"I know your record exceptionally well, Dawson," Space General Selwin said. "Undoubtedly I know phases of it which you yourself have forgotten, or would like to forget. When you quit that berth you just mentioned, you went out on your own, running electraguns and munitions through the blockade to beleaguered little Stevensa.[1] You risked the wrath of the Federation to do so, even though the Federation was remaining completely neutral while Venus overran and seized their neighboring little independent asteroid."
Dawson looked silently down at the knuckles of his big hand. He shifted the thin little cigar in his teeth, then looked up at the Space General.
"How did you know that?" he asked.
"I've checked your record, completely," Space General Selwin replied. "I had to, before I was certain that you'd do for the job I have."
Dawson removed his cigar and leaned back, his big frame relaxed in his chair. He exhaled a cloud of blue smoke through his nostrils.
"I'm glad you're satisfied," he said. "Now tell me more about this job you're assigning to me. How do you know I'll take it?"
"You'll take it." Space General Selwin declared positively, "because the fate of the Federation, of Earth itself, might well hang on the success or failure of the task."
"That's a good enough reason," Dawson admitted softly. "Go on."
"Your vessel, the Astera," the Space General began, "is the fastest craft of its size harbored at Farisha. It's the fourth fastest vessel in the eastern interplanetary belt. Surrounded as we are by a Venusian space battle fleet of God knows how many craft, it becomes increasingly evident that any effort to run their hostile blockade will be extremely hazardous, even dubious. Our own space battle strength here in the harbor couldn't hope to meet the Venusians on anything but tragically unequal terms. And although they're well gunned, they aren't fast enough to make a run for it."
Dawson's heavy black brows went up a notch. "You're planning an evacuation?" he asked.
General Selwin shook his head. "Not in a military sense. You also realize that most of our civilian population disregarded my warning to leave a few weeks back. They are all still too complacent to avail themselves of any such chance, even if it still remained. And expect in this instance, the chance no longer remains. You see, I have ordered certain valuable men in the Federation's diplomatic and state corps here on Farisha to leave immediately with you on the Astera. It is in my power to order them to do so, though I doubt if they would realize the danger strongly enough to leave unless I forced them to.:
Dawson nodded. "You're right on that," he admitted. "But I'm a little bit behind your line of planning. I'm not the Master of the Astera. I'm merely the First Officer. Have you confided in my Skipper, Benson?"
Space General Selwin shook his head again. "I've ordered your line to transfer Benson to inactive duty. When the Astera leaves, you'll be Master."
- ↑ Stevensa—A small asteroid lying at the edge of the interplanetary belt dominated by Venus. From its discovery in 2094, it had been an independent democracy. In 2123, however, Venus—in line with its long range plan of aggresion—seized and sacked this little asteroid, setting it up as a puppet unit of the Venusian State. The universe at that time, weary of the recent carnage of the Third Interplanetary War, although in sympathy with the struggle of the little state, held a hands-off policy, permitting it to be swallowed by Venus.—Ed.
