vid screens were still, dead quiet. What she proposed was incredible.
"Amazing," Wells said. "Two life-capable planets in one system."
"Two life-capable planets," Quinn said, "but only one alpha-zed."
"And a highly developed race of beings not inclined to share their planets," Merriwether said. "Perhaps the Killers of Shaula."
"But now we're getting to my point, Admiral," Quinn said. "Rex-Kaliph Two, the second planet from the sun, is the system's primary planet. That's the home of your highly developed race, and that's the planet being so belligerently defended. It's at best an alpha-five biosphere, probably more like an alpha-six. Prior to the attack, survey teams detected electromagnetic activity characteristic of an intelligent and highly technical civilization emanating from R-K Two. That planet is much larger than Earth, and quite dense, maybe three times more massive. Gravity on the surface of R-K Two is almost one and a half times that of Earth, and its atmosphere is extremely dense. The spectral lines are busy—lots of oxygen, nitrogen, methane, and gaseous carbon compounds. Surface temperatures are uniformly warm, and the weather appears to be slow-moving and hot. It has a natural condition that exceeds Earth's worst pollution fears and is not considered permanently habitable."
"Tell that to the aliens," Merriwether drawled. "Must be what makes them so cranky."
"What's your point, Commander?" Runacres asked.
"Sir, we did a broad-channel scan on the third planet," Quinn replied. "Everything—atmospheric parameters, temperature ranges, mass specifics, spectral composition—is totally within a very low alpha category. Yet, strange to say, there is little to indicate that it is inhabited."
"Your point," Runacres demanded. "What difference does that make?"
"Yes," Wells agreed. "The locals seem quite possessive."
"Yes, but the planets have vastly different, almost incompatible biospheres, Admiral," Quinn said. "My point—my hope—is that R-K Three is as unattractive to the aliens as our colonies are to us. Perhaps, just perhaps, they will negotiate with us—"
"Negotiate?" harrumphed Merriwether. "These are likely the same monsters that massacred our people at Shaula. They've started their negotiations from a rather extreme position, wouldn't you say? What makes you think they'll cooperate? And excuse me, Commander, but we have seen other planets that satisfy most, if not all, alpha requirements, and none has been a Garden of Eden. Yournew planet may not be worth losing more people and ships over, and that may be part of the negotiations ultimately required!"
"What do we do, now that we've found the monsters?" Wells asked.
"We don't know that we have found them," Runacres replied. "Who says this is the same race? Perhaps the universe is inherently unfriendly—but we've interrupted Commander Quinn. Please continue, er . . . Cassy."
"Admiral, because of the nature of their technologies, I feel certain the inhabitants of R-K Two are not the Shaula killers," Quinn persevered. "And R-K Three satisfies the habitability parameters within the most narrow range of any known planet ever surveyed. What's more, we obtained short range optical and spectral imaging from Harrier One."
"Imagery! How? From the middle of a battle?" Wells asked.
"Yes, sir," Quinn replied softly. She hit the advance, and a grainy, highly magnified image of a wispy turquoise sphere contrasting against the velvety backdrop of space shone from the wall screen. Despite the low digital resolution the opalescent planet looked like Earth.
Quinn broke the silence. "Don't ask me how, but the fleet datalink captured telemetry from Harrier One's survey cameras. The signals were intermittent and barely synched, but adequate to confirm broad-channel scans, narrowing the data even further. This planet—R-K Three—is a winner!" She looked about the silent room, a gleam of hope in her eyes.
"Maybe a bit cool," she added.
Runacres knew what Quinn was thinking, and Merriwether verbalized it. "Harrier One may have made that planet," she said softly, but clearly enough for the microphones to pick up. "We could have people alive in that system. We have to go back."
Runacres sat quietly. Only the Legion Assembly could make that decision.
* * *
The orbiting corvette flashed in the red light of the setting sun, completing its second full day in orbit. Two moons moved silently in the ebony heavens, the larger satellite a scimitar of brilliant silver, the smaller moon tiny, lumpy, golden.
"A search radar, Skipper," Hudson said. "Someone's watching us."
Buccari watched the commander clear his console. He had been re-playing the communication tapes of the battle. Buccari felt his despair.
"Surprising it took this long," Quinn sighed. "At least they aren't shooting...yet."
"You get a fix on the transmitter, Nash?" Buccari asked.
"Yeah," Hudson replied. "Mapping isn't complete, but the source is located here." Hudson designated the