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"The uniform, is that it?" Jan could only nod wordlessly in return. The iron
face cracked into a grim smile. "Perhaps I wear it as you d~~if you are what
you say you are. Not all men of Earth are traitors to mankind. Some of us
helped, or there would
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logy%20(UC).txt have been no rebellion from the stars. Now I am going to have
you searched, Kulozik, and then you will tell me your entire story in the
finest detail that you can.
The Admiral was no fool and made Jan repeat the details over and over,
checking on names and dates and many precise points that he seemed familiar
with. They were interrupted just once when a report came in that the IP-256
had been searched for bombs and other devices and was clear. A pilot would
take her to join the fleet.
Finally the Admiral raised his hand and cut Jan short.
"Niels," he ordered. "Get us some coffee." He turned back to Jan. "I am going
to accept your story-for the time being. All of your details about the food
expedition are correct, including some that I doubt the Earth forces could
know. I am aware of the true facts because I was the one who gathered the
ships and arranged all the organization of the expedition."
"Did any of them get through?"
"Over half. Not as many as we hoped, but enough to ward starvation off for
awhile longer. Now we come to the new and interesting part of your story and
frankly, I
have just no way to evaluate it. You know this ThurgoodSmythe well?"
"Far too well. My brother-in-law as I said. He is a monster of cunning."
'And treachery. We can be absolutely sure of that. He is either betraying his
trust and aiding the rebellion. Or has laid a complex and treacherous trap to
destroy us.
So it must be treachery either way."
Jan sipped the strong, black coffee and nodded agreement. "I know. But what
can we do? At least one part is certain, the Israeli participation."
"Which could simply be a more deadly part of the trap. To lure us in and
destroy us.
The Israelis could very well be helpless pawns, doomed to destruction to
further his ends."
"They might very well be. It is the sort of thing that would appeal to him. I
hadn't thought about that. But what of his plan to seize the Moj ave base?
That sounded reasonable. It certainly would affect the outcome of the war.
The Admiral laughed, then blew on his coffee to cool it. "Not only reasonable,
but the only possibility of victory for either side. We know it and they know
it. We could capture the Lunar bases, the satellites, even all of the Lagrange
colonies, and Earth could survive. Her fleet would be as strong. And we would
grow weaker with every passing moment. Mojave is the key. The other shuttle
bases are merely landing strips. Whoever controls Mojave controls space
operations-and wins this war.
"Then it's that vital?"
"It ~5?'
"What do you plan to do?"
'Analyze it and sleep on it before I see you again. In any case there is
nothing to be done yet, not until we are closer to Earth's orbit. I'm going to
lock you in a
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Harrison, Harry - To the Stars Trilogy.txt cell for awhile. Sorry."
"Don't be. After Captain Lastrup's company I'll enjoy the solitude. How is
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he?"
"Under sedation. He is in a bad way mentally and will need treatment."
"I'm sorry about that."
"Don't be. This is war. In the same situation he would undoubtedly have killed
you."
An aide interrupted with a printout which he handed to the Admiral, who read
it slowly, then raised his eyes to Jan. And smiled as he extended his hand.
"Welcome aboard, Jan Kulozik. This is~the confirmation that I was waiting for.
One of our ships is in orbit around Halvm6rk, unspaceworthy after the
fighting. But its communication apparatus is operational and they are hooked
into the Foscolo net.
They have checked your story out with the people there. What you have told us
is the truth. There is an additional message here that they confirmed all of
the personal parts of your story with your wife. She sends her love."
Jan seized the Admiral's outstretched hand. "It's my pleasure to serve with
you, sir. I've had no part in the rebellion up until now...
"You have done more than most people. You are the one who saw to it that the
corn was waiting when the ships arrived-it would have burned except for your
leadership.
Do you realize how many lives that food saved?"
"I know, I realize that it was important. But it was a passive action that's
over and done with now. The reason that I was arrested and transported in the
first place
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logy%20(UC).txt was because of my activities in the resistance. Now that the
planets are free, and the last battle is about to begin, you must understand,
I want to take a part in that."
'And so you shall. Just as long as you make yourself available at all times
for our intelligence people. They'll want to pick your brain. Then we may need
you as well for liaison with the Israelis once the fighting starts.
Satisfactory?"
"Yes, of course. I'll do w~atever is asked of me. By training I'm an
electronic engineer and I used to specialize in microcircuitry design. But it
has been mostly mechanical maintenance the last years.
"That is first class-and there is a very good chance that you are just the man
we need. I want you to meet another technician, Vittono Curtoni. He is in
charge of our armament, and has designed most of our defenses, including what
evervone refers to as the secret weapon. I understand there are still some
teething troubles with it, so perhaps you could be of help."
"That would be ideal."
"Good. I'll arrange transport to the Leoizardo." The Admiral raised his hand
and an aide came hurrying over.
One of the scouts vectored to the flagship while Jan suited up again, then
transferred to it. He stayed in the open airlock so he would not waste any
time pressurizing and depressurizing. Through the open hatch he could see the
arc of deep spacers that spread out and away on both sides. One of the ships
was coming close, growing larger and larger until they killed their momentum
just a few meters away. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]