CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
HAM-HANDED
Semyaza communicated frequently with a cadre of his confidants on the orbiter. None of them knew much about the design, construction, or purpose of the new torus. Information about the project had been strictly classified. The coupling of the mysterious torus to the orbiting station had required only a single annum because of the huge workforce.
When the construction crews departed, hundreds of new arrivals took up residence. Their unknown work assignments added to the mystery. For Semyaza that mystery was solved late one evening when he received a clandestine communiqué from one of the Serefim Presidium food service staff. She informed him that two cohorts of armed forces were stationed in the now fully operational torus. At least thirty shuttle and attack
