[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

to get before triggering them will damage the shark?
 They can t trigger them, Kennedy put in before Marlowe could answer.  The
ships are way too close now themselves for that. If they tried it 
She broke off as, on the screen, the missile flares abruptly and
simultaneously vanished.  Marlowe? Roman snapped.
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 It broke them up, Marlowe murmured, a horrified awe in his voice.  Just&
tore them to shreds.
And if there had been any doubt left, it was gone now. The shark knew exactly
what it was up against& and exactly how to fight back.
And Lekander knew it. On the screen the three ships were veering away,
blasting lateral to the shark s momentum. Roman held his breath 
Atlantis to
Amity
,
Lekander s icy voice came suddenly, making him jump.  We track some vultures
heading your way; better get out while you can.
 Never mind us get yourselves out, Roman retorted.  You can t possibly defeat
the shark now.
 We d figured that out, thank you, Lekander growled.  Get to the 66802
system we ll be there when we can.
Atlantis out.
The console pinged its loss of the laser signal.  Idiots, Ferrol bit out.
 What the hell are they waiting for?
 They can t leave, Kennedy said quietly.  That sub-nuke explosion the one
they used on the first shark will have fully ionized their Mitsuushi rings.
It ll be at least another ten minutes before they can use them.
Ferrol stared at her, not saying anything. But then, Roman thought numbly,
there
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Timothy Zahn - Warhorse really wasn t anything else to say.
On the screen the ships were still driving laterally, their accelerations up
to eight gees.
They can do it
, Roman told himself, trying hard to believe it.
Just a few more minutes
.
And as he watched, the
Starseeker faltered in its rush outward. Faltered, slowed to a stop& and began
to fall back.
 Captain? Marlowe said hesitantly.  I m picking up those vultures now.
They ll be in position to set up an optical net in maybe fifteen minutes.
Roman nodded. Of course the vultures would come for them; it was a pattern of
nature out here, too inevitable for him to even feel anger about it.  Kennedy,
send the vector for the 66802 system to the Tampy section, he ordered
quietly.  Tell the Handler to prepare for an emergency Jump as soon as
Sleipnir s in position.
Ferrol& arm the torpedo. Target toward the vultures, close-in blast I don t
want them seeing which direction Sleipnir is pointing when we Jump.
A muscle in Ferrol s cheek twitched.  Understood, Captain, he said, and
turned to his task. A moment later,  Torpedo armed and ready, sir.
 Fire.
Roman watched the flare streak off toward the approaching vultures. Then, with
an effort, he turned his attention back to the scope screen.
The
Starseeker was still falling back toward the shark. Falling through the
vulture shield& and all at once, the ship seemed to expand and vanish. Its
attention no longer divided, the shark began accelerating again; and at an
unheard-of ten gees set off in pursuit of the
Jnana
.  Handler reports Sleipnir in position, Captain,
Kennedy said, her voice sounding distant in his ears.
 Set torpedo for five-second detonation. Roman took a deep breath. To run
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away now& but there was absolutely nothing they could do.  Jump.
The NCL 66802 system was just under two light-years away; two and a half days
by Mitsuushi. Its collective fingers crossed, Amity settled down to wait.
Ten days later, neither the
Jnana nor the
Atlantis had joined them.
Chapter 24
 As executive officer, Ferrol said, working hard to keep his voice calm and
formal,  one of my jobs is to inform the captain whenever I believe his course
of action to be ill-advised or detrimental to the ship, the crew, or the best
interests of the Cordonale. Therefore 
 You d like to know why we re still sitting out here? Roman interrupted
mildly.
 Waiting for a task force that s ten days overdue on a two-day trip?
Ferrol clenched his teeth.  Yes, sir, I do, he said firmly. The captain had
evaded
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Timothy Zahn - Warhorse this meeting for two whole days now, and Ferrol was
damned if Roman was going to undercut his arguments with that
agreeable/civilized act of his.  Particularly when our delay prevents the
Starforce from receiving information vital to the security of the Cordonale.
Standing orders on that 
 I take it, then, that you don t think there could still be survivors?
Ferrol locked eyes with him.  Do you? he asked bluntly.
Roman s expression didn t change.  There s always a chance, he pointed out
calmly.  A damaged ship able to make a short Mitsuushi hop could be a few
light-
hours out from 9862 making repairs. How could we go off and abandon them?
 We could send a ship back to wait for them, Ferrol told him.  Or drop our
report and records at Solomon and then come back ourselves.
Roman s eyebrows went up.  And how would we do that? As soon as we reach the
Cordonale, Rrin-saa and the Tampies will be taking Sleipnir back home.
Ferrol snorted.  And that s what this is really all about, isn t it? You re
mad at the
Starforce for their little verbal sleight of hand; and in return you re going
to make them sweat a little.
Roman regarded him thoughtfully.  Tell me something, Commander. Back in the
9862 system, just before the second shark appeared, you said the Tampies [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]