“Exactly,” Early said. “It never happened, as I said.” He spread his hands. “No point in tantalizing people with technical miracles that no longer exist, either.” Although knowing you can do it is half the effort. “We’ve still got a long war to fight, you know,” he added. “Unless you expect Santa to arrive.”
“Who’s Santa?” Jonah said.
* * *
The commander of the hyperdrive warship Outsider’s Gift sat back and relaxed for the first time in weeks as his craft broke through into normal space. He was of the large albino minority on We Made It, and like most Crashlanders had more than a touch of agoraphobia as well. The wrenching not-there of hyperspace reminded him unpleasantly of dreams he had had, of being trapped on the surface during storms.
“Well. Two weeks, faster than light,” he said.
The executive officer nodded, her eyes on the displays. “More breakthroughs,” she said. “Seven . . . twelve . . . looks like the whole fleet made it.” She laughed. “Wunderland, prepare to welcome your liberators.”
“Careful now,” the captain said. “This is a reconnaissance in force. We can chop up anything we meet in interstellar space, but this close to a star we’re strictly Einsteinian, just like the pussies.”
The executive officer was frowning over her board. “Well, I’ll be damned,” she said. “Sir, something very strange is going on in there. If I didn’t know better . . . that looks like a fleet action already going on.”
The captain straightened. “Secure from hyperdrive quarters,” he said. “Battle stations.” A deep breath. “Let’s go find out.”
THE END