[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

The confirmation had come with the direct communication from Yassem later.
Yassem was also able to confide information somehow extracted from privileged
Federation sources, which so far neither side was telling the world at large.
Networks worldwide were blaring hysterically about the nuclear exchanges in
Central America, which couldn t be concealed or played down. But Beijing was
maintaining a blackout on the annihilation of the
AANS fleet in the Pacific, and instead putting out strident appeals for
solidarity and stressing the
Federation s opening air offensive in the south. The retaliation against
Federation air bases, carried out with direct Hyadean intervention, had not
been publicized by Washington, Sacramento, or Beijing. The last thing heard
Page 181
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
from Yassem was that Cade had left in haste with Nyarl, Hudro, Marie, and a
Terran officer to get their aircraft away from a base that Cade feared might
be a target for further such strikes.
Freem and Susan Gray, the Terran biologist, came back in.  Anything yet?
Freem inquired.
Ominzek looked over the displays showing tables of beam-setting parameters and
trial transmissions, and a graphical summary of the results so far.  Still
scanning coordinates and spectra. The night s early yet.
Farther along, Krossig was watching a devastated Terran township, buildings
flattened and in flames, with rescuers digging bodies and injured survivors
from the ruins. The background was lost in an eerie glow, clearly radiating
intense heat.  What these it show now time? Susan asked, staring. She was one
of the Terrans who attempted to learn Hyadean. The results were sometimes
amusing, but Krossig and the others respected her effort.
 The latest from Yassem, Krossig replied.  Shots from McConnell. Just in over
their wire from
Sacramento.
 Who there provides them like this? Why? Susan asked.
 Yassem didn t say.
An image of Nyarl appeared to one side, supplying a commentary.  The aftermath
of a defenseless
American habitat caught in the kill zone of one of our orbital bombardment
masers. Nyarl was not -
actually present in LA when Yassem put the sequence together, of course; he
had spoken from the flyer.
 Its crime? Aircraft from the nearby McConnell base flew in defense of the
newly proclaimed nation against armies sent by the Chryse-supported Washington
regime. . . .
Just then, a shrill tone sounded from the Hyadean equipment. Another display
lit up with lines of data and code, while the system voice announced,  Probe
attempt Sector five six, scan three-nine, four-zero-
three, five-five, Mode 7A-3, successful. Connection is to Querl deep-space
monitor station, location undisclosed.
Ominzek turned sharply and stabbed at control keys.  Gravcom Sys, Supervisor.
Report link quality status.
 Resolution high at seven-two-zero. Submodal encoding. Recipient active and
acknowledges.
 We re through! Krossig whispered to Susan.  It s found one of the relays.
 Identify, Ominzek instructed.
 Nebula Two 
obviously a code name
  Deputy commander, Querl long-range task group, nature of mission,
undisclosed. Range and location coordinates suppressed. Identified as former
contact established by Hetch Luodine from West Coast Trade and Cultural
Mission.
 Connect.
A relief display opened to show the figurine likeness of a lean, red-haired
Hyadean in an officer-style tunic, seated against a background tableau of
panels and bulkheads in what was evidently some kind of control room. Nebula
Two stared for a second or two, looking at first uncertain, then suspicious.
Finally, he said,  I don t know you. We ve been awaiting further contact for
over fifteen hours. What s happening? I wish to speak with Luodine or Nyarl.
 There is unfortunate news here, Omnizek replied.  The place Luodine was in
has been destroyed.
There were no survivors. Nyarl was elsewhere and escaped. I cannot specify our
whereabouts, but we have established an alternate connection. I am a
communications technician. You can refer to me as .
K
Page 182
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
The person who has taken over Luodine s function is with me. His name is .
Krossig moved closer to
G
come within the viewing angle of the unit that Omnizek was addressing.
 I must ask you to submit the agreed security verification sequence, Nebula
Two said.
 I can t. It was held in equipment that was also destroyed, Ominzek said.
 Everything was destroyed.
Codes of that kind would have been too sensitive for Yassem to carry around as
a copy. That was apparently how the technical information needed to
reconstruct the link had been preserved.
 Then how can I be sure you are who you say you are? Nebula Two asked.
The question had been expected.  Does it really matter? Krossig replied.  If
we re sending you reports that the Chrysean authorities would suppress if they
could, you can do nothing but help your own cause by rebroadcasting them.
Would impostors who were working for the Chryseans do that?
Nebula Two frowned as he considered the unexpected logic, but evidently
couldn t fault it. He killed
the audio and disappeared from view, presumably to consult with others. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]