“The Eternals had stealthtechnology?” Bly asked. “Yikes. When was that?”
“You never heard aboutit?” Kennedy responded. “It was back in ’19. The Eats had developeda crude form of it for their battle-cruisers. It was effectiveenough to cause major trouble for the Astra-combatsquads.”
“Ricci told me about thosedays,” Decker mused. “They lost a lot of fighter ships untilEngineering finally found a way to nullify the Eats’tech.”
Moira, always eager to makesome kind of contribution, suggested, “Would Lieutenant Avery knowhow they beat it? He’s an engineer.”
“Probably not,” Con said.“He’s about my age, meaning he’d barely entered secondary ed in‘19.”
“What does ‘in 19’ mean?”Moira asked.
While the others directedperplexed gazes at Moira, Decker had become acclimated to thesesorts of questions from her. “In the year 3019.” When the girlcontinued to look slightly doubtful, glancing over at Sanaa forhelp, Naiche added, “Which was twenty-two years ago – most likelywell before you were born.”
With a broad smile, Aqilawaved a finger in the air. “I just remembered – thereis someone on thismission who was an engineer in Command Operations back then –Commander Lindstrom. He might be able to help us.” She quickly senta request that their CO join them in the lab.
A few minutes later,Lindstrom strode into the laboratory and listened somewhatimpatiently while Aqila explained the problem. “Did it not occur toyou, Lateef, to check the Engineering database for a summary of thesolution we employed?”
“Yes, sir, it did, butnothing came up in my search.”
Raising a skeptical eyebrowthat was echoed in his tone, Lindstrom said, “Is that right?” Hepulled out his hand-held computer and scrolled to the databaselisting. “I submitted that document back in—” After stoppingabruptly, Lindstrom frowned at his screen for a moment. “Why in thehell is that white paper still marked as classified?” He mutteredabout bureaucratic incompetence while transferring the data toLateef’s hand-held with an exasperated swiping motion.
Decker watched as Aqilaquickly scanned the document, with Brodie reading over hershoulder. “Huh, you actually ‘taught’ the sensors to tell thedifference between the real signal and the stealth ones. I didn’trealize that was possible.”
“It’s only possible ifthere are micro-variances to be found between the authentic sensorbounce-back and the faked ones. That’s usually true with a movingtarget – like the Eternals’ battle-cruisers, and it sounds like itmight also be true of these so-called veil-worms.”
Still reading the document,Lateef said, “Though it seems it wasn’t quite that simple – theEternals’ stealth programs automatically re-modulated their signalsupon detection.”
“Yes, but once wecalculated all of the possible variances and programed them intothe sensors, we were able to permanently defeat their technology.”Lindstrom directed a baleful look at the worm remnant. “This shouldbe a somewhat simpler task since I don’t suppose these repugnantcreatures are capable of re-modulating their signal emissions. Somesmall blessing, at least.” His tone brightened as he said, “Show meall the data you’ve collected so far. This shouldn’t take toolong.”
Brodie and Lateef escortedhim over to the main computer and the three of them conferred overthe data screen.
Decker said to Kennedy, “Iguess there’s nothing more for us to do until they’ve figured thisout.” She smiled at Kayatennae who was still glaring at the wormsegment suspended in the clear amber liquid. “Come on, Kay, let’sgo for a run. You need the exercise more than that thing needs aguard – it’s not going anywhere.” They started for the labdoor and Naiche looked back at Con. “Coming, Boss?”
“No, you go ahead. I’moverdue in Med-bay for a check-up on my leg and I’ve kept DoctorUddin waiting long enough.” Finnegan volunteered to take Con’splace and they headed for Aurora’sexit ramp together.
Once outside, Moira said,“Is it okay if we walk rather than run? I don’t care much forrunning.”
Naiche was busy using herhand scanner to search for any sign of peerazu. She read the areaas clear and answered amiably, “Sure – but it’ll still have to be afast-paced walk to give Kay enough exercise.”
“Okay, I’ll try. But wecould simply take a longer walk, can’t we?”
“I suppose so – and maybewhen we get back, Lindstrom and the others will have solved ourproblem with the veil-worms.”
They walked in silence fora moment, watching Kayatennae eagerly sniff the ground. Deck couldtell Moira had something on her mind and figured it wouldn’t belong before the girl shared it. She was right. “Is CommanderLindstrom always like that?”
“Like what?”
“You know…not verynice?”
Deck chuckled in surprisedamusement. “Was he ‘not very nice’ back in the lab?” When Moiranodded emphatically, Naiche shrugged, saying, “He takes somegetting used to. He’s not one to sufferfools gladly – and he doesn’t hide that fact.”
“But Commander Lateefdidn’t do anything foolish – did she?”
“No, but Lindstrom’salways been pretty intolerant of any perceived errors from his crewand he might be a bit worse right now because he’s under a lot ofstress.”
“You mean because he’sletting you and Commander Kennedy go on this mission in thefloat-ways?” Since the real reason was nothing Decker was lookingto share with Finnegan, she agreed with her supposition. “Why areyou so determined to find out what the Intabet know about thepeerazu? What does it matter? We’ll be leaving soon.”
“Yes, but the Maykure andthe Featay aren’t. If the Intabet reallydo know how to manage the peerazu – just thinkwhat that knowledge could do for the rest of the Tolutay. Theywouldn’t have to live in fear anymore.”
“That’s very good of youto take such a risk for an alien race.”
Decker rocked her head fromside to side as she considered how to explain the obligation they’dcollectively incurred. “As interstellar explorers, the UDC have metall kinds of aliens – good, bad, mainly indifferent – but we stilltry to leave behind a favorable impression of humanity wheneverpossible. Here on Tolu we’ve done nothing but cause trouble forthese people; Con and I would like to make up for that.”
Moira’s shoulders slumpedand her gaze fell to the ground. “All that trouble for the Maykureand
