L'Guan laughed. "One or both of them tried to kill us last night and now they want to confer.

"Tell them the commodore and I are plotting their mutual destruction over brandy. I'll call them when we're through."

8.

"FINE;' SAID CAPTAIN P'Qal. "Let's say I P'Qal. "Let's say I believe you. You forged an alliance with the mindslavers, stopped the AI believe you. You forged an alliance with the mindslavers, stopped the AI vanguard cold out in the Ghost Quadrant and you took this lovely pleasure dome." His hand swept the room. "Let's say I vanguard cold out in the Ghost Quadrant and you took this lovely pleasure dome." His hand swept the room. "Let's say I even believe that Combine T'Lan is an AI even believe that Combine T'Lan is an AI nest and you two"-his eyes shifted between R'Gal and S'Rel-"represent the heroic immortals who stood against your own kind for honor, truth and justice." nest and you two"-his eyes shifted between R'Gal and S'Rel-"represent the heroic immortals who stood against your own kind for honor, truth and justice."

"Ease off, P'Qal," said S'Rel.

"Believing this," continued the captain, "and, for various reasons, I do, why should I do, why should I give you the portal device? My sense of duty tells me I give you the portal device? My sense of duty tells me I should turn you around and point you toward K'Ronar." He punched up a t'ata and took another sweetcake from the platter on R'Gal's desk. "With an AI invasion coming through the Rift in the Ghost Quadrant, headed straight at K'Ronar, Fleet needs this ship. It needs to copy its systems and deploy a fleet of these . . . Why are you shaking your head?" he asked R'Gal. should turn you around and point you toward K'Ronar." He punched up a t'ata and took another sweetcake from the platter on R'Gal's desk. "With an AI invasion coming through the Rift in the Ghost Quadrant, headed straight at K'Ronar, Fleet needs this ship. It needs to copy its systems and deploy a fleet of these . . . Why are you shaking your head?" he asked R'Gal.

"There's not enough time, materials or expertise to build a single battleglobe, Captain," said the AI. "The weapons systems are hardly miniaturized marvels: to be effective they have to be numerous and mounted on a battleglobe. Only other battleglobes or mindslavers stand a chance against the Fleet of the One."

"What a hideous name," said S'Tat.

"And a misnomer," said S'Rel, turning to her. "It should be called the Fleet of Fear and Hate. Our fascistic brethren have built and maintained a hegemony at fearsome cost. All the enslaved races hate them, and, judging from records on this ship, the brethren are beginning to hate each other. The conservatives hate the liberals, the liberals the conservatives, both hate and fear the underraces. It's Colonel R'Gal's theory that our home realm's a rotten fruit, ready to fall. One ship-this ship-can spark a revolt that will burn out the bad and maybe spare some of the good."

P'Qal had been sipping his t'ata while he listened. "You haven't been home for a million years, any of you," he said, setting down the cup. "Yet you're so sure of yourselves." He looked at the two AIs. "The only recent arrivals from your universe have been the AIs' infiltrators who became Combine T'Lan. Therefore you have some way of independently confirming information you found on this ship. Probably ..."

"All right, Captain," said R'Gal. "Let's just say we are sure of ourselves."

P'Qal nodded. "Fine. So you can't save us from fire and blood without the portal device -if you can save us at all. Which brings me to my other objection. There is only one extant alternative-reality linkage device, an Imperial relic, evidently a prototype. Obviously, you'd have to take it with you or you couldn't access your home universe from the intervening reality. With you goes a very impressive bit of technology. I'm loath to release it on such a wild risk."

"New technology will be of no use to us," said K'Raoda, "if we're all dead. And we will be dead if the Fleet of the One isn't stopped."

P'Qal sighed. "You can have it," he said. "I hope you know how to use it with this monster's drive."

"You're a brave man, Captain." R'Gal smiled. "And we do know how to use it."

"You know what they'll do to me if you don't succeed?" he said, shaking his head. "I'll have S'Yatan release it to you."

"You may have lost your mind, Captain. I haven't lost mine," said S'Yatan, his image sharp in the commscreen. "I'm not releasing that device to anyone but an authorized Fleet detachment-preferably of flotilla strength."

P'Qal's face reddened dangerously. He leaned closer to the pickup. "Don't give me any of your Academy c.r.a.p about authorizations and illegal orders, Captain," he said. "We have no way to contact Fleet. I am insystem commander. I have made the best decision possible with the available data and have now given you a direct, lawful order. They may court-martial me for releasing that device, but I sure as h.e.l.l will see you shot for disobeying a direct order in a known combat zone." He leaned back, a short, fat man out of breath.

"I am making for jump point, Captain P'Qal," said S'Yatan icily, features pale but composed. "I will report your dereliction of duty to FleetOps-and my reaction to it. We'll see who faces the wall."

The screen went blank.

"Get him back, Captain," said R'Gal. "We're not going anywhere without that device."

P'Qal searched the unfamiliar console for the retransmit key.

"Don't bother, Captain," said S'Rel, turning from the complink. "I was afraid of this. Devastator Devastator carried a full liaison packet, with all the data Combine T'Lan had sent home over the years-sabotage plans, strategy, agents. The real S'Yatan was killed and a combat droid subst.i.tuted during his plebe year. Gentlemen, our enemies have the portal device." carried a full liaison packet, with all the data Combine T'Lan had sent home over the years-sabotage plans, strategy, agents. The real S'Yatan was killed and a combat droid subst.i.tuted during his plebe year. Gentlemen, our enemies have the portal device."

The K'Ronarins under R'Gal and D'Trelna had taken Devastator, Devastator, sensor-scanned for traces of any holdouts in the thousands of miles of corridors honeycombing the battleglobe, then busied themselves with repairs, ignoring the vast reaches of the great ship. Most of sensor-scanned for traces of any holdouts in the thousands of miles of corridors honeycombing the battleglobe, then busied themselves with repairs, ignoring the vast reaches of the great ship. Most of Devastator Devastator remained unexplored. remained unexplored.

There was one structure that attracted visitors, even though some distance from the operations tower and the hub of activity-the observatory. It was a comparatively small dome of a building, white in contrast to the battleglobe's endless black and gray, set in a slight depression between the operations tower and the yawning chasm of a hangar portal. A score of screens, all larger than score of screens, all larger than Implacable's Implacable's main screen, lined the concave sweep of white wall, just above the railed walkway circling the room. Instrument consoles filled the center of the observatory floor. Only one of them was on now, presenting sensor data as a familiar, sharply defined picture. main screen, lined the concave sweep of white wall, just above the railed walkway circling the room. Instrument consoles filled the center of the observatory floor. Only one of them was on now, presenting sensor data as a familiar, sharply defined picture.

"So near, yet ..." said Zahava, looking at the screen.

John stood beside her, also looking at the scan of Earth. Home was a soft swirl of stratoc.u.muli broken by the blue and brown pastels of a surface only an hour away.

"We'll get back there," he said. "After this is over. Go down to the Cape, open up the beach cottage, drink beer . . .

"... put our feet up on the rail, watch the sunset over the Sound and belch contentedly," finished Zahava.

He looked at her and sighed. "Said that a little too much, have I?"

"No more than twice a watch."

They were an odd contrast, she a dark-skinned, lissome Sephardic Jew with a faint Israeli accent, he a sandy-haired WASP of medium build and a barely discernible New England accent. Ex-Mossad and ex-CIA, they'd married after the Biofab War, then shipped out aboard Implacable Implacable into Quadrant Blue Nine, battling corsairs, mindslavers, AIs, and helping take into Quadrant Blue Nine, battling corsairs, mindslavers, AIs, and helping take Devastator Devastator from her AI crew. Now they were on board for the final confrontation. from her AI crew. Now they were on board for the final confrontation.

"You really think we'll get out of this alive?" said Zahava, turning to him.

"Talk like that you won't," said a new voice, echoing in through the dome. The two Terrans turned, hands dropping to their holsters.

"Bill!" they both said, then hurried to greet Sutherland. The CIA director returned Zahava's kiss, then shook John's hand.

"What are you doing aboard this monstrosity?" asked John.

Sutherland shrugged. "S'Rel wanted me up here to gauge their sincerity, or something. A symbol of goodwill, I suppose. This war is long past any Terran government's influence." He glanced up at the board with its image of the planet. "Mostly, though, I came to say good-bye to two homesick friends and to wish you G.o.dspeed."

"How's McShane?" asked John.

"The old codger's well," said Sutherland. "I got a postcard from him last month. Bought a big sailing ketch, hired a crew and took the kids and grandkids off to the South Pacific." Bob McShane, a retired professor, had been with John, Zahava and Sutherland since Implacable Implacable first reached Terra, playing a decisive role in both the Biofab War and the battle for Terra Two. first reached Terra, playing a decisive role in both the Biofab War and the battle for Terra Two.

"So tell me, how did you acquire this homey ship?" asked Sutherland, leaning against one of the consoles.

"Ask Zahava," said John. "She took it. I just wandered around lost, playing tag with those flying blades the AIs use for security."

Sutherland looked at Zahava.

"We stormed it," said the Israeli. "One a.s.sault team infiltrated, took out the shield power, my group came in and stormed the Tower, pulling out the AI gun crews, then D'Trelna brought Implacable Implacable in and it was all over." in and it was all over."

Sutherland snapped his fingers. "Just like that?" he said with a grin.

"Not really," said a new voice.

This time the long-barreled blasters came out of their holsters as Guan-Sharick appeared, standing on the other side of the nearest consoles. The blonde ignored the blasters, looking instead at Sutherland. "They came under fierce blaster fire and nerve gas attack. Zahava's a.s.sault force sustained over seventy percent casualties, John and L'Wrona's over ninety-percent. R'Gal was badly wounded. And still they were lucky."

"Long time," said Sutherland softly. "I'd hoped you were dead."

"I'm on the side of the angels now," said the blonde, walking around the console, "or haven't you heard?"

"And I'm a Trotskyite," said the CIA director.

"What I did on Terra," said the trans.m.u.te, green eyes looking into Sutherland's a meter away, "was necessary. What I did to galactic humanity by instigating the Biofab War was necessary-a vital conditioning exercise." She shook her head, throwing the long golden strands back over the shoulder of her white jumpsuit. strands back over the shoulder of her white jumpsuit.

"You wiped out much of galactic humanity," said John. "A lot of people want a piece of you."

The blonde looked at him, a beautiful young face with old, old eyes. "Nothing can be done to me that hasn't already been done, Harrison. Believe me." Her gaze shifted to a blank screen, seeing something the other three couldn't. "To be honest, I don't expect to survive this mad expedition. Death would be a welcome release."

Guan-Sharick looked back at the three Terrans. "S'Yatan, the captain of the Victory Day, Victory Day, is an AI," she said briskly. "He's making off with the portal device and will reach jump point before we can overtake him. I can, however, transport two of you and myself to his inhospitable bridge and do battle with the slime. Like that," added the trans.m.u.te, snapping her fingers. is an AI," she said briskly. "He's making off with the portal device and will reach jump point before we can overtake him. I can, however, transport two of you and myself to his inhospitable bridge and do battle with the slime. Like that," added the trans.m.u.te, snapping her fingers.

Sutherland was suddenly alone in the observatory. He stood perfectly still for a moment, then shook his head, lips pursed, and left the room.

On the screen, the image of Terra was just another dim point of light.

9.

"Cci WORKS FLAWLESSLY WORKS FLAWLESSLY," said Dad as another small asteroid shattered from a red fusion beam.

"Make for final jump point," L'Wrona ordered the computer. The asteroid belt was a well-known target practice area, just off the princ.i.p.al ship path from K'Ronar to U'Tria. Three jump points-those unseen but well-charted points from which a ship could jump most accurately to another specified point -lay behind them, one ahead. It was here the captain expected trouble-even looked forward to it. After ten years of battlecruisers, he was reveling in the immediate response his hands brought from the sleek little ship, the almost forgotten thrill of piloting a one-man scout. Only the lack of his father's voice would have made it more enjoyable. Why ever did he impress his persona on the computer? wondered L'Wrona, not for the first time. Did he really think he was doing me a favor, or did he do it for himself, a.s.suaging some secret guilt about being away so much when I was young?

Just before the war, after an especially long and argumentative trip aboard Toy, Toy, L'Wrona had consulted a ship's cyberneticist about having his father's persona and voice removed from Toy's computer. The man had glanced at the system specs, then at the programming overlay specs. "Voice is no problem," he'd said. "The personality, though . . ." He'd shaken his head. "Might as well sc.r.a.p the whole system and start with fresh gear." L'Wrona had consulted a ship's cyberneticist about having his father's persona and voice removed from Toy's computer. The man had glanced at the system specs, then at the programming overlay specs. "Voice is no problem," he'd said. "The personality, though . . ." He'd shaken his head. "Might as well sc.r.a.p the whole system and start with fresh gear."

"How much?"

The cyberneticist shook his head again. "Can't get a replacement-system specs are unique to this series-start subst.i.tuting, you're asking for big trouble a long way from home. You'd have to find another O'Lan in private berth, buy it and switch hardware -seeing as how you've made certain modifications." His finger delicately traced the schematic of the CCI interface.

Then the war had started, U'Tria had fallen and L'Wrona had forgotten all about it-until now.

"A ship has just appeared at jump point," said Dad. "ID'd as a nova-cla.s.s Fleet destroyer."

The projection appeared on the tacscan -the red of the destroyer moving toward the green of Toy Toy as it approached the pulsing red circle of the jump point. as it approached the pulsing red circle of the jump point.

"Ship-to-ship," said the computer.

A man's face appeared in the commscreen, the silver starships of a captain on his collar. He was in his middle years, graying at the temples-and he looked most unhappy. He nodded at L'Wrona. "My Lord," he said with a faint nod. "Captain Z'Than, commanding A'Lan's Hope. A'Lan's Hope. We are ordered by FleetOps to take your ship aboard and return with you to K'Ronar." We are ordered by FleetOps to take your ship aboard and return with you to K'Ronar."

L'Wrona's hand tapped the joystick, taking Toy Toy off automatic, moving the ship forward at standard. "I invoke the immunity of the Covenant," he said. On the tacscan, the distance between the two ships was quickly shrinking. off automatic, moving the ship forward at standard. "I invoke the immunity of the Covenant," he said. On the tacscan, the distance between the two ships was quickly shrinking.

"I'm sorry, but they said you'd do that," said Z'Than, "and that it was a procedural matter best decided by a tribunal. As a Line officer, I am merely to bring you in."

A line of text appeared beneath the captain's image, moving slowly across the screen. "H'Nar. He's armed his weapons batteries. Tacscan locking on. Touch your left earlobe if you want me to open fire now, while we still have a chance."

L'Wrona kept his left hand on the chairarm. "Z'Than," said the margrave. "You're from U'Tria, aren't you?"

The captain nodded.

"Do you have a signed order from Fleet ordering my arrest?"

"I have verbal authorization, My Lord." Even in the small pickup, L'Wrona could see the sweat on the other's brow. He and his family had been liegemen of the margrave since before the Fall.

"You can only bring me in with an order signed by the Grand Admiral, or an order signed by the full Council. Do you have either?"

Z'Than shook his head.

"Then get out of my way, sir. As first ship insystem, we have prior navigation rights. You are between us and our jump point."

G.o.dS! H'NAR, JUMP NOW! flashed the screen. flashed the screen.

DEVIATION WILL BE ONLY .00032. WE CAN MAKE IT UP IN A FEW WEEKS.

"Cut your engines and prepare to be taken in on tractors," said Z'Than. On the tacscan, what little s.p.a.ce there was between the two ships was vanishing. L'Wrona could see the destroyer through the armorgla.s.s now, a mile-long black hull bristling with weapons turrets and instrument pods. They were within seconds of colliding.

"Too easy," said L'Wrona. Pulling up on the stick, he sent the scout knifing up and over the destroyer's bridge, down along its hull and then off toward jump point, the big tri-tubed engines shrinking in the rearscan.

The destroyer commander's image vanished as the commlink broke. "He's switched off," said Dad as L'Wrona moved the scout up to flank speed. "And he's suspended weapons tracking. You won."

Reaching jump point, L'Wrona engaged the drive, feeling his stomach churn as s.p.a.ce twisted in that crazy, familiar way, then it was over-they were in U'Tria system. Home.

Sighing, L'Wrona dropped Toy's speed down to standard.

"Mines!" shouted the computer. "All around!"

Cursing, L'Wrona cut speed, tried to nullify forward thrust, even as an alarm sounded. "Incoming missiles!" warned Dad. "Move and the mines get us, don't move and the missiles get us."

"Missiles from where?" said L'Wrona.

"Two heavily armed commercial vessels." It all came up on the tacscan then: the red of the minefield surrounding the jump point, the incoming red streaks of the shipbusters, the yellow Xs of the two hostiles, and standing well outside the minefield, the small, fragile green of Toy. Toy.

"Origin of vessels?" said L'Wrona, seeing only one way out.

"ID'd as Combine T'Lan," said Dad.

The missiles penetrated the minefield and were destroyed-as planned. Noiseless, a spectacular wave of overlapping orange-red explosions licked toward the scout, a chain reaction racing from mine to mine.

"Short jump, backside," snapped L'Wrona.

Toy disappeared as the blast reached her. disappeared as the blast reached her.

"Yes or no?" said the face in the commscreen.

The man wearing the uniform of a Combine merchant captain shrugged. "Maybe yes, maybe no. We think we got him, but the tacscan shows no ship residue. There should be at least some traces of the drive isotopes."