is also sending out an emergency call that he's
in pursuit of a known leader of a secret rebel group and requests
aide in his capture. Some of the ships responding are answering HIS
call, not Morn's. Nothing from Command yet. Those responding to Morn's
message are all stating they're four, five, or even six days away."
33 "He'd be at his leap coordinants before that," said North, "if he
makes it. To do any good , we'd have to be there in two days, three at
the most."
34 Navigation looked up. "We could be there, in a little under three
days," he announced, "if we made one forbidden leap, and, a restricted
one."
35 "What do you mean?" North asked.
36 "We have an almost direct line," explained Navigation, putting his
figures on the main screen, "if we could follow this route. They're
long leaps nearly the limit of our capability. And this one, the second
one, puts us in a system whose sun is about to go nova. All traffic is
forbidden for all the systems around it."
37 The next leap would put us on the edge of this system that's got a
caution warning. The ice fields are constantly shifting and to line up
for our final leap we'd have to get in close. Then, our final leap is
just a standard. We leap from there to where The Son's Pride is. We
should be coming in just about in line with his escape route."
38 "How long before we can move out?" asked North.
39 "We could be in line for the first leap in about twenty-five
minutes," announced Navigation.
40 Communications spoke up. "Sir, we've got a general call from Fleet
for any available ships to answer Morning Star's call, to ignore the
Governor's message, to get in and separate the combatants by any means
necessary. "
41 "In other words," snapped North, "we have permission to vaporize the
idiots! Communications, send a call to Command. Tell them we are moving
out immediately. Give