Lyad glanced at the outline in the detectors. "It is!" Her face went white.
"Talk to 'em," he ordered. "Know their call number?"
"Of course," Lyad sat down at the communicator. Her hands shook for a moment, then steadied. "What am I to say?"
"Just find out what's happened, to start with. Why they're still here. Then we'll improvise. Get them to come to the screen if you can."
Lyad's fingers flew over the tabs. The communicator signaled contact.
Lyad said evenly, "Come in, Aurora! This is the Ermetyne."
There was a pause, a rather unaccountably long pause, Trigger thought. Then a voice said, "Yes, First Lady?"
Lyad's eyes widened for an instant. "Come in on visual, Captain!" There was the snap of command in the words.
Again a pause. Then suddenly the communicator was looking into the Aurora's control room. A brown-bearded, rather lumpy-faced man in uniform sat before the other screen. There were other uniformed men behind him. Trigger heard the Ermetyne's breath suck in and turned to watch Lyad's face.
"Why haven't you carried out your instructions, Captain?" The voice was still even.