Part Three: Beta Pac: Chapters 17 and 18 Summary

Regulations require that they wait at least twenty hours before a transdimensional jump and the whole group is anxious that the order to abort will come before they leave. To cover themselves, Hutch sends a partially garbled message before anything comes in which will make it appear as though they are having communication issues. The pretend malfunction is timely as a few hours later they get the call to abort. They ignore it, and jump eleven minutes later. They discuss their plans for arrival, and speculate as to what the reception will be like on the other end. Hutch reminds them that fourteen hours are necessary to recharge the engines before another jump to transdimensional space can occur, so a quick retreat is out of the question. They get to know each other...