“Again!”

“What the hell is going on?” Weston thundered, his fist striking the edge of his seat.

“Tachyon surge!”

“I can see that, Lieutenant,” Roberts said, eyeing the screen with morbid curiosity.

“Commander, we’re getting pinged all over the place.”

“Same source?”

“Aye, sir.”

“Huh,” Roberts said, not quite believing what he was seeing.

“Sir?”

“Nothing, Lieutenant.” Roberts keyed an open channel.

Weston shifted when the communications network pinged for his attention. He glared at it momentarily, contemplating simply cutting it off. However, Palin aside, those who had access to it were supposed to have access to it.

He sighed, slapping the channel open. “Weston here,” he growled as the return chirp was heard.

“Captain,” Commander Roberts’s voice came over the line.

“Commander, I’m a little busy here.”

“I can see that. It’s concerning the new target, Captain.”

“The one with enough power to generate tachyon pings like we turn on cabin lights?” Weston asked.

“That would be the one, Captain. The pings are organized into a code, Captain.”

“Like Morse?” Weston glanced back at the signals, his frown slipping.

“More simple…and at the same time, complicated, Captain,” Roberts replied. “It’s Ranger ‘Chirp’ Code, Captain. I’m guessing it’s from Major Brinks.”

“What’s it mean, Commander?”

“Rangers lead the way, Captain,” Roberts replied, with a hint of humor in his voice. “That usually means that the cavalry is coming over the hill.”

Weston looked at the plot, now showing one big honking blimp coming right up their stern. “Are you certain, Commander?”

“I don’t joke about the rangers.”

“Very well,” Weston said. “Thank you for the information. Weston out.”

Weston stared at the plot again and mechanically turned toward Daniels. “Helm…Roll ship. Take us toward that bogey, all flank.”

“Aye, aye, Captain,” Daniels replied. “Preparing to roll.”

Weston keyed open the ship-wide. “All hands. This is the captain. Prepare for full military acceleration. I say again, prepare for full military acceleration.”

Then he keyed the channel closed and leaned back, letting out a breath. “Rangers lead the way, indeed.”

“Goddammit, you pukes! Pull!” Kreuse yelled at the top of his lungs, grunting as he grabbed a man’s arm and hauled him back inside. “Get those men back in here before we start to—”

The Odyssey groaned under their feet, pitching hard as its thrusters tipped it up and over. Kreuse grabbed for the wall, catching himself, and just hung on as the ship swung over.

“That’s just the tip!” Corrin yelled, sailing across in a practiced leap that nearly slammed her into the far wall as the ship spun crazily around her. She caught herself, snagging a desk that was bolted down, and joined two others that were hauling in a welder.

“Heave!” she yelled, and the three of them pulled hard, yanking the man back in against the spin-induced gravity.