by its citizens and vessels indeep space and throughout the INOR jurisdictions. 

The UIPS took steps to ensure the security ofSlingshot construction and logistics support sitesand space-ways. 

 ##

The Slingshot Advance Cadre arrived in theNeptune-Pluto orbit-crossing sectors toward the endof the Interplanetary Era, before the breakup of theold United Planetary System. Colonizing Pluto andconstructing space kits that would be transformedinto surface habitat and supply depots begancenturies earlier when Planet Pluto was barely pastaphelion but within economical range of deep spacetransports. The cadre's vessels carried and towedcommunications gear, specialized construction rigs, platforms and infrastructure kits which had beenfabricated or assembled in the industrial tanktowns above Luna, Venus and Mars, and bycooperating governments of satellites in theouter region. 

The Cadre's primary mission was to establish abase of operations on Pluto. The program calledfor the planet to support a colony of fifty thousandspecialists and construction workers -- and theirfamilies -- for the assembly, construction andtesting phases, plus ten thousand transients andtemporary residents. The latter would comprise'rest and relaxation' visitors, liaison and specialmissions staff from a nearby logistics depot andthe construction sites, and agricultural and foodprocessing workers from Planet Pluto's moonCharon. Also expected were cargo handlers and ship'spersonnel from transports entering and departingPluto from-and-to points throughout the system. 

About eighty percent of Pluto's permanent adultpopulation would work on the two terminals. The specialized professions for the initial phaseranged from scientists and engineers to artisans, skilled and semi-skilled workers in all of thedisciplines and industrial skills required toconstruct and operate a complex station in spaceand service and maintain a permanent habitat andpopulation on Pluto's surface. 

Children would be born on Pluto, natural or cloned. They, as well as the general population, wouldbe cared for and supported by a host ofadministrative, health care, educational, recreational, life support and community services. 

The Cadre's mission was in phases. The firsttask of the initial phase was to land on Pluto'ssurface, seek out stable surfaces or create themby fusing subsurface strata to sufficient depthfor support of massive structures. 

Gravity enhancement surface panels and theirenergy sources would be installed wherever enclosedcommunities or special purpose structures were tobe constructed. A detachment of the Cadre wouldland on Charon, Planet Pluto's moonlet, and fuseand seal sections of the moonlet's surface andsubsurface same as on Pluto. 

On the solidified, stabilized surfaces of Pluto andCharon the Cadre would erect a tank town dome. Thedome would have a ten-kilometer radius on PlanetPluto and a one-kilometer radius on Charon. 

Construction would proceed concurrently on surfaceand subsurface utility and life support facilitiesessential to human habitation. When enclosed areaswere shirtsleeve ready for occupancy, the Cadrewould erect essential life support, residential andrecreational facilities. These would be followed bytechnical, communications and transport networksfor Slingshot scientists, industrial technicians, and staff, followed by enclosed living areas forthe remainder of the general populace that wouldtrain and do the work during the subsequent phases. 

The tanktown on Planet Pluto would be namedColdfield; its counterpart on Charon would beLamplight. 

An On-site Project Management Team (OPMT) directedthe Advance Cadre. The OPMT formed the nucleus ofupper level managers, scientists and engineers, andother experts charged with organizing and guidingthe functional task groups. The functional staffswould bring into being the on-site technical andadministrative support facilities, install andoperate its equipment, and govern the communitieswithin which the populace worked and resided. 

The OPMT was organized into three groups: GroupOne: Planet Pluto; Group Two: Charon, and GroupThree: Logistics Depot. Each Group had its mission:

 Group One (Planet Pluto) Mission

Five kilometers from Coldfield, construct andoperate a simplified fusion-based energy generatingand power transmission system to provide sufficientoutput to support all anticipated power and networkrequirements of the planet;

Beneath and adjacent the Coldfield dome, construct, organize and operate encapsulated surface andsubsurface laboratories, manufacturing and overhaulplants, space and surface transport and trafficroutes and controls, surface roadways, utilityand communications systems, landing and mooringfacilities, energy hubs for gravity enhancementgrids, and other essential utilities and facilities;

Establish and administer institutions for lawenforcement, public health, education and othercommunity affairs. 

 Group Two (Charon) Mission

Convert Lamplight into a food-growing andprocessing plant capable of feeding the entirePlutonian permanent and transit populations, andon-site personnel at the Logistics Depot and theTerminals Construction Site. Encapsulate Lamplightin an impermeable radiation-resistant plasticmembrane and introduce and maintain constanttemperature and air-moisture and otheragriculture-supportive atmosphere and environmentthat meets prevailing deep space colony or equalstandards;

Constructively use Charon's and Pluto's water iceand substances generated as waste and by-productsof human habitation throughout the Pluto and nearspace sectors. Conduct research and develop drip, hydroponics and other agricultural systems, proteinsynthesis and manufacture, and ship to Coldfield, the Slingshot work site and the Logistics Depothigh-quality foodstuffs suitable for storage andconsumption. Charon operations are to be fullyautomated and robotically maintained. 

In support of the Charon agricultural mission, Planet Pluto, the Slingshot Logistics Depot, theTerminals' construction site, and ships mooredor in transit within the Special Zone constitutean integrated ecological entity. All organics and allmineral and chemical plant growth stimulants, suchas discarded or excess food and fluids, bio-waste, usable industrial and community waste, and cadaversare committed to processing as fertilizers orfor specialized application to the creation offoodstuffs. Organic waste and cadaver partsunsuitable for constructive purposes (fertilizer)on Charon will be fully sterilized and reduced asclose as practicable to zero residue. 

 Group Three (Logistics Depot) Mission

Construct a space station to specification aboveColdfield and designate it 'Slingshot LogisticsDepot'. Arrange for the depot to serve for centralreceiving, warehousing and shipping center formateriel committed to the Slingshot Terminals, and for processing materiel through all activePlanet Pluto surface and sub-surface technicaland servicing facilities;

Provide the Depot with facilities and train itspersonnel for emergency backup in manufacturingand servicing capabilities redundant to those onthe planet;

Create a highest level technical capability tosynthesize materials, and manufacture, fabricate, test and calibrate those precision parts, tools andaccessories which are best made in the micro-gravityand pollution-free conditions of deep space and/orsafely distant from Pluto's and Charon's surfacesand their gravitational influences;

Augment the Depot's security with a gated forcefield that fully encapsulates and protects theDepot and all vessels engaged in loading andoff-loading personnel and materiel; patrolscontiguous space and keeps the Logistics Depotand UIPS citizens and property self-sufficient andsafe from disease, harassment and harm;

Install on the Logistics Depot and at the TerminalsConstruction Sites independent communications, cargo, living organism teleport centers, eachcapable of receiving and dispatching authorizedcargoes, passengers, dispatches and communicationsvia conventional, spunnel, and specifiednon-conventional channels. 

 ##

The Terminals Construction Site is the focal pointof UIPS operations. The Construction Site's missionis to research, design, fabricate, test, assembleand, ultimately, launch, position at destinationsand operate, monitor and maintain the SlingshotExtractor and Collector terminals en route andat their destinations. 

 ##

The planning did not anticipate the dissolutionof the United Planetary System, the creation ofindependent and estranged Regions in their place, and a hostile government on Pluto. 

Military forces had been non-existent for more thanfifteen hundred years when the colonies of the OuterRegion seceded from the United Planetary System. Weapons of mass destruction had had no purposesince the birth of the first World Federation inthe fourth century of the Interplanetary Era. 

In place of an organized military, the succeedingWorld Federation had created an InterplanetaryConstabulary to protect lives and property, investigate crimes, control traffic, and maintaingeneral order. Their charter extended to allplanets, satellites, colonies, outposts, stations, and all places throughout the void into whichhumankind had ventured. 

The mission of the Constabulary remained unchangedduring political reorganizations within the firstWorld Federation and its successors. Its agentsranged the Solar System, and performed their dutiesquietly and efficiently. Few dared challenge theirauthority. When challenges did occur, they werenot for long. 

War, and the effects of war on people and thingswere forgotten. 

It was inconceivable, in those times, that theregion beyond the Asteroids would becomepolitically and culturally alienated from theunified community that humankind had created toguide them into the future. History, the citizensof the world concluded, had demonstrated theimpotence of the ancient, long-discarded arrayof adversarial nation-states and come-by-chanceleaders to govern an intellectually advancedspecies. 

No one expected a return to the old, long-discardedways. 

When separation of the Inner and Outer Regionsbecame inevitable, scholars in both Regionsexplored the possible and the probablerelationships that might develop under the neworder. The studies predicted that politicallyindependent nation-states would create multilateralalignments and conflicting societies, lifestyles andphilosophies. 

They took into account evolving technologicaland industrial capabilities, prevailing energy anddeclining reserves of industrial metals, minerals, and other usable substances and related them to theSolar System's demographic trends and resourcespredictions. When the United Planetary Systemdissolved, the successor UIPS felt it had no choicebut to continue the Slingshot program. 

The conclusions of humankind's most distinguishedscientists and philosophers suggested that twoindependent orders in space would bring with thema heightened likelihood of social and technologicaldislocations and disruptions. There would beinterregional and, within INOR, internationalcompetition that would increase the rate ofdepletion in resources. There would be a multitudeof disputes, often intentionally misinterpreted, to resolve territorial and jurisdictional differencesthat were already caught up in and molded by thedynamics of orbiting planets, and their satellitesand connecting space-ways. 

The effects on Slingshot could be catastrophic. Its security was paramount. Immediately followingseparation of the two Regions the President ofthe new UIPS directed the creation of a powerfulMilitary Space Force. 

The UIPS searched the ancient archives of Earth'smilitary history and designed weapons of defenseand offense. Ships of war and their supportingsystems were brought back into being, and spunnelgateways expanded to accommodate them. A militantphoenix rose from its ancient ashes. 

The Military Space Force was chargedwith patrolling the space-ways beyond theAsteroids to protect UIPS vital interests. Theirresponsibilities included protecting the lives ofUIPS citizens and private and government propertythroughout INOR wherever they happened to be, inspace or on the surfaces of planets and satellites. 

The role and intent of the UIPS military wasexplained to all INOR governments. "The MilitarySpace Force, " proclaimed the President of the UIPS, "would remain until INOR's member Nations weresufficiently stabilized to participate in ensuringpeaceful coexistence and passage along space-waysand at moorings throughout the Outer Region, andseparately and collectively agree to participate inand support the Slingshot Program. "

INOR, as a Federation, interpreted the formation ofthe UIPS Military Space Force and the President'sproclamation on its role as contemptuous of theirsocial and political maturity. The outcome waspredictable. 

Local INOR Defense Forces were hastily organizedand equipped. Dozens of ships of war were built andmany space transports were converted into armedvessels. Each INOR government, using self-defenseas justification, established controlled corridorsextending hundreds of thousands of kilometersinto its contiguous space, often far beyond theirlegitimate jurisdictions. Passengers and crews offoreign space transports, passenger liners, andutility and pleasure craft, whatever their pointsof foreign origin or destination, required visas, local pilots, and armed escorts upon arrivals anddepartures. Suspicions festered on all sides. 

It was an era of international and interregionalpolitical tensions and harassment, and military, technological and industrial sabotage andespionage. The history of Earth's ancients hadreturned to haunt the solar community. 

The rate of depletion in the Solar Community'sreserves of vital but nonrenewable substancesrose rapidly. 

 Appendix

 Principles of Governance Among Nations in Space

An article by the Associate General Counsel for theSmithsonian Institution reported in THE FUTURIST, page 60, May-June 1990 (Common Era) that theSmithsonian Institution's National Air and SpaceMuseum had speculated on a Declaration of FirstPrinciples for the Governance of Outer SpaceSocieties. The project's participants representeda broad array of disciplines and interests, including engineering, biomedicine, law, economics, psychology, bioethics, and philosophy. Rather thanattempting to frame an actual constitution forspace societies, which normally would be reservedfor sovereign governments. The document wouldbe a reference for interested government entitiesresponsible for space policy, and to define thefundamental rights and freedoms of those whomight some day migrate to space. 

I wrote to the article's author, told him I wasworking on this story and included a draft of'core principles' I had drafted. I asked for moreinformation on the Smithsonian's study. Theauthor's reply included a copy of the Declarationand permission to quote from it. It follows:

 Astrolaw: Carrying Human Rights into Outer Space

On the occasion of the Bicentennial of theConstitution of the United States of America andin commemoration and furtherance of its values, we the undersigned petitioners, Bearing witness to the exploration and inevitablesettlement of outer space;

Recognizing the universal longing for life, liberty, equality, peace and security;

Expressing our unshakable belief in the dignityof the individual;

Placing our trust in societies that guarantee theirmembers full protection of the law, due processand equal protection under the law;

Reaffirm our faith in fundamental freedoms;

Mindful, as were our nation's founders, of theself-evident truth that we are endowed by ourCreator with certain inalienable rights;

Recognizing the responsibility of a governmentto protect the rights of the governed to existand evolve;

Do assert and declare in this petition theintrinsic value of a set of First Principles forthe Governance of Outer Space Societies and, at the beginning of this third century of nationhoodunder our Constitution, resolutely urge all peopleof the United Sates of America to acknowledge, accept and apply such First Principles as hereinafterset forth. 

 ARTICLE I

The rule of law and the fundamental values embodiedin the United States Constitution shall apply toall individuals living in outer space societies underUnited States jurisdiction. 

Appropriate constraints upon and limitations ofauthority shall be defined so as to protect thepersonal freedom of each individual, such asthe right to reasonable privacy, freedom fromself-incrimination, freedom from unreasonableintrusion, search and seizure, and freedom fromcruel and unusual punishment. 

Toward this end, the imperatives of communitysafety and individual survival within the uniqueenvironment of outer space shall be guaranteedin harmony with the exercise of such fundamentalindividual rights of speech, religion, association, assembly, contract, travel to, in and from outerspace, media and communications, as well as therights of petition, informed consent and privateownership of property. 

The principles set forth here should not beconstrued to exclude any other such rightspossessed by individuals. 

 ARTICLE II

Authority in outer space societies, exercised underprinciples of representative government appropriateto the circumstances and degree of communitydevelopment, shall reflect the will of the peopleof those societies. 

All petitions to the United States Government fromouter space societies under its jurisdiction shallbe accepted and receive prompt consideration. 

The United States shall provide for an orderly andpeaceful transition to self-governance by outerspace societies under its jurisdiction at suchtimes as their inhabitants shall manifest clearlya belief that such transition is both necessaryand appropriate. 

In response to aggression, threats of aggressionor hostile actions, outer space societies may providefor their common defense and for the maintenanceof essential public order. 

Outer space societies shall assume all rights andobligations set forth in treaties and internationalagreements, relevant to the activities of suchsocieties, to which the United States is a partyand which further freedom, peace and security. 

The advancement of science and technology shall beencouraged in outer space societies for the benefitof all humanity. 

Outer space societies shall protect from abuse theenvironment and natural resources of Earth andspace. 

End quote. 

 ##

Core Principles drafted at the First SolarConference on the Relationships between the UnitedInner Planetary System (UIPS) and the IndependentNations of the Outer Region (INOR)

 Preamble

In order to:

Create and foster political, societal, economic, and cultural environments throughout the SolarSystem which will preclude or minimize actsof international and inter-regional aggression, economic warfare, cultural disruption, and otherforms of active hostility between the UnitedInner Planetary System (UIPS) and, separatelyand collectively, Independent Nations of the OuterRegion (INOR);

Establish the framework for peaceful coexistencewithin which all Nations respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independenceof each other;

Recognize the mutuality of interests among allpeoples and Governments of the Solar System insharing the benefits of The Interstellar Mining andTeleport System; and

Prepare for and extend the human experienceinto interstellar space and toward the comingInterstellar Era. 

We agree to the following:

 ARTICLE ONE

We reject and renounce economic, cultural andmilitary warfare, and the threat of warfare toattain national and regional objectives. We willsettle all disagreements and disputes throughpeaceful means. 

 ARTICLE TWO

We affirm that the peoples of all nations, states, colonies, settlements, communities, howsoever theymay be designated now and in the future throughoutthe Solar System and, eventually throughout theInterstellar Realm, have ecological unity. Theirharmony is such that none are truly independentof the others. 

 ARTICLE THREE

We affirm that the Solar System is the commonheritage of humankind, and all the resources of theSolar System, now and in perpetuity, are part ofthat common heritage. We agree that each Governmentrepresenting the people of a planet, satellite, independent space entity or a legally constitutedpart and collective thereof, is entitled to itsfair share of the natural resources originatingwithin the Solar System or acquired from otherstar systems. Such resources will be available, proportionately, from the Common Reserve inconformance with a nation's or government'sverified needs and technological capabilities toutilize the resources for peaceful and beneficialpurposes. 

 ARTICLE FOUR

In furtherance of ARTICLE ONE, we most solemnlydeclare that continuance of organized militaryforces by any Government of the Solar System canserve no useful purpose. We manifestly recognizethat the existence of military mass destructionweapons and their supporting agencies andfacilities increase the likelihood of theirutilization to resolve differences orjurisdictional disputes, with consequent harmto human life, properties, and civilizations. We, independently and collectively, agree, withoutreservations except for the EXCLUSION statedin this ARTICLE, to the phased reduction of allmilitary spacecraft, weapons, facilities, personneltraining and other support systems and technologiesto the point of their complete elimination not morethan five Solar Standard Years from the date affixedto this Declaration of Principles. 

 EXCLUSION

We exclude from this ARTICLE specified accordswhich are, or will be, required by a legallyconstituted Government to exercise normal internalconstabulary powers and authority on, and in spacecontiguous to, their planet, satellite, independentcommunity or zone, and between and amongGovernments, as mutually agreed to among theParties concerned. The UIPS and INOR will be keptinformed of such constabulary agreements priorto implementation and their views considered. 

 ARTICLE FIVE

We recognize that precise delineation's ofspatial jurisdictions are essential for theorderly processes of government. We agree thatjurisdictions to be defined and delineated include:

a. The outer limits of any one nation's spatialcontrol and administration. Such delineationshall take into account the irrevocable rightand obligation of any Government whichexercises legitimate influence or control overa non-hazardous natural or artificial planet, satellite, planetoid, space station, outpost, spunnel node, link, net or booster; transitingcomet, asteroid, meteor swarm, planetary orsatellite ring, or other astrophysical body toensure absence of human interference to that body'sor phenomenon's free and unencumbered passagethrough that Government's spatial jurisdiction. 

b. Control and operation of space communicationsbooster, relay, and terminal stations and theirsupporting research, development, manufacturing, and logistics systems and technologies. Theintent of this delineation is standardized andeconomically operated and serviced conventionaland hyperspace communications systems throughoutthe Solar System and in interstellar space. 

c. Traffic control, flight safety, and managementof UIPS and INOR approved inter-regional, interplanetary, inter-satellite and otherspace-ways. Acceptance of responsibilities shallnot exceed the Party's existing technologies, resources and capabilities. 

 ARTICLE SIX

We commit our Governments to accept financial, fiduciary, material and technological assessmentsfor our utilization of the common space-ways. Weagree that these assessments are for the purposeof defraying the expenditures of any one Governmenttoward maintaining and upgrading those commonspace and traffic management systems that fallwithin their borders, or other mutually agreed uponjurisdictions, and for performing such services forthe common good as:

a. Removal of hazards to innocent passage;

b. Traffic control;

c. Search and rescue;

d. Acquisition, deployment, operation and servicingof communications and navigational aids;

e. Construction, operation and maintenance of spaceand surface ports of entry and departure for thecommon use of all spacecraft;

f. Trained, equipped and ready investigation teamsto assist Governments of Primary Concern indetermining the facts of "incidents-in-space"which occur in proximate international areas, and

g. Emergency logistical support capabilities forperforming urgent essential repairs to damagedspacecraft of other Nations in peaceful transit. Such repairs shall be to internationally acceptedstandards that will permit the craft to continueits flight to a location designated by theGovernment having legal ownership, or authorityto repair or dispose of the spacecraft. 

h. We agree that spacecraft, spacecraft parts, otherwise man-made artificial bodies and partsthereof, wreckage, and human-generated excessmaterials and human waste, will NOT be discarded orabandoned in space. Derelicts and unattached partsthereof, rubbish, waste matter, and all man-madeobjects in space are considered to be hazardsto traffic or are pollutants. They will be collectedor tagged with an active signal and towed ortransported to where they will not be a hazardto traffic or pollute the space environment. TheGovernment of the nearest surface or colony habitatwill be notified immediately and institute actionsfor the objects' reduction to harmless residueor its temporary or permanent removal to a safelocation. 

 ARTICLE SEVEN

We announce the formation of an internationalapparatus, with representation from allGovernments, to assemble within three SolarStandard months from the date affixed hereto. Theprimary purpose of this Assembly is to facilitateimplementation of this Declaration. They shall alsocreate and ensure support for an interplanetarycitizen's volunteer group to review and resolvecomplaints and suggestions from the populace thatmay lead to recommendations toward improvementsto this Declaration that will:

a. Promote the free and unencumbered passage ofvessels, people and commerce between and amongthe Nations of the Solar System;

b. Encourage cultural, economic, and scientificresearch, and exchanges of scholars, students, and information for the benefit and bettermentof humankind;

c. Enhance the understanding of all peoplesregarding the positive values which have evolvedover the millennia since the beginning of the GreatMigration from Planet Earth, and, d. Organize and begin the planning for humankind'sexploration and migration into the InterstellarRealm. 

 ARTICLE EIGHT

We declare and affirm we act in concert with thespirit and letter of this Declaration of Principlesin the interests of international cooperation, interplanetary peace and security, mutualunderstanding among our far-flung peoples, and the survival of our species. 

 ARTICLE NINE

We encourage all Parties to expand on these accordsthrough their initiatives and agreements for mutualbenefits to themselves and to all Governments andpeoples in the peaceful use of space. 

 The References

ASTROLAW. Carrying Human Rights into Outer Space. George S. Robinson, The Futurist, May-June 1990. 

BIOSPHERE. A New Consciousness for a NewCentury. Jeremy Rifkin, 1991, Crown Publishers. (How industrialized nations exploit the sea bedsof the world for industrial minerals, especially asland-based minerals are depleted. )

COSMIC WORMHOLES. The Search for InterstellarShortcuts. Paul Halpern, 1992, Dutton, Penguin Group, New York, NY. 

MINING THE SKY. Untold Riches from the Asteroids, Comets, and Planets. John S. Lewis, 1997, HelixBooks, Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA. (Foreseeabletechnologies may reveal huge quantities of rawmaterials from space. )

MONITORING AND CONTROLLING DEBRIS IN SPACE. Nicholas Johnson. August, 1998, Scientific American. 

OPENING THE DOOR ON TIME MACHINES. Caltechphysicist Kip Thorne explores the limits ofEinstein's theory of gravity, where spunnels-- or tunnels through space -- lurk. (K. C. Cole, Times Science Writer, The Los Angeles Times, February 13, 1998. )

RE-EXAMINING OUR CONSTITUTIONAL HERITAGE. A Declaration of First Principles for theGovernance of Outer Space Societies. (An Essay by George S. Robinson, 1989, High Technology Law Journal, School of Law, University of California, Berkeley. )

RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THIRD UNITED NATIONSCONFERENCE ON THE EXPLORATION ANDTHE PEACEFUL USES OF OUTER SPACE. The Space Millennium: Vienna Declarationon Space and Human Development. Http://www. Oosa. Unvienna. Org/unisp-3/ orhttp://nuclearfree. Lynx. Co. Nz/canadatreaty. Htm

THE LIMITS TO GROWTH. A Report to the Clubof Rome (Depletion of the world's non-renewablenatural resources). Http://dieoff. Com/page25. Htm

CHINA PLANS MOON LANDING, October 5, 2000, by Charles Hutzler, Associated Press. 

QUANTUM TELEPORTATION, Anton Zeilinger, Scientific American, April 2000. (Abstract:The "spooky action at a distance" of quantummechanics makes possible the science-fictiondream of teleportation -- a way to make objectsdisappear from one place and reappear at another. It has already been demonstrated with photons. )

QUANTUM TELEPORTATION, an IBM Research article. Http://www. Research. Ibm. Com/quantuminfo/teleportation/

TERRITORIAL SEA AND CONTIGUOUS ZONE, PartTwo, United Nations Law of the Sea Convention. Http://www. Un. Org/depts/los/index. Htm(Precedents. )

THE CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS AND THE REMAKINGOF WORLD ORDER. Samuel P. Huntington, 1996, Simon & Shuster, New York, NY. 

THE MILLENNIAL PROJECT. Colonizing the Galaxyin Eight Easy Steps. Marshall T. Savage, 1994, Little, Brown & Company, New York, NY. 

PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH. Vision for Space Exploration. Http://www. Whitehouse. Gov/news/releases/2004/01/print/20040114-3. Html

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