Part 2 (1/2)
”Confusion. Questions directed at those Fleet units. Wild rumors.” The young corsair smiled. ”According to the latest, S'Tak was just taken by a S'Cotar nest.”
K'Tran shook his head. ”How did those idiots win the war?”
”Add our voice to the confusion, K'Lal.”
”Task force commander is calling Planetary Defense Command,” said A'Tir, head slightly c.o.c.ked as she listened to the thin, distant voices in her earjack. ”Current sector PDC code, which we have.”
”Asking for an update and our description?”
”Yes. Time for series two?”
He nodded. ”We don't want our description out till after we jump.”
She entered a second remote firing command and pushed Execute.
”Shut up!” snapped Commodore A'Wal.
The Planetary Guard officer shut up, face reddening.
”I don't care about your p.i.s.sy little port, Major,” said A'Wal. He leaned forward in the flag chair, thrusting his large, squarish face into the pickup. ”I care about K'Tran. Tacscan shows s.h.i.+ps everywhere. Some are headed for jump point, some for your sister planet, some for those two moons.
”K'Tran's s.h.i.+p is undoubtedly camouflaged. I need a complete description to distinguish it from the merchanters. You will provide that description, Major. Now.” He leaned back in the flag chair, waiting. Around him, the dreadnought's bridge bustled with activity.
”Yes, sir.” The major looked down at something outside the pickup. ”We'll transmit a complete recording of the corsair and the raid.”
”You couldn't shoot them, but you took their picture?” said A'Wal, incredulous.
The major nodded miserably.
”Send it over,” sighed the commodore. He looked at J'San. ”Captain, give the-officer-on five channel a new datacom freq-”
The screen with the major on it went blank. As A'Wal watched, a line of text flashed onto the bottom: CARRIER FAILURE CARRIER FAILURE.
”J'San,” said the commodore, ”I've lost that idiot. Get her back, please.” The captain ignored him, intent on a readout. ”We're receiving a satellite scan of S'Takport, Commodore,” she said. ”Coming up on main screen.”
A'Wal looked up. S'Takport's control spire was now a scattered pile of burning debris. Nearby, across a shattered access road, a huge crater smoldered, almost obscured by a layer of thick, black smoke.
”Planetary Defense Command and Guard Headquarters,” said J'San.
”He must have infiltrated their security and blastpaked it, maybe months ago,” said A'Wal. ”Then blew it up with his usual exquisite timing.”
No one asked who he he was. was.
”Well, the slime's not out of this yet,” said A'Wal. ”Let's see if we can flush him.”
”All-s.h.i.+ps order from task force commander,” said A'Tir. ”All s.h.i.+ps to rendezvous with task force for inspection.”
”Fine.” K'Tran glanced at the plot. ”Make for the rendezvous. We should be one of the first there.”
”They're scattering like m'arka hens!” said Captain J'San, staring at the screen. All but a few s.h.i.+ps were fleeing the task force, heading outsystem at max. ”Why? There's only one corsair.”
A'Wal ran a tired hand over his eyes. ”I should have remembered. This is a drugger system-always has been. They grow and refine heavy duty stuff down on S'Tak, then jump it out all over the Confederation. Climate and location are ideal. Small garrison-not enough to control it.”
”All of those s.h.i.+ps are druggers?” said J'San, looking at the screen.
A'Wal nodded. ”Probably all have at least some contraband, stashed with regular cargo. Retails at three, four hundred credits a shot in some combine slum.
”Divide the task force, Captain. Intercept as many as possible.”
”What about the s.h.i.+ps coming to rendezvous?”
”Proof of innocence,” said the commodore. ”Let's get after the others-we may get lucky.”
”There they go,” said K'Tran, watching the tacscan. The three Fleet s.h.i.+ps were scattering, headed out on complex intercept vectors.
”Rendezvous and inspection order cancelled,” said K'Lal.
K'Tran stood, stretching. ”Well done, all. K'Lal, make for jump point. Ploddingly.”
'”Acknowledged.”
'”A'Tir, my quarters now-let's see what's on this.” He held up the commwand B'Rol had given him. Together, they left the bridge.
Clearing jump point, Admiral S'Gan watched as the system-wide tacscan came up on the board. It looked like a training exercise: three Fleet vessels busily pursuing a score of slower moving craft. ”Get me Commodore A'Wal.”
She interrupted his report. ”K'Tran is one of the law-abiding s.h.i.+ps now moving toward jump point, Commodore.” She'd been watching the screen as A'Wal spoke. ”There are eleven of them. We are eight. Priority blue plot those s.h.i.+ps nearest your force. Once you've determined intercept vectors, order each of those vessels to rendezvous with one of our s.h.i.+ps.”
A'Wal saw it. ”And whichever one runs ...”
”Is the corsair.”
”He can jump at any time, though.”
S'Gan shook her head. ”He won't. He'll go for optimum. I know K'Tran well.” Before the war, for about two years, K'Tran had been one of S'Gan's captains-her best captain.
”I should have seen it,” said A'Wal.
S'Gan allowed herself a bit of compa.s.sion. ”Don't blame yourself, H'Lor. K'Tran's one of the finest tacticians to ever graduate from the Academy. h.e.l.l, he fought far inside S'Cotar s.p.a.ce for seven years-and prospered. He thinks three moves ahead of everyone else.”
”By all reports, a very competent commander,” said A'Wal stiffly.
”Yes. Now let's go kill him.”
K'Tran gave a low whistle. ”The Trel Cache.”
”Pre-Fall myth, isn't it?” said A'Tir.