ay sphere separate from the Windstorm and plunge
ahead. Hodak did, paled, and pointed wordlessly.
Brad stared at the sphere. His heart pounded.

The Windstorm had launched a guided fusion warhead.
The target was obvious.

Brad knew the warhead's capabilities from the
Neptune briefings. The Windstorm carried a K12,
a fifteen meter-diameter warhead capable of
destroying a natural minor satellite or a large
populated colony. The bomb's mass was such that
a heavy cruiser could carry no more than one. One
was all that would be needed to decide the battle.
The fireball had a two thousand-kay radius, and the
piggybacked neutronic dispenser, once the cloud was
released by the detonation, would inflict radiation
death throughout tens of thousands of kay in all
directions.

The UIPS fleet faced annihilation, as did Slingshot.

Brad reacted instinctively. He jerked his ship
around and pumped max thrust after the speeding
warhead.

A second later his mind snapped back from its
momentary panic.

"One to Three." He recounted the facts. "If Two has
survivors get them on board, or lash them to the
sides, or whatever makes sense. Then catch up with
us at max and give us a hand.

"These warheads are coated against detection in the
old stealth style. I've got to warn our fleet what's
coming so they can go evasive as much as they
can. Our fleet's break from course or formation will
mess up any tactics they have in mind. They won't
have time to form up even if they do escape the
blast and radiation zones. Firing at the warhead
won't help, even at close range. It's wrapped in
so many layers of armor even particle-beamers
can't penetrate, so I don't know what our explosive
decompressors and laser-quads can do. But we've
got to try."

##

Two was a twisted, gray mass in a slow tumble when
Three drew close. Myra reduced power in her ship's
magnetic beams and directed them at the wreck
until it stabilized. She maneuvered until the ships
touched. The beams held.

Myra pushed the canopy clear, climbed out, and
crawled forward. She grasped a jagged projection on
the wreck, swung aboard, and stared into what had
been the control pit. She turned away and returned
to her ship without looking at Drummer. Laser quads
left little organic residue.

##

Brad switched to standard communications channels
and keyed in his identity. In a moment they were
switched to a channel closed to outsiders.

"Sentinel One to UIPS Fleet Co