The backfeed from the breakaway appeared on the wall, downsped pulse content running from right to left: Glorious Spent, House Cholot, bound from V. Rothica to D. Vawnii via P. Jaksonica: general cargo and passengers. Cargo and passenger transhipments scheduled at P. Jaksonica 3B, data follows.
Routine. A passenger list, in case one was wanted and stupid enough to travel without changing identity.
"WatchMaster! I have an emergency signal!"
"Bring it up audial. Alert, Yellow Three." All over the Guardship green lights went yellow, blinking.
The message: "... Gemina, we've had an unauthorized discharge of an emergency escape pod...."
Third WatchMaster snapped, "Alert, Yellow One! Page WarAvocat. Relay the incoming to appropriate divisions."
"... not yet know if anyone was aboard...."
"Search. Find that pod."
"We have it, WatchMaster."
"Lock on. Track and Probe." Conscious of the screens overhead, he barked, "Get the data on the wall. I want everything up when WarAvocat arrives."
Throughout VII Gemina the shift prepared for whatever demands might be placed on the Guardship.
"WatchMaster. We have Lock and Track. That pod is under control. Trajectory indicates a surface destination near Cholot Varagona."
Was there another city on P. Jaksonica 3? "Probe data?"
"None yet, WatchMaster."
"Feed the target data to WarCentral. Pulse Canon Garrison Varagona. Prepare to intercept illegal downbound."
Half the overhead screens were live now but the Deified remained silent. Still, he felt compelled to demonstrate his grip. "Probe? How long is it going to take?"
"First approximation is due up, WatchMaster.... Here it comes. One biological lifeform. Artifact or nonhuman."
Third WatchMaster hesitated. He did not want the disapprobation that would follow an order to waken the whole Guardship.