e League fleet is already closing in on the renegades and
you will be informed of the capture. Thank you for your assistance."

* * * * *

I threw them as snappy a salute as I could muster and they filed out.
Staring gloomily at their backs I envied for one moment their simple
faith in the League Navy. When in reality the vengeful fleet was just as
imaginary as my admiral's rating. This was still a job for the Corps.
Inskipp would have to be given the latest information at once. I had
sent him a psigram about the theft, but there was no answer as yet.
Maybe the identity of the thieves would stir some response out of him.

My message was in code, but it could be quickly broken if someone wanted
to try hard enough. I took it to the message center myself. The psiman
was in his transparent cubicle and I locked myself in with him. His eyes
were unfocused as he spoke softly into a mike, pulling in a message
from somewhere across the galaxy. Outside the rushing transcribers
copied, coded and filed messages, but no sound penetrated the insulated
wall. I waited until his attention clicked back into the room, and
handed him the sheets of paper.

"League Central 14--rush," I told him.

He raised his eyebrows, but didn't ask any questions. Establishing
contact only took a few seconds, as they had an entire battery of psimen
for their communications. He read the code words carefully, shaping them
with his mouth but not speaking aloud, the power of his thoughts
carrying across the light-years of distance. As soon as he was finished
I took back the sheet, tore it up and pocketed the pieces.

I had my answer back quickly enough, Inskipp must have been hovering
around waiting for my message. The mike was turned off to the
transcribers outside, and I took the code groups down in shorthand
myself.

"... xybb dfil fdno, and if you don't--don't come back!"

The message broke into clear at the end and the psiman smiled as he
spoke the words. I broke the point off my stylus and growled at him not
to repeat _any_ of this message, as it was classified, and I would
personally see him shot if he did. That got rid of the smile, but didn't
make me feel any better.

The decoded message turned out not to be as bad as I had imagined. Until
further notice I was in charge of tracking and capturing the stolen
battleship. I could call on the League for any aid I needed. I would
keep my identity as an admiral for th