Part 15 (1/2)

'All right then, try this one. You're the sort of race that enjoys going to the theatre lives for it, in fact.'

Ace nodded.

'Such fanaticism seems quite common in this part of the universe.'

'There could be lots of reasons for that.'

'So you build a theatre a huge amphitheatre, the theatre to end all theatres.'

'Yes Doctor.'

He leaned back in his chair, tipped his hat over his face, and said quietly, 'But would it ever occur to you, Ace, on a planet where half the time it's raining cats and fifty*foot dogs, to make it an open air theatre?'

The debriefing proved to be of little help or interest to anyone except Lefkhani, and he found it difficult to believe most of what he heard. So he concentrated instead on keeping the s.h.i.+p on course and monitoring the com*net. He also kept a watchful eye on the detectors. Behind him Fortalexa, Lannic and Klasvik continued to argue over what to report and what to keep to themselves.

When Lefkhani interrupted they all seemed relieved. Until they heard what he had to say.

'Sir, there's a s.h.i.+p coming up on us from behind on an intercept course.'

Fortalexa was with him in an instant, punching up verification. 'Do we have the ident signal yet?'

'No, sir. Any moment now.'

'Is it one of ours an escort?' Klasvik was optimistic. They all knew an escort would not be spared.

'Could be in retreat from one of the recent actions,' suggested Lannic.

'Got it Gamma five zero nine slash four.'

Fortalexa was already checking the listings. A match flashed at him from towards the end of the list. 'The Hordes of Bastura. It's a battle cruiser, Cl.u.s.ter cla.s.s. And it's Rippearean.'

They'll be in range in about thirty seconds.' Lefkhani checked the perceptor readings. 'They're locking weapons now.'

'Try to lose them maximum drive.' Fortalexa turned to Klasvik, 'Find the specs on the Cl.u.s.ter cla.s.s. See if we can outrun them.' He opened an intercom channel and his voice reverberated round the command deck as it was relayed through speakers on every deck and in every cabin. Doctor, Ace to the command deck please. If you hurry, you'll be here before the torpedoes.'

There was a good selection of cakes and two pots of tea but Benny was more concerned with finding out what was going on. She had described the problems she found with the theatre and with the doc.u.ments, and Braxiatel had just smiled, 'What conclusions do you reach?' he inquired reasonably.

So she told him what she thought.

'And how is that possible, do you suppose?' he asked when she had finished.

'Well I don't really know. I suppose time travel must have something to do with it.'

He laughed. It was a quiet laugh, good*natured and genuine, 'Oh no,' he said, 'for once time travel has nothing to do with it.'

'Do you have another explanation?'

'First things first.' He leaned forward and surveyed the cakes. 'Help yourself, won't you? They really are as good as they look. I'll pour you some tea: there's a traditional Terran brew, and also one I had blended myself. Do you have a preference?'

Benny decided she preferred to try the traditional Earth blend. Braxiatel seemed not at all put out, excusing himself to answer a polite knock at the door.

It was Elliniko. While the two men exchanged a few quiet words, Benny sipped her tea, trying to think what Braxiatel's explanation might be. She was no wiser by the time he returned.

'Good news?' she asked.

'Perhaps. A Rippearean cruiser has encountered a Heletian orbiter en route en route between Menaxus and Heletia. We're linked directly into the net, but even so the original report will have taken a while to get posted.' between Menaxus and Heletia. We're linked directly into the net, but even so the original report will have taken a while to get posted.'

'That must be Lannic's expedition.'

Braxiatel nodded. 'They're just approaching the edge of the Schlaer Belt. My guess is they will run for it and try to hide in amongst the asteroids.'

Benny all but dropped her cup and saucer onto the table and leapt to her feet. 'But an old orbiter's no match for a cruiser.'

Braxiatel seemed mildly concerned. 'Careful you'll spill your tea jumping about like that.' He dabbed at the table with a napkin.

'Oh forget the tea, we have to do something.'

Braxiatel smiled and gestured for her to sit down again. 'I'm afraid there's really nothing much we can do.'

Benny sat down. He was right, but she felt no better for knowing that. 'I suppose they'll be okay,' she said distantly and Braxiatel nodded sympathetically. 'After all, the Doctor's with them.'

The tea splashed into the saucer as Braxiatel turned sharply towards her. 'What?'

Compared with the rest*room, the control deck was tiny. It seemed even smaller to Ace since it was crammed to capacity with consoles and equipment. What wall s.p.a.ce was left was dominated by the main screen, and what floor s.p.a.ce there was had several additional flight chairs bolted to it.

Fortalexa was on the detector console, Lefkhani was piloting with Ace as his back*up. The Doctor had appointed himself navigator, staring at the charts on the main screen and doing the calculations in his head since that was quicker than using the computer. Lannic and Klasvik were strapped into crew seats, although they were close enough to see and hear what was going on.

'Why don't you show us what we're heading for?' Klasvik was annoyed that the main screen was dedicated to navigation charts he could not understand.

'If we can see it,' Fortalexa told him without looking around, 'then we've already hit it. At this speed we're wholly dependent on the detectors, so I suggest you don't interrupt the Doctor's calculations. If he's slightly off we'll get sc.r.a.ped against an asteroid.'

Ace checked over the readings again. Lefkhani was linked in, but she was double*checking against the physical controls. 'Looking good.'

'Check.' Lefkhani had his eyes shut, his hand tight on the control stick.

Ace looked round at the others. Fortalexa had one earpiece of the headset pressed to his left ear, the other hanging free. The Doctor was holding his pocket watch*like a stopwatch, counting off the seconds and tracing a line with his index finger across the chart projected on to the main screen.

'They're still with us.' Fortalexa had got a faint ping. Ace had heard it through the free earpiece of his headset. 'Their detectors are active.'

'Is that good or bad?' asked Lannic.

'Both. It's good that we know where they are. We can't afford to go from pa.s.sive detect, they'd find us at once. But it does suggest they know we're no threat to them.

The Doctor tapped a point on the chart and glanced at his watch. 'We're within the Schlaer Belt now. Can we decrease speed?'

'I'd, rather not, Doctor. They're gaining on us if anything, There was a louder ping from the headset they all heard it. 'Right, that's it, they got us that time. They'll be locking weapons and preparing a salvo.'