Starplex

Next the combined double finger that had enveloped the huge Waldahud ship began to rotate around its midpoint, playing out into a spiral design like a galaxy as it did so, turning faster and faster. PHANTOM showed the location of the ship buried within one arm of the spinning mass. The rotation became more and more rapid, until finally, like an athlete throwing a discus, the dark matter hurtled the giant ship away from it. The bigger ship managed to regain control before it impacted the sun, but as it started to alter its course, the white fusion flames of its exhaust stark against the green inferno, a giant prominence arched upward from the photosphere, engulfing it.

"Four of our five probeships are safely clamped to our hull," reported Rhombus. "And the Rum Runner will be back in eleven minutes."

Keith let out a heavy sigh. "Excellent. We must have everyone out of the lower decks by now, right?"

"The final elevator is on its way up," said Lianne. "Give it another thirty seconds."

"Okay. Keep the lower decks at zero-g so no more water will flow down. Thor, stop spinning the ship."

"Will do."

"Director," said Rhombus, "Gawst's ship has attached itself to the surface of our hull. He's holding in place with a tractor beam."

Keith smiled "Fancy that — a prisoner of war." He spoke loudly. "Excellent work, everyone. Thor, Lianne, Rhombus — excellent." He paused. "Thank God the darmats sided with us. I guess it never hurts to be on speaking terms with the stuff that makes up most of the universe, and—"

"Jesus!" Thor's voice.

Keith's head snapped up to face the pilot. He'd spoken too soon.

Tendrils of dark matter were now closing on Starplex.

"We're next," said Rhombus.

"But we're orders of magnitude bigger than the Waldahud ships," said Thor. "Surely they can't toss us into the star?"

"Only a third of the dark matter participated in the attack on the Waldahud forces," said Rhombus. "If it all comes after us — PHANTOM, can they do it?"

"Yes."

"Hail Cat's Eye," said Keith. "I better talk to him."

"Locating vacant frequency," said Rhombus. "Transmitting… No response."

"Thor, get us out of here," said Keith.

"Course?"

Keith considered for half a second. "Toward the shortcut."

But he immediately realized that dark-matter tendrils had already started to intervene between Starplex and that invisible point in space.

"No, change that," he snapped. "Bring us in close to the green star, in the opposite direction. And get Jag down here, PHANTOM."

"You ordered him barred from this room, sir," said the computer.

"I know that. I'm giving you new instructions. Get him down here right away."

There was a moment's silence while PHANTOM conferred with Jag. "He is on his way."

"What're you got in mind?" asked Rhombus. Dark matter was approaching Starplex on three sides, like a fist closing around a bug.

"Hopefully, a way to get out of here — if it doesn't kill us."

The starfield split open, and Jag walked in. For the first time, Keith saw a look of humility on the Waldahud's face.

Jag had presumably been watching the space battle, and had seen his compatriots slammed into the emerald star. But still some of the old defiance was in his voice as he looked suspiciously at Keith. "What do you want?"

"I want," said Keith, his voice tightly controlled, "to slingshot Starplex around the green star, and hurtle it into the shortcut from the far side."

"Jesus God," said Thor.

Jag grunted a similar sentiment in his own language.

"Can it be done?" said Keith. "Will it work?"

"I — I don't know," said Jag. "I would normally like a few hours to do the calculations for something like that."

"You don't have hours — you've got minutes. Will it work?"

"I do not — yes. Maybe."

"Melondent," said Keith, "transfer control back to Jag's station."

"So doing," said the dolphin.

Jag slipped into his usual spot. "Central Computer," he barked, "put our trajectory on this monitor."

"You are barred from issuing nonhousekeeping commands," said PHANTOM.

"Override!" snapped Keith. "Jag's house arrest is suspended until further notice."

The requested schematic appeared. Jag squinted at it.

"Magnor?"

"Yes?" said Thor.

"We have only perhaps ten minutes until we are engulfed. You will need to fire all our ventral thrusters. Copy my monitor six in touch-screen mode."

Thor pressed buttons. "Okay."

Jag ran a flat finger in an arc along the schematic. "Can you manage a course like that?"

"You mean on manual?"

"Yes, on manual. We have no time to program the run."

"I— yes, I can do it."

"Execute it. Execute it now!"

"Director?"

"How long until the Rum Runner is anchored to our hull?"

"Four minutes," said Rhombus.

"We don't have the time to wait for her," said Jag.

Keith turned to snap at Jag, but stopped himself. "Options?" he said generally to the people on bridge.

"I can put a tractor beam on the Rum Runner," said Rhombus. "I won't be able to haul her in before we hit the shortcut, but she should be dragged over to it with us and hopefully Longbottle can pilot it through that. Thor, get us out of here."