And there were Hank's perfect features, bigger than life. He had the camera tight on him, leaving his bridge out of focus behind him. ''So, I caught you wasting time with kiddy cruisers. I thought you'd have bigger fans after what you did to me.''
''I did nothing to you that you didn't do to yourself.''
''Well, I know what you were doing. You may hoodwink that planet, but you can't keep a secret from good Peterwald intel. I know what you found on your little cruise. I know why you were willing to risk massacring all those people on Chance.''
''I don't know what you're talking about,'' Kris said. At least, not the way you're talking about it.
''What's the matter, Longknife, don't want to admit you found a fortune in alien goodies even now. Afraid of what they'll do to you now that they know you were playing them for suckers.''
''The people of Chance stood up to you because you were a bore and a bully who let rapists hide behind your uniform, Hank. I had little to do with you falling flat on your face.''
''Oh, you're good, Longknife. Just like your old man, those old dotards pretending to lord it over the eighty worlds they're tyrannizing. But you screwed up, little girl. You're hanging out with no support. And now that I know your game, I'm going to pluck you like a chicken. This will be Peterwald space.''
''Hank, I'm not out here alone. As you've already seen, there's a whole planet of folks that don't much care for you and what you're doing. Now, if you don't mind, I apparently have some unfinished business that needs taking care of.''
''I'm coming for you. I'm going to slash your space station to wreckage, and that old wreck you're on, too,'' Hank was shouting as Kris cut the connection.
She paused for a moment to clear her mind, then said, ''Steve, did you copy that message?''
''Kris, I've passed it dirtside. You want to talk to Ron?''
''No, I figure he's got enough problems at the moment,'' Kris glanced around the bridge of the Patton. Eager eyes, some youthful blue, others gray and bespeckled, looked back at her.
One of the old ones stood. ''Your Highness, the Patton may be old, but she's no wreck. We'll show them. They'll see, right crew!'' The shout echoed through the whole ship.
Kris bit her lip. Now was not the time to force these enthusiasts to face reality. That would come later. ''Thank you. I have to talk to Commander Kovar. Penny, you're with me.''
As Kris fast marched for the Patton's gangway, she told Nelly to raise either Chief Beni or the Resolute's Comm Chief. They both came up together. ''We've got a problem,'' Kris said.
''So we heard,'' both answered.
''Close down the buoy at Jump Point Beta. No communications in or out and see that it doesn't make any jumps. Also, after you've done that, check its buffers and see if it sent anything from Hank in the last three days.''
''We've been monitoring it. Nothing was sent,'' Beni said.
''Had the destroyed Alpha buoy sent anything from Hank?''
''No. Nothing. Other than playing boats right, boats left with his toys, Hank didn't send any messages.''
''Double-check that. There's a lot riding on it.''
''And it ain't our bonus for silence,'' the Comm Chief said.
A fast walk brought Kris to the command deck. There were several watchstanders, some in Patton greens. ''I'd like to talk to Commander Kovar in private,'' Kris said, then waited as the rest filed out of the center.
''I, ah, didn't cut the commlink between me and you,'' Kovar said. ''I heard the Patton crew offering you their services. I also remember you saying you'd buried enough enthusiastic amateurs after that Wardhaven dust-up.''
Kris nodded. She studied the system board. While two ships hovered at the jump, four of Hank's ships were incoming at 2 g's acceleration. He'd be back in a day. Not much time to prepare even Kris's paltry force.
''Commander, I need your help.'' Kovar nodded.
''As I see it,'' Kris went on, ''the odds against me are two to one, assuming I can get the Wasp and Resolute both fully crewed and involved in the fight.''
''Four cruisers against an armed merchant ship and a corvette look like worse odds than that,'' Kovar said.
''I won't argue. The station has no ice, and its lasers would be powerless once the cruisers cut the cables to them. We can't fight the station. You'll have to order it abandoned.''
Kovar nodded, but said nothing.
Kris turned to Penny. ''How far does that contract you and Abby signed Captain Drago to go? Can I count on him in a fight?''
''I don't know. You'll have to ask him. And a few things may have changed since then, if you know what I mean.''
''Nelly, find Captain Drago, send him my compliments, and ask him to meet me in my cabin. And where is Jack? I'd have figured him to be locked onto my elbow by now.
''He's in your cabin,'' Nelly answered. ''With Abby.''
''Good, that was my next stop. Commander Kovar, can you begin arranging for the evacuation of the station?''
''I think I can arrange things on the station the way you'll need them. What do I do about the Patton?''
''That's something I'll take care of myself.'' Kris glanced at Penny. ''Maybe we can use whatever respect they have for my Princessness to keep them from letting their optimism kill them. Now, Penny, let's go see what Jack's doing with my maid.''
In Kris's quarters, Abby sat in a high-back chair facing Jack. ''When did you tell Hank?'' the Marine demanded.
''I didn't tell Hank anything.''
''What did you tell him?'' shot back in rapid fire.
''I didn't tell him anything.''
''Why did you tell him?''
''I didn't tell him anything.'' Despite the repetition, Abby made each answer come out fresh.
''How much did he pay you?''
''I'd never take money from that self-centered snot.''
Jack turned and seemed to notice Kris for the first time. ''She's your maid. You try getting something out of her.''
Penny, the professional interrogator, sat down on Kris's bed, apparently content to leave this matter domestic. Kris got comfortable in the chair across from Abby, crossed her legs, and said, ''Hank's headed back here with lasers charged.''
''I heard something to that effect.''
''He knows about our alien discoveries.''
''Strange that.''
''What side agreements do you have with Captain Drago?''
That did catch the maid by surprise. ''Penny, here, signed the contract. Why ask me?''
''Because I can't help feeling you and Drago go together, not like salt and pepper. More like nitro and glycerin.''
There was a hint of a smile at the edge of the maid's mouth. But she worried her lower lip for a moment before attempting an answer. ''I suspect that you'll have to ask him, maybe his whole crew. What they signed for back then, and what they might do just now could maybe be two different things.''
Kris nodded. ''Not a bad idea. Now, back to what is such a bee in Jack's bonnet. How do you think Hank came to find out about our little secret?''
''I don't know. I do know he didn't get it from me.''
''You didn't send him a message, like you sent that message after we jumped into this system on the St. Pete?'' Jack snapped from over Kris's shoulder.
''I did not.''
''Did not send the message to Hank, or the message from the St. Pete?'' Kris fired back.
''I said I sent no message to Hank. Nelly, you haven't cracked the cipher on the message from the St. Pete, have you?''
''No, I could not break the code.'' There was a pause. ''Oops, was that a question I was not supposed to answer?''
''Don't worry, Nelly,'' Abby said. ''I paid good money for that cipher. Even you shouldn't be able to crack it.''