Metafire

At that point, the speaker on the communications panel came alive. It was a broadcast alert override. "Erisa, it's me." It was Jack. Jack and Scooter were listening and Jack was broadcasting. George looked at Angela and they both realized instantly that the FBI was eavesdropping. It wasn't surprising to them, but it was getting even more interesting.

"Jack." Then Erisa realized the microphone wasn't on. "Jack, can you hear me?"

"Sure I can." Jack responded.

Erisa remembered his 'sure.' It was Jack. "Have you been able to hear me all along, you bastard?"

"Sometimes. I knew you were OK. I'm fine too. The other bastards, there with you...if you hurt Erisa or anybody else, we'll destroy you. We can destroy your colony at will. Orders or no orders, if you kill Erisa, I'll kill you."

"No, Jack." George spoke with great authority. "I said none of this matters, and it doesn't. We are not going to hurt Erisa unless you interfere. If you interfere with us, you might as well kill us all. We are prepared to die."

Then Erisa realized this was the very guy that first told her that USSS 26 was prepared to die, if it didn't get permission to be a colony. Jack realized it, too.