Chapter 16

Drummer paced the command deck of the Plutonian flagship Dragon, Brad nearby. Scarf, sprawled in an open accello-net fastened to a nearby bulkhead, watched and listened.

The ship vibrated as it moved along the launch rail leading to the mouth of the tunnel hanger. Captain Hyk, the ship’s Commander, hunched over a control computer on the nearby bridge and snapped orders to his Operations Officer. Both cast sideways glances at Scarf, discomfited by his presence.

Brad visualized the scene on the bridges and flight decks of the more than two dozen warships, ranging from cruisers to fighters that formed the task force. All were in final countdown for launch from tunnels and galleries cut into reinforced chasms across a hundred kay of Pluto’s surface.

At Drummer’s invitation, Brad analyzed the launch schedule and deployment pattern. He had tactfully suggested substantive alterations to minimize warning time to the depot and its nearby transports. After some debate, during which Brad repeatedly justified his proposals to skeptical ship commanders, they were computer-tested, modified and accepted.

Brad knew he was on trial. Ram’s words surfaced as he scanned the bridge: “ ... you will lie, cheat, bribe, subvert, sabotage, and kill for us, and should our greater purpose call for you to do so, against us.”

“This one,” he mused, ironically, “is on the ‘against us’ side of the ledger.”

Hodak appeared at the entry to the command deck and beckoned to Brad. As Brad approached, Scarf rose and sauntered in their direction, seemingly scrutinizing instrument dials and panels along the way. His ears seemed to throb with the effort of eavesdropping.

“I’ve gone over the maintenance and operations checklists for all ships and technical support committed to this mission, as you told me to,” Hodak said, “and then spot-checked them against installed equipment. We’ve only been on this job a couple of days, so I couldn’t probe to any meaningful depth.”

He heaved a deep sigh. “From what I’ve seen so far, Brad, the systems are not as well-maintained as they should be, and much of the data and crew training are not applicable or out of date.

“My recommendation is that as soon as we get back we conduct a hard-nosed professional inspection of the fleet to pinpoint all the cats-and-dogs these dunderheads have jerry-rigged into the equipment and the software. We gotta give priority to the checklists that need to be updated to correspond with installed equipment. No two ships have the same configuration, so each checklist will have to be tailored. That’s only the first step, and it’ll be one helluva lotta work.”

“Drummer’s main concern right now is getting through this operation without using weapons or incurring a technical breakdown,” Brad said. “Either one will detract from the image we’re trying to build. He should know ASAP what you found. I’ll pass it along to him. Stand by with Kumiko in case Drummer needs some technical advice on weapons or engineering.”

“Right.”

Hodak turned to leave, and his eyes met Scarf’s. Hodak grinned, and gave Scarf a thumbs up. Scarf glowered and turned away, moving back to the net. Hodak disappeared down the passageway.

The ship advanced along a rail into a gallery at the mouth of the tunnel. Captain Hyk turned to Drummer.

“The Dragon is at launch station,” he said.

Drummer and Brad stepped from the command deck to a small balcony overlooking a shallow pit covered by a pale, translucent screen. A network of lines, representing tunnels and galleries, formed on the screen, each incorporating a tiny, yellow moving and blinking light to indicate a warship under Drummer’s command. As each light reached launch position, it halted and changed from yellow to green. Drummer and Brad watched the last of the yellows convert. All green, ready to launch.