Blood and Fire by David Gerrold Read Free Book Online Page B

back.
    Either the danger was confined to the Cargo Bay and the rest of the ship was habitable. Or—it was in the forward part of the ship, which meant that the crew was trapped in the Cargo Bay. Korie pointed. “If it was in the forward part of the ship, then it got out of control and raged aftward. If it was in the aft part of the ship, then the survivors isolated it there and they’re in the forward division—but then why were there no responses to our signals? And why didn’t they evacuate the Cargo Bay to space the minute it broke out?”
    â€œSo you think the survivors are aft?”
    â€œI can argue the other side equally well,” Korie said. “It was aft, got into the autonomics and made it impossible for the crew to control the ship. They isolated it, but they can’t evacuate it.”
    â€œWhat does your itch say?”
    â€œMy itch doesn’t like either side of this equation. If we guess wrong—” He didn’t have to complete the sentence.
    â€œYou want to flip a coin?” Parsons asked.
    â€œNo,” said Korie. “Let’s go with my first guess. The crew would have given themselves the larger part of the ship and isolated it in the Cargo Bay. The survivors are forward.”
    â€œIt’s your call.”
    Korie nodded glumly. “It’s what I’d do. It’s the logical thing to do.”
    The captain frowned. “Not everybody is as logical as you are.” Then she stepped forward and called out an order to her helm and her astrogator. “Nose-to-nose docking. Set up your approach. Let’s do it.” She turned back to Korie. “Break out the spare repulsors from the cargo and install them forward. Let’s focus them into the docking tube.”
    â€œThey’ll use a lot of power—”
    â€œWe’ll shut down the active core-control of the singularity and depend on the passive systems to maintain.”
    â€œCan’t do that for too long. Thirty-six hours max. After that, you don’t have the power to reboot.”
    â€œWe don’t have thirty-six hours in any case. That ship is falling into a star. Let’s get in, get the survivors, and get out of here. If we can save the ship, we’ll tow it. HARLIE, set up the procedures.”

Docking

    The Norway was traveling “sideways,” perpendicular to the star’s equator, her bow pointed toward galactic south—so the Star Wolf would have to come up from “below” for a nose-to-nose docking. As soon as HARLIE confirmed that they were in the channel for final approach, Parsons issued a single order. “All right,” she snapped. “Let’s do it. You have a go for docking.”
    Korie was listening through his headset. “The mission team is ready,” he reported.
    â€œGood. Mr. Korie, go suit up. I’ll meet you at the forward airlock for inspection. As soon as the docking tube is pressurized, you’re going across.”
    â€œOn my way, Captain.” He was already pulling his headset off.
    â€œOh, Korie,” Parsons called after him. “I want the log of the Norway .” Her tone was unequivocal. “Make that a special priority.”
    Translation: Make it your first priority . Rescue of the survivors was secondary to understanding what had happened here. Rescue was important. Understanding was more important. “Aye, Captain,” Korie said. He didn’t always agree with the cold equations of space, but he never argued with them.
    Korie ducked down into the Fire Control Bay, an equipment-filled chamber directly underneath the Command Deck. Five more steps aftward, down another short ladder and he was in the keel, the corridor that ran through the spine of the ship. He turned and headed forward, already thinking ahead to the mission. His frown deepened as a thought occurred to him. Did Captain Parsons know something more about the Norway than she was acknowledging?