“Understood,” James said.  The reporters had been begging for a chance to board the alien craft as soon as they’d realised what had been accomplished.  He sighed; sooner or later, he would have to surrender to their request, even though it was quite likely that all of the details would be thoroughly classified.  The Royal Navy wouldn't want to give up any intelligence on the alien ships without a fight – or at least getting something of equal value in return.  “When can we jump?”

“I’d prefer to spend more time monitoring the alien power curves,” Anderson said, “but we should be able to jump as soon as we reach the tramline.”

James smiled, ruefully.  The longest jump ever recorded – at least before the aliens arrived – was ten light years – and that had only been possible because both stars were massive enough to create a longer than normal tramline running between them.  Now, Ark Royal was going to set a record, at least until human researchers started messing around with the potentials of the alien drive system.  Genuine original science would be done, Anderson had claimed, during one of his brief naps.  Humanity would learn a great deal from the alien ship.

“Good,” he said.  Manoeuvring interlinked ships through interplanetary space would be tricky, but doable.  “We will leave as soon as the Captain gives the command.”

***

Ted felt his heartbeat pounding faster and faster as the conjoined ships entered the phantom tramline.  Human technology could barely detect its existence, let alone traverse it to an unknown destination.  But the alien systems seemed to have no difficulty recognising that it was there.  He hesitated as the two ships came to a halt – the whole jump was dangerous enough without trying to do it at speed – then gave the order.  The universe seemed to darken ...

For a terrified moment, he was sure he’d killed them all.  The moment of darkness stretched on and on, then cleared with astonishing speed.  He felt his ship lurch, as if it had rammed something, then quieten down.  The display was already starting to fill up with data.

“We made it, sir,” Lightbridge said.  “All systems report nominal.”

Ted sat back in his chair, feeling sweat running down his back.  Fourteen light years.  They’d jumped fourteen light years, effectively instantaneously.  And the aliens did it all the time.  The implications hadn't changed from the conclusions in the half-panicky reports he’d been sent the Admiralty, but they hadn't quite seemed real.  Now ... now he comprehended, finally, that the territory the aliens controlled might be much greater than the human sphere.

“We have several reports of crewmen fainting,” Commander Fitzwilliam said.  There was an odd note of amusement in his voice, which seemed out of place until he continued.  “All, but two of the reporters also fainted.”