The Dragon Never Sleeps

— 126 —

Turtle followed VII Gemina's progress closely. The Guardship zigged, zagged, ducked in and out of starspace, doubled back, tried to ambush Hunger of the Destroyer. And could neither shake its shadow nor catch it. Hunger hung on like a tail.

Its commander deserved a commendation. Not only was he carrying out his assignment, he was causing VII Gemina to fall farther and farther behind by taunting it into wasting time on those maneuvers.

The wizard had reasoned it out. There had been a Meddinian aboard the Traveler. Probably one of the two he had talked Provik into sending home. Having concluded that, he studied the messages that had crossed the Web since the countdown began.

They might have gotten enough to anticipate the strike at Capitola Primagenia.

If they'd just break off to vent their spleen on Tregesser Prime...He could advance the S. Alisonica attack. All units would be in position early. If VII Gemina could be drawn to Capitola Primagenia it would be too far away to interfere at Starbase.

This would be delicate.

Delicate Harmony crossed the Rim into Canon space. He shifted the countdown from a daily to an every four hour count on the chance the Meddinian had survived the destruction of its Traveler. He would not put that hope to the test till VII Gemina had paid its respects at Tregesser Prime. If it did.

It did.

Turtle gave the Guardship time to become preoccupied with the surprises he had bestowed upon P. Benetonica. Then he rattled the Web with a coded torrent.

His Godspeaker masters approved what he was trying to do.

Good. Their minds had to be adjusted to a specific set, too.