R.S.S. Moonstone

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Chapter Seven

Think we should have told him?

At Stronghold Three Admiral Harberson was studying a tactical display for his sector. Grimly he turned away from the monitor, facing his visitor. “Too many fires, not enough firemen” he growled. “I wonder what Harry is going to think when he see’s what’s waiting for him, and the fact that Task Force Dragon is at least two months away. If it arrives at all.

“Like us, you do what you can with the resources you have” a black and grey clad woman responded. “I sent Particle. She is all I can spare. Especially on a one way trip.

Admiral Harberson snorted, sitting down before answering. “Particle. What’s she? A corvette? I’ve got a small task force there already. Three corvettes, two destroyers, three with Redemption, one heavy cruiser and Bagdad. A century old battleship hulled light carrier that should have been at the crushers twenty years ago. Add Moonstar and her companions and that is a massive task force of eleven light ships. Only two with state of the art equipment and Moonstar is just a research ship.

“Twelve. Don’t forget Ryan’s Rocket his visitor added with a smile.

“Oh yes, the rocket. A converted ore carrier barely able to enter sub-space. Yes, that makes all the difference. Why, that ship along could hold back what? An armed shuttle?”

Laughing his visitor pulled a datachip from her breast pocket. “Maybe two. We know some things about Rocket you don’t. Latest from I.O.N.. Something started a lot of traffic between our local Uralth ships just before your ships left. And Willy, Particle is a light cruiser. A stealth cruiser.”

Accepting the offered chip Harberson started at the tiny device. “Insider Intel” he grumbled. “I never know when that’s a good thing, or a warning.”

His visitor shrugged. “I’ve always considered it a knife in the back. For someone.”

“Lets hope not for them. One light warship, an armed research vessel and a jeep carrier that hasn’t seen action in fifty years. But we have to get those people and supplies there before jump date.”

“True. You know. You’ve a Chief Kai I’d like to recruit from that ship when it gets back.”

“Recruit? Why?”

“She managed to get into the most restricted area aboard this station, my quarters, and copy my entire entertainment library. Then leave, all without triggering a single sensor. If it hadn’t been frr the camera I accidently left running I’d never have known.”

“Accidently?” Harberson asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well. I had heard Moonstar had a class act scrounger. It was a trap. I want her. You’ll give her to me.”

“Ah choices. I so love choices. Fine, just don’t waste her.”