112 ::: Takkata-Jim

Takkata-Jim spluttered in frustration. He was so busy there wasn't time to work on the fire controls. Desperate, he sent impulses shutting down whole blocks of computer memory. Finally, something worked. The weapons system turned off:

Frantically, he made the ship roll left and applied full thrust to escape a spread of torpedoes.

The two fleets were coming together quickly, with him in between.

Takkata-Jim intended to dive into the second fleet and stop behind it, conveying by his actions what he couldn't say by radio, that he was seeking protection.

But the controls wouldn't respond! He couldn't correct from his last evasive maneuver! He must have shut down too much memory!

The longboat streaked outward at right angles to the converging fleets, away from both of them.

Both fleets turned to follow.

"Now!" she said.

The pilot needed no urging. He had already been adding momentum. Now he applied full power. Streakers engines roared and she left the atmosphere on a crackling trail of ionization. The acceleration could be felt even through stasis, even inside the fluid-filled bridge.

The gray sea disappeared under a white blanket of clouds. The horizon became a curve, then an arc. Streaker fell outward into an ocean of stars.

"They're following us. The skirmishers from up north."

"How many?"

"About twenty." Tsh't listened to her neural link for a moment. "They're strung out. Except for a fairly big group at the rear, hardly any two of them seem to be of the same race. I hear shooting. They're fighting each other even as they chase us."

"How many in that final bunch?"

"Um… ssssix, I think."

"Well, let's see what we can do when we stretch our legs." The planet fell behind them as Lucky Kaa sent Streaker accelerating in the direction Gillian had chosen.

Beyond Kithrup's horizon, a great battle had begun. Her path kept her hidden by the planet's bulk for several minutes. Then they came into view of the conflagration.

A million kilometers away, space was filled with bright explosions and hackle-raising shrieks that feebly penetrated the psi-screens.

Tsh't commented. "The big boys are fighting over Takkata-Jim. We might even make it out of the system before the major fleets could catch up with usss."

Gillian nodded. Toshio's sacrifice had not been in vain.

"Then our problem is these little guys on our tail. Somehow we've got to shake them off. Maybe we can do a dodge behind the gas giant planet. How long until we can get to it?"

"It's hard to judge, Gillian. Maybe an hour. We can't use overdrive in system, and we're carrying a lot of excess mass."

Tsh't listened to her link, concentrating. "The ones on our tail have mostly stopped beating on each other. They may be damaged, but I think at least two of the lead ships will catch up with us about the time we reach the gasss giant."

Gillian looked at the holo tank. Kithrup had shrunk into a tiny ball in one corner, a sparkle of battle beyond it. On this side a chain of small dots showed Streaker's pursuers.

In the forward tank a shining pastel-striped globe began to grow. A huge world of frigid gas, looking much like Jupiter, swelled slowly but perceptibly.

Gillian pursed her lips and whistled softly. "Well, if we can't outrun them I guess we'll have to try an ambush."

Tsh't stared at her. "Gillian, those are battleships! We're only an overweight Snark-class survey ship!"

Gillian grinned. "This snark has become a boojum, girl. The Thennanin shell will do more than just slow us down. And we may be able to try something they'll never expect."

She didn't mention that, given a chance, she wanted to hang around this system a while, in case of a miracle.

"Have all loose objects been secured?"

"Sstandard procedure. It's been done."

"Good. Please order all crew out of the central bay. They're to strap themselves in wherever they can."

Tsh't gave the order, then turned back with a questioning look.

Gillian explained. "We're slow because we're overweight, right? They'll be shooting at us before we reach the cover of the gas giant, let alone overdrive range. Tell me, Tsh't, what's making us overweight?"

"The Thennanin shell!"

"And? What else?"

Tsh't looked puzzled.

Gillian hinted with a riddle.

* Living touch

The substance of motion -

* Like air, forgotten

Until it's gone! *

Tsh't stared blankly. Then she got it. Her eyes widened. "Pretty tricky, yesss. It just might work, at that. Still, I'm glad you told me. The crew are going to want to wear the right apparel."

Gillian tried to snap her fingers in the water, and failed. "Spacesuits! You're right! Tsh't, what would I do without you!"

114 ::: Galactics

"The side battle amongst all the remnant forces seems to have moved away from the planet," a Paha warrior reported. "They are streaming away from Kithrup, chasing a rather large vessel."

The Soro, Krat, finished paring a ling-plum. She fought to hide the nervous tremor in her left arm.

"Can you identify the one they pursue?"

"It does not appear to be the quarry."

The Paha tastefully ignored the fleet-mistress's obvious wave of relief on hearing this. "It is too large to be the Earth ship. We have tentatively identified it as a crippled Thennanin, although… "

"Yes?" Krat asked archly.

The Paha hesitated. "It behaves strangely. It is inordinately massive, and its motors seem to have a quasi-Tymbrimi tone. It is already too far to read clearly."

Krat grunted. "What is our status?"

"The Tandu parallel us, sniping at our flanks as we do theirs. We both chase the Earth scout. Both of us have ceased firing at the boat except when it gets too close to the other side."

Krat growled. "This vessel leads us farther and farther from the planet — from the true quarry. Have you contemplated a scoutship whose very purpose may have been to accomplish this?" she snapped.

The Paha considered, then nodded. "Yes, Fleet-Mother. It would be just like a Tymbrimi or wolfling trick. What do you suggest?" '

Krat was filled with frustration. It had to be a trick! Yet she couldn't abandon the chase, or the Tandu would capture the scoutship. And the longer the chase went on, the worse the attrition on both sides!

She threw the plum across the room. It splattered dead center on the rayed spiral glyph of the Library. A startled Pil jumped and squeaked in dismay, then glared at her insolently.

"Transmit Standard Truce Call Three," Krat commanded with distaste. "Contact the Tandu Stalker. We must put an end to this farce and get back to the planet at once!"

The Tandu Stalker asked the Trainer one more time. "Can you arouse the Acceptor?"

The Trainer knelt before the Stalker, offering its own head. "I cannot. It has entered an orgasmic state. It is over-stimulated. Operant manipulation does not achieve success."

"Then we have no meta-physical way to investigate the strange chase behind us?"

"We do not. We can only use physical means."

The Stalker's legs ratcheted. "Go and remove your head. With your last volition, place it in my trophy rack."

The Trainer rasped assent.

"May the new one I grow serve you better."

"Indeed. But first," the Stalker suggested, "arrange to open a talk-line with the Soro. I shall sever the leg I use to talk with them, of course. But talk to them we now must."

Buoult bit at his elbow spikes, then used them to preen his ridgecrest. He had guessed correctly! He had taken the last six Thennanin ships out of the battle between the Tandu and Soro, and arrived at the planet in time to join a long chase. Ten ragged ships were ahead of him, chasing an object that could only dimly be made out.