committed to battle. She would triumph because the Mutes did not

possess any weapons that could cause her irreparable damage. The crew

inside merely had to sit tight and ride out the attack with the aid of

the wagon train's own defences.

'Sitting tight', however, did not form part of the TrailBlazer's combat

philosophy. The most favoured posture was one of aggressive pursuit of

hostiles in which the wagon train acted as a mobile fire-base giving

close support to its linemen on their overground sorties. Ideally, the

combat squads were used to flush out hostiles from unfavorable terrain,

like beaters putting up game, and for mopping-up operations.

The Southern Mutes he had dealt with hitherto usually avoided pitched

battles and whenever a stand had been made, he had always been able to

bring the fearsome firepower of The Lady to bear.

It was for this reason that Hartmann was unhappy about the jam The Lady

was in. The wagon master was convinced that the clan now attacking

them possessed a summoner.

The storm had been too swift and, like the cloying mist, too localised

for it to be part of a larger weather pattern. There was also another

disquieting factor. The tactical movement of the Mute warriors showed

an unnatural coordination.

From the secret talks he had had with other wagon masters, Hartmann

knew of only one explanation for this: the Lady's attackers were being

controlled by an over-mind - the mark of the highest known grade of

summoner. If so, he was facing an intelligent and highly dangerous

opponent able to summon up immense and totally unpredictable forces.

It was this last thought that prompted Hartmann to order the Skyhawks

to make the planned attack on the Mute cropfields and forest

hide-out.

The dawn raid, delayed by the weather, would create a diversion that

would sap the morale of the attacking Mutes and might even cause them

to break off the engagement - giving Hartmann's men a much-needed

breathing space in which to right the battered wagon train. There was

the further possibility that the attack might incinerate the summoner

who was orchestrating the movement of the Mutes and was responsible for

The Lady's present perilous condition.

The klaxon sounded in the two wagons that made up the flight section.

Everybody turned towards the nearest overhead tv monitor. The head and

shoulders of Baxter, the Flight Operations Officer appeared on the

screen. 'Ryan?"

The senior wingman who was now acting section leader hit the button

which put him on camera. 'Sir!" 'Okay, hear this,' said Baxter. 'We

have a green on the strike planned for this morning. Prepare to launch

eight aircraft. You will lead the first group - consisting of

Caulfield, Naylor and Webber - against the forest. I will lead the

other group and fire the cropfields. Get Murray to rig and load one of

the spare 'hawks for me."

Murray was the grizzled crew-chief. He nodded and indicated to Ryan

that it would be no problem.

'I want the first plane off the ramp in fifteen,' concluded Baxter.

'Loud and clear, SIR!" snapped Ryan.

The flight section erupted into a controlled flurry of activity.

Ground crewmen hurried to ready the aircraft for lifting onto the

flight deck; the crew-chief ordered a detail to prepare a Skyhawk for

Baxter, then called up the rear power car and asked for steam to power

the catapults. Steve and the other wingmen grabbed their helmets, made

sure the folded maps in the clear pockets on their thighs showed the

correct section of terrain, checked that their holstered air pistol was

secure, that their combat knife was firmly clipped in its scabbard on

the outside of the right calf, and that the zips on the leg and chest

pockets holding their emergency water filter and survival rations were

properly closed.

Ryan called them to attention. 'Okay - Webber, Caulfield, you're

number one and two to go. I'll follow, with Naylor on my tail." He

turned to Steve, Gus White and Fazetti. 'Baxter will give you the

line-up. Meantime, I want you and as many guys as Murray can spare up

in those duckholes ready to pump lead. This could be tricky."

It was. Webber and Caulfield were both hit in quick succe