Blood and Fire by David Gerrold Read Free Book Online

ship floated past, first one, then another, then the third. The red star was visible as background in one scan, as a crimson reflection in the others.
    HARLIE repeated the images in an endless cycle, occasionally pausing or expanding them into close-up examinations. Each of the torpedoes had run multiple high-speed cameras, each with different capabilities. There were also infrared and radio-detectors, gravitational lenses, microwave and radar scanners—plus several devices so esoteric that they were simply referred to as X-modules, and their outputs were considered gifts from God.
    â€œNo apparent visible damage,” said HARLIE. “Some weathering from the local coronal effects, but that’s to be expected. Stand by please. I’m collating the internal scans. Preliminary infrared analysis shows the vessel is radiating heat in a manner consistent with viability, no apparent anomalies. Deep-spectrum scans show the presence of oxygen and nitrogen and carbon dioxide within the hull. Microwave scans show movement—not as much as we would expect from a fully-manned vessel, but movement nonetheless. Some anomalies here. A lot of low-level noise, higher than usual for a normal background reading. The torpedoes queried the ship’s autonomous system and received no reply. Life support systems are still operative, but most of the rest of her internals appear to be inactive.”
    HARLIE paused for a beat, then concluded, “Even without collation, I would give high confidence to the possibility of survivors aboard the Norway . Conditions for the maintenance of life are present and there is evidence of movement consistent with human life. We are also detecting the presence of magnetic containment fields and repulsor lenses.”
    â€œThank you, HARLIE,” said Korie to his headset. “I want to see the raw data now, and the collation as soon as it’s finished.”

    â€œThe collation is ready now,” the intelligence engine replied. “Which would you like to see first?”
    â€œLet’s start with the collation.” Korie was already turning to the display on his workstation. He grunted to himself and his expression went grim.
    When he looked up, Parsons was waiting for him. “Your estimate of the situation, Korie?”
    â€œProceed to final approach and use that as a go/no-go.”
    â€œI concur,” said Parsons.
    â€œI’ll have to brief the mission team.” Korie looked unhappy. “We’ll have to go in.”
    â€œDon’t take anyone who isn’t Class-X certified. This is going to get nasty, isn’t it?” Her expression turned grim. “How’s your itch?”
    Korie reached around as if trying to scratch his back. “Right there,” he said. “Between the shoulders. All the way down to the bone.”

Approach

    From a distance, the Norway looked normal.
    The Star Wolf had come up and under the other ship, referenced to the plane of the ecliptic. She had deliberately overshot the common interception point by several thousand kilometers and was now decelerating in the final stages of her approach to allow the Norway to “catch up” to her.
    Captain Parsons had chosen this approach to allow maximum observation of the distressed vessel before final contact was made. “Let’s run a seven-layer series of scans, full-spectrum, in-depth, the works,” she ordered. “That’ll give the Mission Team an extra hour to prepare special-need equipment. Alert Dr. Williger; I’ll want her on the Bridge to help evaluate the data. Commander Tor, put out three more probes—let’s get some additional perspectives. Make sure those probes are highconfidence, and let’s use tactical units as well as bioremotes. Lt. Goldberg, have you been able to raise contact? No? I didn’t think so. Commander Korie, let’s continue the assumption of an extremely toxic Class-X situation. Strictly by the