The J4 unit, code-named "Fox," popped out of the stargate into system 289 and vectored at once to put distance between the stargate and itself. It spent its first several hours in the star system making contact with other AI-units and scanning the system for signs of the enemy. On this, its first mission, the Fox was observing mission rules that would differ markedly from those of its fellow units. Fresh from a production line, it was a different breed of starfighter from those that had gone before.
Its Mission Intent Profile was clear. Less clear was the manner of execution. What the Fox was going to do had never been tried before. It was going to have on-the-job training.
For most practical purposes, star system 289 was empty. It had no Earthlike planets, no known exotic characteristics, and no known strategic value except one: the enemy had been found operating here. What they wanted with it was unknown. Perhaps they had been led to it by the same mechanism as the Earth fleets, by easy pathways through the twisted n-dimensional space through which the stargate operated, or through some confluence of the simpler but slower space-metric channels that were the domain of the conventional FTL stardrive. The enemy's means and motives of travel were unknown, in fact; but one thing was clear, and that was that their presence here afforded an opportunity to engage them.
What the Fox wanted was a little different; but it too looked for a chance to fulfill its destiny—its wired-in instincts. And on this occasion, the rest of the fleet would be working to serve the Fox's purpose.
Contact had already been made with three unfriendlies, at the limits of detection. That was good; it gave the units time to prowl, to feign nondetection of the enemy. Time to use cunning and stealth.
Time for the Fox to earn its name.
* * *
Indications were coming in steadily now. !!Ghint watched the Outsider forces gathering in the system and wondered at their purpose. At present they had taken no aggressive action; and yet surely they had detected the Ell(fleet) by now. Was the enemy here to defend this star system—which held nothing of known value? Perhaps they knew something that the Ell didn't.
"Let the (fleet) open for observation," !!Ghint said to outreach. "But be prepared to close and retreat on command." The patrol mission was to observe and to engage, but not to indulge in heroics.
His orders flashed down the vine. A living unit, the (fleet) warped and stretched in response to his orders. !!Ghint's own (ship) increased its sensitivity, and to a degree its vulnerability, to watch the enemy movements. For a time, they observed the Outsider robots maneuvering about at great range, perhaps mapping the star system. What ended the quiet interlude was a sudden change in the enemy's behavior. "Tracking . . . three Outsider units on intercept heading."
The words came to !!Ghint from the outer-branch tracking observer. They had been found, then. But only three units turning? !!Ghint snapped out a command to his second for a tactical analysis, while he bent his head to the display-cone. The remainder of the enemy fleet remained too far out of position to pose a danger. Was the enemy overconfident?
"(Fleet), contract and prepare to engage," he ordered.
The Ell(fleet) drew close like a fist and wheeled in a shifting formation, flying to meet the enemy.
!!Ghint was totally unprepared for the enemy's next action. Instead of firing, the three units split and flashed by on three sides of the Ell(fleet), shifting course too quickly for the Ell to respond. At !!Ghint's command, the (fleet) came about and pursued. The enemy coalesced again and did likewise—and they met a second time, the enemy dodging quickly again, but not quickly enough. Light blazed out from an Ell(ship) and caught one of the enemy units with a splash of violet.
What were they doing? !!Ghint wondered, confounded. Testing them, delaying them?
Before he could decide, the other two units had shifted course again. They raked past the Ell(fleet), this time stuttering out weapons fire. There was a flash of fire on !!Ghint's third (ship); he felt the pain as the alarms sounded and the crew of the (ship) raced to control the damage. !!Ghint dug his nails into his leg and snapped orders down the vine. "Reform to protect! And sharpen your aim!" He checked the long-range readers. The rest of the Outsider armada was now making for the battle. Was that it, then? A diversion while the enemy built up its numbers to overwhelm him?
The two Outsider units maneuvered to strike.
"Tracking . . . third enemy, dark, point-blank forward."
!!Ghint felt a shock of alarm. The unit they had damaged . . . "Fire!" he snapped. A blaze of light flashed forward at the enemy.
Before he could judge the result, there were flares of enemy fire as the other two shot by. He felt another flash of pain, and a flicker of satisfaction. (Ship) two had taken a hit—but so had the enemy. The stakes were rising.
How long could they keep this up? The rest of the Outsider armada was approaching . . .
"Damage analysis—can we survive transient?" he asked urgently.
"Analyzing . . ."
"Tracking . . . third enemy, drifting to (fleet)-starboard."
"Focus, do not fire," !!Ghint commanded. "Scan quickly!"
The Ell(ship)s maneuvered in parallel with the disabled enemy, all weapons in firing attitude. If the unit truly was disabled . . .
The scan came up: "Propulsion zero . . . weapons energy zero . . . unit transmitting weakly on their standard band . . . that transmission now fading."
"Opinion?"
"Unit is disabled."
"Confidence?"
"Moderate."
!!Ghint considered quickly. A captured enemy fighting unit could be worth a lot. It could also be a trap. Was it worth risking a (fleet) for?
"Tracking . . . two enemy units turning, converging again."
"Focus to fire!" !!Ghint snapped. "Damage analysis!"
"Done . . . we can survive transient."
!!Ghint clicked his nails. "Prepare to grapple on my command."
The voice of tracking came again. "Two enemy units veering off. Larger fleet approaching."
That gave him the room he needed. "Grapple," he commanded. "Prepare for transient." He felt a rumble in the belly of his (ship) as it altered form, interacting with nearby space-time to secure the disabled alien to its skin. He watched in the display-cone as the enemy armada approached. Finally he gave the order to flee, outward from the sun.
At his order, the Ell(fleet) shivered as one being and dropped into transient with its prize, bound for another—he hoped empty—star system.
* * *
Dououraym, sitting in private meditation in his quarters, heard a voice echoing out of the gloom. He puffed air out of his membranes and brought his thoughts back to full surface awareness before he rose, stroking his robes. In the center of his chamber, hovering in midair, was a dim vortex of light glimmering in the near-darkness. The leader of the Inner Circle inclined his head. (Be seen,) he called softly, linking his thoughts to the vortex.
A visage glowed into existence in the center of the vortex. It was Lenteffier. (News from two quarters,) the *El* said.
(Which two?)
Lenteffier made a rasping sound in his throat. His eyes peered out of the vortex, meeting Dououraym's. (Expand to present you with images?)
(Agreed.)
The vortex brightened and opened wide, Lenteffier's face making room for the images. As the *El* spoke, his voice was muted and calm, (From Alert Outpost, this: an Outsider fighter has been captured, damaged.) A blurred image of an alien craft appeared in the vortex, surrounded by Ell fleet(ship)s.
Dououraym voiced surprise.
(It was taken by !!Ghint, on patrol in a flanking system,) Lenteffier continued. He related details of the capture, as reported through Alert Outpost—eleven light-years from the homeworld—where the (fleet) had arrived following evasive action, bearing the burden of its captive prize.
(For !!Ghint, it was a perilous course—but he was wise to carry the risk to the outpost rather than bring it home.)
(Has investigation begun?) Dououraym asked.
Lenteffier showed the alien object being secured near the outpost, and a flurry of activity around it.
What had happened differently? Dououraym wondered to himself. Why had !!Ghint succeeded where all had failed before—to capture, and not merely destroy, the enemy?
(Unknown. An alteration in the enemy's behavior. A malfunction, perhaps. Or a plan. And this: in the Hope Star system, the enemy armada—)
(Has arrived?)
(So. But with no display of aggression.) New images appeared—long-range scans of an enemy fleet, scattered and slow-moving. The vessels were orders of magnitude larger than the robot fighters. It was possible, perhaps likely, that they were inhabited. (Its behavior remains a puzzle. Or!ge suggests a change in the enemy, of intent. This I do not believe.)
(More knowledge is needed.) Dououraym suggested.
(But time grows short!)
Dououraym accepted the assertion without comment. Indeed, would the Outsiders so drastically shift their tactics unless they believed the conflict won—or their fighting strength was concealed? The Lost World Expedition was paramount to all decisions, and the one unassailable priority was that no enemy should be permitted to take the Hope Star system—not after the centuries-long quest that had led to its discovery.
But which was the greater risk—to hold back and observe, or to strike as hard and as quickly as possible?
He put the question to Lenteffier. (Has your judgment changed from our last binding? Should we strike?)
Lenteffier's face expanded in the thought-vortex, staring. (My judgment is to land. Delay no longer. Learn, while time remains. The Outsider armada may have the strength to destroy ours. At least we would gain knowledge.)
Dououraym thrust his upper hands into his robes. (Would you then have my judgment?)
(I would.)
Dououraym projected his thoughts into the vortex. (Learn more of the enemy. Take risks. And land. For the enemy, give a brief span of observation; and if still in doubt, strike.)
Lenteffier appeared surprised by the intensity and decisiveness in Dououraym's answer. Possibilities danced about him. (We need a meeting. To include Or!ge.)
Dououraym puffed air and clicked his nails inside his robe. (Agreed. Contact the others.)
Lenteffier inclined his head in acknowledgment. The vortex dimmed and went out, leaving Dououraym alone in the darkness, alone with his troubled thoughts.