Part 23 (1/2)
”K'Tran,” said the commodore, ”I know it's you-I recognize the style. Acknowledge.”
”h.e.l.lo, D'Trelna.” It was K'Tran's voice, but subtly changed, softer, the old arrogance gone. ”The R'Actolians have placed me in tactical command of our s.h.i.+p-a gesture of trust for a new comrade.”
”You've . . . joined them?” said D'Trelna, exchanging glances with L'Wrona.
”Yes.”
”Physically?”
”If you mean, was I brainstripped, the answer is yes, D'Trelna. A fair trade-I now command the most powerful fighting s.h.i.+p in this universe.”
Seen on the board, the mindslaver had reached the harvest s.h.i.+p and was bringing it into one of its hangar bays, even as it widened the gap between itself and Implacable. Implacable.
”Where are you going with that s.h.i.+p?” demanded the commodore. ”If the AIs get ahold of the cargo ...”
”They won't,” said the soft, self-a.s.sured voice. ”We have a better use for it.”
”K'Tran,” said D'Trelna, leaning forward intently, gripping the chairarms, ”I plead with you-don't betray us! You. . .”
”Tsk, tsk, Commodore,” said K'Tran. ”A foolish thing to ask one who made a career of betrayal. Luck to you, D'Trelna. You'll need it-check your scan in red two seven.'' Commodore,” said K'Tran. ”A foolish thing to ask one who made a career of betrayal. Luck to you, D'Trelna. You'll need it-check your scan in red two seven.''
The slaver was gone.
”She jumped,” said K'Raoda.
D'Trelna sank back in the chair, feeling the sweat beneath his arms.
”Long-range scan shows three AI battleglobes entering this system, sector red two seven,” reported T'Ral.
”Put specs on board,” said L'Wrona.
It was the same type of vessel they'd faced off Terra Two-a s.h.i.+p the size of a moon, a planetoid of destruction, swathed in s.h.i.+mmering blue energy webs.
The three battleglobes were coming in just under light speed, slowly decelerating.
”Challenge,” ordered the commodore. ”s.h.i.+ps do not answer challenge,” said K'Lana a moment later.
D'Trelna closed his eyes, nodded to himself, and opened them. ”Captain my lord L'Wrona,” he said, turning to where the captain sat, ”a situation now exists that I believe requires implementation of Special Order Fourteen. I ask your concurrence.”
It was flat, formal and straight from the manual.
”I concur,” said the captain. ”The center one, I think.” He pointed toward the lead s.h.i.+p.
”Mr. K'Raoda.” D'Trelna turned to the second officer. ”We ask your concurrence for under the rule of three.”
”You want to blow us up in their teeth,” said K'Raoda, eyes s.h.i.+fting between the two senior officers.
Both nodded.
”I concur,” he said. ”But from the weapons projections I'm scanning, they'll blow us up long before we reach them.”
”Computer,” said D'Trelna, touching the complink, ”stand by to execute Special Order Fourteen upon my voice command.”
”Concurrence required-rule of three,” said the machine, opening L'Wrona and K'Raoda's complinks. The two men added their authorization to D'Trelna's.
”Concurrence verified,” said the computer to D'Trelna. ”s.h.i.+p will autodestruct upon your voice command.”
D'Trelna switched to the commlink. ”Gunnery, lock onto center s.h.i.+p, ignore other two vessels. K'Lana, transmit the Fleet rally on all channels.”
”But, sir,” she said, ”there's no one to hear it.”
”The AIs don't know that,” he said, watching the tacscan. ”Confusion to our enemies. What's our intercept point, T'Lei?” he asked, turning to K'Raoda.
”Epsilon red four seven, that asteroid belt.”
”Forward and engage,” ordered the commodore.
Implacable turned, headed outsystem again, on a oneway trip toward the Enemy. turned, headed outsystem again, on a oneway trip toward the Enemy.
”And now where are we?” asked John, looking about the small, round chamber. ”Another Imperial relic?”
”No,” said Guan-Sharick as the other S'Cotar began activating the equipment. ”We're in s.p.a.ce-a small, scan-s.h.i.+elded satellite we built to find the Trel Cache. It requires four sensitives, though.”
”Why didn't you use other trans.m.u.tes?” said John.
”Lan-Asal's the only other one I could trust,” said Guan-Sharick, watching his companion sit at one of the four consoles r.i.m.m.i.n.g the white-walled satellite.
”There are millions of asteroids between D'Lin and its nearest neighbor-remnants of a Trel planet destroyed in the first AI War, a million years ago. One of those asteroids contains the Trel Cache. It emits a psychic signal that the four of us, using the equipment in this satellite, should be able to home on.”
”You built this satellite?” asked Zahava.
”Imperial Survey built it,” said Guan-Sharick, ”but never had time to screen personnel and staff it-the Fall. We've known about it, but for many reasons did nothing about it--until now.”
So the Empire had telepaths, thought John, filing that tidbit away.
”If you'd each please sit at one of the consoles and don a helmet,” said Guan-Sharick.
The two Terrans looked again and saw the helmets- small bits of translucent material sitting atop each of the consoles, thin optics tendrils linking them to the machines.
Lan-Asal already had his on.
Guan-Sharick sat and donned a helmet, pulling it down tightly over his cranium.
John glanced at Zahava. She shrugged. They sat and put on their helmets.
”Now what,” said the Terran.
”Close your eyes,” said Guan-Sharick. ”Empty your minds and watch through that emptiness for a pinpoint of light-it will find you, not you it. When you see it, join with us and follow the light home.”