SECTION 30
Contemplating everything he has learned so far, Ulnar finds himself thinking more and more of S.C. 170, the system where all the trouble started. The place where the Ka’slaq first appeared might provide information that would help Ulnar defeat the aliens. Moreover, he reasons, a blow at S.C. 170 might threaten the Ka’slaq supply lines back into whatever region they came from. If so, that could blunt their advance into the Ninth Sector and buy more time for Merros to prepare.
Satisfied that his reasoning is sound, Ulnar issues his orders. Within minutes, Valiant comes alive as her geodyne engines lift her out of orbit around St. Germaine. The other ships of the squadron follow her lead and gather speed as the space-twisting engines alter the laws of inertia and Einsteinian physics around each of the Legion warships. Setting their course outward, they begin the long journey out of League space toward the world where four vessels have already been lost.
The journey is a long one, twenty-six days in all, even at the unimaginable speeds achieved in interstellar travel, during which the squadron is out of contact with any of the League worlds. Although ultrawave transmissions are even faster than the ships themselves, interstellar distances and velocities make it almost impossible to keep antennas aligned to exchange meaningful amounts of data. Only at short ranges, or between planets where positions and relative speeds are easily calculated and compensated for, can interstellar contact be effectively maintained.
The long voyage gives Ulnar plenty of time to brood and reconsider. What is happening in the sector as his squadron pushes toward its destination? Was his decision the right one?
If Ulnar decides to stop at Thule instead of going all the way to S.C. 170, go to section 79. This trip takes twenty-two days, which should be noted on a piece of scrap paper. Morale drops by 1 point.
If Ulnar chooses to stick to his original decision, proceed to section 54.