Zero-Option | Page 5

"We've just come off three months of an intense patrol,
Commander. We took a beating out there. The crew is tired physically
and emotionally. The Navy has no right expecting us to go right back
out there without a decent respite. We're all need of some
much-deserved shore leave."
"I appreciate that, doctor," the Intelligence officer assured him. "And
believe me, if there were any choice we'd use another ship. But yours is
the only one available. Every other suitable warship in Fleet is either
out on duty or in the dock for repairs. It's true we could call someone
else off the line, but that would mean more delay. You're here, now.
And now is when we need you."
"Well, we wouldn't want to inconvenience to Naval Intelligence, would
we?" Jhordel drawled acerbically. "And I don't suppose the fact that if
you re-directed another ship you wouldn't be able to have one of your
people on board"
Imbrahim blinked at her, but knew it would be fruitless feigning
innocence in the matter. "There's that, too," he agreed, smiling thinly.
"Naval Intelligence has taken a keen interest in this matter."
"Why?" someone asked.
"Because if the Unity is behind it, they may have some new weapon we
should know about," he replied.

"But you don't think it is the Unity," said Jhordel in a blunted tone.
He hesitated. "No," he admitted, reluctantly, "we don't. If they'd such a
weapon, it isn't likely they'd be using it out there. Nor does it seem
likely they could've known the Niagara or the probes were going to be
coming through the point in that sector."
"So what does that leave us with?" asked Wethers.
"Natural phenomena," Imbrahim offered. "Which is another reason for
caution when approaching this matter."
"And if it isn't something natural?" asked N'robo.
Imbrahim shifted uncomfortably. "Then it may be something we've
stumbled upon that we'd rather we hadn't," he muttered.

3.
"You're not telling me everything," said Jhordel. She gave him a sharp
look, suggesting by that glower that she wouldn't accept prevarication.
"I'm not sure I know what you mean," he said innocently.
Her jaw line hardened. "I think you know perfectly well what I mean,
commander."
He swallowed. They were alone again, the others having been
dismissed from the briefing room so as to tend to their duties in
preparation for departure. Imbrahim looked around the table at the
empty chairs, purposely avoiding her eyes.
"There are some in Admiralty who believe we're dealing with some
new agency," he said at length. He found the courage to look at her,
and saw again the discipline that held her in check and kept her
composed. It made him shiver and go cold inside.

"New agency," she echoed. "I see. And they believe this 'new agency'
to be a threat to the Empire?"
"Possibly." He gestured helplessly. "Which is why there's some
concern."
"Because of the information the Niagara was carrying?"
"Yes. She contained our latest developments. If someone got hold of
her they could find out an awful lot about Fleet technology."
"I see." Jhordel sat back in her chair and rested one arm languidly on
the briefing room table. "I take it Admiralty has sent you here to ensure
we'll do the right thing then, should that become necessary."
"Yes," he said, his voice strained, not much more than a whisper.
She grinned sardonically and shook her head. "And how does that sit
with you, Commander?"
"I, too, swore the oath, Captain. I knew what I was getting into when I
joined the Navy."
"You thought you did," she corrected. "I know your sort, Commander.
You got caught up in the patriotism, as so many do when war looms
and we see all that we value threatened by outside forces. But you
weren't gene-typed a spacers."
He showed surprise.
She laughed at that. "Come, Commander, surely you didn't honestly
think it escaped notice. It's written all over you," she said.
"We all make choices, Captain. I made this one."
"Did you, now? That's not my understanding of how Jackson works."
He kept silent, not knowing what to say.

"You must be a latent," she said.
"Sir?"
"A potential empathy, Mister Imbrahim. That's the only way you could
do as many jumps as you have without having been born a spacers.
And Jackson wouldn't have been interested in you otherwise."
"You're very astute," he said.
"I've had practice." She stared at him, then cocked an eyebrow. "So can
you…"
He shook his head. "Like you say, Captain, I'm a latent. The genetic
component is there, somewhere, but other than letting me travel at
leisure in space with an implant, it's not much good for anything else."
"You could have refused."
"Jackson?" Now he laughed. "Once I made a choice to