10 "We'll go with prime crew," North
ordered,
"drop everybody else in the pods."
11 "No good," answered the Firing control Officer, "we must have the
matter of the pods for the conversion plasma to react on, and, more.
For this plan to work we need a couple of tons of rock to get the kick
we need to bust those shields. And, the matter needs to be heated
....the warmer the better!
12 Conversion plasma reacts quicker on warm matter, and it's a quick
reaction we need. We'll need every person on board to warm up the rock
and walls with hand weapons to achieve total destruction of the city.
We'll need every hand, and then it will still be questionable; a very
fine edge between success and failure.
13 "I can't make this decision myself," North announced.
"Communications, put me on inner ship. Call all personnel to stations."
14 When all the crew was listening North explained the situation.
"We've got this one shot. We either take it or we run. We can't stay
here. The Goddens have a shielded city. In a few months they could
build three or four system class destroyers and come after us. With
such a base of operation they could easily overwhelm any effort we made
to compete with them and they have the natives to draw on as a labor
force where we do not.
15 The chances are all the colonies we left behind have suffered the
same fate we have. So there's little chance of us running to them for
help. There's a chance that we can survive but if we do survive The
Empire wins. But if we can destroy this city at least we will again be
on equal terms. We will continue the battle from The Spiritual Realm,
not from the material one.
16 I have programmed into the computer instructions. Each crew person
is to punch in their serial number and one letter. If we attack, 'A',
if we leave, 'L'. I'll give you a few minutes to make up your minds.
Each section will