“Why should I listen to you?” Mercur spat. “You didn’t listen to me. None of you listened to me.”

“But where’s the proof?” Johnson pleaded. “It makes no sense! The Spinners wouldn’t attack us. Both we and the Christophers would be able to resist! They’d be committing suicide! What evidence do you have?”

“Plenty.”

“But where is it?”

“Right in front of your eyes,” Mercur growled. It’s hidden in plain sight for the most part, and yet you goons just refuse to recognize it." He silenced the comm channel before Johnson was able to give a comeback. “Let’s get out of here,” Mercur ordered.

“Where to, sir?” le Foile asked. Something on his station beeped. “Spatial distortions. Two ships, just like he said. Forty seconds until they’re disentangled.”

“Calgary’s the first place they’re going to look,” Mecur reasoned, “since it’s only five hours away via hyperspace.” He called up the local star charts. “Take us to 85 Pegasi,” he commanded.

“Yes, sir,” le Foile replied. The Zeus winked out of normal space.