- Home
- Tim Morrison
The Rock Page 4
The Rock Read online
Page 4
stepped through the door.
"So what you're telling me is that we've sustained some damage. I figured that one out for myself. Why are you so angry at me for?"
Yeah, yeah. Damage, right. You want to know why I'm angered at you? You want to know? I'm not sure, maybe it has something to do with you making a decision about diamonds and everyone blindly following along. Maybe it has to do with the fact that you could have all been killed and I'd be left alone on this gigantic pile of shredded foil!"
S'Hara tried and failed to stifle her laughter. Willem's face began to climb shades of red as he continued to get angrier and angrier. After a short time, he said "What ... are ... you ... laughing ... at?" in a tightly controlled voice.
"You, Willem. You were worried about us. But, there was nothing to worry about."
"Oh, nothing to worry about eh? What about the high background radiation count. What about the fact that Ms. Camelin doffed her rad shield out there? What about the fact that while you were traipsing across the hull the fire was approaching at over 600 kims!"
"We had nothing to worry about, because you were here. You were handling the situation."
"Oh, gee boss. Thanks for the reassurances. How in the hell could I protect any of you when you weren't in the ship? Had the fire accelerated even one kim faster you'd have all been char-broiled! I can't protect anything outside the hull!"
"Willem, take a look at yourself. You're getting angry and flustered at over what might have happened to us. I think I can say that we are all very flattered or your concern. But, we weren't in any danger because I'm sure you would have thought of something. That's why I left you in charge here. You're a lot better than you think you are."
"I'll say one thing more, then I'll be through, Captain." He said after a short pause. "I was not concerned for your safety, only for the fact that without you, keeping this ship running would be hellishly difficult for just one man." He took a few quick deep breaths, then nodded at her.
"Willem, if it came down to it, I'm sure you would have done a wonderful job. But, I thank you for the compliment."
He looked her in the eye for a few seconds, then siting back at his post, said "Just don't do it again. I'd hate to have to write three obituaries and chase three home worlds, one of which is lost, one which would blow me apart, and the third which doesn't like pirates, ex or not."
"I'm sure they would have made an exception for you. But, enough of this, let's get on with the meeting. Your call, Willem."
"OK. All right. The ship has sustained major structural damage to fusion nozzles two and three. No. 1 is functional, but without the other two will only provide off-center thrust that we can't compensate for. We've got a blowout rend eight mets long and two wide at it's apex running along deck four cargo bay. We've not lost any of the cargo containers, but some of the fragile stuff in the containers will certainly be dust by now. The planetoid continues to burn, and Jihon estimated that it would be another thirty-six hours before it finally burned out. There's a layer of volatile gases almost a hundred kims think on that bastard, and it's all alight right now."
"Is there any other damage?" S'Hara asked.
"Except for the main engines and the hull rip, nothing the automatics won't fix in a couple of hours. The other damage will take us at least twenty-four to thirty-two hours to repair."
"In that case, Idova, suit up and head for the hull tear. Aya, survey the engines. Willem, check on the cargo. I'll contact all of you in about five minutes for your opinions. Call me if you need any help. I'll monitor your status from the bridge."
Aya quickly shot out the door and into the engineering section. Idova followed at a more sedate pace in the zero-g area. As Willem was passing her, S'Hara said "It would have been hellish to run this ship without you too, Willem." He gave her the briefest of nods, then was out the door.
Idova crawled along the outside of the hull, securely attached by her suit, and concentrating, heated the metallic hull material until it was nearly molten, then carefully pressed the edges together telekinetically. Then she continued down the outward-blown rip in the ship's hull.
Willem, inside the stricken cargo bay, was both watching the glowing point on the hull slowly moving backwards as well as checking the secured boxes and crates filled with the various cargoes they had accumulated.
Aya, fully trussed up in a heavy insulated pressure suit, was deep within the primary deuterium tank, examining the fuel flow valves. She moved very slowly, constantly aware of both the pressure, and intense drop in temperature on the outside of the suit. Inside the tank the liquid hydrogen was kept at a constant circulating temperature of 18 degrees kelvin. She completed checking the first valve, and went to check on the second one.
S'Hara opened a channel to Idova, who was just finishing the welding on the outer hull.
"How long do you estimate repairs will take, Idova?"
"Just finishing them now, S'Hara." Which elicited a widening of S'Hara's eyes at the speed at which the repairs had been effected.
"What are you using?" She inquired.
"Me." came the simple answer.
"Oh. That explains it." And he signed off from Idova. Then switched channels and contacted Willem.
"How has the cargo fared, Willem?"
"Fair to middling, Chief. As I thought we've lost about 60% of the fragile stuff. The shielded containers weren't designed to withstand the amount of vibration and shock we've just experienced. The rest of the cargo containers have been pretty banged up also, but it looks like the other cargo is still viable. I'd have to completely unpack it all to make a total check. We're down but not out, Chief."
"Estimated time to completion?"
"Give me another five minutes to check the aft section, then I'll get back to you."
S'Hara closed that channel and opened one to Aya. This channel was run through with a soft hissing sound S'Hara could not place.
"Aya, is everything all right down there?"
An odd gurgling noise filtered through the channel, then Aya's voice came over, oddly distorted.
"A very odd time to be making a call, S'Hara. I'm deep within the main fuel tank checking the intake valves. They look OK, but I want to be sure. The engine outlet for number three is just gone. It'll take the robots most of the time estimated to weave another one. Number two is bent so far out of shape it should really be disconnected and have the main intermix chamber reforged. More time lost. We're going to have to either set back down quick, or jump into free space, the Neospace drive can't keep us up here for more than another couple of hours. We're straining the systems having it run below the light speed threshold."
"Is there any chance of further damage if we set down using the Neospace drive?"
Aya stopped what she was doing and stared at the fuel tank wall as she considered.
"The Neospace drive was never designed for use within a significant gravity field or with matter around it. I do not think it would work, we'd probably cause a feedback in the coils and tear the plasma waveguides. I've got to get this checked out in here so Jihon can begin mapping the fuel lines or we may be drifting for even longer, S'Hara."
"Call me if you need anything." S'Hara said as she closed the channel.
Idova stepped back through the airlock, stripping her suit off as she did so. She stowed her suit, and dropped into the down shaft back to the bridge.
Willem closed the top on the final crate, then opened his suit channel back to S'Hara.
"Hey, chief. I've got a better estimate of what we've get now."
"Give it to me." She said.
"You might like this a bit better than my first one. We've lost all the crystalline lattices from the salvage we did last week. That's all the fragile stuff that was lost. Nothing more."
"Are you sure that's all?"
"What do you think?"
"That's not an answer."
"Yeah, yeah. As far as my glances at the ot
her cargo could tell me, nothing else has been either jarred loose, or damaged in any way. But, as I said, without a complete inventory, I can't be sure."
"OK, come on back, Idova's just gotten back. Aya's still checking the fuel systems."
"On my way."
Aya skimmed the lower surface of the tank, swimming strongly in the slushy, viscous fluid that surrounded her. She flicked on her suit lights to ensure she was still moving towards the servicing airlock, and altered her course slightly. Turning her lights off again, she attempted to find her way by memory alone.
Willem walked back onto the bridge minutes later, brushing imaginary dust off his gloves as he sat down at his station again.
"We're just waiting for Aya's report."
She felt the edge of the service airlock, and pulled herself through it. But, oddly, she felt resistance. She pulled harder, and with a sudden burst, was free and into the tube. She pushed the button that began the cycling sequence, then she twisted around to check on her backpack. It was still connected and functional. She waited. Strangely, she felt a growing sensation of intense heat across her upper back, but she attributed it to the exhausting work of swimming she had just done. She tried to check her backpack again, worried that maybe she'd damaged the heating element and it was allowing hot fluid into the suit itself. She found that her arms wouldn't move. Inside the suit, she tried harder, but the arms seemed welded into place. Her
"So what you're telling me is that we've sustained some damage. I figured that one out for myself. Why are you so angry at me for?"
Yeah, yeah. Damage, right. You want to know why I'm angered at you? You want to know? I'm not sure, maybe it has something to do with you making a decision about diamonds and everyone blindly following along. Maybe it has to do with the fact that you could have all been killed and I'd be left alone on this gigantic pile of shredded foil!"
S'Hara tried and failed to stifle her laughter. Willem's face began to climb shades of red as he continued to get angrier and angrier. After a short time, he said "What ... are ... you ... laughing ... at?" in a tightly controlled voice.
"You, Willem. You were worried about us. But, there was nothing to worry about."
"Oh, nothing to worry about eh? What about the high background radiation count. What about the fact that Ms. Camelin doffed her rad shield out there? What about the fact that while you were traipsing across the hull the fire was approaching at over 600 kims!"
"We had nothing to worry about, because you were here. You were handling the situation."
"Oh, gee boss. Thanks for the reassurances. How in the hell could I protect any of you when you weren't in the ship? Had the fire accelerated even one kim faster you'd have all been char-broiled! I can't protect anything outside the hull!"
"Willem, take a look at yourself. You're getting angry and flustered at over what might have happened to us. I think I can say that we are all very flattered or your concern. But, we weren't in any danger because I'm sure you would have thought of something. That's why I left you in charge here. You're a lot better than you think you are."
"I'll say one thing more, then I'll be through, Captain." He said after a short pause. "I was not concerned for your safety, only for the fact that without you, keeping this ship running would be hellishly difficult for just one man." He took a few quick deep breaths, then nodded at her.
"Willem, if it came down to it, I'm sure you would have done a wonderful job. But, I thank you for the compliment."
He looked her in the eye for a few seconds, then siting back at his post, said "Just don't do it again. I'd hate to have to write three obituaries and chase three home worlds, one of which is lost, one which would blow me apart, and the third which doesn't like pirates, ex or not."
"I'm sure they would have made an exception for you. But, enough of this, let's get on with the meeting. Your call, Willem."
"OK. All right. The ship has sustained major structural damage to fusion nozzles two and three. No. 1 is functional, but without the other two will only provide off-center thrust that we can't compensate for. We've got a blowout rend eight mets long and two wide at it's apex running along deck four cargo bay. We've not lost any of the cargo containers, but some of the fragile stuff in the containers will certainly be dust by now. The planetoid continues to burn, and Jihon estimated that it would be another thirty-six hours before it finally burned out. There's a layer of volatile gases almost a hundred kims think on that bastard, and it's all alight right now."
"Is there any other damage?" S'Hara asked.
"Except for the main engines and the hull rip, nothing the automatics won't fix in a couple of hours. The other damage will take us at least twenty-four to thirty-two hours to repair."
"In that case, Idova, suit up and head for the hull tear. Aya, survey the engines. Willem, check on the cargo. I'll contact all of you in about five minutes for your opinions. Call me if you need any help. I'll monitor your status from the bridge."
Aya quickly shot out the door and into the engineering section. Idova followed at a more sedate pace in the zero-g area. As Willem was passing her, S'Hara said "It would have been hellish to run this ship without you too, Willem." He gave her the briefest of nods, then was out the door.
Idova crawled along the outside of the hull, securely attached by her suit, and concentrating, heated the metallic hull material until it was nearly molten, then carefully pressed the edges together telekinetically. Then she continued down the outward-blown rip in the ship's hull.
Willem, inside the stricken cargo bay, was both watching the glowing point on the hull slowly moving backwards as well as checking the secured boxes and crates filled with the various cargoes they had accumulated.
Aya, fully trussed up in a heavy insulated pressure suit, was deep within the primary deuterium tank, examining the fuel flow valves. She moved very slowly, constantly aware of both the pressure, and intense drop in temperature on the outside of the suit. Inside the tank the liquid hydrogen was kept at a constant circulating temperature of 18 degrees kelvin. She completed checking the first valve, and went to check on the second one.
S'Hara opened a channel to Idova, who was just finishing the welding on the outer hull.
"How long do you estimate repairs will take, Idova?"
"Just finishing them now, S'Hara." Which elicited a widening of S'Hara's eyes at the speed at which the repairs had been effected.
"What are you using?" She inquired.
"Me." came the simple answer.
"Oh. That explains it." And he signed off from Idova. Then switched channels and contacted Willem.
"How has the cargo fared, Willem?"
"Fair to middling, Chief. As I thought we've lost about 60% of the fragile stuff. The shielded containers weren't designed to withstand the amount of vibration and shock we've just experienced. The rest of the cargo containers have been pretty banged up also, but it looks like the other cargo is still viable. I'd have to completely unpack it all to make a total check. We're down but not out, Chief."
"Estimated time to completion?"
"Give me another five minutes to check the aft section, then I'll get back to you."
S'Hara closed that channel and opened one to Aya. This channel was run through with a soft hissing sound S'Hara could not place.
"Aya, is everything all right down there?"
An odd gurgling noise filtered through the channel, then Aya's voice came over, oddly distorted.
"A very odd time to be making a call, S'Hara. I'm deep within the main fuel tank checking the intake valves. They look OK, but I want to be sure. The engine outlet for number three is just gone. It'll take the robots most of the time estimated to weave another one. Number two is bent so far out of shape it should really be disconnected and have the main intermix chamber reforged. More time lost. We're going to have to either set back down quick, or jump into free space, the Neospace drive can't keep us up here for more than another couple of hours. We're straining the systems having it run below the light speed threshold."
"Is there any chance of further damage if we set down using the Neospace drive?"
Aya stopped what she was doing and stared at the fuel tank wall as she considered.
"The Neospace drive was never designed for use within a significant gravity field or with matter around it. I do not think it would work, we'd probably cause a feedback in the coils and tear the plasma waveguides. I've got to get this checked out in here so Jihon can begin mapping the fuel lines or we may be drifting for even longer, S'Hara."
"Call me if you need anything." S'Hara said as she closed the channel.
Idova stepped back through the airlock, stripping her suit off as she did so. She stowed her suit, and dropped into the down shaft back to the bridge.
Willem closed the top on the final crate, then opened his suit channel back to S'Hara.
"Hey, chief. I've got a better estimate of what we've get now."
"Give it to me." She said.
"You might like this a bit better than my first one. We've lost all the crystalline lattices from the salvage we did last week. That's all the fragile stuff that was lost. Nothing more."
"Are you sure that's all?"
"What do you think?"
"That's not an answer."
"Yeah, yeah. As far as my glances at the ot
her cargo could tell me, nothing else has been either jarred loose, or damaged in any way. But, as I said, without a complete inventory, I can't be sure."
"OK, come on back, Idova's just gotten back. Aya's still checking the fuel systems."
"On my way."
Aya skimmed the lower surface of the tank, swimming strongly in the slushy, viscous fluid that surrounded her. She flicked on her suit lights to ensure she was still moving towards the servicing airlock, and altered her course slightly. Turning her lights off again, she attempted to find her way by memory alone.
Willem walked back onto the bridge minutes later, brushing imaginary dust off his gloves as he sat down at his station again.
"We're just waiting for Aya's report."
She felt the edge of the service airlock, and pulled herself through it. But, oddly, she felt resistance. She pulled harder, and with a sudden burst, was free and into the tube. She pushed the button that began the cycling sequence, then she twisted around to check on her backpack. It was still connected and functional. She waited. Strangely, she felt a growing sensation of intense heat across her upper back, but she attributed it to the exhausting work of swimming she had just done. She tried to check her backpack again, worried that maybe she'd damaged the heating element and it was allowing hot fluid into the suit itself. She found that her arms wouldn't move. Inside the suit, she tried harder, but the arms seemed welded into place. Her
Center Worlds - Spark