Command Decision by Elizabeth Moon Page A

of them, things could get very difficult very quickly; the boarders would enter behind the obvious defense positions based on air locks and crew passages. Ky wanted to race to the bridge, but Hugh had convinced her that she should stay here, in her office, until an invading force came close. Then…then she would find out if Osman’s deviousness actually worked.

    For the first time since taking his ship, Ky had reason to thank Osman for his piratical ways. The Gretnans had walked right past hiding places and the access hatches to secret passages, apparently in the belief that
Vanguard
was nothing more than the armed trader she seemed. Ky’s implant tapped into the onboard surveillance, and she followed the invaders’ progress to the bridge, the splitting off of smaller parties to take control of the missile batteries.
    She spared a quick thought for the other captains, who would have improvised something, she was sure, as she eeled forward in a conduit just big enough for her and its intended contents on the slick, silent platform meant for just such contingencies. Then she was behind the bridge overhead, looking out the carefully placed fish-eye lens that gave her a view of the whole space. Pilot, bridge officer, communications tech, all seated on the floor with their hands on their heads, while two of the enemy aimed weapons at them, and five more examined the controls, weapons slung. One of them was talking.
    “This way, we get the ships already loaded up, y’see. Make a fine addition to our fleet, they will, once we’ve washed out the stench of you Mudders. We’ll just put you in holding until another ship comes and takes you off our hands.”
    “What kind of ship?” Lee asked.
    Another unpleasant laugh. “A ship that trades in such as you. Well, them others. What’s a decent man like you doing hanging about with Mudders?”
    First things first. Choice of rounds…Ky decided on two solid rounds followed by frangibles with low-dispersal chemstun. Supposed to be low-dispersal: Ky put on the emergency filter mask anyway, and pulled out several more to toss down to her crew. It would be inconvenient to have reinforcements arrive…yet closing off the bridge physically would warn the enemy. But there was another way…through her implant, she slammed compartment hatches at a distance. Sure enough, one of the two guarding the prisoners moved to the bridge entrance and looked down the passage.
    “What was that?” asked one of the others.
    “Nothin’ I can see,” the guard said, shrugging. “Doors slamming…”
    “Doors don’t slam by themselves.”
    “Well, I didn’t see nobody. If there was somebody, I’d of seen ’em.”
    “Call Merin. See if he’s got anythin’.”
    The guard muttered something but spoke into a shoulder mike, then shook his head. “Nuthin’ from Merin. He says he’s got eight under guard just off the cargo hold.” Ky unlatched the little drop-hatch Osman had installed so conveniently near the fish-eye, and with two quick shots dropped the guard at the entrance and the one standing over her crewmembers. Then, as her implant shut the bridge hatch, she took out another two before they even turned around to see what happened, the frangible rounds bursting on impact, releasing the chemstun. Another one, close enough to be affected, slumped down. Before she could take aim on the last two, Lee had thrown himself toward the weapons the Gretnans had taken from them. He took out one. Hugh’s moddy arm melted the barrel of the last Gretnan’s weapon; the man dropped it and threw up his hand, shaking.
    “Don’t kill me! Don’t! Please—”
    Ky dropped the filter masks she had ready. “Mask up, folks. Supposed to be low-dispersal, but—”
    “Good timing, Captain,” Hugh said without looking up. With his other hand, he had already pulled a filter mask from his belt and slapped it to his face. Lee scooped up a mask for himself and tossed one to Theo Dannon. “What do you want done