d now be taken.

Drummer glanced at the ship's chronometer, then
at Captain Hyk.

Time.

"Ship commanders, Admiral Drummer here. Our
allies are approaching in formation and they will
link up with us in seven minutes at Point Icarus.
We must greet them properly. I order the Plutonian
formation to come about immediately from its
head-on orientation to the Terminals and cluster
to face our allies. Do it now. At Point Icarus I will
address the combined fleet."

Drummer paused, then added, "I am turning over the
details of this change in formation to my Chief of
Combat Operations. Follow his instructions without
hesitation."

Drummer handed the microphone to Brad and stepped
back. Brad rattled off the revised orientations
and positions, ship by ship listed in the Order of
Battle. Both he and Drummer watched the effects
in the observation pit's view tank.

As Brad spoke the close order of the original
formation dissolved and opened. The maneuver
was extremely complex, but within minutes the
ships had come about in a ragged formation to
face their oncoming allies.

Out of the corners of his eyes Brad observed Hyk
input orders to the Dragon's guidance control and
navigation centers. Hyk glared at Drummer as if
the man was out of his mind. Brad expected the
other Commanders to be equally perplexed and
angered by the unexpected reorientation.

Drummer, by his order without prior notice and
planning, had completely disrupted the Plutonian
tactical formation. Valuable time would be spent to
sort out the confusion and array for the assault.

##

Captain Yargoul, Commander of the Jovian Combined
Strike Team, stood on the bridge of the Battle
Cruiser Windstorm and scowled into his view tank.
The unconventional redeployment of the Plutonian
Assault Force amazed and appalled him.

"What in hell are they doing?" Yargoul pointed at
the tank as his Executive stared aghast over his
shoulder.

"Damned if I can tell, Captain Yargoul,"
replied his deputy. "This isn't called for in the
rendezvous plan."

"I don't like it. Get nav on this right now and
pass the word to our ships' Commanders. Assume
a waiting formation ten thousand kay from the
rendezvous. Get the Commanders of the Saturnian
and Neptune-Uranus teams into a closed conference
call with me. I'm going to suggest they do the same
until we find out what this is all about."

"They smell the rat," Brad thought as he watched
the oncoming fleets slowly alt