smoothly accepted the
target blip that registered on his mind-screen. It
instantly displayed the target's dimensions, mass,
spin, velocity and coordinates. As the data strung
out Jake whistled, soft and low. He tapped the
channel traffic override to the Depot's spunnel
booster.

"Spunnel Flash to Keeper. Switch to Scramble 2."
Jake flipped the key and, without pause, mind-cast
his alert.

"Blue Fox to Keeper on Scramble 2. Message keyed
at 2115 slash 14 Solar. Request Spacetrack Ceres
verify ship's position and readings. Field is about
one-fourth by three-fourths kay, depth one-fourth
kay. No organics. Neutronic penetray analysis shows
that in addition to thermonuclear power plants
the aggregate includes machined parts configured
to Catalog 11 long range lasers, explosive
decompressors, particle beamers and gun mounts.
I suspect this is a cache of contraband ordnance
and spares positioned for pickup by Planet Pluto
insurgents. Orders? Over."

"Keeper to Blue Fox. Spacetrack Ceres confirms
unregistered objects proximate your position.
Ceres' sensors verify the findings. Space Force
concludes the stores present an immediate threat
to Slingshot. Your orders: Destroy the cache
immediately using your Type K1 nuclear explosive
missile setting: Baker Two Seven. Launch at
not less than 15,000 kay. Remain on station and
follow up. Search out and dissolve all residues; use
your laser-doubles at setting 8. Report when task
completed. Your Tac Ops and psych systems are
monitored. Start now. Out."

Keeper's message simultaneously loaded into the
recon-patroller's computer as authenticator for the
mission and demolition and laser gun settings. The
computer adjusted thrust and vector to bring the
ship to the 'fire' point and engage the countdown
and sequence to launch, arm the warhead, and follow
up. Missile launch was at six seconds.

Without warning, the computer froze. The frame
of the pilot's enclosure glowed red, then white. An
instant later the ship disintegrated into thousands
of metal and composite fragments, and shards of
what had been human flesh and bone.

##

"Flash -- Spunnel Transmission Priority One. To
Supreme Commander, United Inner Planetary System
Space Force, Earth Headquarters, from Keeper,
Luna Station. Attack report. Repeat: attack report.
Recon-patrollers R-19557, Red Fox, and R-87265,
Blue Fox in Planet Pluto Special Zone on recon
missions under Keeper control, were attacked and
destr