“I understand, Major. I will inform my people. Please inform us when it is time for the first group.” Saraf turned to leave, but was interrupted by Brinks.

“The first group can leave immediately, ma’am. Shuttle One is prepared to transport survivors as soon as the first group is loaded.”

“Very well, Major. I will inform my people immediately.”

CHAPTER 16

WITH REPORTS COMING in from the surface, the bridge, and in fact, the whole of the Odyssey, everything was in a state as close to chaos as Weston ever wanted to see. Men and women moved from station to station, some just crunching numbers on whether the Odyssey could handle all the people being brought up, others trying to find the gear required to make it happen.

“Captain Weston, sir?”

Weston turned away from the view screen for a moment and made eye contact with the young ensign. “Yes?”

Ens. Susan Lamont hesitated a little under his gaze but firmed up a moment later and went on with her report. “Engineering reports that they’ve brought the recycling systems up to max, but for five hundred more sets of lungs, they’re going to have to unbox the backup units, too.”

Weston grimaced. “Tell them to go ahead and log my authorization on the paperwork.”

“Aye, Captain,” she said, heading back to her station.

Capt. Eric Weston thumbed his way through the PDA that held the list of materials that were being shifted, un-carted, installed, or torn out in order to make room for the five hundred refugees. It was a long list.

“Captain?” Waters looked up from his station.

“Yes, Lieutenant?”

“Lieutenant Samuels just radioed in, sir. The first shuttle with evacuees will be arriving in less than fifteen minutes.”

“Good. Thank you, Lieutenant Waters,” Weston said before turning to his first officer. “Commander Roberts, you have the bridge.”

“I have the bridge. Aye, sir.”

Weston turned back to the view screen for a last long look at the floating, spinning carnage that lay just outside the Odyssey’s bulkheads before spinning on his heels and heading off the bridge.

It took Weston less than three minutes to navigate his way through the ship corridors and find Dr. Palin. The eccentric linguist was poring over notes from his earlier talks with Milla Chans and was too absorbed to notice Weston come in.

Palin looked up, finally recognizing the presence of the captain.

“Doctor,” Weston said, “the first load of survivors is due in soon. I’d like you to be on hand to meet them.”

“Of course, Captain. I’ve been compiling the tapes of all our conversations with Miss Chans. There should be no communication problems.”

“Excellent, Doctor. Let’s head down to the shuttle bay now.”

On the shuttle deck, Weston and Dr. Palin waited as the Odyssey’s flight control officer reported the shuttle’s approach and landing. A few moments later, the deep, grating vibrations in the deck plates announced the final cycle of the combination airlock/elevator that brought the shuttle up from the lower flight deck.