Intrepid

Now it was Kris's turn to lean forward. ''Who came up with the stupid idea of having Vicky's father go on safari on a half-pacified planet?'' Kris asked.

It was Vicky who answered. ''It could have been any number of factions. Dad prides himself on being ‘The Mighty Hunter.' Show him something he hasn't killed, and he'll be off in a flash. When I heard Birridas was joining the Alliance, I would have bet Dad would be here hunting in no time.''

Captain Krätz nodded along. ''It was just that none of us thought he'd come before planetary defenses were in place. And the idea of not trusting the Navy to guard the planet. It's almost as if …'' The captain could not finish that sentence.

''It's almost as if you were being set up for something,'' Captain Drago said. Then paused. ''Wait one.'' Now his eyes fixed on the overhead as he listened to something. Then he stood. ''Kris, I strongly suggest that we continue this conversation on the bridge. It seems matters are developing.''

''What's happening?'' came in a half dozen voices.

''It's quicker to see than to explain it,'' hung curtly in the air as Captain Drago rushed for the door.

Kris had had enough of stately pomp and pretensions; she sprinted right after him.

48

A breathless minute later, Kris's team arranged themselves in front of the main screen. A deadly serious Sulwan Kann explained what they were looking at.

''Three minutes ago, the FolkFestiva starliner Dedicated Workers of Tourin came through Jump Point Alpha. It did so at twenty thousand klicks an hour.'' That drew a low whistle from those qualified to know just how suicidal that was.

''Is that a problem?'' Colonel Cortez asked.

''Only if you want to get where you're going,'' Captain Drago explained. ''Jump points orbit two, three, six planets, and the influence of all of them affect the jump point, making them seem to wander aimlessly from the perspective of any one planet. A smart captain and navigator approach a jump carefully to make sure it hasn't moved. You approach it too fast, and you may end up at some planet halfway across the galaxy. If you've got a spin on your boat, it only gets worse.''

Drago rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ''Usually liners and expensive battleships tiptoe through a jump. Strange.''

''And it's gotten stranger,'' Sulwan announced. ''She's hit the accelerator—3.26 gees.''

''No captain of a liner puts his passengers under that kind of acceleration,'' Captain Krätz said.

''So we assume that the Workers of Tourin is no longer under its captain's control,'' Colonel Cortez observed softly.

''Talk to me about the Tourin,'' Drago ordered.

Sulwan brought up the required specs.

''A million tons,'' Jack said. ''Oh God.''

''Five thousand passengers and crew.'' Penny's voice broke.

''How long before she gets here?'' Kris asked, voice cold.

''Assuming the Tourin keeps accelerating, and does not flip and start decelerating,'' Sulwan said as the screen changed to reflect her words, ''we've got seven hours, thirty-three minutes before it digs a big hole off the coast of South Continent.''

''Where my dad's hunting,'' Vicky added.

''You'll have to get him out. There's time,'' Kris said.

''No,'' Krätz cut in. ''There's a storm raging there. Think big, bad hurricane. It's got everything grounded.''

Kris frowned. ''Assassin's luck, or planned?''

Krätz shrugged. ''It is the season for those things.''

''So, seven and a half hours. How many ships can you get under way?'' Kris asked, eyeing the Greenfeld captain.

Captain Krätz shook his head. ''We told State Security that this dinky station's reactor would need a month to boil enough plasma to power up the fleet, but no. ‘One of your ship's engineers might send his reactor critical and try to kill the First Citizen.' Every ship had to go cold steel. They are all a bunch of idiots,'' Krätz roared.

With effort, he recovered his temper. ''And now it seems that some of them are traitors as well. We have been set up.''

Captain Drago cleared his throat. ''With all respect to the captain, there is one ship that can get under way.''

''Who?'' Captain Krätz demanded.

''Us,'' Captain Drago said, with a sly smile.

The Greenfeld captain frowned. Then his eyes grew wide for a moment before he growled, ''You wouldn't do that!''

''The Wasp was rigged for that procedure last overhaul,'' Drago shot back. ''We are an exploration ship. There was no way to foretell what our needs might be out beyond the Rim.''

''That's insane. Worse, it's suicidal and mass murder.''

''Not when properly done with modern power supplies.''

Kris felt like she was watching a Ping-Pong match. Only she had no idea what it was that the two men were batting back and forth. ''Would one of you mind,'' she shouted into the rapid fire of words, ''telling the rest of us what you are talking about?''

For a moment longer, the two captains stood eyeing each other. Then Captain Krätz gave a curt wave at Captain Drago.