Part 54 (2/2)

”I'm sure the catapult can be recalibrated,” Kosta said. ”It should be just a matter of feeding in new numbers and shunting the right amount of power.”

”And if you can't do it?” Chandris persisted.

In the artificial light, Kosta's face seemed to have gone a little pale. ”Then, again, I'm in trouble,” he

said. ”It's still worth a try.”

Hanan looked at Ornina, and Chandris could see a silent message flash between them. ”All right,”

Hanan said briskly, starting to his feet. ”I'll get the s.h.i.+p prepped-”

The end of the sentence became an agonized hiss as he froze halfway to his feet, his face twisting in

pain. ”Hanan!” Ornina exclaimed, scrambling up and taking his arm.

”No, what you are going to do is get back to the hospital,” Chandris said firmly, standing up and taking his other arm. ”Both of you. Kosta and I can take the s.h.i.+p out to Angelma.s.s.””Don't be silly,” Hanan said between clenched teeth. ”You can't do this alone.””Well, we sure can't do it carrying you,” Kosta pointed out, coming around behind Chandris.

”Chandris, I'll help Ornina get him outside. You go ahead of us to the hatchway and call a line car.” A tentative hand touched Chandris's shoulder, and she looked over to see that Ronyon was on his feet, too. I can call a line car, he offered, looking at Hanan as if he were an injured puppy. You could go and start the s.h.i.+p.

”You sure you want to get involved with this?” Chandris asked, frowning at him.I'm not very smart, Ronyon signed. But I know that Angelma.s.s is hurting people. I want to help.Chandris hesitated. She really didn't want to get Ronyon in trouble with Forsythe. But it would save them a few minutes; and if Kosta was right, they might need all the minutes they could get.

Besides which, if the police were scanning line car orders looking for her name or Kosta's, this ought

to throw them off the trail a little. ”All right, Ronyon, thank you,” she said. ”Go ahead.”

”Where's he going?” Kosta asked as Ronyon turned and hurried out of the galley.

”He'll call the line car,” Chandris explained over her shoulder as she followed him. ”I'm going to go

get the s.h.i.+p prepped. I hope they got everything put back together.”

”Chandris?” Hanan called after her.

She turned back. ”Yes?”

”Be careful, child,” he said softly. ”And come back. You hear?”

She managed a confident smile. ”Don't worry,” she said. ”After all we've been through, you're sure

not going to get rid of me now.”

She turned again and left, careful not to look back.

CHAPTER 41.

”They're starting to come up into orbit,” Campbell reported as Lles.h.i.+ stepped onto the balcony. ”Looks like they're going pretty much all out to meet us.”

”Yes, I see,” Lles.h.i.+ said, blinking the last bits of sleep from his eyes as he studied the tactical display. With roughly an hour to go before the Komitadji reached close-orbit distance, the Empyreals were emptying the planet, putting everything they had into s.p.a.ce in preparation for the upcoming battle.

But unless they had a lot more in reserve than it appeared, it wasn't going to be nearly enough. ”What about the communications and weather satellites?” he asked.

”They finished mining them about two hours ago,” Campbell said. ”At least, that's when the shuttles they had poking around headed back down. While they were at it, they put another hundred or so smaller casings in orbit, too.”

”More mines.”

”Firecrackers,” Campbell said with a contemptuous sniff. ”Even subnukes that size wouldn't be worth much, and the readings don't show any radiation telltales. Probably mining explosives like the ones those suicide s.h.i.+ps in Lorelei system were using.”

”Whatever else you say about these people, they're certainly single-minded,” Lles.h.i.+ said. ”Anything else happen while I was asleep?”

”Surprisingly little, actually,” Campbell said, tapping some keys. Over by Lles.h.i.+'s station, one of the displays changed to a page full of numbers. ”We've been monitoring their communications; and while there's been lots of traffic on the official and Defense Force channels, the civilian and media ones haven't shown any unusual activity at all. In fact, Comm Group says they don't think the people have even been told about us.”

”Really.” Lles.h.i.+ rubbed his chin, frowning at the tactical. ”Interesting. Either they're supremely confident that they can take us on, or else they simply don't want to start the panic before it's absolutely necessary.”

”Most likely the latter,” Campbell said. ”Tactical Group's been over everything we've seen them do, and they agree unanimously that the Seraph defensive array is pitifully weak. We should be able to cut through it in no time.”

”We'll soon find out,” Lles.h.i.+ said. ”Keep a close watch for atmospheric craft lurking beneath clouds and in high mountain cubbyholes. They might be banking on our fighters not handling as well in atmosphere as theirs do.”

”In which case they're in for a bad surprise.” Campbell c.o.c.ked his head slightly. ”Speaking of fighters, sir, are you going to send a squad ahead to clear a path?”

”As Adjutor Telthorst wants, you mean?” Lles.h.i.+ said sourly. ”You're the tactical officer, Mr. Campbell. You tell me.”

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