Space Rescue One Read Online Free
Author: Atk. Butterfly
minor scraping impacts. Ship's thrusters forward slow."
      The helmswoman said, "Thrusters ahead slow. Initiating thrusters now."
      The navigator continued to watch through the scope at the alignment. It was a tricky maneuver to take the Space Rescue One and place it around the Excelsior like a belt. It was sometimes called "sneaking up" because that was what it resembled. The Space Rescue One was approaching from the Excelsior 's stern. The Excelsior would soon be inside the Space Rescue One's hollow center.
   Then one of the rescue teams would collar the Excelsior to the Space Rescue One. From that point on, the Space Rescue One would provide propulsion and steering for both ships. About the only bad thing about it for some of the Excelsior 's passengers was that they wouldn't be able to see anything other than the Space Rescue One's hull through their portholes while the two ships were connected.
***
"Clarke, are you going to support me in documenting Richard's drinking problem so I can remove him from the team as a menace?" Dickson asked.
      "No, Chief, I'm not. If it weren't for him, Shelly wouldn't be alive. I can't fault a man's drinking when he does the right thing otherwise. I drink some myself," Clarke answered.
      "So do I, but neither of us drinks like Richard," Chief Dickson said.
      "I still can't do it to him, Chief. He hasn't done anything wrong while we're on the job. I just can't do it. Maybe if he didn't pull his weight, Chief, I could."
***
The navigator said, "Exc elsior slipping through. Alignment still looks AOK."
      The helmswoman said, "Speed remains constant."
      "Excel sior one-quarter through," said the navigator.
      The helmswoman called out, "Slowing down now."
***
"Aren't you going to ask me, Chief?" Laumer asked.
      "No, Technician Laumer. I hardly think that you'd be willing to considering the circumstances less than an hour ago," Dickson answered.
      "You're right. I won't support you in harming the man who did his best to save my life. Even by not supporting you, I still haven't repaid the debt I owe him."
      "Well, I don't fault you for thinking that way. Maybe if it was me he saved, I might think that way, too. However, if he causes one of us to be hurt or killed later, you're going to be just as guilty as his drinking."
***
The navigator said, "Excelsior coming to three-quarters point."
      The helmswoman stated, "Applying retro-thrusters. Brace for possible impact."
      "Relative speed near zero," stated the navigator.
      The helmswoman exclaimed, "It's going to be gentle!"
      Someone shouted, "Yeah!" which was picked up on the intercom.
***
"Effective today, you're on the wagon. You take one drink, I'm putting documentation forward to have you dismissed from the service," Dickson said.
      "You don't have the right to order me to quit drinking, Chief," Richard replied.
      "You want to bet? Either you follow this order or we'll take it to the old man. You can be dismissed for insubordination just as easily as for drinking. You can even get jail time for it âunless you want to quit the team voluntarily. I can always get you space on the Excelsior, you know. Then you can drink all you want since you won't be my problem. Now which is it going to be?"
   There was a gentle bump.
      "We've docked around the Excelsior now, Richard. You don't have much time to decide. We'll have hatches aligned shortly. If you want to quit so you can drink, then the Excelsior 's got plenty on board," Dickson said.
Chapter 2
The intercom blared, "Attention all Space Rescue One
      The helmswoman said, "Thrusters ahead slow. Initiating thrusters now."
      The navigator continued to watch through the scope at the alignment. It was a tricky maneuver to take the Space Rescue One and place it around the Excelsior like a belt. It was sometimes called "sneaking up" because that was what it resembled. The Space Rescue One was approaching from the Excelsior 's stern. The Excelsior would soon be inside the Space Rescue One's hollow center.
   Then one of the rescue teams would collar the Excelsior to the Space Rescue One. From that point on, the Space Rescue One would provide propulsion and steering for both ships. About the only bad thing about it for some of the Excelsior 's passengers was that they wouldn't be able to see anything other than the Space Rescue One's hull through their portholes while the two ships were connected.
***
"Clarke, are you going to support me in documenting Richard's drinking problem so I can remove him from the team as a menace?" Dickson asked.
      "No, Chief, I'm not. If it weren't for him, Shelly wouldn't be alive. I can't fault a man's drinking when he does the right thing otherwise. I drink some myself," Clarke answered.
      "So do I, but neither of us drinks like Richard," Chief Dickson said.
      "I still can't do it to him, Chief. He hasn't done anything wrong while we're on the job. I just can't do it. Maybe if he didn't pull his weight, Chief, I could."
***
The navigator said, "Exc elsior slipping through. Alignment still looks AOK."
      The helmswoman said, "Speed remains constant."
      "Excel sior one-quarter through," said the navigator.
      The helmswoman called out, "Slowing down now."
***
"Aren't you going to ask me, Chief?" Laumer asked.
      "No, Technician Laumer. I hardly think that you'd be willing to considering the circumstances less than an hour ago," Dickson answered.
      "You're right. I won't support you in harming the man who did his best to save my life. Even by not supporting you, I still haven't repaid the debt I owe him."
      "Well, I don't fault you for thinking that way. Maybe if it was me he saved, I might think that way, too. However, if he causes one of us to be hurt or killed later, you're going to be just as guilty as his drinking."
***
The navigator said, "Excelsior coming to three-quarters point."
      The helmswoman stated, "Applying retro-thrusters. Brace for possible impact."
      "Relative speed near zero," stated the navigator.
      The helmswoman exclaimed, "It's going to be gentle!"
      Someone shouted, "Yeah!" which was picked up on the intercom.
***
"Effective today, you're on the wagon. You take one drink, I'm putting documentation forward to have you dismissed from the service," Dickson said.
      "You don't have the right to order me to quit drinking, Chief," Richard replied.
      "You want to bet? Either you follow this order or we'll take it to the old man. You can be dismissed for insubordination just as easily as for drinking. You can even get jail time for it âunless you want to quit the team voluntarily. I can always get you space on the Excelsior, you know. Then you can drink all you want since you won't be my problem. Now which is it going to be?"
   There was a gentle bump.
      "We've docked around the Excelsior now, Richard. You don't have much time to decide. We'll have hatches aligned shortly. If you want to quit so you can drink, then the Excelsior 's got plenty on board," Dickson said.
Chapter 2
The intercom blared, "Attention all Space Rescue One
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