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.But First Contact had given them a new chance at life.Streaming video over light years was incredibly expensive, making it far cheaper to simply send compressed text.Adrienne was halfway through writing a report on Hammerfall when her cabin’s hatch chimed.When she opened it, she saw a grim-faced Marine carrying a sidearm.“Excuse me,” he said, in a tone that was both polite and firm, “but I’m afraid I have to secure all of your electronic devices.”Adrienne gaped at him.“I beg your pardon?”“I have been ordered to secure all of your electronic devices,” the Marine said.There was no give in his voice at all.“All of them, including your watch.I must warn you that attempting to conceal electronic devices until the lockdown is lifted will result in brig time and charges of attempted espionage when we return to Earth.If you would prefer brig time, please let me know.”“No, thank you,” Adrienne said, stiffly.The Marine was only doing his job, even if it did impinge on her ability to do hers.It was about as pointless as ordering passengers on a jumbo jet to turn off their cell phones, but pointing that out would be equally pointless.“I have a tablet, a laptop and a secure storage hard drive.And a watch.”The Marine picked them up and scribbled out a receipt for her.“I have to search your cabin as well,” he added, more apologetically now that she was cooperating.“Blackout has been declared.”Adrienne lifted an eyebrow.Blackout? Hadn't there been something in the papers she’d signed when she’d embedded about Blackout? She thought back, remembering that the military had the right to completely forbid transmissions from its ships if it believed that making transmissions would violate operational security.Taking her laptop seemed like pointless paranoia, but some reporters had managed to hack starship communications systems before and use them to get messages out.“I forgot to bring my lacy underwear,” she said.“It’s all strictly functional, I’m afraid.”She’d hoped to get a rise out of the Marine, but he ignored her and searched her cabin with rigorous efficiency.Adrienne rolled her eyes behind him as he removed the sex toy she’d brought along and dropped it into his bag.Did he think she’d hidden a transmitter in a vibrator?“Thank you for your cooperation,” the Marine said, gravely.“The items will be returned as soon as possible.”He left, leaving a puzzled Adrienne sitting in her cabin.Something was up, but what?Chapter Forty“Miserable looking world, isn’t it?”“I couldn't say, sir,” Commander Spinner said.“I grew up in Nevada.We were used to deserts.”Markus shrugged.The Funk homeworld – called Squeak Hiss Squeak by the Funks and Hegemony Prime by everyone else – was as dry as dust.Most of the planet’s water existed below the surface, with only a couple of Australia-sized seas.It wasn't a pure desert, but it was easy to see how it had evolved a race determined to reach out and take every resource it could.The Funks had yet to evolve past the patterns they’d developed for survival on their world and they might never manage to do so.It wasn't as if anyone had stood up to them before humanity had given them a bloody nose.The Funks might have copied Galactic technology without developing more for themselves, but they’d used what they’d copied ruthlessly.A massive shipyard hung near Hegemony Prime, protected by a network of fortifications and patrolled by destroyers and frigates.The Funk Home Fleet orbited the planet itself, watching endlessly for signs of a possible attack – and, according to the transmissions, providing a very visible reminder of the Empress’s power.It sounded as if parts of the planet were under martial law.“I don’t think we’ll get much closer,” Spinner added.“They’re checking every freighter before it even enters orbit.”“Clever of them,” Markus said.The Funks didn't want another freighter crammed with antimatter detonating anywhere in their system.It would probably render Hegemony Prime uninhabitable, which would have brought the wrath of the Galactics down on Earth, but in their place he wouldn't take it for granted either.The Traders Alliance had actually helped, in some ways, by declaring their embargo.They’d managed to limit the number of freighters visiting Hegemony Prime, which made it easier for the Funks to inspect them all without undue delay.“And the minute they get a close look at our hull, they’ll realise that we’re rigged up to launch gunboats.”It was unlikely in the extreme that the gunboats would be able to inflict any major damage on their own.Even if their enemy hadn't the experience and motivation to develop countermeasures, they’d have had to burn through massive defences before reaching any vital target [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]