Red Planet Run Read Online Free Page B

attack. “What’s wrong with ruins?”
    “What’s wrong with ruins?” For a moment I was stumped, but only for a moment. “Well, for one thing, they’re old. ” She would have said more. I shook my head. “Don’t. Just don’t.”
    Her eyes narrowed on me. “Is this about Caleb?”
    It was unlike Helen to be blunt, and it took me a moment to recover. “No. Of course not. How could it be? It’s been almost twelve years.”
    She nodded. “And for twelve years you’ve just been going through the motions, just living till you die.”
    “Go to hell.” Even my anger lacked force.
    She dropped her voice an octave. Her technique was flawless, her tone hushed, each word dropping like a stone into a still pond. “Caleb’s dead, Star. He’s been dead for twelve years. You going to mourn him the rest of your life? You going to sit and feel sorry for yourself forever? Do you believe for a moment it’s what he’d want?”
    “You start talking like Mother,” I said through my teeth, “and I’ll take you outside and see how high you can bounce.”
    “In vacuum, I’d say pretty high,” she said, bristling. “Take your best shot.”
    We glared at each other. My communit beeped.
    The feminine voice was hurried but composed. “Star?”
    “Perry?” I said, startled. “What are you doing in range? I thought you were downarm.”
    “Just got back, and just in time. Somebody’s in the process of hijacking an ore carrier on Ceres. Six dead, a bunch bloody. They’ve taken hostages and are fighting their way onto the landing field. I’m on my way down. Charlie’s with me.”
    “I’m on Ceres; I’ll meet you at the hangar. Birdie!” At my shout the little man looked up. “Your laser pistol!” I barked. “Now!”
    Birdie had an arm on him like a mass launcher. Pistol and holster sailed over the heads of the crowd and I caught it and checked the magazine on the run. I was across the square, down the tunnel, and at the airlock before I knew Helen was still with me. “You’re not coming with me, Ricadonna.” I grabbed for my pressure suit and began jamming myself into it.
    “I sure as hell am not,” she agreed, helping me tug the torso and shoulders up. “I’m a lover, not a fighter.” She pulled the helmet over my head and locked it down. I smacked the speaker. “Green board?”
    She ran one finger across my chest readout, held up an OK sign, and buckled on Birdie’s holster. Her palm thumped my helmet and I was in the lock and out the other side. A pressure suit bounced up, and I recognized Kevin Takemotu’s grim visage just before the solar sled touched down. His voice over my headset was curt. “Perry, Star, glad you’re here. Charlie, we’ve set up a first-aid station in the square. Mother Mathilda’s in charge.”
    “Good.” Charlie’s voice was breathless over the headset, and I relieved her of the suit sealer she was carrying. “Thanks, Star. I’ll let Mother Mathilda handle things inside. I’m going with you.”
    “What can you tell us, Kevin?” Perry asked.
    “About an hour ago a freighter inbound from 19301Buena Suerte landed at Dock Four. The crew was disembarking when they were attacked by a gang with laser pistols.” He looked at Charlie, his face taut behind its visor, his anger a tangible presence on the commset. “Most of the wounds are clean; I’ll say that much. Hands and feet sliced off like baloney. Glad you brought the suit sealer.”
    He turned to Perry. “They’ve got at least two of the freighter’s crew members as hostages. Sandy O’Connor and James Smith have them pinned down outside the ship. That Sandy is some kind of sharpshooter; every time they make a try for the hatch she pops off at them with that laser pistol of hers. She’s nailed three of them so far.”
    “Let’s go give her some help,” Perry said. “Weapons check?”
    We drew pistols and slapped ammopaks into the pistol butts. “Loading.”
    “Lock ’em