"Stand by to regress!"
Howls of dismay arose. Ensign Welnicki stood at attention and raised his chin.
Pale with nausea, Ensign Welnicki faced Captain Kravitz after Carlyle inspaced. The tall, graying captain looked shaken also, but his eyes burned. His voice was ironically gentle.
"Given the chance, I might have persuaded Fishdollar to take another Carina planet, avoided all this ... four thousand parsecs beyond the frontier of exploration ... dangerous security breach ... you command the search party, Ensign Welnicki ... field-search each system in turn, buoy each as you leave ... I know I can count on you for the last full measure of devotion, Ensign Welnicki...."
Welnicki opened his eyes wide.
"I shall not fail you, sir," he said as firmly as he could.
The captain stroked his clipped gray mustache with two fingers. "I expect you to pursue the Fishdollars to the uttermost ends of the galaxy, Ensign Welnicki," he said solemnly.
G.P.S. Carlyle had ghosted back into subspace. Welnicki in blue and gold faced his subordinates across a green table in the tiny wardroom of Scout Vessel Two. They wore gray coveralls. Sergeant Chong, dark, stocky, impassive. Chief Quartermaster Rutledge, plump, florid, voluble. Chief Drive Tech Kihara, small, dark, reserved. The ensign cleared his throat.