V, the
remote Canton mining planet. Limping toward Soviet Space with a
patchwork of seventeen ships, Shannon's second-in-command had hoped at
first that that the fascist armada, which had paused for two weeks to
regroup and consolidate its victory (whatever that might be, as the
colonies they attacked had been largely destroyed), would at least
allow them to escort the civilian carriers unharmed. But when the
fanned out cluster of ships began to appear again on laser detection,
mockingly unconcealed, he knew that he hoped in vain. Their enemies
could leave no honest witness to the massacre.

Shin's own trail would be more difficult to follow, but he knew that in
the end they would be found, long before the countless miles had been
crossed. Sheer distance made this part of the galaxy anarchic.

There would be no help from beyond. The Soviets, with their usual
pragmatism, had said a polite no to his request for protective escort,
even hospital and civilian ships for the wounded, and the women and
children. It was clear that they were taking a larger view of the
conflict, hoping to turn it later to their own advantage, which made
the lives of a few thousand refugees of but small concern. And there
was no one else to turn to. His messages to the Commonwealth and
Japanese outposts would not be received for weeks, not believe until
long after they were dead.

Not that he was wholly unprepared. For many long nights he had puzzled
over charts of this sector, trying to find a place where, if they must
fight and die, at least it would be on solid ground. Space combat
against such a force was less than futile. It was nothing short of
murder, with no place to run, and no hope at all. The trick was to
find a land base that could not (or would not) be attacked from the air.

The memory of the Hegel diamond mines had come to him as pure
inspiration. The Cantons, gearing up for an expanded war effort,
couldn't possibly afford to knock them out, especially after the
unexpectedly severe break-up (explosion, really) of Marcum-Lauries One,
the valuable ore planet, now lost. And this far out in neutral space,
at a time when ships and men were needed elsewhere, he doubted that the
mines were guarded by more than a token force. If he got there first,
and caught them off guard..... Shannon had chosen his second well.
Shin was tough as nails and twice as sharp, and with the same capacity
for facing despair without letting it