act coordinates?"

Don gave them to him and waited.

A few minutes later the Admiral returned to him. "Let's take a look at
it, Lieutenant."

Don Mathers adjusted the screen to relay the Kraden cruiser. His palms
were moist now, but everything was going to plan. He wished that he
could take another drink.

The Admiral said, "Miro class, all right. Don't get too close,
Lieutenant. They'll blast you to hell and gone. We've got a task force
within an hour of you. Just hang on."

"Yes, sir," Don said. An hour. He was glad to know that. He didn't have
much time in which to operate.

He let it go another five minutes, then he said, "Sir, they're
increasing speed."

"Damn," the Admiral said, then rapid fired some more into his other
screens, barking one order after another.

Don said, letting his voice go very flat, "I'm going in, sir. They're
putting on speed. In another five minutes they'll be underway to the
point where I won't be able to follow. They'll get completely clear."

The Admiral looked up, startled. "Don't be a fool."

"They'll get away, sir." Knowing that the other could see his every
motion, Don Mathers hit the cocking lever of his flakflak gun with the
heel of his right hand.

The Admiral snapped, "Let it go, you fool. You won't last a second."
Then, his voice higher, "That's an order, Lieutenant!"

Don Mathers flicked off his screen. He grimaced sourly and then
descended on the Kraden ship, his flakflak gun beaming it. He was going
to have to expend every erg of energy in his Scout to burn the other
ship up to the point where his attack would look authentic, and to
eliminate all signs of previous action.

* * * * *

The awarding of the Galactic Medal of Honor, as always, was done in the
simplest of ceremonies.

Only the President and Captain Donal Mathers himself were present in the
former's office in the Presidential Palace.

However, as they both knew, every screen in the Solar System was tuned
into the ceremony.

Don Mathers saluted and stood to attention.

The President read the citation. It was very short, as Medal of Honor
citations were always.

_... for conspicuous gallantry far and beyond the call of duty, in which
you single-handedly, and against unbelievable odds, attacked and
destroyed an enemy cruiser while flying a Scout armed only with a
short-beam flakflak gun ..._

He pinned a small bit of ribbon and metal to Don Mathers' tunic. It was