Adventures of the Starship Satori 4: No Plan Survives Contact Read Online Free Page B
Author: Kevin McLaughlin
doesn't seem to have worked. I've got nothing up here," Dan said, slapping the console in frustration. "That satellite is almost on top of us."
It loomed in the front windows now, several times the size of the Satori. It was a big sphere from the looks of it, with various black vanes and blockier objects protruding from the surface. As she watched, something jetted away from the thing toward them. She gasped.
"It's firing!" she said.
Dan turned back around to look, his shoulders tensing. But he relaxed a little when he saw the projectile.
"Too slow to be a missile," he said. "Looks like an anchor, or maybe some sort of docking clamp. I think they're bringing us in."
She slumped back into her seat. Neither of them said it, but Charline knew Dan had to be thinking the same thing she was. The satellite had to be what called the Naga battleship last time, signaling for help after it had fired the missile at the Satori. It was certain to have done so again now. They were stuck there floating in space helplessly, and it was a pretty good bet that unfriendly company was already on its way.
7
J ohn leaned against the wall of one of the half-ruined structures, sweat pouring down his face. He grabbed a canteen and drained it, taking long gulps of the cold water while he waited for Dan to come back on. Long minutes ticked by. He glanced down at his watch. Five of them. Damn it, what was taking so long? The Satori could fly rings around any satellite out there. In the worst case Dan could jump the ship back home, and then return again for the rest of them. There shouldn't be any significant threat to the ship.
After ten minutes passed with no further word from the ship, he began to worry in earnest.
"Damn it," he said. It had been a risk to split the team up. He'd judged it an acceptable risk. Hell, he'd even aborted the satellite mission at the first sign there was any trouble up there. It looked like it had already been too late. Whatever was going on in space, he hoped Dan and Charline were up to the challenge.
"What's going on?" Beth said as she stepped inside. She was drenched with sweat. The days on this world were hot. The last measurement was closing on forty-four degrees Celsius.
"Water first," John said, tossing her a full canteen. She drank gratefully.
"The trap is set," Beth said between gulps. "We should probably pull back a bit, leave it be and see if they'll take the bait. How's the space mission?"
"Not good. Dan said something about going radio silent - he thought the satellite was zeroing in on the radio transmission," John said.
"How long ago?" Beth asked. She glanced skyward, as if she hoped she might catch a glimpse of the ship through the crack-riddled ceiling.
John looked back down at his watch. "Fifteen minutes. Get Andrew. We need to move."
"Move where?" Beth demanded.
"If the satellite detected the ship, there's a decent chance they radioed for help," John said. "Which means we could have company showing up here any time. I'm not willing to gamble that they can't detect where the Satori set down a little while ago. Are you?"
She grimaced. "So much for the easy mission."
"Indeed. Now let's grab Andrew and get the hell out of here before we get company."
Five minutes later and they were on their way. Twenty minutes since Dan's last contact. Hells, that was a long time in a firefight. Dan should have been able to get back to them by now, unless he had actually fired the wormhole drive to get away. It would take time to recharge before he could return for them. That was their best hope. All they had to do then was hold out a little while, wait for the Satori to come and get them. The alternative scenarios were too unpleasant to reflect on. John would continue acting like there was hope for a rescue until there was clear evidence to the contrary.
"We can't keep moving outside like this for long," Andrew said. "It's too hot, and we don't have enough water for it."
"I'm open to suggestions," John
It loomed in the front windows now, several times the size of the Satori. It was a big sphere from the looks of it, with various black vanes and blockier objects protruding from the surface. As she watched, something jetted away from the thing toward them. She gasped.
"It's firing!" she said.
Dan turned back around to look, his shoulders tensing. But he relaxed a little when he saw the projectile.
"Too slow to be a missile," he said. "Looks like an anchor, or maybe some sort of docking clamp. I think they're bringing us in."
She slumped back into her seat. Neither of them said it, but Charline knew Dan had to be thinking the same thing she was. The satellite had to be what called the Naga battleship last time, signaling for help after it had fired the missile at the Satori. It was certain to have done so again now. They were stuck there floating in space helplessly, and it was a pretty good bet that unfriendly company was already on its way.
7
J ohn leaned against the wall of one of the half-ruined structures, sweat pouring down his face. He grabbed a canteen and drained it, taking long gulps of the cold water while he waited for Dan to come back on. Long minutes ticked by. He glanced down at his watch. Five of them. Damn it, what was taking so long? The Satori could fly rings around any satellite out there. In the worst case Dan could jump the ship back home, and then return again for the rest of them. There shouldn't be any significant threat to the ship.
After ten minutes passed with no further word from the ship, he began to worry in earnest.
"Damn it," he said. It had been a risk to split the team up. He'd judged it an acceptable risk. Hell, he'd even aborted the satellite mission at the first sign there was any trouble up there. It looked like it had already been too late. Whatever was going on in space, he hoped Dan and Charline were up to the challenge.
"What's going on?" Beth said as she stepped inside. She was drenched with sweat. The days on this world were hot. The last measurement was closing on forty-four degrees Celsius.
"Water first," John said, tossing her a full canteen. She drank gratefully.
"The trap is set," Beth said between gulps. "We should probably pull back a bit, leave it be and see if they'll take the bait. How's the space mission?"
"Not good. Dan said something about going radio silent - he thought the satellite was zeroing in on the radio transmission," John said.
"How long ago?" Beth asked. She glanced skyward, as if she hoped she might catch a glimpse of the ship through the crack-riddled ceiling.
John looked back down at his watch. "Fifteen minutes. Get Andrew. We need to move."
"Move where?" Beth demanded.
"If the satellite detected the ship, there's a decent chance they radioed for help," John said. "Which means we could have company showing up here any time. I'm not willing to gamble that they can't detect where the Satori set down a little while ago. Are you?"
She grimaced. "So much for the easy mission."
"Indeed. Now let's grab Andrew and get the hell out of here before we get company."
Five minutes later and they were on their way. Twenty minutes since Dan's last contact. Hells, that was a long time in a firefight. Dan should have been able to get back to them by now, unless he had actually fired the wormhole drive to get away. It would take time to recharge before he could return for them. That was their best hope. All they had to do then was hold out a little while, wait for the Satori to come and get them. The alternative scenarios were too unpleasant to reflect on. John would continue acting like there was hope for a rescue until there was clear evidence to the contrary.
"We can't keep moving outside like this for long," Andrew said. "It's too hot, and we don't have enough water for it."
"I'm open to suggestions," John
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