SECTION 25
Making up his mind, Ulnar reaches to his desk communications button. “Bridge, this is Ulnar. Inform the squadron that we will be breaking orbit by 1630 hours. Duty officer, begin preparations. Get me Captain Sammis.”
Valiant’s sharp-featured captain comes on the intercom screen moments later to receive Ulnar’s orders from the squadron. He seems surprised at the destination the admiral has chosen, but characteristically accepts the orders without argument.
At the appointed time, the ship seems to come to life as the great geodyne engines power up and thrust Valiant out of orbit around St. Germaine. The rest of the squadron follows suit. Gathering speed, it points toward its destination and hurtles outward at speeds made possible by space-twisting geodynes.
The admiral has chosen his destination, and he and his ships are committed. Perhaps, he tells himself more than once during the journey, it is a blessing that the squadron can’t receive information from St. Germaine or the other worlds of the sector. The vast distances of interstellar space and the unimaginable speeds of ships under geodyne drive make it almost impossible to align antennas and transmit ultrawave messages to a squadron in interstellar space. Thus, although ultrawave communications are much faster than ships, they can be used between planets (with well-known coordinates and relatively slow speeds) much more effectively than to or from vessels.
Effectively, the Ninth Defense Squadron is out of touch until it reaches its destination and can collect messages relayed from HQ during the voyage. Ulnar and his men have no idea what might await them, but already Ulnar has a growing feeling of dread as he goes over the strategic situation again and again throughout the long voyage.
Consult the Travel Time Chart. Cross-index Ulnar’s point of origin (St. Germaine) with his intended destination. The number given on the chart is the number of days it will take his ships to reach the chosen planet. Note this number for future reference before proceeding to section 22.