"The nonhumans from Eridanus have launched a major invasion of the
solar Combine! All the colonies in Centaurus are being invaded!"
Strike felt the bottom dropping out of his stomach, and he knew that
all the others felt the same. If this was a war, they were the ones
who would have to fight it. And the Eridans! Awful leathery creatures
with tentacles ... chlorine breathers! They would make a formidable
enemy, welded as they were into one fighting unit by the functioning of
the group-mind....
He heard himself saying sharply into Ivy's communicator: "See to it
that my ship is fueled and armed for space within three hours!"
"Hold on, Strike!" Ivy Hendricks intervened, "What about the tests?"
"I'm temporarily under Research and Development command, Ivy, but
Regulations say that fighting ships cannot be held inactive during
wartime! The _Cleopatra's_ a warship and there's a war on now. If you
can have your gear jerry-rigged in three hours, you can come along
and test it when we have the chance. Otherwise the hell with it!"
Strykalski's face was dead set. "I mean it, Ivy."
"All right, Strike. I'll be ready," Ivy Hendricks said coolly.
* * * * *
Exactly three hours and five minutes later, the newly created
hyper-ship that was still Old Aphrodisiac lifted from the ramp outside
the Substation dome. She rose slowly at first, the radioactive flame
from her tubes splashing with sun-bright coruscations over the loading
pits and revetments. For a fleeting instant she was outlined against
the swollen orb of Saturn that filled a quarter of Tethys' sky, and
then she was gone into the galactic night.
Aboard, all hands stood at GQ. On the flying bridge Strykalski and
Coburn Whitley worked steadily to set the ship into the proper position
in response to the steady flood of equations that streamed into their
station from Bayne in the dorsal astrogation blister.
An hour after blasting free of Tethys was pointed at the snaking river
of stars below Orion that formed the constellation of Eridanus.
When Cob asked why, Strike replied that knowing Gorman, they could
expect orders from Luna Base ordering them either to attack or
reconnoiter the 40 Eridani C system of five planets. Strykalski added
rather dryly that it was likely to be the former, since Space Admiral
Gorman had no great affection for either the _Cleopatra_ or her crew.
Ivy Hendricks joined them after stowing her gear, and when Whitley
asked her opinion, she agreed with Strike. Her experiences with Gorman
had been as unfortunate as any of the others.
"I was afraid you'd say that," grumbled Cob, "I was just hoping you
wouldn't."
The interphone flashed. Strike flipped the switch.
"Bridge."
"Communications here. Message from Luna Base, Captain."
"Here it is," Strykalski told Cob. "Right on time."
"Speak of the devil," muttered the Executive.
"From the Admiral, sir," the voice in the interphone said, "Shall I
read it?"
"Just give me the dope," ordered Strike.
"The Admiral orders us to quote make a diversionary attack on the
planet of 40 Eridani C II unquote," said the squawk-box flatly.
"Acknowledge," ordered Strykalski.
"Wilco. Communications out."
Strike made an I-told-you-so gesture to his Executive. Then he turned
toward the enlisted man at the helm. "Quarter-master?"