Rogers looked up. “What do you mean?”

Klein motioned to his computer terminal. “Every day, they keep telling me that the Thelicosans are invading. So, every day, I keep sending messages to MGN headquarters, asking them to bring reinforcements. They never answer.”

“Hold on a second,” Rogers said. “You’re telling me you’ve been sending emergency reinforcement messages to headquarters every day, and nobody has gotten back to you?”

“Yes.”

“And that doesn’t strike you as strange?”

“Why would it strike him?” Deet asked. “Is there a physical manifestation of this situation that strikes people?”

“Figure of speech,” Rogers said. “Do I really need to explain that to you every time?”

“Send a complaint to my programmer,” Deet said.

“It seems like standard protocol to me,” Klein said. “Nobody ever answers anything I send them, so why should this be any different?”

Rogers let that sink in for a second. Why wouldn’t anyone at MGN headquarters answer any of Klein’s messages? It was possible that the MGN simply didn’t want to get involved. They’d placed the 331st here for a reason, after all. Was there something wrong with the communication systems? But other members on the ship must be sending and receiving messages, too. Troops would notice if all of a sudden they stopped receiving messages from their families. So, what was different about Klein’s requests? Why would MGN HQ ignore them? If they were being jammed, the communications squadron would definitely know. And how could you jam only one person’s correspondence?

“Admiral,” Rogers said, standing up and walking over to the terminal. “Can you send a message to MGN HQ for me?”

Klein looked at him sideways. “But you just told me I can’t send messages anymore.”

“Well, we have a problem” Rogers said, thinking rapidly. He had to test his theory, had to send a message to MGN HQ that he knew they weren’t going to ignore. “Some of the troops have been talking to me lately, and it appears . . .” He hesitated a moment. “It appears that all of them have been receiving double their pay.”

“Double their pay?” Klein said, aghast.

Rogers nodded gravely. “And unfortunately, if we don’t stop this immediately, the whole ship is going to go bankrupt.”

“Rogers,” Deet said, “this information doesn’t appear to have any basis in—”

“Deet, I put those arms and legs back on you, and I can take them off again.”

Deep beeped contritely but remained silent.

“Anyway,” Rogers said, turning back to Klein, “it’s very important that you transmit that message right away before all of the money goes away.”

Klein looked at him for a moment, his eyes narrow. It actually looked like the man might have been thinking. Or pooping. It was sometimes difficult to tell the difference.^I For a moment, Rogers thought Klein was about to see through his hastily but brilliantly concocted ruse.

“Fine,” Klein said. “I’ll send the message. And I’m docking half your pay.”

Now the only thing left to do was wait.