he monitor.

"I see. Now, the Guardian Station prison, I am
informed, keeps tabs on its inmates using a
sophisticated surveillance system. How did you
manage to evade observation long enough to get
away?"

"Zolan, a member of our group is an
expert in electronic countermeasures,
counter-countermeasures, and so on. The system
on the Guardian Station was installed two to three
centuries ago. It serves fine, I suppose, for the
ordinary run of inmates confined on the station.
Zolan devised a screen behind which we did our
planning and preparations. When we were ready to
go, he rammed both a counter and a counter-counter
device into the station's sensors. The double
whammy confused the hell out of the system
long enough for us to make our getaway."

"That's my next question. It seems to me the
Space Guard should have been after you immediately.
How is it they let you get away?"

"I think I owe you the credit for that."

"Me?"

"That's the way I figure it. The Guard needs a
minimum number of ships to do its work in the Inner
Region space lanes. Those lanes are so crowded that
they need every ship they can muster to maintain
order. On that I speak from long and bitter
personal experience. Since the secession, many
more Guard vessels are needed along the Belt
and their overlap into the Jovian Void; at best
they're thinly spread.

"Because of the threat to Slingshot that they
perceive in you, the UIPS has been draining both
groups lately to augment patrols along routes
through the Outer Region that converge on the
Special Zone. The additional ships are from the
Belt patrols. With all that they already have to
cover, expending vital resources to chase a few
escaped convicts just wasn't worth it."

Narval wheezed a chuckle.

"So, you think you are beholden to me for this
indirect assistance. Really feel that way?"

As he asked the question he looked intently at
the monitor. Brad, in turn, watched Narval's eyes.

"I can't see it any other way, Mr. President."

Narval grinned.

"Your answers to my questions present an
interesting scenario," Narval said after studying
the monitor. "The probe, by the way, does not
indicate significant deviations from the facts --
as you understand them, of course."

Narval waved the guards away. Saluting, they left
the room, closing the door softly behind them.
Narval motioned Brad to a chair of much gentler
design alongside his desk. As Brad exchanged seats
Narval swi