“They had specific orders, Admiral. Like the nanites in the module, they won’t attempt to infect anyone else. You need to get over the idea that these are indiscriminate viral killing machines. There’s no Gray Goo scenario here.”

“We have only your word for that.”

“Sure, but there’s no reason for me to lie. If I meant to do that, and wanted to, I’d just do it. Convincing you otherwise gains me nothing.”

“What do you want from us?”

“You mean other than not trying to blow me up all the time? I want you to go away. I want you to turn your ships around and head back. Um, except for two of them. I’ll be keeping two of the cruisers. You can transfer personnel to the other ships.”

“And if we refuse?”

“Admiral, I’ll be taking two ships. Your options are to retrieve your crew or leave them with me.”

“We could just blow them up.”

“Even if you could, which is not guaranteed, you’d just be wasting a lot of lives. I want the metal, not a working warship. Scrap works just fine for me.”

Lê cut in. “May we have a few minutes to discuss this?”

“Of course, Captain.”

Lê looked at his First Officer. “I want a complete report. Status of all systems, all ships. Strategies, ideas, anything.”

Commander Hanson nodded, then turned to begin her tasks.

Captain Lê stood. “Admiral Moore, if I could speak to you in my Ready Room?”

* * *

Captain Lê stared at Admiral Moore across the desk. Moore couldn’t help contrasting the karmic space with the difference in ranks. He felt like a Junior Lieutenant about to get dressed down.

Finally, Lê spoke. “According to a quick inventory, we have zero control over our vessel. Every important system has been compromised. The other ships report identical problems. We are dead in the water. Commander Hanson may find something, of course, but right now I’m planning for the worst case.”

Lê looked to the side for a moment. “Although it sticks in my craw to surrender a vessel without a fight—let alone two—I see no viable alternative. Sacrificing the lives of crew accomplishes nothing, since it’s apparent this Pritchard character will get what he wants, regardless.” He was silent for a moment, then sighed. “Admiral, I don’t see any way to save this situation. We will lose two ships—cruisers, no less—on what was supposed to be an exercise. You’re going to be wearing this one.”

Moore gave him a rueful smile. “Captain, I am so far down the rabbit hole by now, this barely registers. However you try, you can’t actually imprison someone for more than one lifetime. Or execute them more than once.”