Attunga - 25. Part 25.

ATTUNGA Part 25.

Wirrin gazed at their big display wall and smiled at the sight of the dolphin pod cruising by. No, two pods. A quick zoom showed they weren't Puck's.

Because their living space was so close to the dolphinarium which was center for all the dolphin and marine activities on Warrakan, there were almost always pods to be seen, visiting for various reasons. Currently there were more than usual because of whatever it was Sonic was organising. Calen was out there somewhere with him. It was tempting to use the InfoSystem for a sneak preview. He wouldn't, since Calen had asked him not to, but it would be so easy. Having access to the resources of two habitats meant anything he wanted to see was at his fingertips.

Wirrin smiled as he activated the system half an hour before Pirramar was due. Calen said he was addicted. It certainly was fascinating.

What was Thom doing? That would be almost instantaneous as he had triggers allocated for all the significant people and situations to bring them to instant attention. The image of Thom appeared and Wirrin watched long enough to work out that he was controlling a second Comet remotely. Better not interrupt him with a holo.

Wirrin thought of Peggy, the dolphin under Martin's care, and brought her into view. That took slightly longer as he hadn't given her a trigger, and needed a link to the system of underwater monitors now installed in every reach. She was racing across a sea-grass bed in pursuit of a small school of fish. Wow! She certainly appeared to be full of energy after her liver treatment.

That made Wirrin think of the doctor who was high on the trigger list. He'd be busy as usual. Yes, there he was, talking with seven people in some kind of meeting. Hmm! Three researchers and four doctors from the different anti-agathic centres on Attunga, and they were discussing the capabilities of some diagnostic equipment they'd ordered as part of the first stage of the new facility. The planning assistants had certainly built that in a hurry.

So much building happening, both here and Attunga. Attunga! What about the new level there? Wow, water was being introduced to the honeycomb looking section of reaches in the innermost part of the level. Was it just a storage or would there be functioning reaches in another five months? ...Eight months? Why so long? ...Oh! No need for forced development. Only five reaches to be finished? That wasn't many. Well, compared to the current ones any single one of them would be big enough for the four pods currently planning to transfer back from Warrakan. Aha! Sixty-eight reaches coming online for the second stage in a further eight months, and then the whole level ready two years after that. Attunga was actually making a major change of approach to development by adding a complete level of 280 sectors rather than a single sector at a time.

What about the shell? That was an even bigger effort, though not nearly as complex. Almost idly, basic information like this was so easy, Wirrin called up a holo image showing shell construction progress. Things were moving fast and would be completed in another year at the current rate. That meant a vast amount of mass would have to be converted to the special building material similar to the Comet's hull and internal support girders. A quick query showed 738 asteroids of various types parked in areas away from the busy ferry traffic between the habitats, and another 367 moving towards Attunga in the long journey from their sparsely spread locations in the asteroid belt.

Wirrin started checking on the progress with the Attunga drive engines and was watching one of them drifting in space near the installation area when Pirramar appeared.

“Hello Wirrin. Browsing the drive project? It's reached .52G capability, and that will be the third engine to come online since the council diverted four to Freedom.”

“.52? ...That means six more still to install.”

“Yes, another four months will see completion.”

“What are we doing today? Is anything happening with K74?”

“A number of special concerns, as well as the usual ones. The Freedom AIs have let us know they're worried about the elevated level of scrutiny they're receiving from three of the Cadre ships.”

“The Cadre ships are with them while they're travelling?”

“For a number of hours now, yes, and a fourth is moving on an intercept course as well.”

“Four of them concentrating on Freedom at once? That doesn't feel good to me.”

“I agree. We'd like to know their motive because even though we've been helping Freedom to rapidly update their security they're still relatively vulnerable. Thom will be taking two of the Comets as escort's while they complete their move.”

“Thom? Does he know? He was doing normal training work a quarter of an hour ago.”

“He's just found out and will be on his way in a very short time.”

Thom would love the chance at some real action. Wirrin smiled but then had second thoughts.

“Escort? Does that mean you're expecting the Cadre ships to do something?”

“They've already have, with very aggressive attempts to penetrate Freedoms electronic security. The Comet will put an end to that, and more importantly may be able to discover any instructions from K74. There is also a possibility, quite low, of physical intimidation.”

Many thoughts raced through Wirrin's mind. They'd be crazy to start anything after the previous reactions, but of course that hadn't stopped them then.

“Intimidate a whole habitat? Why? That would be a step beyond anything they've done before.”

“Very much so, but we know they look on Freedom as the only way of accessing some of the knowledge and technologies they're seeking, and with the habitat only days away from our protection this would be their last and only chance to gain that access. It's a step the Cadre might consider taking.”

“The Comets definitely should be there.”

“Yes, and they won't take long. They'll quickly defuse the situation.”

Wirrin thought of Thom eagerly blasting the Comet at its maximum acceleration. No. He couldn't. The other Comet would hold him back. Maybe he'd rush ahead anyway?

“There has also been another change of embassy staff and we'll have a look at the background of the new appointees before we recheck the symbiosis module data. We'll also have a look at a location on K74 which is apparently going to be a new blocked area and then I'd like you to do an analysis of all new constructions throughout the habitat as well.”

Pirramar paused, as if calculating what else to add to the day's efforts and Wirrin almost laughed. They'd never get through all that. Not if they were going to do it properly.

“Have they really changed their embassy staff again? They never stop.”

“This is the biggest change yet and some of the new people need a close look.”

That piqued Wirrin's interest. It sounded as if Pirramar already knew something and wanted to find out more.

“Well, we haven't been blocked from their administration system so let's start there. I think we should...”

Wirrin stopped abruptly because Pirramar was holding a hand up as if he needed his attention elsewhere.

“Move quickly to your TransCom portal. Communication with Freedom has just been cut off and we'd like you on the Comet for input with the InfoSystem.”

Wirrin disengaged from his home system then after seeing the urgency conveyed by Pirramar's expression, started running. The portal was only seconds away, as it had been installed especially for people coming to see Sonic or other dolphins in the guest area, and when the door closed Wirrin was surprised to see Pirramar still with him. Oh, he was now working through his personal equipment.

“TransCom Priority One!”

Motion commenced and Wirrin gawked at the flashing red speed indicator. How fast were they going?

“TransCom is giving you emergency access to the closest available facility for transfer to the Comet. All our efforts to communicate with Freedom in the last twenty seconds have been blocked and it is now imperative to get the Comet there as soon as possible. Thom is waiting and ready to leave the moment you arrive.”

Wirrin rushed through the docking tube and into the Comet in just over three minutes, a trip which usually took between twenty and thirty minutes, and by the time he reached the control centre, Warrakan, if he'd taken the time to look, was a speck in space behind them. After a quick wave to Thom and a preoccupied nod in response, Wirrin dived for his InfoSystem and linked in. He'd learn more and faster that way. Turaku appeared and an analysis window opened on the display.

“This is all we can detect. It's a powerful localised jamming signal which is completely blocking any transmissions into or out of of Freedom. We need to be close to penetrate, and that won't happen for another four hours.”

Four hours was very different to the five days Freedom would take to cover the same distance. Thom must have the Comet stretched to its maximum acceleration. ...22.6 G. ...What? That was beyond the maximum Wirrin was aware of.

“What can we do?”

“At this stage, nothing except gather information. We have contacted other vessels in the vicinity but there are very few while Freedom is in transit. Three have approached at our request but have been smothered by the jamming fog before getting close enough to scan anything.”

“Did we know the Cadre ships could block transmissions like that?”

“Yes, it's a straightforward process and standard equipment for aggressive vessels. Applying it to a habitat is unprecedented.”

The next three and a half hours was pure frustration as far as Wirrin was concerned, as all he could do was keep a watch while nothing changed. The jamming signal had been closely examined and it would be penetrated in another quarter hour simply by proximity and the stronger equipment on the Comet. Thom similarly had little to do except monitor the Comet's performance and they talked about possibilities without having any supporting facts.

Akama made contact briefly. Information passed at light speed between the Comet and the habitats. Wirrin wondered if the jamming would have any effect on the Comet but quickly discovered that their pico-factory had built and installed counter devices. Why hadn't Freedom done the same? They had the knowledge.

“Thom, we break through that jamming in five minutes. I want you to lock on to Freedom and check its navigation fundamentals. The jamming area is showing a deviation of the habitat course.”

That was either very good or very bad. If the jamming area was diverging from Freedom, it could mean the Cadre ships were leaving. If not, the habitat itself was changing course and that implied some sort of control by the Cadre ships. Thom nodded his understanding, but Turaku hadn't finished.

“The final recommendations have come through from Pirramar as well, and he advises full implementation of stealth mode while we make an assessment of the situation. He also warns there is a significant likelihood of AI interference and suggests all actions should be initiated with a degree of isolation through the InfoSystem.”

“We let the jamming continue?”

“Yes Thom. Providing they don't break your stealth procedures. Unless we have no other choice it's important we understand exactly what's happening before we act.”

Wirrin went into overdrive as his InfoSystem was now the controlling focus for any actions Turaku or the Security AI wanted to take. He knew what he was doing though. He'd been through this a number of times already, first on Thom's stealth exercise, and several times since with Pirramar to build his readiness.

“Full stealth mode activated.”

Thom's crisp voice, clear and determined, sounded through the Control Center and Wirrin launched the counter jamming signal. In this first stage it should allow the Comet's scanners penetration, and then, with decreasing distance, a breakthrough to communication with Freedom. Yes, the large mass of Freedom was now registering, and not quite so clearly, the lesser masses of the four Cadre ships.

“Freedom shows a definite course variation.”

Thom was relaying the information Turaku asked for, but Wirrin was paying far more attention to the four Cadre ships, now clearly resolved. What were they doing? All gathered near the drive engines?

“Freedoms deceleration level is .06G. Precisely one quarter of capability. Three engines may be off-line.”

Wirrin heard Thom's call, briefly thought that it tied in with the positions of the Cadre ships, then fixed on his own information which was retrieving greater detail with every passing moment.

“Turaku, I think they're dismantling one of the engines.”

Turaku could see for himself and would be reviewing every bit of data at AI speed but Wirrin couldn't help making his call.

“Not dismantling, but they do appear to be making a rapid analysis. Three engines are not functioning and the remaining one is turning Freedom in the direction of K74. Contact with Freedom is imminent and soon after we will be close enough to take control of all K74 electronics.

Thom, maintain stealth at all costs.

Wirrin, you have the communication codes for Freedom AIs. Initiate contact on my mark but keep all incoming data in quarantine.”

According to the InfoSystem, contact was already available. Why was Turaku waiting? Oh, he'd just tested the strength of the quarantine system. He must be worried about Rogue traps.

“Wirrin. Three. ...Two. ...One. ...Mark.”

Wirrin transmitted the codes and watched for the response which should arrive within seconds. Yes, there it was.

...Busy!

...Busy!

...Busy! ...Oh no!

“Turaku, they are in a priority trap. I'm linked but they're not responding.”

“Are you linked well enough to apply any analysis?”

“Yes, I've already started. Can we contact the people instead?”

There was a momentary hesitation from Turaku.

“Not possible. All communication was integrated with AI processes after the first Freedom hack. I have relayed the details of this mistake on our part to Pirramar so we can arrange for independent procedures on Attunga and Warrakan in the event of a similar emergency.”

Wombats! AIs making a mistake. That was the first for Wirrin.

A bank of tell-tales turned green. The Comet was now close enough to take control of any or all of the Cadre ships.

“Turaku, we now have 100% scanner access but I'm going to look at those ships before we take control. Thom, how close can we move without losing our stealth?”

“With four ships I can manage at ten kilometers and that will be in another. ...six and a half minutes.”

Wirrin was expecting fifteen km. Thom had learnt and improved from the stealth exercise.

“Hold at twelve kilometers please. I'm placing a Priority One on the gathering of information before we take any action.”

Thom's eyes jerked momentarily from his controls.

“The Kadaitcha man?”

It was Wirrin's turn to give a terse nod. He had so much to do.

First he set his InfoSystem to scanning the Cadre ships in the greatest possible detail, physical structure, management systems, electronics, full radiation spectrum, everything.

Next he examined the area around the drive engines and relayed the resulting information to Turaku and the Security AI who would gather meaning from it much faster than he could.

Focus shifted momentarily to a blue success signal flashing from the program watching the Freedom communications, then abruptly back to a red warning about the Cadre ships.

Structural anomalies? What did that mean?

A closer look at one showed an unaccounted volume of space close to the vessels control centre. A blocked area? Recognition flashed at this situation, so similar to the dead areas on K74. Rogue work.

Wirrin almost smiled. When they reached the twelve kilometer point he'd soon penetrate that.

What was its purpose though, so close to the control center and clearly meant to be secret?

“Freedom is almost on course to K74. Another half hour of the current engine thrust will align it exactly.”

Thom's call startled Wirrin. They were taking Freedom to K74? While information poured in Wirrin checked the blue success signal. The method of trapping the Freedom AIs had been identified and an inoculation program could be sent to release them at any time.

That couldn't be right? It was too simple a version, not much advanced on the ones used at Monkey Mia against the Australian AIs.

“Turaku, the Freedom AIs wouldn't have been cut off so completely with this type of trap. They shouldn't even have been caught by it. There's something wrong.”

“I concur. Maintain Priority One and concentrate on the anomalies. The probability of danger to the Comet has just increased from insignificant to medium level, and on Pirramar's advice we have brought our multi-spectrum energy defences to the ready state. Early visual scanning shows devices of some type installed against all four drive engines.”

Wirrin wanted to check all that, but his priority now was the blocked areas and what they meant. Another two minutes and they'd be stationary and the Comet's advanced radar, infra-red, Xray and resonance scans would come into play.

Another blue signal from the AI Communications task? What had it found this time?

Very quickly Wirrin checked. No wonder Freedom's AIs were locked. This was a second trap, far more sophisticated than the obvious first one, and capable of affecting even the Comet's AIs. Not now though, he had its measure and would be able to assemble a cure and counter for its effects.

“Distance to Freedom twelve kilometers. Relative velocity is zero and I can maintain 100% stealth indefinitely. Multi-spectrum beams are operational but not targeted.”

Wirrin called up a holographic representation of the blocked area on the nearest Cadre ship and watched as blurry shapes and outlines steadily resolved into the form and detail of a single room with three people sitting at consoles.

“Is there enough information to work out what they're doing?”

That was addressed to Turaku.

“Tracing the wiring and electronics shows two people monitoring everything taking place in the main Cadre command center. The third person has a console which is connected to a powerful transmission device of some kind. We need direct access to understand its purpose but there is no way past that firewall even if we do control the rest of the ship.”

Transmission device? The words sounded and Wirrin's thoughts went into a spin. Adrenaline flooded his system as he added factor after factor to the idea screaming urgently in his mind. It all fit together.

“Priority One! Priority One!

Turaku. Isolate every AI function from access to our scanning systems and put yourself behind the strongest quarantine you can build. The same for the Security AI. On no account accept any external signal unless I'd okayed through my InfoSystem.

Cut all contact with Warrakan and Attunga.”

“Priority One actions completed.”

Wirrin's momentary sense of relief dissipated. There were still too much to do.

“Turaku, I need to apply Pirramar's health program to make sure you haven't been compromised in any way by a Rogue trap. This whole event is nothing to do with Freedom. It's an attempt to capture the Comet.”

Wirrin acknowledged the very rude word that came from Thom.

“Thom, this is also Priority One for you. Those four Cadre ships are waiting for us and must be scanning with everything they have available. If I understand this correctly they have traps waiting for our AIs when they link into the Cadre systems, so we mustn't be detected.”

“We could blow them away with our multi-spectrum beams.”

“No we couldn't. They've got Freedom as a hostage with those radiation devices.”

“I know. I just feel like it. They won't detect us while we're stationery and you're right about them looking. There are sixteen surveillance drones out there, mostly concentrated along the direct approach from Warrakan, but they're no problem. ...What are we going to do?”

That was the big question and Wirrin was working on it. Somehow he had to get at the information in the blockout area, analyse it and build a protection program without any help from the AIs. Until that was done there was no way to help Freedom without putting the Comet at risk.

“Thom, if we have too, can you use the multi-spectrum beams to get rid of the radiation devices?”

After a pause to consider Thom replied.

“I can, but not against four locations at the same time. There would be a time lapse while I re-targeted, but I also don't have the fine control the AI's use and there would be damage to the engine housings. There are people there as well and they would be vaporised. It would also be an instant give-away for our position, and without our Security AI we can't defend properly against four aggressive Cadre ships.”

Wirrin felt like screaming. They couldn't neutralise the radiation devices without making the Comet vulnerable. He needed the AIs to get access to the blocked area but if they tried that the AIs could succumb to some new trap of the Rogue's devising.

Think! Think! Think! ...How to get into that blocked area without AI help, without tripping alarms, without being seen by the people there, find the necessary information and return it safely to the Comet? It would need an incredible superspy. What a pity Thom couldn't apply his stealth skills to a person.

Invisible superspy? ...They had one. Maybe. Just maybe?”

“Turaku. A stealth symbiosis drone can approach a Cadre ship without being detected. Could you give one the ability to gain entry as well and move about unseen?”

“With the purpose of retrieving data from the blocked area I presume. Not with the current model, but with major design modifications it may be possible.

Yes, a preliminary design gives a success probability of 15% and with time this will improve markedly.”

“How much time?”

Thom was matching a ferocious grin with a thumbs up sign.

“17%.

...Approximately seventeen minutes, but then improvement will slow exponentially.

...21%”

Time passed with an eye on Turaku's steadily rising probability count and a great deal of discussion about possible actions till Thom suddenly yelled.

“Turaku, can we build space versions of the guardian drones we used at Shark Bay? They could protect us from a missile attack.”

“We considered that Thom, but to counter the combined aggressive resources of four Cadre ships would need several thousand guardians, and given our optimum construction rate of seventy-nine seconds per unit we discarded the idea as impractical.”

“Could we build enough to disable the Cadre engines?”

“Of course, but that would disclose our presence.”

“Not if we make them appear to come from Freedom.”

“No good Thom. That would make them retaliate against Freedom.”

“I can't believe this. We're better at everything than they are, but we can't do a thing, and what happens if you can't work out a way to protect all the AI's? We can't just sit here and watch while they do whatever they want.”

“We'll think of something.”

In fact Wirrin was confident he'd be able to counter any Rogue traps. He'd had months of study and simulation with Pirramar, practising to do just that, and all the analysis programs they'd developed were stored and ready in the InfoSystem. The two antidotes for the Freedom AIs had only taken moments to prepare once he'd received the analysis results.

“Stealth module design criteria achieved and construction commenced. Completion in nine minutes and forty-eight seconds.”

Wirrin and Thom exchanged excited looks. The criteria they'd agreed with Turaku was a high success probability of 85%. Anything better would involve a much longer wait with relatively small improvement. Over nine minutes construction time? It must be complicated if a sophisticated guardian drone only took seventy-nine seconds.

“When is the other Comet due to arrive?”

“Not for another hour and a half, but that's most likely changed since we cut off communication. I think they'll send at least one extra, too, but that would be hours and hours away.”

“Transport modules completed. Penetration modules commenced.”

“Two types of modules?”

“Three Thom. A larger transport one with full stealth and pico level camouflage to meld with the outer hull, a high-energy penetration type to force an access way through the hull and connect with a service conduit, and finally, an information retrieval module with a chameleon function to allow unnoticed operation in the blocked area.”

Wirrin nodded his appreciation for this clever design then felt his heart thump when Thom made a loud exclamation.

“One of the Cadre drones has just accelerated in the direction of K74 and will leave the jamming area in approximately three minutes.”

“Don't frighten me like that. I thought you were going to say they'd broken stealth.”

“Wirrin, if they break our stealth every alarm in the Control Center will go off and maximum acceleration will kick in automatically. You won't hear a word from me because I'll be too busy.”

“Retrieval modules commenced. Completion in 137 seconds. Event launch will be under your InfoSystem control.”

Wirrin was ready.

“Thom, how long before the drone can transmit to K74? I think it's going to relay information they've discovered about the drive engines.”

“It's almost out of the jamming area now. I don't think there's anything we can do about it.”

“Send a guardian drone after it. We now have them in the construction queue when the modules are finished.”

Wirrin pushed thoughts about the drone to the back of his mind. It was launch time. The four hybrid modules left the Comet and rather disconcertingly disappeared from all view.

“Do you know where they are?”

“Not really Thom. The special signals they send must be cancelled by the jamming field. All we can do is wait for their return. How long do you expect that will be Turaku?”

“With optimal performance, forty-two to forty-five minutes, with adverse conditions, up to seventy minutes, and anything beyond that will almost certainly mean an unsuccessful attempt. The first guardian drone is now ready for instructions.”

“Tell it to chase that Cadre drone and destroy it as quickly as possible.”

“Done. Launch is under your control.”

For a second time Wirrin made a launch and had all trace disappear from his InfoSystem. Well, those guardians were incredibly capable and he was sure it would do its job.

Time passed with a mixture of rush from the continual situation checks, and tardiness with the wait for the all important return of the hybrid modules.

At Thom's request the pico-factory kept churning out guardians, as he wanted one for each of the fifteen Cadre drones and then as many as possible for the Cadre ships themselves in case he needed to take drastic action. He was as ready as Wirrin. The whole time they'd been under stealth he'd been going over different strategies, with help from the AIs, to employ if the Comet should be detected, and now, only a few minutes from Turaku's optimal projection time for the stealth modules return and with 26 guardians ready, his tactics were increasingly aggressive. Fifteen guardians would destroy fifteen Cadre drones and the remaining guardians would attempt to disable the drive engines on the Cadre ships while the Comet itself would fly like a bolt of lightning in an effort to evade a possible onslaught from thousands upon thousands of deadly missiles.

“What do you think? Sooner? ...Or later? And have you thought of something else if this doesn't work?”

Wirrin had three alternatives in fact, but was increasingly confident they wouldn't be needed. Continual monitoring of the three people in the blocked area showed no unusual movement or actions and, according to Turaku, the retrieval module would have reached that room at least twenty minutes ago.

“The AIs factor in every eventuality when they work out things like this Thom, so I reckon it will be sooner. I'm expecting the first module within the next five minutes.”

As if on cue, a green docking light flashed and all conjecture was forgotten as the first retrieval module linked directly and started dumping data to the quarantine area in the InfoSystem.

Wirrin bypassed all the travel and penetration records and rushed to find the signal stored in the transmission device.

His prepared analysis programs quickly identified different blocks of code.

A backup set of instructions for running the Cadre ship? Interesting but look at it later.

An automatic controlling procedure for all the ships armaments? Trouble, but fix it later.

Communication control? Not now.

Plan Alpha? Weird name. ...Yes!

With almost the full resources of the InfoSystem focusing Wirrin's barrage of tests, the signal started to reveal its secrets.

The docking lights flashed green three more times with the return of a stealth module from each of the other three Cadre ships and three more sets of retrieval data dumped to the quarantine location. Wirrin applied his analysis tasks and watched with a mixture of shock and satisfaction as the results came in.

AI trap!

AI trap!

AI trap!

AI trap!... So many?

It appeared as if the signal from each ship was a combination of two different traps.

...No, a third trap had just registered as part of the transmission for the first ship. It looked like the Rogue wanted to hit the Comet with a dozen different types of trap simultaneously.

A scan of the parameters put a smile on Wirrin's face as patterns he'd worked at with Pirramar clicked in his mind. Yes, he knew that one, ...and that one.

...Seven would be no trouble at all, and four more had familiar looking structures. Ten minutes later he exclaimed with annoyance.

“Am I allowed to talk to you?”

“What?”

“Am I allowed to talk to you?”

Wirrin gave a little shake to refocus his mind.

“What?”

“That's better. I wasn't game to ask in case I broke your concentration but then you made your grumble-grunt.”

“I've worked out counters for every trap except one which analysis says could force AI processors to 100% usage. ...But I can't see how. ... Is anything happening?”

“There's endless movement near the engine we thought they were dismantling, and a transport ferry went into one of the Freedom docking bays.”

Wirrin didn't hear the end of Thom's reply because an idea teased at the edge of his mind.

Endless?

...Yes, endless.

...Endless loops!

That's what it was. How strange, but all that would need was recognition it was happening.

Loop recognition programs appeared on command and Wirrin cobbled several together and tested them. Not good enough, but on the right track.

Set a task to do this at computer speed. Thirty-seven seconds and 794 attempts later the antidote for AI trap number twelve was ready.

“Priority one! Priority one!”

Whoops! In his excitement Wirrin had yelled at the top of his voice and now Thom was staring in dismay.

“It's all good Thom. We're ready for action.

Turaku, Priority One is to disable those blocked areas and then the radiation devices. Once that is done control is at your discretion. I'm releasing the antidote codes from quarantine. ...Now!”

Nothing happened. Well, not for approximately 3.4 seconds when the scan of the blocked area on the nearest ship abruptly changed to full optics and the sight of a shocked face staring at a blank console. Two seconds later came Turaku's announcement.

“Cadre ships are now under full control and the radiation devices locked in a neutral state. I suggest you release the code to help the Freedom AIs.”

Wombats! That should have been released with the other codes. Slightly embarrassed, Wirrin quickly fixed that and turned to Thom.

“I can't think of everything.”

“Yes, I know. It's terrible. We just won't mention that you saved the Comet, the AIs, and Freedom.”

“Full contact with Attunga and Warrakan is now re-established.

The Witness Council have opened a direct conference link, and Akama is asking for you to report directly.

The Habitat AIs are all fully functional and the Freedom leaders are asking permission to speak with you.”

***