Less than zero (RN: Book 1) by David Gunner Read Free Book Online Page B

the system.”
     
    “I’m staggered.”
     
    “It is the way it is due to the limitations placed on civilians and the military alike in regards to travel within the system. Limitations you press were vocally in favor of.”
     
    “But the Tokyo limitations were proposed after the Othion disaster. She hit an asteroid fragment whilst transiting to FTL and hundreds died. We wanted to save lives!”
     
    “Yet, ships continue to hit asteroids as often as two or three times a week. People still die by the dozen in these accidents and I don’t hear you repeating their names in your column.”
     
    “That’s unfair. We can’t be expected to report on every single star ship disaster.”
     
    “No, just the sensational ones.”
     
    “Oh, c’mon, Air Marshal, I must protest. I never came here to be –“
     
    “We’re drifting. I suggest you continue with your line of questioning.”
     
    “Hmph! Yes. In regards to my prepared questions, they appear largely irrelevant to your subject matter. And if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to continue where you were going as I must admit my ignorance is making it all the more fascinating.”
     
    “As long as the questions remain within the agreed scope, I’m happy to continue.”
     
    “So how long?”
     
    “I’m sorry?”
     
    “If someone requested assistance on the other side of the system disc, how long would it take you to respond?”
     
    “The local system is a sphere, not a disc.”
     
    “A sphere! I don’t follow.”
     
    “It’s a common misconception. Most people consider our local system to consist of what lies along the celestial equator. When in fact the system is a sphere based on a radius from the system centre to some agreed tangible edge, which is a little past Pluto. Of course the actual solar system extends many times further than this, but extending the patrollable limit further, even by the smallest degree, vastly increases the volume of space we would be responsible for and we just don’t have the resources for such a scope.”
     
    “Of course, you’re right. I’ve never considered the system in such a three-dimensional manner.”
     
    “Current – social - ignorance.”
     
    “Quite. So how long does it take to cross the system at sub-light speeds?”
     
    “If we cook the engines, we can get there in maybe twenty hours.”
     
    “Twenty hours! Are you serious? You said eleven at the speed of light, and I imagine your ships must move somewhere near that.”
     
    “Point eight seven is the nearest our sub-light drives can take us. However, you have to take into account that there’s no linear path through the actual system. We have to go around the sun by a considerable margin on a parabolic route. More if it’s active, and further still depending on the proximity of the planets. Especially the gas giants as they offer enormous gravimetric influence that can significantly affect a ship’s speed run.”
     
    “So, how do you combat such lengthy travel times?”
     
    “How do you think we do it?”
     
    “I guess you occasionally break the rules by engaging your FTL and –“
     
    “More ships.”
     
    “What?”
     
    “More ships. We have more than one patrol boat.”
     
    “My God! Of course! How stupid of me. Of course you have more than one ship. Ha, ha. I’m such an idiot. How many patrol vessels do you have?”         
     
    “The Earth Defence Pact currently has one hundred and twenty ships that can be considered patrol-class vessels. The measure of such a vessel being its size, speed, and most importantly, at least these days, its cost-effectiveness for the role.”
     
    “One hundred and twenty! That’s a lot of ships. Yet you still can’t respond in time when someone calls for assistance. The solar system is far larger than I imagined.”
     
    “I said we have one hundred and twenty patrol-capable vessels. I never mentioned anything about this number patrolling our system.”
     
    “So, how