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"Who is this other group and why were they attacking Loudescott?"

"We don't know who they are. As to why, perhaps they've discovered what Carver has found and are hoping to acquire it."

"How could they acquire that information if we couldn't?"

"Perhaps one of the scientists learned something and passed it on to them. In any event, all they succeeded in doing is driving the Loudescott people into the facility, which we assume was then sealed by Carver. Our plan was devised to circumvent that eventuality."

Straus pounded his fist down on his desk. "If I know Carver, they didn't get what they were after and now neither us may get anything. We need to find out who this other group is and who's controlling them. This is our territory and if someone is trying to set up an operation here, we need to take immediate action to stop them."

"The ground commander only knows they're Nordakian, they have a ship in orbit, and they've deployed S-Band jamming satellites. Our people had to send an encrypted RF communication to the Hell Fire located outside the jamming range, which was then retransmitted as an IDS message."

"Nordakian?" Strauss said absently as he searched his memory for any mention of Nordakian crime syndicates. "There aren't any Nordakian crime groups operating outside their planet's sphere of influence. We've been monitoring them closely for years to ensure they stay in their own small backyard."

"Perhaps they're expanding."

"What kind of ship do they have?"

"It's an old freighter, maxed out to ten kilometers."

"We gave you a destroyer for your operation, so you should have no trouble overcoming a freighter."

"Probably not, but don't forget the Lisbon incident. The Milori and Tsgardi mounted torpedoes in cargo containers. When the destroyer Lisbon came in close, the Tsgardi blew the container covers and loosed their torpedoes. Expecting only a disabled freighter, the Lisbon crew was caught completely off guard."

"Forewarned is forearmed. You know what to look for. Order the commander on the ground to take that ship by whatever means necessary, but spare the cargo section if possible. It might have value. If our people decide we should kill every Nordakian on board, then I authorize you to wipe them out. I wanted to limit the deaths on the ground to keep Space Command from coming after us with blood in their eyes, but they won't seriously mourn the loss of a pirate ship and crew."

"Yes, Arthur. I’ll pass on your instructions immediately."

* * *

"Well, where is she?" Vejrezzol asked when Gxidescu reported to his quarters.

"I'm sorry, Excellency. It appears there's a problem."

"I'm not interested in your problems. I want to see her, or her corpse. You said she was here."

"By all accounts, she is here. All my contacts said she had arrived at Loudescott. But no one told me she had an impregnable underground bunker. During the aerial assault, she must have made it inside, along with those from the dig site who weren't killed. They've sealed the doors and there's no way to get them to come out. We can't even communicate with them. If we could, we might be able to get the others to surrender her. We've tried everything we could think of, without success."

Vejrezzol picked up a holo-tube and threw it against the wall with all his might. "You said we could get one of Azula Carver's clones if we attacked Loudescott first, so we abandoned our plan to destroy the Marine base at North Pendleton and came here instead. Now you tell me you missed Carver in the attack and there's no chance of getting her at all. We've lost the element of surprise and have nothing to show for it. We can't attack North Pendleton now because they'll be on alert for any aggression. We must pretend we're not a part of anything happening on the planet. I'm very displeased with you, Sebaqd."

"I'm most humbly sorry, Excellency."

* * *

Lt. Colonel Andre Diminjik was working at his desk when he received a call from the Base Communications officer. He stabbed at the button on his com unit and watched as the face of Major Garfield appeared."

"What is it, Pete?" Diminjik said.

"We've encountered something strange, sir. We didn't receive our daily traffic from Higgins so we started investigating. Whenever we try to transmit, our messages bounce back at us. It appears we're being jammed."

"Jammed? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure. It looks like someone put a jamming satellite or two in orbit."

"That's crazy. They had to know we'll just knock it down."

"Maybe they just wanted to interrupt our communications for a few hours."

"Well, it's time to end their little game. How about RF?"

"Working fine."

"Great. I'm issuing a base alert. Send the word, Pete."

"Yes, sir."

As Major Garfield cleared the line, Diminjik called Air Defense Control and ordered a sweep of space around the planet. In minutes, four FA-SF4 Marine Fighters were lifting off. They pointed their noses almost straight up and disappeared in the blink of an eye. With inertial compensation, the pilots didn't have to contend with g forces.

Forty minutes later, the fighter pilots reported that the S-band jamming satellites were destroyed and communications were restored. The pilots also reported the presence of a cargo ship in orbit, but since it wasn't engaged in hostile actions they didn't have the authority to challenge it. Only a Space Command officer could require a freighter to 'heave to' for boarding and inspection.

"So who put those satellites up there and why?" Lt. Colonel Diminjik put to his assembled senior staff awhile later.

"It has to be the freighter," Marine Captain Luduro said. "They're the only ones up there."

"Someone could have placed the satellites and left orbit," Major Garfield offered.

"I've been putting in requisitions for planetary and space surveillance systems since they posted me here, but they just keep telling me the budget doesn't permit it at this time. We didn't even know that freighter was there because it's in geosynchronous orbit on the other side of the planet. How can they expect us to do a proper job if they won't give us the equipment and personnel we need?" Diminjik took a quick, deep breath and exhaled it just as quickly to show his exasperation. "Could those destroyed satellites possibly have anything to do with the riots going on at the three warehouses?" Diminjik asked.

No one offered any thoughts and a couple just shrugged.

"Okay," Diminjik said. "I sent a message to Higgins describing the situation and asking for their take on things. I also asked once again for some proper equipment. We should hear back tomorrow. Dismissed."

* * *

It had been a long and exhausting day, and Christa was glad to finally climb into bed to get some much needed rest. The Marines had reserved two of the private rooms associated with their dormitory for Christa and Carmoody, and Lt Uronson had the third. The fourth, with four bunks, would be shared by the noncoms, although Sgt. Flegetti had been temporarily redeployed. All enlisted personnel below the rank of Sergeant were billeted in the main room, but it was far better than most barracks assignments, and almost like having a private room without a door. A half-wall separated every two bunks, and a full wall separated all rows. The bunks all had great mattresses and a white-noise generator at the head of each in case anyone's bunkmate snored or talked in his or her sleep. Bots changed the bed clothes every morning if the bed was unoccupied or returned every hour to check until it was unoccupied.

Christa had just slipped into a sound sleep when she was awakened by a call to her CT.

"Carver," she said, as she touched her Space Command ring to activate the carrier.

"Christa, it's Gracie. I'm sorry to wake you but we have a problem. Dr. Johannes just called to inform me that he's lost two people."

"That was to be expected, Gracie. Some of the injuries were pretty severe. I didn't expect them all to make it."

"No, I mean that two people are missing."

"Missing? Who?"

"Madu and her assistant."

Christa came fully awake with that news. "How long?"

"No one can recall seeing them since the attack."

Christa jumped out of bed and began dressing. "That happened during breakfast. And they're just noticing it now?"

"Well, they've been a little busy. Dr. Johannes said they didn't notice they were gone until all the patients had been tended to and he was making his final rounds before turning in."

"They couldn't have gotten out of the facility without being noticed during the attack and then there was no chance at all after I locked the door."

"Do you think they might have sneaked off to find a quiet place where they could be alone for a while?"

"I don't know. Where are you?"

"I'm in my room— getting dressed."

"As am I. I'll meet you in the corridor. Carver, out."

A few minutes later the two women met outside their rooms.

"Should we check the whole Housing level first," Carmoody asked, "or start with the Administrative level? She has a sofa in her office."

"I don’t think they'd run off to make love during a crises."

"What else could prompt them to leave the Medical level?"

"There's only one thing I can think of."

Carmoody was quiet for a couple of seconds as she thought. "No, she wouldn’t do that. You explained why we couldn't awaken the other sleepers at this time."

"Yes, I explained. But that doesn't mean she was listening, or agreeing with me. Let's go check. If I'm wrong, we can cross that off the list of places we have to search."

Five minutes later, the two officers entered the Vault. Christa, in the lead, turned and pushed Carmoody back behind a large piece of machinery when they rounded a corner and saw activity further into the cavern. Peering around the machinery, Christa saw that the main floor was filled with stasis beds. Dozens of people in simple white terrycloth gowns were milling around hooking up portable machines to stasis chambers in place of the large automated unit in the medical center, while others helped awakened sleepers climb out of their stasis chambers.

"She's awakening sleepers," Christa said. "I guess she didn't believe everyone would be awakened eventually and decided to take matters into her own hands."

"Or she intends a takeover of the facility," Carmoody said.

"Perhaps both. I've got to slow her down. You stay here. If I get caught, report to Staff Sgt. Burton and tell him what's going on down here."

"Why don't we just go get him and the Marines?"

"I would if there were more than a handful available. We can't take the sentries off their posts on the Housing and Medical levels, and Lt. Uronson is out of action, so that leaves just Burton and six of his people. I really want to avoid anyone getting injured. If I get caught, we'll have no choice, but perhaps I can stop this and not get caught."

"Good luck," Carmoody said ingenuously.

"Thanks."

Christa began working her way further into the cavern using machinery to mask her presence. As she neared the control platform, she saw Madu busily entering data at the console. The overhead articulating arms were selecting stasis chambers and gently lowering them to the cavern floor.

As Christa watched, one of the chambers slipped from the grip of an articulating arm and crashed to the deck. Madu screamed and jumped down from the platform, then rushed to where the chamber had landed. Christa knew this was her chance. She climbed up to the metal platform from behind while everyone's attention was diverted and accessed the console. She knew the consoles well enough by now to immediately cancel all operations that had not yet been initiated. She next overwrote Madu's administrative password with a new one and then locked the console.

Christa made it back to where Carmoody was waiting before Madu returned to the platform and the two women were able to slip out of the Vault without anyone noticing.

"What did you do?" Carmoody asked as they rode the elevator to the Housing level.

"I password locked the console after canceling all uninitiated operations. The console is almost identical to the one in Fort Carver where the clones were being produced. The main difference was the module that tracked and selected people in stasis. There's nothing we can do about the sleepers she's already awakened, but she won’t be awakening any more unless perhaps one of the people she woke up is a computer expert. She might even be an expert herself, but I doubt it."

"What now?"

"Now? Now we go back sleep, if we can sleep."

"What about Madu and those awakened sleepers?"

Christa was quiet for a few seconds, then said in Dakistian, "Computer?"

The words, "Computer active," seemed to come from everywhere in the elevator at once.

"Computer, how are your operating instructions established?"

"From the console in the office of the Chief of Operations, or by verbal command here in the unit."

"Computer, you will not respond to any requests to descend to the Vault level until I amend this instruction."

"Security ID and password required."

Christa gave the ID and password she had entered into the security console to gain access to the vault. She had assigned herself Tier One rights and changed the permissions of all other Tier One rights holders to Tier Two. That included Madu, so no one could override Christa's commands.

"Instruction set altered," the elevator computer said.

"Okay, Madu and her people are stuck on the Vault level unless access tubes are available, and we've seen no indication of any yet."

"There
must
be engineering accesses to all levels."

"You'd think so, but I've been looking and haven't seen any. If I couldn't spot them, perhaps Madu can't either. I'll tell Staff Sgt. Burton to be ready in case they pop up somewhere, and tomorrow, today actually, we'll begin a systematic effort to learn more about the construction of this prison we find ourselves in."

* * *

Despite being exhausted, sleep didn't come easily to Christa. The problems she faced with the Ancients, the attackers outside the facility, the medical condition of the injured, and the nightmare of trying to keep hundreds of inquisitive dig site people corralled kept playing over and over in her mind. She finally drifted off into a troubled sleep and awoke still tired.