an System."

Brad fixed his eyes on Captain Yargoul.

Time stretched, no one moved. Finally, at a nod
from Captain Yargoul, a gaunt spacer seated behind
him reached into a pocket, withdrew a capsule and
tossed it toward the front. It floated gracefully
at Zolan in the light gravity. Zolan caught the
capsule, turned, inserted it into a slot at the
base of the tank and pressed a key on the rod.

The tank shimmered, cleared, and in rapid
succession flashed images of battle cruisers,
destroyers and support ships. Data unreeled
across the lower section of the tank, listing
ship's armament and ship's readiness rating.

The recording completed, Zolan withdrew the capsule
and returned it in the same manner as received.
Another floated toward him, preceded by a growl
"Titan." The routine repeated, and within a short
time, the major INOR platforms and weapons for
a combined assault on the Logistics Depot had
been recorded and rated for readiness.

When the last capsule had cleared the tank Zolan's
fingers raced across the console's keypad and the
screen recapped the inputs. The Logistics Depot
reappeared high up in the tank wrapped in its
protective cocoon, and lines of transports loading
and off-loading cargoes or waiting their turns.

The scene contracted, and the vacated space filled
with numbers and codes representing the few UIPS
recon-patrollers in the Plutonian sector followed
by a tabulation of INOR's combined assault fleet.
The computer presented INOR's combined fleet's
Order of Battle, and stabilized.

The assembled commanders, master strategists
and tacticians all, pointed, commented, and proposed
options on the employment of ships, formations
and weapons. Zolan keyed their suggestions into
the computer and the results appeared in the tank.
Finally, there were no further options. Brad nodded.

"Mark it and distribute a copy to each Commander
present," he said, and turned back to survey the
group around the table. He waited.

Captain Yargoul cut the brief silence.

"What we have, so far, is a textbook tactical
disposition of forces around a theoretical
objective. The reality will depend on the strategic
plan for the operation and what we expect will
come out of it. When do we get to that?"

Brad grinned.

"That will be made known to you at the appropriate
time."

##

Brad and Zolan walked silently down the ramp from
the Condor and boarded the outbound strip. Skirting
knots of commuters th