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ll moaned； as the dream…memory rose； clear and terrible … of the words he had heard from his ship's municator that day 。。。）
He had been sent； with the other one…person ships of his Strike Group； on a simple reconnaissance mission。 But it was more than halfway across the galaxy； and in one of the most densely populated sectors； where human worlds and their stars clustered like … as the Morosian saying had it … sand fleas at an oasis。
Keill and his Group had e out of Overlight and were moving on ordinary planetary drive towards their objective …a small planet where a local war looked like expanding into a major conflict； and where the Legions had been offered a huge sum to join in on one side。
The Strike Group's mission was simply to gather data； to study the planet from orbit； to assess the war potential； to monitor broadcasts and so on。 This data would help the Central mand of the Legions to decide whether to take up the offer。
For the Legions； by then； could pick and choose among contracts。 And their ethic； born of their history； would not allow them to take the side of aggressors； or fanatics； or would…be exploiters。
Often they had fought； for less payment； on the side of those defending themselves against just such enemies。 Often； indeed； the mere presence of the Legions on the side of the defenders had prevented an aggressor from ever launching a full…scale attack。
As the planet grew larger in their viewscreens； Keill and his group were checking their inter…ship munications link； preparing to slide into an orbit suitable for scanning the surface of this world。 They were not advertising their presence； and hoped to go unnoticed … so Keill was mildly annoyed when he spotted a handful of silvery； tubular shapes rising towards his group through clouds beneath them。 A subdued ripple of voices on the municator showed that the rest of the group had also seen the other ships。
'Maybe they're friendly； maybe not；' Keill said to his group。 'We'll ease away on a new course and be ready for evasive action。'
His fingers moved over the controls； programming in the new course that his group would pick up and follow。 He kept his eyes firmly on the approaching ships； waiting for some sign of their intention； some munication from them。
As he watched； twin points of light glimmered from the tapering noses of each of the oning ships。 Keill clenched his teeth angrily。 It was all the sign he needed： he knew an ion…energy beam…gun when he saw one。
'They're firing；' he snapped into his municator。 'Amateurs … they're way out of range still。 Begin new course for evasive action。'
'Do we return fire ？' The voice from the municator was that of young Oni Wolda； Keill's next…in…mand and his closest friend in the Strike Group。 Her voice was calm； but with a faint note of eagerness that made Keill smile。
'No；' he said quickly。 'We're not here to fight。 Evasive action will take us far enough out for Overlight … that'll lose them。 Then we'll report back。'
Again he made his course corrections on the control panel。 Then he added； 'I'll drop back into rear position and find out who this gun…happy bunch belongs to。'
But before any of his group could acknowledge； his municator hummed for an instant and then spoke； not in the voices of his friends but in the abrasive； metallic tone of a long…range munication。
URGENT MESSAGE FROM HOME PLANET … MESSAGE FROM HOME PLANET。
Keill sat up； startled。 Messages seldom came from Moros to legionaries on a mission； unless the legionaries themselves first made contact； to report or to call for reinforcements in an emergency。
The municator seemed to have plucked the word from his thoughts。
EMERGENCY MESSAGE ALL LEGIONARIES … EMERGENCY ALL LEGIONARIES
PLANET UNDER ATTACK BY UNKNOWN FORCES
ALL LEGIONARIES RETURN TO MOROS AT ONCE … REPEAT
RETURN AT ONCE … PRIORITY ONE ORDER OF CENTRAL MAND
Shock turned Keill's blood to ice。 Moros under attack ？ It had never happened … not in all the centuries。 Who would be foolhardy enough to attack the home world of the galaxy's most renowned fighting force ？
But the words had been spoken； and had to be true。
'Emergency procedure！' he shouted。 'Prepare for Overlight at my signal！'
It was risky； entering Overlight that close to a planet's gravitational pull； but there was no choice。 At once； the terrible order had said … and Keill had no intention of arriving too late； if only by seconds； to be of use。
His fingers flowed over the controls； making his ship ready for Overlight。 His hand was hovering over the activator； his mouth beginning to form the order to his group； when his ship jerked and leaped beneath him like a startled animal。
Furious； he glanced at his rear viewscreen。 He had nearly forgotten the other ships； in the shock of the message from Moros。 And because he had dropped back into the rear position of his group； he had e within range of the others' beam…guns。 One of them had got lucky： he had been hit。
It would take time before his puter could produce a damage report … but he could feel his ship slowing； juddering slightly。 Behind him the attacking ships were closing the gap； still firing wildly。
All he could do was to take his group into safety … and hope desperately that it was not his Overlight drive that had been damaged。
'Ready to enter Overlight；' he snapped； 'now！'
His hand punched the activator … and the formless void gathered him in。
Though in Overlight； a ship seemed to be at rest； motionless； while leaping across the unimaginable distances； there were many special stresses and pressures within the void。 It was a place from which a damaged ship might very well never emerge。
So Keill sweated and waited for the puter's damage report。 It came in seconds； but they seemed like hours。
Damage recorded from energy beam contact Hull sector eight…A
Keill's heart sank。 It was a forward sector of the ship's hull； holding some of the weaponry and much of the navigational equipment。 The puter went on； confirming his fears：
Hull buckled but unbroken； and holding One forward beam…gun inoperable Navigation system planetary drive inoperable
Keill reached for the puter keys。 Report status of Overlight drive； he ordered； and other systems。
The obedient puter replied at once。 Overlight drive undamaged Other weapons systems undamaged Life support systems undamaged munications system undamaged
Relief left Keill sagging back into his slingseat。 The Over…light was intact。 The emptiness beyond space would not claim him。
He touched the keys again。 Estimate repair time for planetary drive and damaged weapons； he ordered。
E R T for damaged beam…gun nil Weapon not repairable Full replacement required E R T for navigation system six hours
He cursed softly。 Six hours！ He begrudged every moment that he was in Overlight … yet now he would need to work for six hours before his planetary drive could take him to his planet's aid。 And even then he would arrive with part of his armament out of action。
But there was nothing he could do。 No one went outside a ship in Overlight。 No repairs could be begun until he emerged into normal space； many hours from then。
Gritting his t