island's plugging it.
The metal-mound that had been his home for two weeks seemed to have stopped sinking. A few treetops waved above the water.
Toshio wondered about the fate of Charles Dart. He couldn't imagine the chimpanzee swimming very far. Perhaps it was just as well. At least Charlie had had a clean exit.
Toshio felt a bit better having rested. He began swimming again, for the open sea.
About twenty minutes later there came another low rumbling. He turned around just in time to see the distant mound rocked by a terrific explosion. Dirt and vegetation flew in all directions. The mound itself heaved upward, almost out of the water, split apart, then fell back into a cloud of steam.
'Calling battle fleet! Calling the battle fleet ahead! This is Lieutenant Takkata-Jim of the Terragens Survey Service. I wish to negotiate! Please ressspond!'
The receiver was silent. Takkata-Jim cursed. The radio must work. He had taken it from Thomas Orley's sled, and that human always maintained his equipment! Why weren't the Galactics answering?
The longboat was designed to be run by more than one person. The sudden and unexpected disaster at the island had forced him to abandon his Stenos. Now he had no one to help him. He had to juggle two or three jobs at once.
He watched the tactics display. A cluster of yellow lights were heading his way from Galactic north. It was a paltry flotilla compared with the great armadas that had come sweeping into the system only weeks ago. But it was still an awesome array of firepower. They were heading right for him.
Elsewhere, all was chaos. The planet was pockmarked with energy releases — boiling steam tornadoes where volcanoes emptied into the sea. And above the planet's northern hemisphere a free-for-all battle was going on.
Takkata-Jim increased the scale on his display and saw another fleet. It, too, had just started turning toward him.
The ether was filled with a roar of voices. AM, FM, PCM — every spot on the dial took part in the confusion. Could that explain why nobody seemed to hear him?
No. The Galactics had sophisticated computers. It had to be his own equipment. There had been no time to check it all before taking off.
Takkata-Jim nervously watched the map.
He was flying into a pod of tiger sharks, hoping to negotiate Streaker's protection and eventual release. But he remembered the look on Gillian Baskin's face, a week before, when he had suggested giving the ETs everything they wanted. Metz had supported him then, but the expression on the woman's face came to mind now. She had looked at him pityingly and told him that fanatics never worked that way.
'They'll take all we have, thank us politely, and then boil us in oil,' she had commented.
Takkata-Jim tossed his head. I don't believe it. Besides, anything is better than what she plans!
He watched the tactics holo. The first fleet was only a hundred thousand klicks away, now. The computer gave him data on the ships, at last. They were Soro battlecruisers.
Soro! Takkata-Jim tasted bile from his first stomach. All the stories he had heard about them came to mind.
What if they shoot first? What if they're not even interested in prisoners? He looked at his own battle controls. The armament of the longboat was pitiful, but…
A claw of his harness reached over to flick on the arming switch… just for the small comfort it gave.
108 ::: Streaker
'Now both of the larger fleets turn toward Takkata-Jim!' Gillian nodded. 'Keep me informed, Wattaceti.' She turned. 'Tsh't, how long can we stay hidden by these tectonic disturbances?'
'Our anti-g's been detectable for five minutess, Gillian. I don't think we can put off energy detection much longer by flying over volcanoes. If we're to make a break for it we've got to gain altitude.'
'We're being scanned at long range!' the detector operator snapped. 'A couple of ships from that battle over Orley's position are curiousss!'
'That's it, then,' Tsh't commented. 'We go for it.'
Gillian shook her head.
'Buy me five more minutes, Tsh't. I don't care about the stragglers up north. Keep me hidden from the main fleets just a little while longer!'
Tsh't whirled through the oxywater, leaving a trail of bubbles. 'Lucky Kaa! Steer south by southwest, toward that new volcano!'
Gillian stared intently at the display. A tiny blue speck showed the longboat, flying toward a mass of over thirty much larger dots.
'Come on, Takkata-Jim,' Gillian murmured to herself. 'I thought I had you figured out. Prove me right!'
There hadn't been a sound on the radio from the renegade lieutenant. Toshio must have done his job, and sabotaged the sets on the island.
The blue speck drew within one hundred thousand kilometers of the enemy.,
'Telemetry! Takkata-Jim's armed his weaponsss!' Wattaceti announced.
Gillian nodded. I knew it. The fellow's almost human. He'd have to have a stronger personality than I'd ever expected, not to do that, just for the security-blanket effect. As pointless as it seemed, who would go to face an enemy with his safeties on?
Now, just a little closer…
'Gillian!' The detector officer cried. 'I don't believe it-t! Takkata-Jim hasss…'
Gillian smiled, a little sadly.
'Let me guess. Our brave vice-captain is firing on the entire battle fleet.'
Tsh't and Wattaceti turned to look at her, wide-eyed. She shrugged. 'Come now. For all his faults, no one ever said Takkata-Jim wasn't brave.'
She grinned to hide her own nervousness. 'Get ready, everybody.'
Takkata-Jim shrieked and grabbed at the toggle switch. It didn't work! The fire controls were activating without his orders!
Every few seconds a shudder passed through the little ship as a small seeker missile launched from the single torpedo tube. Small bursts of antimatter erupted from the longboat's nose, automatically aimed at the nearest alien vessel.
In a lucky shot, the lead Soro ship blossomed open like a fiery flower unfolding. The sheer surprise of the attack had overcome defenses designed to withstand nova heat.
He cursed and tried the override. It, too, had no effect.
As the Soro fleet began firing in return, Takkata-Jim wailed and swerved the little scout into a wild series of evasive maneuvers. With a dolphin's natural three- dimensional sense, he whirled off in a high-g gyration, threading salvos that passed chillingly close.
There was only one thing to do, only one possible source of succor. Takkata-Jim sent the scout streaking toward the second battle fleet. They must have witnessed his attack. They would think him an ally, if he survived long enough to reach them.
He sped out into space, chased by a herd of behemoths that turned and lumbered after him.
110 ::: Streaker
'Now, Gillian?'
'Almost, dear. Another minute.'
'Those shipsss from the north seem to have decided. Several of them are turning this way… Correction, the whole skirmish is heading southward, toward usss!'
Gillian couldn't make herself feel too bad about drawing fire away from Tom's position. It was only returning his favor, after all.
'All right. You choose a trajectory. I want to head out east on the ecliptic, just as soon as that second fleet finishes turning toward the longboat.'
Tsh't warbled an impatient sigh. 'Aye, sir.' She swam to the pilot's position and conferred with Lucky Kaa.
He raised his head above the surface of the pool where he had taken refuge.
Where had everybody gone, all of a sudden?
Minutes ago the sky had been ablaze with pyrotechnics. Burning ships were falling out of the sky, right and left. Now he caught sight of a few stragglers, high in the distant sky, speeding southward.
It took him a moment to come up with a guess.
Thanks, Jill, he thought. Now give 'em hell for me.
