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conversation。
Or； rather； we had finished the conversation； and I simply hadn't known it。 Just as I didn't know now which way he had decided to jump on the three choices set out in front of him。
For a while I thought about calling him on the inter； or even confronting him about it in his cabin。 But on further reflection I decided against doing either。 I still couldn't offer him any of the assurances he obviously wanted； and without any such promise there was nothing more I could say to induce him to stick with the Icarus。 Pressing him further would acplish nothing except to make both of us feel unfortable at the effort。
Anyway； we were less than three days out from Utheno。 Sometime within the first hour after landfall； it would be easy enough to figure out which way he'd jumped。
CHAPTER 14
I DIDN'T FIND out within the first hour after landfall on Utheno。 I didn't find out for the simple reason that we never made landfall on Utheno。 Though I didn't know it then； it was going to be a long time before we made landfall anywhere。
My first hint of trouble should have been the cacophony of radio transmissions that lit up the official…frequencies section of my m board as the hyperspace cutter array sliced the Icarus back into space…normal。 I couldn't read any of it through the encryption； of course； but the sheer volume of messages should have told me something big was happening。
At the same time the m board was lighting up with chatter； the visual displays were also listing out a horrendous tangle of ship traffic wrapped around the planet in a hundred different holding orbits。 A recorded message on the main inbound…information channel apologized for the delay； cited a pair of collisions and a ground…station sensor failure as the cause of the backup； and promised to speed things up as quickly as possible。
And in an uncharacteristic burst of credulity； I believed them。 Given that official confusion was made to order for us； I keyed in the orbit slot I was given and headed in。
〃Crowded；〃 of course； was a relative term when applied to planetary holding orbits。 Our designated slot was a good fifty kilometers from anything else； with the only two ships at even that distance being a Najiki freighter fifty kilometers to port and a bulky Tleka cargo hauler the same distance to starboard。 More from habit than anything else； I keyed for mid…range magnification and had a good look at both ships。 And it was as I was looking at the Tleka cargo hauler that the warning bells belatedly started going off in the back of my head。
I keyed the inter for the engine room。 〃Revs； what's status on the stardrive？〃
〃Down and green；〃 he said。 〃Why？〃
〃Get it up and green；〃 I told him shortly。 〃Fast。〃
There was just the barest hesitation。 〃Startup procedure begun；〃 he said。 〃What's the trouble？〃
〃We're being directed into a slot fifty klicks from a Tleka cargo hauler；〃 I told him； still studying that display。 〃I can't be certain； but it looks to me like there's something lurking around the side of the hauler where I can't see it。〃
〃As in a Najiki Customs cruiser？〃
〃Or something even bigger；〃 I agreed tightly。
〃So why head in at all？〃 he asked。 〃Turn around and get us out of here。〃
〃And let them know we know they're there？〃 I countered。 〃And that we've got guilty consciences to boot？〃
〃You're right；〃 he conceded reluctantly。 〃So we act innocent？〃
〃As the driven snow；〃 I said。 〃At least until you've got the stardrive up and running。 Let's just hope they can't pull any of the telltales with their own sensor readings。〃
〃These thrusters are pretty noisy； and across a big chunk of the spectrum；〃 he pointed out。 〃That ought to mask the stardrive； at least at a fifty…klick distance。 Okay； I read thirteen more minutes to full green。 I'll see if I can shave a couple of minutes off that。〃
〃Good。 Do it。〃
I took my time bringing us in the rest of the way； managing to eat up nearly five of Nicabar's thirteen minutes before we finally settled into our designated slot。 I kept two of my displays trained on our panions to either side； wondering which of them would make the first move。
The Najiki freighter took that honor。 Even as I ran thrust to the forward maneuvering vents to kill some of our momentum； I saw a large side hatch slide open； and three dark gray starfighters appeared。 They paused a moment as if getting their bearings； then grouped into formation and headed straight for us。
I keyed the inter for all…ship。 〃This is McKell；〃 I announced。 〃Everyone get strapped down and find something to hang on to。 We've got unfriendly pany。 Revs？〃
〃Still at least six minutes to go；〃 he reported。 〃Probably closer to seven。 How long till they get here？〃
〃Depends on how much of a hurry they're in；〃 I told him； watching the fighters closely； hoping even now that it was a false alarm； that they were actually interested in someone else entirely。 But they were still ing； and showed no sign that they might suddenly veer off somewhere else。 〃Keep those thrusters running hot…they get even a hint that we're firing up the stardrive and they'll be all over us。〃
The words were barely out of my mouth when the Najik made it official。 〃Freighter Icarus； this is Utheno Military mand；〃 a calm Najiki voice came over the m speaker。 〃You are ordered to shut down your thrusters and prepare to be boarded。〃
〃The thruster noise must be hurting their ears；〃 Nicabar said mildly。 〃What now？〃
〃We ignore them；〃 I told him。 〃That came in broadcast； not narrow beam； and our ID says we're the Stewed Brunswick。 It may be they're still not sure about us and are trying to spark a guilty reaction。 Anyway； we don't dare shut down the thrusters now。〃
〃You're going to risk drawing fire；〃 he warned。
〃Not yet；〃 I said； shifting my attention from the ining starfighters back to the Tleka cargo hauler。 It was a classic； time…tested maneuver： a group of grass…beaters in front noisily and ostentatiously driving the quarry back into the waiting arms of the hunter lurking silently in the bushes。 In the bushes； or behind a Tleka cargo hauler； as the case might be。
Except that in this case the hunter was no longer hiding。 He was there in full view； his port…side weapons array just ing up around the cargo hauler's dorsal spine： a Najiki pocket destroyer； its zebra…camo striping giving it an almost…delicate look。 As warships went； I suppose； it wasn't much to brag about； from where we currently stood； it looked about the size of Paris。
〃Watch for them to target ion beams；〃 Ixil's voice warned from behind me。
〃Thank you；〃 I said； trying not to sound too sarcastic as I threw a quick glance over my shoulder。 He was striding in through the doorway； gazing at my displays； his expression as glacially stolid as ever。 The ferrets dug in on his shoulders were betraying all that surface calm； though； twitching to beat the band。 〃You have anything else in the way of insightful advice to offer？〃 I added。
〃I meant as opposed to lasers or disabler missiles；〃 he said； stepping to the plotting table。 〃If they're acting on their own against suspected smugglers they won't be as careful to minimize damage as they will if they're doing this at the