Intrepid

''Which brings us to Engineering,'' Vicky said. ''I've never understood power plants. I've had to walk through several. They make a lot of noise and have huge things spinning around and a lot of places marked ‘Do Not Enter.' I will have to trust that you are aiming at the right target.''

''I tell you she is wrong,'' the security colonel snapped.

''Don't be tiresome, Colonel. It is the measures of State Security that have left my captain's ship a beached observer of this drama. Has someone chosen to take advantage of your brain-dead measures, or were State Security's orders an integral part of this plan? I wonder.''

The colonel opened his mouth several times before ''Of course not. You can't even think such things.'' finally got out.

''Oh, but I can, and I think my dad will, if he lives. Captain Krätz, may I have a word with you? In private.''

The ensign led the captain into the passageway. The colonel made to follow.

At a nod from Kris, Gunny stepped on the colonel's polished toes. ''Pardon me, sir,'' Gunny said, but by the time the colonel recovered, he found himself surrounded by an infantry colonel and a Marine captain. An Army lieutenant and a Navy lieutenant, too.

Kris looked at the schematics one more time. ''I am finished here. Jack, I'll be on the bridge, setting up a shoot with Nelly as soon as she's available. Tell Ensign Peterwald that she is free to join me with her associates when she is done.''

Kris passed the ensign and her captain in the passageway, their heads together. So that was what a palace coup looked like. Kris hoped it didn't come down to that. Vicky deserved a better chance at survival than she'd have today. Given three or four years, who knew what the woman could grow into.

Hopefully, someone who liked Longknifes better than most Peterwalds did.

51

''We've got the minimum containment field up. Prepare to release antimatter into Reactor A,'' Captain Drago said, as Kris entered the bridge. Silently, she slipped into a high-gee station that was in the usual place for weapons. Careful not to jiggle any elbows, she left the station cold and inert.

''Captain, we've got a steep drop in power from the station,'' Sulwan suddenly announced. ''Containment is weakening.''

''Hold the antimatter,'' the captain ordered.

Kris snapped her commlink and raised the station chief. ''This is Princess Kristine. We were promised power. We are at a critical stage. Who cut it? They are criminals and enemies of the state. Do I need to talk to General Boyng?''

''No. No, ma'am, I swear it's just a glitch. We got a lot of ships making demands we aren't anywhere close to rated for it.''

''Get us power,'' Kris demanded.

''Yes, ma'am,'' and the man was off-screen.

''Should I rely on our own auxiliary power?'' Drago asked. ''I wanted to save it to jump-start our second reactor. Get us out of here faster.''

''Keep auxiliary ready to use antimatter, but see if we can get a start using station power the next time it comes up.''

''Station power coming up to specs,'' Sulwan announced.

''Engineering ready to bleed antimatter into the reactor.''

''Everything is ready,'' Nelly said in her normal voice.

''No questions?'' Kris asked.

''I think we will rewrite the procedures on how to do this,'' Nelly said. ''Nothing our boffins and I couldn't handle. But I'd hate to see anyone do it without all we have here.''

''Nelly, we need to work on a firing solution when this is done.''

''I figured we would. First things first. We have plasma. The containment is holding. We have enough plasma to start our own power generation. Yes!'' The computer's cheer was echoed by several on the bridge and over the commlink.

''We have fusion,'' Captain Drago announced. ''We are growing the plasma core. Thank God we are taking electricity directly from the core. Give me another five minutes, and I'll be ready to jump-start Reactor B. Sortie in fifteen minutes, Princess.''

''What do you mean you're drawing power directly from the core?'' Captain Krätz asked as he escorted his ensign onto the bridge. The colonel behind him had heard the question; he said nothing but seemed to want to look at everything at once.

''Something we can't talk about,'' one captain said to the other. ''However, we do have plasma and should be under way in fifteen minutes.'' Drago tapped his commlink. ''Set getting-under way details, minimum.'' Throughout the ship, came the noise of hands moving to stations.

''I understand we are going into another battle,'' announced Professor mFumbo, following Vicky's team onto the bridge.

''You want to get off?'' Kris asked.

''If I wanted off this tub, I would have left before these mad scientists jump-started the reactor. No, I'm not leaving, but do we really have to be confined to bed?''

''Afraid so,'' Drago cut in. ''Unless you like the idea of standing around at three times your own weight, maybe more, I'd suggest you get in bed. A nice soft one.''

mFumbo scowled. ''Could we at least see what's going on?''