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or ice ball. This is a relatively young star system,
there are billions of comets and big rocks left wandering around, and some pass
through the inner system. What were you going to do to stop one from hitting Midwife?”
    “Midwife has a heavy duty Laser Defense System, almost certainly
more powerful than what your ship carries, as well as one large particle beam generator.
As you noted, these are for the lighter stuff, a few tons or less. For big ones
we intend to get out of the way, because Midwife is mobile of course, having Jumped
here using Trap fields.”
    Mirikami considered for a moment then seemed to make a grudging
admission. “The station would seem to be protected from a collision accident. Anyway,
there would be a flood of emergency transmissions if it had been hit. I’m forced
to conclude that the radio silence has been imposed on them.”
    This explanation had occurred to Dillon as Mirikami spoke, and
his thoughts were racing in an unpleasant direction. It was premature to mention
them, and he needed time to sort them. He asked, “Assuming you’re correct, what
do you suggest?”
    “My first obligation is to the safety of my passengers and my
ship, but in the absence of any clear threat I see no reason not to continue. Midway
might be in need of assistance. However, I want to meet with your Board of Directors
and ask for their recommendations. They’re paying the bills.”
    “Captain, I’m not on the Board, but in matters that might affect
the entire project they have to hold an open meeting, with group discussion from
the entire staff.”
    “I understand. While I feel this information is better kept to
as few people as possible, if the Board wants an open meeting afterwards it can
be arranged. Jake can set up a two-way conference communication system for everyone.”
    “That seems
fair enough. How soon do you want to meet with the Board?”
    “Right now, if possible.” He turned slightly. “Noreen, ask Jake
to locate all of the Board of Directors, please. Then personally ask them to meet
me in the large conference room on deck 8 in five minutes. Don’t explain why for
now; just say that it’s important and confidential. Also ask the off duty crew members
to report to their duty stations, and have Ms. Jorl’sn join you on the bridge.”
    “Aye, Sir.”
    “By the way,” he added, in an offhand manner, “we trapped several
tacs as backup, and I was having Ms. Willfem step up the g’s gradually with the
original Jump tac. We are nearly up to fourteen g’s now. Have her step back down
to ten g’s and transfer the two extra tacs back into the primary Trap. That will
give us redundancy and some more time to plan our approach. Reheat the second beam
plasma too. We might stumble on some larger rocks in that debris out there since
the Bolide stations aren’t talking to us.”
    Noreen hesitated
an instant before replying, with a sharp little nod. “I understand Sir.”
    It was slight, but Dillon noticed her pause, and the way her
eyes had briefly darted a look at Mirikami. There had been something implied in
Mirikami’s instructions that Noreen had wanted her superior to know she had received.
Moreover, they didn’t want to discuss it in front of an outsider.
    The Captain’s next words were again for Martin. “Dillon, I know
you are the bridge observer and not a Board Member, but I’d like to have you present
when I brief your Board of Directors.”
    Dillon had preferred to stay behind and see if he could pick
up on whatever the Captain had covertly passed on to his First Officer. Therefore,
he hedged, “I don’t know what I could contribute beyond your own recommendations,
Captain.”
    “Confirmation for one thing. If your group agrees to make a slow,
circuitous approach, it could add to the transport fee. As I mentioned earlier,
few companies bid on this contract. I want the Board to know that this is not some
pretext for Interworld to run up charges on a hapless customer.”
    Dillon