“This will make Old Carbuncle sing another tune,” he remarked almost gaily to the exec, standing by with a harassed expression.
“Maybe you’d better go slow, Ned,” the latter cautioned, gauging his senior’s mood. “It might be as well to get a definite confirmation on this installation’s capabilities before we go on record—”
Broadly turned abruptly to the screen as it chimed. “Admiral, as I reported, I’ve picked up one of our forward beacon towers,” Broadly’s hearty voice addressed the screen from which the grim visage of the task force commander eyed him. “I’m taking steps to complete the intercept; steps which are, if I may say so, rather ingenious—”
“It’s my understanding the target is receding on an I curve, Broadly,” the admiral said flatly. “I’ve been anticipating a code thirty-three from you.”
“Break off action?” Broadly’s jaw dropped. “Now, Tom—”
“It’s a little irregular to use a capital ship of the line to chase a ten-thousand-ton yacht,” the task force commander ignored the interruption. “I can understand your desire to break the monotony with a little activity; good exercise for the crew, too. But at the rate the signal is attenuating, it’s apparent you’ve lost her.” His voice hardened. “I’m beginning to wonder if you’ve forgotten that your assignment is the containment of enemy forces supposedly pinned down under tight quarantine!”
“This yacht, as you put it, Admiral, blew two of my detached units out of space!” Broadly came back hotly. “In addition, he planted a missile squarely in my fore lazaret—”
“I’m not concerned with the details of your operation at this moment, Commodore,” the other bit off the words like bullets. “I’m more interested in maintaining the degree of surveillance over my assigned quadrant that Concordiat Security requires. Accordingly—”
“Just a minute, Tom, before you commit yourself,” Broadly’s florid face was pale around the ears. “Perhaps you failed to catch my first remark: I have a forward station directly in the enemy’s line of retreat. The intercept is in the bag—unless you countermand me.”
“You’re talking nonsense. The target’s well beyond the Inner Line—”
“He’s not beyond the Outer Line!”
The admiral frowned. His tight, well-chiseled face was still youthful under the mask of authority. “The system was never extended into the region under discussion,” he said harshly. “I suggest you recheck your instruments. In the interim, I want to see an advice of a course correction for station in the length of time it takes you to give the necessary orders to your navigation section.”
Broadly drew a breath, hesitated. If Old Carbuncle was right—if that infernal signal lieutenant had made a mistake—but the boy seemed definite enough about it. He clamped his jaw. He’d risked his career on a wild throw; maybe he’d acted a little too fast, maybe he’d been a little too eager to grab a chance at some favorable notice, but the die was cast now. If he turned back empty-handed, the entire affair would go into the record as a major fiasco. But if this scheme worked out…
“Unless the admiral wishes to make that a direct order,” he heard himself saying firmly, “I intend to hold my course and close with the enemy. It’s my feeling that neither the Admiralty nor the general public will enjoy hearing of casualties inflicted by a supposedly neutralized enemy who was then permitted to go his way unhindered.” He returned the other’s stare, feeling a glow of pride at his own decisiveness, and a simultaneous sinking sensation at the enormity of the insubordination.
The vice admiral looked back at him through narrowed eyes. “I’ll leave that decision to you, Commodore,” he said tightly. “I think you’re as aware as I of what’s at stake here.”
Broadly stiffened at what was almost an open threat.
“Instruct your signal officer to pass full information on this supposed station to me immediately,” the senior concluded curtly, and disappeared from the screen.
Broadly turned away, feeling all eyes on him. “Tell Pryor to copy his report to G at once,” he said in a harsh voice. His eyes strayed to the exec’s. “And if this idea of his doesn’t work out, God help him.” And all of us, he added under his breath.
20
As Carnaby reached for the door to start the long climb down, a sharp beep! sounded from the panel behind him. He looked back, puzzled. The bleat repeated, urgent, commanding. He swung the pack down, went to the console, flipped down the REC key.
“… 37 Ace Trey,” an excited voice came through loud and clear. “I repeat, cut your beacon immediately! JN 37 Ace Trey, Cincsec One-two-oh to JN 37 Ace Trey. Shut down beacon soonest! This is an Operational Urgent! JN 37 Ace Trey, cut beacon and stand by for further operational Urgent instructions…”
21
On the Fleet Command Deck aboard the flagship Vice Admiral Thomas Carnaby, otherwise known as Old Carbuncle, studied the sector triagram as his communications chief pointed out the positions of the flagship Malthusa, the Djann refugee, and the reported JN beacon station.
“I’ve researched the call letters, sir,” the gray-haired signal major said. “They’re not shown on any listing as an active station. In fact, the entire series of which this station would be a part is coded null; never reported in commission.”
“So someone appears to be playing pranks, is that your conclusion, Henry?”
The signal officer pulled at his lower lip. “No, sir, not that, precisely. I’ve done a full analytical on the recorded signal that young Pryor first intercepted. It’s plainly directed to Cincsec in response to their alert; and the ID is confirmed. Now, as I say, this series was dropped from the register; but at one time, such a designation was assigned en bloc to a proposed link in the Out Line. However, the planned installations never came to fruition due to changes in the strategic position.”
The vice admiral frowned. “What changes were those?”
“The task force charged with the establishment of the link encountered heavy enemy pressure. In fact, the cruiser detailed to carry out the actual placement of the units was lost in action with all hands. Before the program could be reinitiated, a withdrawal from the sector was ordered. The new link was never completed, and the series was retired, unused.”
“So?”
“So… just possibly, sir, one of those old stations was erected before Redoubt was lost—”
“What’s that?” The admiral rounded on the startled officer. “Did you say… Redoubt?” His voice was a hiss between set teeth.
“Y… yessir!”
“Redoubt was lost with all hands before she planted her first station!”
“I know that’s what we’ve always thought, Admiral—”
The admiral snatched the paper from the major’s hand. “JN 37 Ace Trey,” he read aloud. “Why the hell didn’t you say so sooner?” He whirled to his chief of staff. “What’s Broadly got in mind?” he snapped the question.
The startled officer began a description of the plan to decoy the Djann vessel into range of Malthusa’s batteries.
“Decoy?” the vice admiral snarled. The exec took a step backward, shocked at the expression on his superior’s face. The latter spun to face his battle officer, standing by on the bridge.
“General, rig out an Epsilon series interceptor and get my pressure gear into it! I want it on the line ready for launch in ten minutes! Assign your best torchman as co-pilot!”