One by one, the others recovered. Only Valerie and Galyan were on the bridge with Maddox, though. The starship began to accelerate for the distant blue-green planet far in the inner system.
“This is weird,” Valerie said to herself. “Pluto Command is ordering us to stop for inspection.”
A premonition of trouble caused Maddox to stand up. He moved closer to the main screen. Pluto was two hundred thousand kilometers away. The armored station was in orbit there, always keeping behind the iceoid in relation to the Laumer-Point. It was the most basic defense against jump-nukes, using the planet to shield the station personnel from a thermonuclear blast. Relay satellites around Pluto bounced the signal to Victory.
“Tell Pluto Command I have an urgent message for Star Watch HQ,” Maddox said.
Valerie did just that. Afterward, she listened to the response. The lieutenant turned around. “I think you’d better look at this, sir.” She tapped her board.
The main screen showed deep space instead of Pluto. Maddox spied ten battleships six hundred thousand kilometers out. They were on an obvious intercept course with them.
“Are they serious?” Maddox said to himself.
“Very,” Valerie said. “Pluto Command is ordering us to stand down and wait for boarding.”
“Put him onscreen,” Maddox said.
“Her,” Valerie said, while tapping her board. “Commodore Kinshasa of Pluto Command is live, sir.”
An older woman appeared on the screen. She had dark hair and darker skin, with a commodore’s uniform and bars.
“Captain Maddox,” Kinshasa said. “You are failing to comply with an authorized Star Watch order. Why is that?”
“Do you know who I am?” Maddox asked.
Kinshasa’s manner became stark. “I am well aware of you, Captain. It is why I have my orders. I am instructed to tell you to board a shuttle and head at once for Pluto Command.”
Maddox stiffened. “Am I under arrest?”
“You will be if you fail to obey orders,” Kinshasa said. “Worse for your people, I will have to open fire on Starship Victory.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Valerie snapped. “We’ve been operating on special instructions from Lord High Admiral Cook. Don’t you realize that we’ve just arrived from ‘C’ Quadrant? Victory was instrumental in defeating the New Men’s invasion armada, freeing Fifth Fleet.”
“Is one of your officers suggesting that you defy a legal order?” Kinshasa asked Maddox.
Valerie’s outburst helped to calm Maddox. “The lieutenant is correct,” he said. “We are operating under special instructions. They supersede any orders that you may have—”
“Captain Maddox,” Kinshasa said, interrupting him. “I am under direct orders from High Command and those orders concern you and your starship. Pluto Station is the first line of defense of the Solar System. You will comply with the instruction, or I will order the battleships to attack.”
The commodore’s hostility baffled Maddox. This didn’t make any sense.
“You continue to hesitate,” Kinshasa said. “Let me ask you a question, sir. Did you swear an oath to Star Watch or not?”
Maddox bowed his head. The pressure of the last few weeks had diminished his inner reserves. He had strained with everything in him to reach the Solar System. Upon arrival, he had relaxed for the moment. Maybe that’s why Commodore Kinshasa’s orders had upset him like this. It was time to play the game as he always did. He needed to figure out why she had such bizarre orders.
The captain settled himself, looking up with his normal composure. “You’ve surprised me, Commodore,” he said in an urbane manner. “This is… quite unexpected. As the lieutenant indicated, we expected a hero’s welcome for our efforts.”
Kinshasa eyed him as if she couldn’t decide if this was ridicule or not.
“Yes, I suppose this must be a surprise,” the commodore conceded. “The orders came through twenty-eight hours ago. They passed every security procedure. The orders surprised us, I’ll admit. It’s why we double and triple-checked them. They are quite genuine. Now, you must shut down all ship systems at once. Failure to comply will force us into a situation neither of us desires.”
“Of course,” Maddox said. “Now that I realize you’re acting under specific orders, I must comply. The orders came twenty-eight hours ago, you say?”
“I’m glad you understand, Captain. I must also inform you that until you are safely in quarantine, you must keep a direct and open channel with Pluto Command. Failure to comply will result in a full-scale attack sequence. Do you understand me?”
“I do.”
“Very well, put Lieutenant Noonan on screen.”
“Just a moment,” Maddox said. He moved to the comm-board and tapped the panel, cutting communications with Pluto Command.
Valerie sat up, surprised. She’d been following the exchange closely.
“It appears the enemy has managed to send Pluto Command false orders,” Maddox said.
“Kinshasa said they triple-checked the orders, sir.”
“The instructions are too pat,” Maddox said. “Think about it. They originated twenty-eight hours ago. How long does it take a message to travel from Earth to Pluto?”
“I’m more concerned about what we’re going to do with ten hostile battleships? They’ll begin warning their laser batteries soon.”
Maddox grew thoughtful. “Is this an attempt to stop Star Watch Command from learning about the doomsday machine or is it meant to destroy my starship?”
“Tell the commodore our information,” Valerie suggested. “She can relay the message to Earth.”
“No,” Maddox said, looking at the screen, studying the ten battleships. “I don’t want to wait that long. If the orders came twenty-eight hours ago, might it imply the doomsday machine will be here soon?”
“Why do you think that, sir?”
“Galyan,” Maddox said, turning around.
“Here, Captain,” Galyan said, from his favorite location on the bridge.
“Get ready to engage the star drive. You’re going to transfer us beside Luna Base.”
“I don’t recommend that, sir,” Valerie said. “Luna Base has some of Star Watch’s heaviest laser batteries. They might open up on us while we’re still in the grip of Jump Lag.”
“That’s an excellent point,” Maddox said. “Therefore, I want you to rig an automated message. Use the nuclear missile timer to do it.”
The captain referred to the common tactic of sending a nuclear device through a Laumer-Point first during a combat jump. It would detonate against any defenders waiting by the jump entry. The lag didn’t effect spring-driven devices.
Valerie stood up. “I’ll get right on it, sir.”
Maddox tapped the comm, bringing an angry Kinshasa back online.
“I’m sorry for the temporary blackout,” the captain said.
“Did you deliberately shut off your communications?” the commodore asked.
“No,” Maddox lied.
Kinshasa glared at him. “Captain, you must immediately begin an emergency shut-down procedure. Until you comply, the battleships will continue their approach. You have ninety seconds to obey. Then, the warships shall begin to fire.”
“Commodore, we still have combat damage from the fight in the Tannish System. I can’t turn off the anti-matter engines in that time. I request that you give me—” Maddox glanced at Valerie.
She showed him four fingers.
“I request that you give me five minutes,” Maddox said.
“Out of the question,” Kinshasa snapped.
“Four minutes then.”
“Captain—”
“Please, Commodore, I implore you.”
Kinshasa eyed him distrustfully. “Very well, four minutes, Captain, and not a minute more.”