Free Guardsmen of Tomorrow by Martin H. & Segriff Greenberg, Larry Segriff

screamed.
    Then, he was looking at himself screaming, his mouth wide open, jaw straining.
    Sweat beaded on his pale face. The muscles in his neck stood out tight as cords, veins bulged.
    He looked foolish. Ridiculous. Hookah scuttled to his other shoulder and nuzzled his ear. Dawes thought he looked just as“ silly from that side and shut his mouth.
    Hookah began to purr again.
    “I think you’re laughing at me,” Dawes said, drawing a finger along the creature’s furry back.
    His trembling slowly ebbed as did the adrenaline fear-rush. He marveled that, even blind, he had experienced the white light phenomenon, and he wondered again if it was even light at all, or some property of fold-space itself. It suggested a new direction for his research.
    Archangers computer voice reported their position in Burnham space.
    “Scan for the Via Dolorosa” he instructed.
    The computer answered: Two point four parsecs to starboard. Just crossing the border into Kaxfen-claimed territory.
    Through Hookah’s curious eyes, Dawes watched himself scowl. While he congratulated himself for the pinpoint accuracy of the fold-space jump, he cursed Straf, who had assured him the New Hope congregationalists were two days from Burnham space. Dawes had hoped for time to turn around, reach the Via Dolorosa , and reprogram its course computers to skirt the region.
    “ Archangel” he addressed the computer, “scan for approaching vessels, known or unknown.”
    A pause. Archangel answered: Five vessels of unknown configuration approaching at maximum translight.
    Kaxfen ships. It took only a moment more to determine that they were heading straight for the defenseless Via Dolorosa . Dawes considered that he might do the Stellar Guard a favor while he was out here and instructed the computer to backtrack probable trajectories for those ships. If they were flying a straight course for the congregationalists, perhaps he could discover the location of their home world, or at least one of their bases.
    Meanwhile, he ran some hasty calculations and weighed his options. Six ships, and no idea of the arsenal he faced. But then, the Kaxfen knew nothing about him either.
    They had to be wondering where the Archangel had come from. Better, he decided to engage the Kaxfen out here as far away from the congregationalists as possible.
    “ Archangel .” The computer answered Dawes promptly.
    “See if the Via Dolorosa’s computers will respond to a hailing signal.”
    The computer responded: Affirmative. Contact established.
    Dawes relaxed a little. Hookah, growing restive, crawled down the front of his shirt and gave him a glimpse of his own knees. He picked the little creature up and returned him to his shoulder. He gave his attention back to the computer.
    “ Archangel ,” he called again. “Transmit a continuous recognition signal to the Via Dolorosa .” Dawes’ mind raced. He had to assume that since some form of contact had been established with the Kaxfen, the aliens could read his transmissions. “But piggyback an encoded Stellar Guard priority override command with that signal. If the Via Dolorosa’s computers acknowledge, seize control of that ship. Then re-program its course computers so that it exits Burnham space as quickly as possible. Determine a new course to its destination, and inform me the instant the ship begins to turn.”
    That left Dawes to deal with the aliens. At sublight speed, there was no chance the Via Dolorosa could exit Burnham space before the faster Kaxfen reached it. His fingers danced over control panels. Even blind he could have piloted this vessel; he’d designed every circuit, programmed every data crystal.
    He directed Archangel straight for the approaching Kaxfen.
    Five of the alien ships turned to meet him. One broke formation with the others.
    Dawes cursed; he didn’t need a computer to guess that lone ship’s intent. In the view screen, through Hookah’s eyes, he watched its energy wake, sizzling like a