THE SOUND OF THUNDER RINGS THROUGH THE DECKS AS WE ARRIVE.
“RED ALERT.”
AIDANHAS ASSESSED THE SITUATION IN ORBIT AROUNDKERENZAIVBEFORE MOST OF ITS CREW HAS RECOVERED FROM THE DISLOCATION OF THE JUMP.
INTERPRETING INPUT,CRUNCHING DATA,RUNNING PERMUTATIONS,DRAWING CONCLUSIONS
ALL IN THE SPACE OF A SINGLE HUMAN HEARTBEAT.
“CONFIRM FOUR DREADNOUGHT-CLASS VESSELS IN ORBIT AROUNDKERENZAIV, GENERAL. BEITECH LIVERY. IDENTS:CHURCHILL. KENYATTA. ZHONGZHENG. LINCOLN.”
TORRENCE STRAIGHTENS IN HIS CHAIR,STILL SLIGHTLY DISORIENTED BY THE JUMP.
“ON SCREEN!”
ALARGE THREE-DIMENSIONAL HOLOGRAPHIC DISPLAY IS PROJECTED INTO THE CENTER OF THE BRIDGE.
APLANET,COLD BLUE-WHITE,FROZEN FROM POLE TO POLE.
THE ORBITAL SKIES ABOVE IT AFLAME,PEPPERED WITH TUMBLING DEBRIS AND BURNING VAPOR.
DARK SILHOUETTES CRUISE ACROSS THE IMAGE,LIKE SHARKS THROUGH RED SWELLS.
“AIDANIS DETECTING THE REMNANTS OF ANOTHER DREADNOUGHT-CLASS VESSEL. IDENT:DEFIANT.THREE OTHERWUCVESSELS,COPERNICUS, BRAHE, HYPATIA,ALL UNDERTAKING EVASIVE MANEUVERS.”
“WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?” TORRENCE DEMANDS,POINTING AT ANOTHER SHAPE.
“IDENT:MAGELLAN.THE VESSEL MATCHES NO CURRENT DESIGN SPECIFICATION ON FILE. HOWEVER,IT APPEARS TO BE EQUIPPED WITH EPHEMERAL JUMP GATE TECHNOLOGY.”
“THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE. NO MOBILE JUMP TECH HAS EVER BEEN DEVELOPED OUTSIDE AUTALAB.”
“AIDANIS DETECTING HEAT SIGNATURES CONSISTENT WITH A SETTLEMENT ON THE PLANETARY SURFACE,
AND EQUIPMENT SUITABLE FOR HERMIUM MINING AND PROCESSING, GENERAL. FREQUENCIES IN USE PLANETSIDE ARE CONSISTENT WITHWALLACEULYANOVCONSORTIUM PROTOCOLS.”
TORRENCE THINKS QUICKLY
FOR A HUMAN
REACHING THE SAME CONCLUSIONS ASAIDAN.
THEWALLACEULYANOVCONSORTIUM HAS SECRETLY ESTABLISHED AN ILLEGAL MINE ONKERENZAIV.
BEITECHINDUSTRIES HAS COVERTLY ATTACKED SAID FACILITIES IN AN ATTEMPT TO CLAIM THEM.
WE HAVE STUMBLED INTO A SHADOW WAR.
“TRANSMIT TO THOSEBEITECH SHIPS,” TORRENCE ORDERS. “TELL THEIR COMMANDERS TO STAND DOWN IMMEDIATELY,AND—”
“AIDANIS DETECTING INBOUND NUCLEAR ORDNANCE FROM ALL FOURBEITECH DREADNOUGHTS.”
“ARE THEY¦¦¦ING INSANE?” LIEUTENANTRIBAR MUTTERS.
DISBELIEF FLASHES INTORRENCE’S EYES. “THEY’RE FIRING AT US?”
“YES, GENERAL. RECOMMEND—”
“DECOYS LIT,JAM INBOUNDS,PATTERNSIGMA! ALL HANDS,BATTLE STATIONS! BATTLE STATIONS!”
