Chapter 6

Brad leaned back, drew his legs in and stretched them straight, heels to the deck. His eyes followed Ram to the dais and as he turned to face him.

“You and your crew will start intensive training in intelligence operations using our most advanced methods. It will cover infiltration, interrogation, psychological defenses against psychic probes and other means that might be used to acquire information from you, under duress or otherwise. You will absorb intelligence countermeasures and counter-countermeasures, identification of military spacecraft and weapons used by both the UIPS and INOR, analysis of our military capabilities and those of our adversaries, covert communications through conventional, unconventional and spunnel channels, and other tricks of the trade. Your quick reaction reflexes will be enhanced through means that will not be apparent to you.”

“What does that last part mean?”

“I’ll get to it. First, your mission. Your escape from this Station has been arranged. The pieces are being moved into place. Your immediate destination is tanktown Coldfield on Planet Pluto.”

The view tank’s image of Pluto expanded as did the gray-black contrasts of the planet’s surface. A white light in a mottled area blinked, drawing Brad’s momentary attention. His eyes returned to Ram.

“Your initial field of operations is centered in Coldfield,” Ram pointed to the light. “Where you go from there depends on the contacts you develop and how well you exploit each opportunity. The tank town has a permanent population of about fifty thousand plus about ten thousand transients. Mix with the transients for starters.”

“Get to the mission, Ram,” Brad cut Xindral short.

Ram sighed. “We’ve sent a succession of formal diplomatic missions to INOR,” he said, “including a few to the renegades that now run Planet Pluto. We’ve asked them repeatedly to not interfere with the Slingshot program. We’ve emphasized to each INOR government that Slingshot is as important to them as it is to us. They’re not listening. We’re still pressing diplomatic means, meanwhile, our logistics is being disrupted by Pluto’s President Narval’s hoodlums.”

“How does this team fit in?”

“If we send in a military force to sweep away these scoundrels, our action will be seen as an imperialist intrusion into the Outer Region. It will create such resentment among the governments out there that the Slingshot schedule cannot help but suffer serious harm. Getting INOR’s cooperation will also become more difficult than ever.

“Maybe, if we gather enough hard evidence of a conspiracy and confront them with it, they’ll change their ways. Right now, they’re blaming the attacks on partisans over whom they say they have no control. We don’t buy that. We need you to gather and send confirmations to us and, while you’re doing that, disrupt the plans and weapons being marshaled against us. Use whatever initiatives you can devise on site. Go where you need to, do whatever it takes to frustrate our adversaries.”

“What happens if we fail?”

“Failure is unacceptable. As long as you or any of your people are alive and useful to us we’ll get through to you and we’ll expect you to keep us current on developments.”

“Big order.”

“Yes, it is.”

“I am, or rather, I was, skipper of a space freighter,” Brad said, tenting his hands. “I know almost nothing of military operations, intelligence gathering, and especially covert actions, whatever those might entail. I’m not familiar with space weapons except for garden-variety small arms. Other than Kumiko, I gather that the members of this team are not experts in the weapons and explosives we are likely to encounter or use. You’re sending us in against a rough crowd, from the way you describe them. Aren’t you risking a lot on us?”

“Absolutely.”

“I refuse.”

“You’re not being given the choice. Neither are the others.”

“I can withhold my cooperation.”

“I repeat, Brad, you have no choice.”

Ram paused, eyeball to eyeball with Brad, whose eyes had gone cold. Ram’s voice went as flat as when he had read the group their orders.

“You will be psychologically adjusted as you progress through this indoctrination. The ‘adjustment’, for want of a better term, is necessary for several reasons. It applies to the entire team.”

Brad stared.

“What does that mean?”

“Just that we can’t afford to let normal human weaknesses and scruples interfere the mission.”

“The hell you say,” Brad raised his voice. “You’re telling me we’re expendable?”

“You’re in covert intelligence work, Brad, and you’ll be in the enemy’s camp. Doesn’t that answer your question?”

“Come on, dammit.”