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."