The thin, wiry man raced for the control room as fast as he could run, pushing men out of the way and heeding no one who called out to him. Once inside, he quickly pressed a series of buttons and entered a numeric code. Once it was entered and confirmed, he made a fist and slammed it hard on a large red button. Immediately all the radar screens were covered with snow.
Zimbardo relaxed for the first time in days. He exhaled quietly and actually smiled. He took a deep breath and smiled more broadly.
“Sir?” asked one of the technicians who had watched the procedure.
“I detonated a hydrogen bomb on a neighboring asteroid a couple of hundred miles from here. Part of a backup plan for keeping this place hidden. It will clog all radar screens for a few minutes. By the time they clear, no one will be able to find us or this asteroid.”
Zimbardo’s relaxed state did not last long. He swelled up with energy again, strode to another console, and tapped in a series of commands.
“Come here, Gene,” he ordered as his fingers flew over the keyboard. The man he addressed quickly came to stand by the pirate leader. He was a well-built young man in his late twenties with short curly brown hair, finely chiseled features, and an obvious desire to please. He was well trained in the technology of space control systems. After he had proven his competence in the field, Troy Putnam had made him his chief control officer.
Zimbardo continued. “Follow these coordinates at this speed. Don’t alter the course for any reason without my permission.”
Gene looked at the planning board where the numbers were posted in a pleasant green light. “That course will take us out of the Belt, Mr. Zimbardo. Is that what you want?”
“That’s what I want. It’s time to move away from here. If anything out of the ordinary happens, let me know immediately. Find me by using my personal code on the communicator—no general announcement. Keep watch especially for any spacecraft—especially any spacecraft!”
“Yes sir!” Gene took his place and the others returned to their duties.