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Authors: Anne McCaffrey
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relaxed.
“What was that?” Ludmilla launched herself angrily at him and gestured for two of her guards to cover him. The admiral didn’t resist when she wrenched off his wristcom and, dropping it to the floor, stamped on it, kicking it away from her when she couldn’t break the impact-resistant case.
“You will be first to breathe space, Coetzer,” she said, shaking her fist at him. Then she spoke into her own wrist unit. “Yellow Team, to the reception area. You’ll see, Coetzer. You’ll be
admiral,
” and she snarled the rank in a contemptuous voice, “of deep space. And that,” she waved her arm to include the audience, “will be the fate of all who defy me.” Then she stopped, peering into the crowd, searching avidly.
Who’s she looking for?
Madlyn said, trying to shelter herself behind Dave’s large frame.
Me
, said Johnny Greene blithely,
but she won’t find me. Watch out, Havers. She knows you by sight, too. Are you far enough back in the crowd, Rhyssa? She’ll also come after you
.
“Yellow Team, what’s keeping you?” she demanded angrily into her wrist unit.
That’s more than enough of this sort of entertainment
, Johnny said cryptically.
Ready, set, GO!
NOW!
The clear mental command was not in General Greene’s voice. Suddenly the grilles on apertures halfway up the inner walls crashed downto the floor and those white-coats nearest reacted, blasting at the metal plates. To be shot down by the many standard tranquilizer rifles that appeared in the openings.
“What the—” Ludmilla began.
As she raised her hand to redirect her troops’ weapons, a dart smacked into her throat. Even as she collapsed, tranquilizer darts rained down on her cohorts. A few, who had dropped to their knees and turned their weapons upward, were not hit. Abruptly every one of those threw their weapons away as if too hot to handle. On the hands held up in surrender, Rhyssa saw the unmistakable red burn welts.
Which they are
, Peter said smugly.
Tit for her tat!
The admiral stepped forward and removed the wristcom from Barchenka’s limp arm and the weapon from her hand.
“Now hear this! Admiral Coetzer speaking. Ludmilla Barchenka has been taken prisoner. Surrender without further violence, and I guarantee safe return to the planetary surface. This mutiny is now over. Surrender to Station personnel immediately and in an orderly fashion. I repeat, Ludmilla Barchenka is under guard and her illegal force is disarmed. This is Admiral Coetzer speaking. This Station is now back under my command.
“Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, please be calm,” and now he held his hands up, circling to be sure that he could be seen. “Are there any medical personnel who can attend our wounded?”
Johnny Greene suddenly levitated in front of the admiral, appearing to hesitate midair, reaching out with his right hand to deflect or catch something.
Got it!
Johnny cried, dropping to his feet again as he showed the knife that had been thrown at the admiral. In the same second, one of Barchenka’s thugs who was kneeling on the floor, doubled up, screaming in pain.
“I suggest that no one else attempt a similar breach of common sense,” Johnny said, slowly rotating on his heel to survey Barchenka’s mutineers.
Pete, can you do a shield around the admiral? We’re not home clear yet
.
Sure!
Peter Reidinger, looking frailer than ever against the tall, well-fleshed admiral, stepped to his side and projected an invisible barrier.
“Secure that man,” the admiral said, gesturing for two of his aides to deal with the writhing would-be assassin. Then he noticed Peter. “Ah!”
“You need Pete right now, Admiral,” Johnny said quickly in an undertone. “He’s that skeleteam I’m sure you’ve been briefed on.”
The admiral raised his eyebrows in surprise, gave Peter an abrupt nod, and then continued to issue crisp orders.
“If some of my fellow guests would be so good as to collect the arms.” Both
“What was that?” Ludmilla launched herself angrily at him and gestured for two of her guards to cover him. The admiral didn’t resist when she wrenched off his wristcom and, dropping it to the floor, stamped on it, kicking it away from her when she couldn’t break the impact-resistant case.
“You will be first to breathe space, Coetzer,” she said, shaking her fist at him. Then she spoke into her own wrist unit. “Yellow Team, to the reception area. You’ll see, Coetzer. You’ll be
admiral,
” and she snarled the rank in a contemptuous voice, “of deep space. And that,” she waved her arm to include the audience, “will be the fate of all who defy me.” Then she stopped, peering into the crowd, searching avidly.
Who’s she looking for?
Madlyn said, trying to shelter herself behind Dave’s large frame.
Me
, said Johnny Greene blithely,
but she won’t find me. Watch out, Havers. She knows you by sight, too. Are you far enough back in the crowd, Rhyssa? She’ll also come after you
.
“Yellow Team, what’s keeping you?” she demanded angrily into her wrist unit.
That’s more than enough of this sort of entertainment
, Johnny said cryptically.
Ready, set, GO!
NOW!
The clear mental command was not in General Greene’s voice. Suddenly the grilles on apertures halfway up the inner walls crashed downto the floor and those white-coats nearest reacted, blasting at the metal plates. To be shot down by the many standard tranquilizer rifles that appeared in the openings.
“What the—” Ludmilla began.
As she raised her hand to redirect her troops’ weapons, a dart smacked into her throat. Even as she collapsed, tranquilizer darts rained down on her cohorts. A few, who had dropped to their knees and turned their weapons upward, were not hit. Abruptly every one of those threw their weapons away as if too hot to handle. On the hands held up in surrender, Rhyssa saw the unmistakable red burn welts.
Which they are
, Peter said smugly.
Tit for her tat!
The admiral stepped forward and removed the wristcom from Barchenka’s limp arm and the weapon from her hand.
“Now hear this! Admiral Coetzer speaking. Ludmilla Barchenka has been taken prisoner. Surrender without further violence, and I guarantee safe return to the planetary surface. This mutiny is now over. Surrender to Station personnel immediately and in an orderly fashion. I repeat, Ludmilla Barchenka is under guard and her illegal force is disarmed. This is Admiral Coetzer speaking. This Station is now back under my command.
“Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, please be calm,” and now he held his hands up, circling to be sure that he could be seen. “Are there any medical personnel who can attend our wounded?”
Johnny Greene suddenly levitated in front of the admiral, appearing to hesitate midair, reaching out with his right hand to deflect or catch something.
Got it!
Johnny cried, dropping to his feet again as he showed the knife that had been thrown at the admiral. In the same second, one of Barchenka’s thugs who was kneeling on the floor, doubled up, screaming in pain.
“I suggest that no one else attempt a similar breach of common sense,” Johnny said, slowly rotating on his heel to survey Barchenka’s mutineers.
Pete, can you do a shield around the admiral? We’re not home clear yet
.
Sure!
Peter Reidinger, looking frailer than ever against the tall, well-fleshed admiral, stepped to his side and projected an invisible barrier.
“Secure that man,” the admiral said, gesturing for two of his aides to deal with the writhing would-be assassin. Then he noticed Peter. “Ah!”
“You need Pete right now, Admiral,” Johnny said quickly in an undertone. “He’s that skeleteam I’m sure you’ve been briefed on.”
The admiral raised his eyebrows in surprise, gave Peter an abrupt nod, and then continued to issue crisp orders.
“If some of my fellow guests would be so good as to collect the arms.” Both
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