“They’ve got to be mad!” Dunlopexploded. “We’re a cargo ship!”
“Now, we’re a scout.”
“Where from?” Tan asked. “Imean, who’s declared war?”
“No idea,” John shook his head. “It’s coming from outside the galaxy. The jump gate towards Andromeda has beendestroyed. Lynn...”
“Sir?”
“A lot of that area isuncharted. I want accurate mapping.”
“Yes, sir,” she nodded.
“What sort of support are wegetting?” asked Humphries.
“Six of ours, six Betelians, acouple of Antarians… But they’re going to be way behind us, and won’t be anydirect help. We’ll see what we can muster up on the way. But if we can’tdefend ourselves we might as well give up now. I want full battle readiness ofall engines and weapons. Tactical systems are non existent. Sensors have agood range, but I want them linked with security. I don’t want anyone sneakingup on us… Any other suggestions?”
They all needed time to digestthe information.
“If you think of something later,please come and talk to me.”
“What you want will take months,”Kowalski said.
“Time, we have.” John glanced toGillespie. “Resources, we don’t.”
Gillespie’s brow creased. “Ithink I may have a few ideas,” he said after a moment.
“I was hoping you might.”
“What about the other shipshere? Can’t they help?” McReidy asked.
“Not very likely. We’re due outin a few hours.”
“I was meaning information. Tacticsand strategies.”
“I haven’t tried that. Kuiper’slocked me out.”
John couldn’t think of anythingelse. He looked around the bridge, pausing for a moment on each one andknowing the reality hadn’t fully sunk in.
“Anyone who hasn’t got a job,find one. Any questions? Good,” he answered before else could. “Meetingover. Let’s go for it.”
The bridge emptied. John foundhimself alone with McReidy. He leaned back in his chair, stretched and yawned.
“Can we do it?” she asked.
“I don’t know. Have you firedany weapons since Betelgeuse?”
“Only in simulations. And thatship…” she shuddered. “It might be time to call in a few favours.”
John’s brow creased. Somethingwas going on inside her head that he couldn’t figure out. “Do you know whereAnthony is?”
“Delaney? No,” she shook herhead. “Coffee?”
“I wouldn’t say no,” he answered,covering another yawn. He knew he hadn’t had enough sleep the previous night. And he wouldn’t be getting much that night either.
John took his coffee atcommunications.
“If you’re out here, can I havethe office?” McReidy asked as she handed him his mug.
“All yours,” he replied, taking asip. “Ohh, that’s nice. Thanks.”
He brought up a list of shipsdocked at the station and began to hack into their systems. He started with Independence, but was unable to break the first security level. He struck similarproblems with Yorktown and Hood, then gave up on the large ships. Theirsecurity was so much better than he was. Next, he tried Canberra. While hewasn’t familiar with the captain, he knew how Tim coded. Within a few minutes,he had accessed the first two security levels.
On Canberra, a security officernoticed the computers coming online. He watched for a minute, and triedunsuccessfully to locate the source before turning to the captain, who was busythumbing through reports. His eyes drifted to the first officer at the helm.
“Commander Harvett, can you havea look at this?”
“Sure.” Tim got up from thehelm.
The captain’s eyes peered overthe top of the report, then lowered again.
“What is it?” Tim asked leaningover the security console.
“It looks like someone’s tryingto access our systems.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know, sir. I can’tlocate an access point.”
“Move over.” Tim slid into theseat, almost pushing the officer out of his way. He found the location asbeing Bismarck. He jammed the line, slipped on some earphones and opened aclear channel. “Madison?” he asked quietly, his eyes darting to the captain. “What do you think you’re doing?”
John froze. “Tim?” he askedhesitantly.
“Yes. What are you doing hackingmy ship?”
“I’m after your battlecomputers.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t have any.”
Tim glanced to the captainagain. “You’ll get us all into trouble.”
John waited for Tim to make uphis mind.
“I’ll download what I can. Giveme a minute.” Tim accessed his own computers and began to download to Bismarck.
“Problem, Mister Harvett?” Carmichael’s voice boomed.
“No, sir. Just a gremlin,” Timquickly covered himself. “I’ll have it sorted before we leave.”
“Make sure you do.”
“You owe me big,” Tim whisperedto John.
“Thanks, Tim.”
John turned from the console, andsipped at his coffee. He’d thought he was alone on the bridge and wassurprised to find Giacomo at navigation. The pilot had the navigational chartson the main screen and was studying them intently.
John recognised the star systemcurrently displayed. “What are you doing?” he asked quietly.
“Homework,” Giacomo answeredwithout looking away from the screen. “I’d like to know where we’re going andwhat’s out there.”
John smiled. At least the pilothad paid attention to his lecturing. ‘Nagging’ was the term some juniorofficers had given. “You know most of it’s uncharted.”
Giacomo nodded.
“Want some help?” he offered.
“Sure. I need all the help I canget. Coffee’s hot. I brought a fresh pot with me.”
John refilled his mug and seatedhimself at the helm. He didn’t try to take over from Giacomo. He was contentto let the young pilot work his own way through the charts. He worked slowlyand methodically, plotting a course towards the Andromeda galaxy then studyingthe systems they would come near.
Giacomo looked up. “Is that theonly gate gone?”
John shrugged. “It’s the onlyone we know of.”
“Where do you think Command willsend us?”
“Powers said scouts, plural, sowe’re not going to be the only one. Until our orders come through, I can’teven hazard a guess.”
Giacomo let out a breath. “Doesn’t make it easy, does it?”
“It never is.” John clapped areassuring hand on the pilot’s shoulder, then turned his attention back to themain screen. “You might want to branch out a bit.”
“I’ll never remember all this asit is,” Giacomo complained.
“You don’t have to. Make yourown reference file.”
“Am I allowed to?”
“Of course you are. Listeverything you come across, plus whatever you know about it. If you’re notsure, tell the computer to access its library.”
Giacomo was still slightlybewildered.
“Take Cassiopeia. It’s locatedin our galaxy in one of the arms. One hundred and fifty plus major stars.”
Giacomo nodded. This was basicinformation.
“Computer, open a navigationreference file. Call it…” John paused for a moment to think of a name. “Giacomo one,” he decided.
It brought
