Chaos And Order_ The Gap Into Madness Part 1

Chaos and Order_ The Gap Into Madness.

by Stephen R. Donaldson.

TO.

HOWARD MORHAIM:.

a good friend, a great agent, and a h.e.l.l of a Ping-Pong player.

MIN.

Battered, weary to the bone, and profoundly baffled, Min Donner joined Punisher Punisher shortly after Warden Dios returned to UMCPHQ from Holt Fasner's Home Office. She hadn't slept since the day before her visit to Sixten Vertigus, hadn't eaten since her ride back to UMCPHQ from Suka Bator. A headache like a threat of concussion throbbed in her forehead. Occasionally her hearing buzzed like neural feedback. shortly after Warden Dios returned to UMCPHQ from Holt Fasner's Home Office. She hadn't slept since the day before her visit to Sixten Vertigus, hadn't eaten since her ride back to UMCPHQ from Suka Bator. A headache like a threat of concussion throbbed in her forehead. Occasionally her hearing buzzed like neural feedback.

She felt that her whole life was being rewritten around her; reinterpreted to mean something she hadn't chosen and couldn't understand.

Why was she here here?

In some sense, Warden had answered that question. The last time she'd spoken to him, he'd told her, to her utter astonishment, I have reason to think Morn Hyland may survive I have reason to think Morn Hyland may survive-Even though he'd convinced her long ago that Morn was being abandoned, that he'd sold her body and soul, he'd said, If she does, I want someone to make sure she stays alive, someone I can trust. That means you. If she does, I want someone to make sure she stays alive, someone I can trust. That means you. For that reason-apparently-he was sending Min away from her duties at UMCPHQ. For that reason-apparently-he was sending Min away from her duties at UMCPHQ.

Nevertheless his reply explained nothing. All she really knew was that she was here now because he'd lied to her earlier; lied to her systematically and incessantly for months.

What in G.o.d's name was going on?

His signal of farewell reached her as she rode her personal shuttle out toward the gap range where Punisher Punisher had already turned and started preparations for an outbound acceleration; but she didn't answer it. She had nothing more to say to him. Instead of returning some vacant acknowledgment or salute, she replied to the questions of her crew by shaking her head. Let Warden Dios take her on faith, as she was required to take him. He'd left her no other way to express her galling confusion-or her blind, baffled hope. had already turned and started preparations for an outbound acceleration; but she didn't answer it. She had nothing more to say to him. Instead of returning some vacant acknowledgment or salute, she replied to the questions of her crew by shaking her head. Let Warden Dios take her on faith, as she was required to take him. He'd left her no other way to express her galling confusion-or her blind, baffled hope.

With as much of her accustomed grim determination as she could muster, she put kazes and a.s.sa.s.sinations, treachery and intrigue behind her, and concentrated instead on the job ahead.

Her orders were superficially simple. She was instructed to take command of the first available UMCP warship-in this case, Punisher Punisher-and go immediately to the Com-Mine asteroid belt. Under cover of the belt, she was supposed to "watch for and respond to developments" from the direction of Thanatos Minor. In other words, to observe and presumably deal with the outcome of Angus Thermopyle's covert attack on Billingate.

That was plain enough. But why was it necessary? After all, at Fasner's orders human s.p.a.ce along the Amnion frontier-especially in the broad vicinity of Com-Mine Station and the belt-was being webbed with the most intensive communications network ever deployed. Any decipherable information from the direction of Thanatos Minor would reach UMCPHQ in a matter of hours, whether she was present in the belt or not.

What kind of "developments" did Warden expect? Angus Thermopyle-Joshua-would either succeed or not. If he succeeded, Nick Succorso and the danger he represented would be finished. Min's suspicions of Milos Taverner would come to nothing. And Morn might-conceivably-survive. On the other hand, if Angus failed, everyone and everything would be lost. Morn would be just one more casualty.

Either way, there would be nothing for Min to do, except possibly pick up survivors-or warn off an Amnion pursuit. Com-Mine Station could have done that. Punisher Punisher herself, despite her battle-worn and depleted condition, could have done it. Min Donner was the UMCP Enforcement Division director: she belonged elsewhere. Back at UMCPHQ, rooting out kazes and traitors. Or even down on Suka Bator, helping Captain Vertigus prepare and present his Bill of Severance. She had no reason to be herself, despite her battle-worn and depleted condition, could have done it. Min Donner was the UMCP Enforcement Division director: she belonged elsewhere. Back at UMCPHQ, rooting out kazes and traitors. Or even down on Suka Bator, helping Captain Vertigus prepare and present his Bill of Severance. She had no reason to be here. here.

No reason, that is, apart from Warden's desire to get her out of the way-to dissociate her from the fatal game he played with or against Holt Fasner. And his unexpected a.s.sertion that Morn might get away alive. get away alive.

If she does, I want someone to make sure she stays alive- Was that the truth? Or had Warden said it simply to ensure that she obeyed him?

She didn't know; couldn't know. But in the end, his orders were enough. She obeyed because she had sworn that she would.

Nevertheless she couldn't shake the dark feeling that she was doomed; that between them Warden Dios and Holt Fasner were about to cost her everything she had ever believed in or trusted.

At last her shuttle thunked against the docking port in Punisher' Punisher's side; grapples jerked home. Min nodded to her crew and stepped into the shuttle's airlock as if she didn't care whether she ever returned.

The bosun commanding the honor guard which greeted her inside the ship's personnel bay looked as worn-out and abused as she felt. Min winced inwardly at the sight: she hated seeing her people in such bad shape. However, she kept her chagrin and anger to herself while she returned the bosun's salute.

"Captain's apologies, Director Donner," he said. He sounded even worse than he looked-a young officer who had been under too much pressure for far too long. "He can't leave the bridge. We weren't expecting to head out-he hasn't had time to get ready-" The bosun caught himself, flushed like a boy. "You already know that. I'm sorry.

"Captain will see you whenever you want. I can take you to your quarters first."

Min had scanned Punisher' Punisher's reports before leaving UMCPHQ. The cruiser had just come home from a bitter struggle with fifteen or twenty illegal ships which had turned Valdor Industrial's distant binary solar system into a virtual war zone.

Because of the kind of mining, processing, and heavy manufacturing carried on by the station, Valdor and the traffic it serviced were rich with prizes. And like most binary systems this one was a maze of orbits-ma.s.ses of rock revolving around each other in patterns so complex that they defied mapping by anything less than a megaCPU. The pirates were entrenched among the almost innumerable planets, planetoids, and moons cycling around the twinned stars called Greater and Lesser Ma.s.sif-5.

Over a period of six months, the Scalpel-cla.s.s cruiser had engaged in dozens of pitched battles, weeks of pursuit. And all to little avail. Two pirates had been destroyed, one captured. The rest had fought back with such concerted ferocity, or had fled with such intimate knowledge of the system's hiding places, that no mere cruiser could have hoped to deal with them all.

No wonder the bosun was exhausted. No wonder the faces of the honor guard ached with despair at the prospect of another mission. Punisher Punisher needed rest, needed rest, deserved deserved rest. The UMCP were spread too thin; would always be spread too thin, simply because the gap drive made available more s.p.a.ce than any police force could control. Not for the first time, Min thought that as long as the threat of the Amnion endured-as long as forbidden s.p.a.ce offered wealth in exchange for stolen resources-her people were doomed to fail. rest. The UMCP were spread too thin; would always be spread too thin, simply because the gap drive made available more s.p.a.ce than any police force could control. Not for the first time, Min thought that as long as the threat of the Amnion endured-as long as forbidden s.p.a.ce offered wealth in exchange for stolen resources-her people were doomed to fail.

As usual, she kept that idea to herself. Instead she told the bosun, "I'll go to the bridge." Then, before he could give any orders himself, she dismissed the honor guard. In general she disliked the formalities of her position; and in this particular case she actively hated wasting the energy of these weary men and women on ceremonial duties.

Momentarily fl.u.s.tered, the bosun began, "Director, Captain ordered-" But an instant later he swallowed his discomfiture. With a salute, he let the guard go. "This way, Director."

Min knew the way. On any ship the UMCP had commissioned, she could have found the bridge blindfolded. She let the bosun guide her, however. She'd already undercut him enough by dismissing his honor guard.

By the time she left the first lift and headed forward through the ship's core, she knew Punisher Punisher was in trouble. Because of the recent damage to her eardrums, she still couldn't hear clearly enough to pick up the cruiser's characteristic hums and whines. But she could feel centrifugal g through the soles of her boots; she could sense vibrations with the nerves of her skin. Subtle stresses reached her like undamped harmonics. was in trouble. Because of the recent damage to her eardrums, she still couldn't hear clearly enough to pick up the cruiser's characteristic hums and whines. But she could feel centrifugal g through the soles of her boots; she could sense vibrations with the nerves of her skin. Subtle stresses reached her like undamped harmonics.

"You've got internal spin displacement," she commented to the bosun. "Bearings are grinding somewhere."

He gaped at her sidelong. "How-?" She was the ED director, however: he wasn't supposed to question her. With an effort, he mastered himself. "Forward," he answered. "We took a hit that knocked the whole core off true. But that's not all. We've got micro-leaks in some of the hydraulic systems. Several doors stick until the pressure rectifies. Half a dozen bulkheads don't quite seal. And we've been holed twice. We've kept integrity, but we lost the conduit to one of the sensor banks. Captain has men outside right now, trying to jury-rig leads before we go into tach. For the rest- "Director, we haven't had time to trace those leaks or patch those holes. We've been at battle-stations for most of the past six months. And only a shipyard can fix internal spin."

The young officer sounded so raw that Min frowned to herself. "No criticism intended, bosun," she told him quietly. "It was just an observation."

He swallowed hard. "Thank you, Director." Until he blinked them clear, his eyes were perilously moist.

Punisher was desperate for rest. was desperate for rest.

Full of outraged protectiveness toward her people, Min thought harshly, f.u.c.k you, Warden Dios, and the horse you rode in on. You had G.o.dd.a.m.n better know what you're doing.

The ship was a swarm of activity. Men and women hurried in all directions, rushing to and from the hundreds of duties required by a new mission. The few who recognized Min Donner paused to salute; but most of them were concentrating too hard-focused by fatigue and urgency-to notice her. Scalpel-cla.s.s cruisers carried a crew of sixty-plus, but Punisher Punisher didn't have that many to work with. Her reports had cited four dead and eleven confined to their quarters or sickbay by injuries or battle-shock: fifteen crewmembers lost across the four watches. As soon as Min had received Warden's orders, she'd dispatched a provisioning shuttle to meet the cruiser; but in the time available didn't have that many to work with. Her reports had cited four dead and eleven confined to their quarters or sickbay by injuries or battle-shock: fifteen crewmembers lost across the four watches. As soon as Min had received Warden's orders, she'd dispatched a provisioning shuttle to meet the cruiser; but in the time available Punisher Punisher couldn't be adequately resupplied. No wonder the captain was too busy to leave the bridge. Damaged, shorthanded, and ill equipped, his command was a poor candidate for any important a.s.signment. couldn't be adequately resupplied. No wonder the captain was too busy to leave the bridge. Damaged, shorthanded, and ill equipped, his command was a poor candidate for any important a.s.signment. Punisher Punisher's best hope was that this mission proved to be as trivial as Min feared.

With one palm she stroked the b.u.t.t of her handgun to steady herself as she accompanied the bosun forward.

Aside from weight, armament, and crew, one of the differences between a cruiser like Punisher Punisher and a destroyer like and a destroyer like Starmaster Starmaster was that was that Punisher's Punisher's bridge occupied a command module which could be detached from the main ship to function separately. If Captain Davies Hyland had had a vessel like this, he might well have survived bridge occupied a command module which could be detached from the main ship to function separately. If Captain Davies Hyland had had a vessel like this, he might well have survived Starmaster' Starmaster's destruction; survived to keep his daughter out of Angus Thermopyle's hands. That was another detail for which Min blamed herself uselessly, despite the fact that she herself had approved Starmaster' Starmaster's construction and had selected Davies Hyland as captain.

None of that showed on her face, however, as she went with the bosun-ahead of him now-through the aperture which linked the rest of the ship to the command module. She encountered Punisher's Punisher's captain and bridge crew with her features set in characteristic lines, stern and unreadable. captain and bridge crew with her features set in characteristic lines, stern and unreadable.

Almost instantly all movement on the bridge stopped: techs working on the screens and boards froze; the bridge crew-helm, targ, data and damage control, communications, engineering, scan-hesitated momentarily, their hands poised on their stations, their faces tense.

Their attention made her feel that she deserved her reputation as Warden Dios' executioner.

But then the captain, Dolph Ubikwe, broke the pause by swinging his g-seat toward Min. In a granite rumble, he said stolidly, "Director Donner. Welcome aboard."

At once the bridge crew rose to salute. The techs moved out of Min's way as if they believed-or wanted to believe-that they were beneath her notice.

There was no welcome in Captain Ubikwe's voice, however. It seemed to pulse from his chest like the cut of a subsonic drill. Even if Min had been deaf, she might have been able to hear him through the bones of her skull. Ensigns under his command often said that his voice could strip paint at twenty paces.

He was a large man-almost too large to pa.s.s the UMCP physicals-with a heavy ma.s.s of muscle hidden under his fat. Too much strain and too few showers caused his black skin to gleam in the featureless light. Red rimmed his bloodshot eyes; they appeared to bulge in their sockets. Fists as heavy as cudgels rested on the arms of his seat.

"Thank you, Captain." Min didn't expect welcome. "At ease," she told the bridge crew without shifting her gaze from Dolph Ubikwe. As they resumed their g-seats, she asked him, "How soon can you go into tach?"

His fists tightened slightly. "Depends on whether that's a request or an order. You order it and we're gone. All we need to know is where. But if it's a request"-he lifted his heavy shoulders-"we can probably be ready in three or four months."

In another place, at another time, Min might have smiled. She knew this man well. He had first come to her attention in the Academy ten years ago, when his air of insubordination and his poor grades had threatened to deny him a commission. She had overruled the Academy commander in person to make Dolph Ubikwe an ensign. Despite his resistance to discipline, which had showed in his sloppy cla.s.sroom work as well as his excess weight, she had sensed a fettered emotional power in him, a charisma similar to Warden's. It might make him an effective leader-if he ever learned how and when to unleash it. Since then, he had vindicated her judgment by rising swiftly to the command of his own vessel. Under other circ.u.mstances, she would have had no qualms about using him to carry out Warden Dios' orders.

"If it were a request," she replied to his tight stare, "I wouldn't be here."

His mouth twisted. "Then perhaps the Enforcement Division director would condescend to tell us where we're going. It does make a difference, you know-heading, velocity, all those troublesome little gap details."

Now she did smile-a smile as humorless and bleak as an arctic wind. Instead of reacting to his sarcasm, she said simply, "The Com-Mine belt. Close to forbidden s.p.a.ce."

At once a new tension crackled across the bridge. The data officer breathed, "Oh, Jesus," and the man on targ muttered, "s.h.i.t!" as if he thought Min wouldn't be able to hear him.

A muscle at the corner of Captain Ubikwe's mouth twitched like a flinch. "Now why in h.e.l.l," he asked Min, "would we want to do a thing like that?"

She didn't snap at him. She also didn't drop his gaze. She could have made Punisher Punisher obey her blind-she could require unquestioning compliance from any ship in the fleet-but she had no intention of doing so. For one thing, she owed this ship an explanation. And for another, she knew that Dolph Ubikwe would serve her better if she let him be himself. obey her blind-she could require unquestioning compliance from any ship in the fleet-but she had no intention of doing so. For one thing, she owed this ship an explanation. And for another, she knew that Dolph Ubikwe would serve her better if she let him be himself.

"Because," she answered, "there's been a covert UMCP attack on Thanatos Minor's bootleg shipyard. As I'm sure you remember, that planetoid is in forbidden s.p.a.ce relatively near the Com-Mine belt. For the better part of a decade, illegals have been using the belt to cover them on their way to Thanatos Minor. The Amnion tolerate encroachment from that direction, if not from anywhere else.

"While we're standing here, the shipyard is under attack, I'm not prepared to discuss the nature of the operation here, except to repeat that it's covert. For now, the important point is this. There's going to be fallout.

"I have no idea what kind of fallout. I can't know. There may be survivors." Morn Hyland may survive Morn Hyland may survive-"Our people, or illegals on the run. Or there may be a full-scale Amnion retaliation."

Borrowing Warden's conviction because she had so little to spare of her own, Min concluded, "Whatever it is, we're going out there to deal with it."

The bridge crew stared at her. They had all turned their stations toward her. From their g-seats-command and communications in front of her, engineering and data off to the sides, scan and helm and targ apparently hanging upside down over her head-they studied her in fear or anger or despair or plain numb weariness, as if she had just instructed them to commit suicide.

For a moment Dolph lowered his eyes. When he raised them again, they seemed oddly naked, as if he had set aside some of his defenses. "Permission to speak frankly."

Just for an instant Min wondered whether she should refuse. Then she decided against it. By some standards, disagreements-not to mention hostility-between commanders was bad for discipline. On the other hand, Punisher Punisher was his ship: the tone which either inspired or dismayed his people was his to set, no matter what she did. She was willing to trust his instincts. was his ship: the tone which either inspired or dismayed his people was his to set, no matter what she did. She was willing to trust his instincts.

She nodded once. "Please."

He shifted his posture as if to launch his voice at her from a more stable platform. "Then let me just ask you, Director Donner," he said in a tone of raw outrage, "if you are out of your incorrigible mind. Don't you read read reports anymore? Haven't you got a clue what we've just been through? Or maybe you think dodging matter cannon fire and asteroids alone for six months is some kind of holiday. You sent us out to Valdor to do a job which would have been too much for five cruisers. We're lucky to get home limping instead of just plain dead. reports anymore? Haven't you got a clue what we've just been through? Or maybe you think dodging matter cannon fire and asteroids alone for six months is some kind of holiday. You sent us out to Valdor to do a job which would have been too much for five cruisers. We're lucky to get home limping instead of just plain dead.

"We're shorthanded here. That That was in the reports, too. Some of my people are drifting around Ma.s.sif-5 in was in the reports, too. Some of my people are drifting around Ma.s.sif-5 in caskets. caskets. We've got holes and hydraulic leaks and a scan bank with no wiring. But never mind that. After what we've been through, we can stand a few minor inconveniences. We've got worse problems." We've got holes and hydraulic leaks and a scan bank with no wiring. But never mind that. After what we've been through, we can stand a few minor inconveniences. We've got worse problems."

His voice was harsh enough to hurt Min's ears, but she knew from experience that he still had plenty of volume in reserve. For the sake of her personal comfort, she hoped that he didn't use it.

"Have you listened listened to this ship yet, Director Donner? Or have you forgotten what internal spin displacement sounds like? Have you forgotten what that kind of displacement can do to a warship? In case you've been spending too much time behind your desk and not enough on the firing line, let me remind you. If the bearings go and internal spin freezes before we can shut it down, centrifugal inertia is transferred to the whole ship. The whole ship starts to spin-which is a nightmare for scan and helm, never mind targ. to this ship yet, Director Donner? Or have you forgotten what internal spin displacement sounds like? Have you forgotten what that kind of displacement can do to a warship? In case you've been spending too much time behind your desk and not enough on the firing line, let me remind you. If the bearings go and internal spin freezes before we can shut it down, centrifugal inertia is transferred to the whole ship. The whole ship starts to spin-which is a nightmare for scan and helm, never mind targ. Punisher Punisher isn't made for that kind of maneuver. And if we start to spin like that in the belt-or in combat-then you can kiss your hard a.s.s good-bye along with all the rest of us. isn't made for that kind of maneuver. And if we start to spin like that in the belt-or in combat-then you can kiss your hard a.s.s good-bye along with all the rest of us.

"This is all crazy, Director Donner. How many warships have we got now? Fifty? Fifty cruisers, destroyers, gunboats, and full battlewagons? Do you expect me to believe they're all all unavailable for this job? That not one of them is in reach? unavailable for this job? That not one of them is in reach?

"If that's true, let Com-Mine Station do it, whatever it turns out to be. h.e.l.l on ice, Director, they've got enough in-system firepower to slag three three ships like this. Let them police their own G.o.dd.a.m.n belt for a few more hours. ships like this. Let them police their own G.o.dd.a.m.n belt for a few more hours.

"We are in no shape for this." are in no shape for this."

For reasons which she had never tried to explain to herself, Min often liked her officers best when they were angry at her. Perhaps because she understood Captain Ubikwe's indignation and approved of it, or perhaps because she was so angry herself that his ire formed a strange bond between them, she smiled back at his protest with something like affection.

"Are you done?"

"No." Her reaction disconcerted him, but he obviously didn't want to show it. "I'm going to say it all again, and this time I'm going to say it loud." loud."

"That won't be necessary," she drawled. "You've made your point."

Captain Ubikwe studied her hard. After a moment he asked more quietly, "Then why do I get the impression you're not going to let us off the hook?"

"I'm not," she replied. "You are are the only ship available. You're the only ship available. You're here. here. Sure, I could pull your replacement away from Valdor. I could signal a battlewagon from Betelgeuse Primary, or take a destroyer off frontier patrol. I could try Com-Mine and hope they do a good job. Sure, I could pull your replacement away from Valdor. I could signal a battlewagon from Betelgeuse Primary, or take a destroyer off frontier patrol. I could try Com-Mine and hope they do a good job.

"But none of them can get me me out there." out there."

The bridge received this in surprise, dull shock, or dread. The man on scan let a thin whistle through his teeth like an effort to ward away spooks. From above Min, the targ officer muttered again, "s.h.i.t."

Dolph flashed a look upward. "Glessen," he rasped at targ, as throaty as a combustion engine, "if you say that again in front of Director Donner, I'm going to take you out in the woodshed and cane you." None of his people laughed: they knew better. "In case you weren't paying attention, the director of the entire UMCP Enforcement Division, which we so proudly serve, has just announced that she's putting her life in our hands. She isn't sending us out to the belt to see what we're made of-she's going with us. Where I came from, we called that 'putting your money where your mouth is' "-abruptly he pounded a fist on his board-"and we respected respected it." it."

Suddenly everyone on the bridge seemed busy with one task or another. No one glanced at the Glessen as he murmured, "Aye, sir."

Glowering excessively, Captain Ubikwe returned his gaze to Min. She suspected that he was swallowing a grin. His tone was grave, however, as he asked, "Are you telling me ED has a stake in this covert attack? I thought only DA did work like that."

Min didn't want to mention Morn Hyland. She wasn't ready to open that door into her own heart. Instead she said what she thought Warden Dios would have wanted her to say.

"No. I'm telling you the UMCP has a stake in it. Humankind has a stake in it."

The captain sighed. For a moment or two he peered at his hands while he considered the situation. Then he dropped his palms onto his thighs. "In that case-" With a heave, he rose from his g-seat and stepped aside. "As Enforcement Division director and the highest-ranking UMCP officer aboard, the bridge is yours. Take the command station. I'll evict targ-I can work from there until we're ready to go into tach."

Min made a quick gesture of refusal. "She's your ship, Captain. We're better off with you in command. And I need rest." In fact, she hadn't slept for two days; hadn't eaten in twelve hours. "If you'll detail someone to show me my quarters, I'll get out of your way."

A touch of grat.i.tude softened Dolph's face as he sat down again, but he didn't thank her. Automatically he hit keys on his board, checked his readouts. "Bosun will take you." The young man still stood by the aperture. "If you've got more orders for us, better spell them out. We were busy before you came aboard, but we're a h.e.l.l of a lot busier now."

Min didn't hesitate. "I want to be on the other side of the gap in two hours," she answered promptly, "and in the belt in three. That means you'll have to cut it fine."

She knew the risks. If internal spin froze in the gap, Punisher Punisher might resume tard half a hundred or half a million kilometers off course, tossed askew by the interplay between inertia and hysteresis-almost certainly a fatal problem near an asteroid belt. And if spin froze while might resume tard half a hundred or half a million kilometers off course, tossed askew by the interplay between inertia and hysteresis-almost certainly a fatal problem near an asteroid belt. And if spin froze while Punisher Punisher navigated the belt, some kind of collision would be inevitable. To protect herself the ship would be forced to do almost everything without g. And she hadn't been designed for that. Her people weren't used to it. navigated the belt, some kind of collision would be inevitable. To protect herself the ship would be forced to do almost everything without g. And she hadn't been designed for that. Her people weren't used to it.

But whatever Angus Thermopyle did or failed to do was out of Min's control, beyond her knowledge. Somewhere in the vicinity of Thanatos Minor, the chronometer was running on a deadline which she didn't know how to meet. That fact gave her a greater sense of urgency than Warden's actual orders did.

"As soon as we hit normal s.p.a.ce," she continued, "I want communications on maximum gain across all bandwidths. If it's out there, I want us to hear it.

"a.s.suming we don't encounter any surprises, take us into the belt over on the far side-say, ten thousand k from the border-and find some rock we can hide behind, anything with enough magnetic resonance to confuse opposing scan. Wake me up when something happens or when we're in position, whichever comes first. I'll go into more detail then."

Captain Ubikwe lifted his head and bared his teeth, dismissing her. "Consider it done."

Softly but distinctly, so that everyone could hear her, she p.r.o.nounced, "I do. Otherwise I would have taken command."