Katya's World Read Online Free Page A

finished.
    “ We’ll try but the comms hardlink i s down, has been for a week. I’ll try to get a slot on the long wave array but I don’t fancy the chances. The weather-buoys have been squawking all day about an electrical storm up top. Not too choppy for a change, but there’s a lot of interference. ”
    Lukyan heaved a sigh. “ Today’s not been easy so far. I can see it’s not going to improve. Do what you can, please, Control. Katya, how’s the plot coming along? ”
    She leaned back and spread her hands in disgust. There was no art and precious little science to a straight-line plot. It had taken her perhaps twenty seconds to complete it, most of which had been for the Petrograd departure and the Deeps approach waypoints. It was impossible to dignify it as “ navigation. ”
    Uncle Lukyan looked at it for a moment, sighed in sorrow and relayed it to Traffic Control’s computers for the records. After a moment, the controller spoke. “ You’re going straight through the Weft, ” he said in a careful monotone.
    “ Not my choice or my navigator’s. Our Federal commodore here ordered it. ”
    “ Does he know it will take you off the FMA patrolled routes? ”
    “ I don’t think he cares very much. I could ask, if you like? ”
    “ Would there be any point? ”
    “ None. Are we cleared for departure? ”
    A pause. Then, “ You’re cleared for departure, RRS 15743 Kilo. ”
    “ Thank you, Control. Opening lock now. ” Uncle Lukyan reached up and toggled a switch. Ahead of them, a crack of dim light appeared in the pitch darkness. Katya watched it widening in expectant silence until her uncle ordered, “ Wake her up, Katya. ”
    “ Aye-aye, captain, ” she said, almost light-headed with excitement. Despite the change in plans, the idiotic Federal officer and his prisoner and the insultingly simple course she’d had to lay in, this was still her first time out and it would never be repeated. This was the first time she’d prepared to leave dock and she wasn’t about to mess it up. “ Sonar to passive. Check. Wayfinder online. Check. Trim adjusted. Check. ” With each “ Check, ” the Baby ’s computer marked off another box on the list. “ Navigational lights, on. ” She flicked the switches and the inside of the lock suddenly illuminated. Just beyond the port, she could see plankton floating, so close she could have reached out and touched it. “ Check. Status lights, ” she looked up at the Judas box. All its lights glowed a reassuring green. “ Check. We’re clear to disengage, captain. ”
    “ Thank you, Katya. ” He swept his gaze over his own screens. “ Confirmed. Disengaging… now! ”
    With a dull thud of metal on metal, RRS 15743 Kilo Pushkin’s Baby was seaborne, moving out of the docking lock under her own impellers. Within moments, Petrograd Station was lost in the submarine gloom behind them.

 
     
    Chapter 2

Ghost Return
     

     
    Uncle Lukyan gave Katya the helm until they reached the first waypoint. She steered the little submarine cautiously, very aware of the responsibility the steering yoke gave her. The Federal officer made impatient noises from the back but they both ignored him. The prisoner, apparently seeking another beating, asked the Fed – with great concern if little sincerity – whether he was feeling ill?
     
    When they reached the waypoint, the officer insisted that they go to automatic pilot. Katya regretfully gave up control to the wayfinder. Now that the boat’s computers were in charge, there wasn’t a great deal to do except monitor systems that were automatically monitored by other systems anyway. Every time she’d been aboard the Baby in the past, switching onto automatic pilot would have been the cue for one or other of the crew to unstrap and come back for a chat or a game of chess. With the compartment full of passengers and cargo, that would have been difficult. With the stifling presence of the Fed, who seemed to carry the full