Peter Telep - Pilgrim stars

"There's a relationship between the number of anti-gravitons created by the field and the range. I don't pretend to understand it, but the more we generate, the farther we go."

"Yeah, but as you generate more anti-gravitons, the well becomes more unstable."

The commodore's fact left Aristee unmoved. "We're working on that, too. But no matter how unstable the well becomes, we can still navigate it, either through conventional NAVCOM AI or a Pilgrim navigator. Frotur McDaniel is responsible for our success in that area."

"I'm just an old man," McDaniel said with a smile.

Paladin shook his head. "I wish you were."

"Ma'am, what you've done here is nothing short of remarkable," Blair said. "But for what? Why show us this? And how do you justify killing millions on Mylon? What do you want? Most terrorists have some sort of demands."

She stepped toward him, her fruity perfume beginning to sap away his anger. "I'm not a terrorist, Brotur Christopher. I'm a victim, same as you. We were chosen for the stars. The Confederation took them from us." She grinned wistfully. "I don't expect to get them back. But I will start a revolution the likes of which the Confederation has never seen. Even the Kilrathi will cower in our presence. I'm not some insane fanatic who's hijacked her own ship with the intention to kill as many humans as I can before I die a fiery death. You think I'm that reckless? I know what's right for my people. And I'm going to give it to them with the help of this drive. I show it to you because it's yours."

"No." Paladin's eyes narrowed in disgust.

"You can't strike and run forever," Blair said, his tone complementing the commodore's expression. "This is just one ship, and the fleet will eventually catch up with you."

"Of course it will, but not before I create a symbol of our renewed strength. Gentlemen, in approximately sixty days further modifications to this drive will be completed. They will allow us to generate a space-time well large enough to be placed near planetary bodies. At such time we will proceed to Earth and complete Brotur Wilson's mission. If we're not destroyed there, our next targets will include Sol system military installations." She focused her attention on Paladin. "You'll be supplying us with more specific data on bringing down their defense nets."

"Interesting the way you stand there and tell us you're not insane," Blair began. "Then you tell us your plans to take out Earth and the Confederation. Am I the only one who recognizes the irony? And if this is what being a Pilgrim is all about, then-"

"You're still naive, Brotur. You'll come to understand," she assured him with a nod. "I don't like killing, but I will no longer tolerate the persecution of my people."

"I suppose you went to McDaniel for the protur's blessing," Paladin interjected. "You don't have it, and without it you can't succeed."

"On the contrary, James, I not only have the protur's blessing, but he's aboard this ship."

Paladin shifted his gaze to Johan McDaniel. "So you figured out where his retreat is. Did he come willingly?"

"Later on, I'll take you to see him," Aristee offered. "You can ask him yourself."

"I don't believe you've met the protur," McDaniel said, gripping Paladin's shoulder. "You must talk to him."

The commodore twisted out of McDaniel's hold, then scanned the drive room for effect. "All of this… what a waste."

"Oh, come down off your pulpit," Aristee shot back. "You wouldn't have said that ten years ago. We joined the Navy for the same reasons. You've just forgotten them."

As the commodore stood in silent consideration, McDaniel slid up behind Blair and whispered, "Haven't seen her yet, have you? Oh, you've heard her, but you haven't really seen her."

A bolt of chills impaled Blair's spine as he turned back to the old man. "No, I haven't. She knows my name."

"She knows more than that."

"Who is she?"

"It's not who but what she is," he said with a wink. "And that's not for me to answer, but for you to discover."

VEGA SECTOR.DRY QUADRANT.CS TIGER CLAW.HIGH ORBIT NETHER-ANYA.

2654.095.0900 HOURS CONFEDERATION STANDARD TIME

"Relayed drone message from the Concordia coming through now, sir," Comm Officer Zabrowsky reported.

Gerald nodded sharply. "Decrypt and route to OS station two."

"Aye, sir. Decryption in progress." The freckle-faced boy swiveled back to his instruments. "Routing to OS two."

As Gerald pulled his tired frame to the port-side observation station, he muttered, "It's about time."

The Tiger Claw had reached Netheranya three standard days ago and had assumed a high orbit of the mottled brown world whose oceans comprised only ten percent of her total area. Gerald had sent off a drone to Naval Station Gemini near the Enyo system to inform the admiral that they were at station. Gemini would in turn send off a jump-capable drone to the Concordia, now orbiting McDaniel's World.

Inter-ship, long-distance drone communications did little more than snail along, but the Hell's Kitchen system stood in an area of space known as the Vega cluster, with Enyo, McAuliffe, Dieno, Pephedro, Blackmane, and Cambria all within the grid and just a single jump away. With so many systems in the area,

Gerald had assumed there would be other fleet operations within direct communications range. They had detected and contacted several Confed merchant and cargo vessels as well as several civilian and commercial transports, but they had failed to find any capital ships from the 14th Fleet. Gerald had grown a bit unnerved by the prospect of the Claw, the Mitchell Hammock, and the Oregon being the only capital ships within half of Day Quadrant. He wondered why the admiral had spread the fleet so thinly, and he hoped the communique would explain that.

Appearing to be his usual impeccable self, Tolwyn gave his customary nod of acknowledgment and said, "Sorry for the delay, Mr. Gerald. We'll get right to it. Interstellar probes detected a Kilrathi battle group between Lafayette and Tamayo systems. The cats are obviously after the Olympus. I've dispatched six strike carriers with orders to find and destroy that battle group. In the meantime, we're going to call Captain Aristee's bluff. At this moment, nearly one hundred CF-2 °ConCom ships are deploying drones throughout Vega sector. Each drone will broadcast a long-range transmission for Captain Aristee. I've attached a copy of the transmission for your review. In sum, she is ordered to surrender her vessel-otherwise every Pilgrim system and enclave within Confederation territory will be destroyed and all surviving Pilgrims within our borders will be arrested and imprisoned until she stands down. That last part won't be too difficult since many of those Pilgrims have already sought shelter in designated camps."

Gerald paused the message. Had the admiral lost his mind? Yes, he might be calling Aristee's bluff, but if he actually ordered the destruction, he would be personally responsible for the deaths of billions. The senate would hang him. It took a moment more for Gerald to realize what Tolwyn had done, and he smiled inwardly. The senate probably had no idea of the admiral's plan. However, if one of the drones were intercepted by the wrong ship, and word leaked back to the senate-but by then it would be too late to stop Tolwyn. On the other hand, the plan might work. How could Aristee ever hope to build a force if the

Confederation wiped out the systems and enclaves? She might finally recognize the foolishness of her pursuits.

"Mr. Gerald, I want you to establish a no-fly zone around the Pilgrim enclave Triune on Netheranya. The strike bases at Tung and Sylee will provide atmospheric air support while your fighter wing will interdict all ships attempting to make orbit or planet-fall. I've already contacted the Pilgrim ambassador of Triune and declared a state of martial law. Now, Mr. Gerald, if we receive a refusal from Captain Aristee, know that I will give the order to destroy Triune and its four million inhabitants. In all, over two billion Pilgrims across three systems and five colonial enclaves will die. That's our worst case scenario, and I'm praying it doesn't come to that. But Aristee has been sending messages long enough. It's high time we replied. I'll keep you informed. Tolwyn out."