Lacuna: Demons of the Void by David Adams Read Free Book Online Page B

umbilicals and mooring clamps.”
    “Aye, ma’am.”
    Voices called back and forth throughout Ops, punctuated by the tap-tap-tap of fingers on keyboards. Then, Lieutenant Dao called from the navigation section. “All systems clear.... we are go for lift-off.”
    Liao turned to her XO. “Commander Sheng?”
    “Aye, Captain?”
    She paused a second or two to savour the moment. “Commence lift-off.”
    Sheng just nodded ever so slightly. “Sub-light engines at full. Bearing: zero mark zero mark zero. Straight up if you please, Mister Dao.”
    “Aye sir, engines at full. Lifting him up.”
    The ship shuddered briefly as it strained against the moon’s gravity, and for a moment it seemed as though it would not move at all. Then, as though breathing out a sigh of relief, the ship slipped free of its lunar berthing and began to ascend.
    The helmsman, Mister Dao, spoke up again. “We have cleared the mooring scaffold. We are away. Altitude: six metres and climbing. Ten metres. Fifteen...”
    “Very good, Mister Dao. Climb outside the moon’s gravity well. Steady as she goes.”
    Slowly, like a long, thin Zeppelin floating away from the ground, the craft climbed out of the moon’s grasp. As the ship grew higher, its velocity increased until finally it was sailing calmly through space. The gravity grew less and less... and Liao began to feel queasy. She fought the feeling with all of her considerable willpower, mentally willing herself not to hurl.
    Finally, at approximately five thousand kilometres, the artificial gravity was slowly eased on. Soon the deck’s pull became equal to what they would have experienced on the moon, then gradually increased towards Earth normal pull.
    Finally, Dao spoke again. “Sixty thousand clicks distant from the launch zone. We are currently passing the Lagrangian point L2, heading outbound. We are free of the moon’s gravity well.”
    There was a cheer from the entire Ops crew, although the XO and Captain merely smiled triumphantly to each other. Liao noted, with a little concern, that Sheng seemed a little less enthused than she. Shrugging it off for the moment, Liao picked up the ship’s intercom and engaged it.
    “Attention all hands, this is the Captain speaking... we are away.”
    Lifting her finger from the ‘talk’ key, Melissa gestured to the helmsman. “Mister Dao, set course for Waypoint Alpha en route to Jupiter. All engines ahead full.”
    The helmsman’s grin spread from ear to ear. “Aye aye, Captain. Setting bearings for Waypoint Alpha, all engines ahead full...”
    Liao stood from her chair, nodding to her First Officer. “Nicely done, Commander Sheng.”
    “Thank you, Captain. Just make sure to note that in your log.” He shrugged a little. “So, six weeks out from Jupiter,” he offered, folding his hands behind his back. “Just a small hop around the block. Here’s hoping for smooth sailing.”
    “The Tehran ’s journey was uneventful,” Liao observed, motioning towards the doorway to the Captain’s office. The two officers crossed the floor of the Operations room and stepped into her private office, closing the door behind them. “Here’s hoping ours is the same.”
    “You keep saying that,” Sheng mused, flashing a smile in her direction. Liao couldn’t help but notice that the smile was just a little bit more than professional. Not flirtatious, though, but... something else. She paused a moment, as though unsure of how to proceed now that they were alone. She DID intend to spend more time with her XO...
    Perhaps he was just nervous, but Liao got the distinct impression that he didn’t like her. After some thought, she answered his question. “I suppose I’m hoping that if I keep saying it, it’ll come true.”
    “You don’t think it will?” He inclined his head. “I know the people who built her, Captain. The Beijing is a fine ship and she-”
    “He.”
    “...of course. He .” Sheng tilted his head. “You have some doubts about the