Star Clusters: New Arrivals Read Online Free

atmospheric containment fields, emergency lighting, the control room and the main computer are tied to emergency generators precisely to avoid the scenario you suggested. We should be safe.”
    “Not yet,” the ship’s science officer said; the holographic representation of the Tarhedia continued moving towards Petra. “We were on a course towards the planet when we left hyperspace - atmospheric entry is imminent.”
    “We need the engines back online,” Lanis concluded. “Can you restore power without glassing this side of the planet?”
    “No. Whatever locked us out of the controls is still functioning.”
    “Even with power, the weapons need time to charge up. Perhaps...” Hatos paused. “Restore power to all systems, but only for a few seconds. Divert all the power you can into the engines and attempt to stabilize our orbit.”
    There was a brief silence as Hatos’ orders were executed. “It was not enough. We’ve managed to slow down enough to avoid incineration, but the ship is still in an uncontrolled descent towards the planet surface. We may be able to reroute power from the atmospheric containment systems to the engines and decrease our velocity enough to maintain structural integrity, but that is contingent on us crashing onto water.”
    “Well, that shouldn’t be a problem,” Lanis commented. Indeed, more than 90 percent of Petra’s surface consisted of a vast ocean interrupted by islands of all shapes and sizes upon which the Petrans evolved.
    “Do what you can.”
    The Tarhedia continued its descent unimpeded by the efforts of its crew. “Now might be a good time...!”
    “Bypassing the power conduits takes time. It’s almost... Engines are back online!” The ship shook violently, its inertial dampeners taken by surprise as it slowed down and crashed into the ocean.
    Lanis was among those who had been unable to maintain their footing when the ship crashed. “Well... we’re still alive. That’s a start,” he said, holding on to one of the consoles nearby as he got up.
    “However,” Hatos observed, “whether we are to remain that way has yet to be determined. Someone - or something - is turning the Tarhedia’s systems against us.”
    “The navicomputer and the weapons?”
    “And now the engines. I had to shut down the emergency generators we linked to them - whoever’s behind this just tried to force us deeper into the water.”
    “Which, if I got everything right, means the main atmospheric containment system’s out?”
    “Precisely. The secondary generators are the only reason we aren’t drowning yet, but they can only take so much pressure. We cannot restore main power until we regain control of the ship, and the primary containment system cannot be brought online as long as it is linked to the engines.” The other Tarhedians hurried out of the control room. “I am ordering all non-essential personnel to take refuge near the power core; this will allow us to narrow down the containment field rather than allow it to fail. All ventilation shafts in the flooded areas have been sealed off, which may also give us some time. If the engineering team does not succeed, though, that time will not help us.”
    “Okay, what can I do to help?”
    “I think it would be best if you went to the power core like the rest of the crew.”
    “ Other than hiding and praying the problem can be fixed? That one’s off the table.”
    Hatos paused for a moment. Lanis wasn’t sure if he was just thinking of something for him to do, or annoyed by his decision. “Here,” he finally said, showing him to a console behind them. “If this indicator lights up, activate the containment system with this button here.”
    “And until then, watch the show on the security cameras. Got it.”
    “In the meantime, I will try to regain control of the ship.”
    There were a few minutes of silence in the control room as Hatos worked. The water slowly continued pushing the remaining air deeper into the ship