Penance (RN: Book 2) by David Gunner Read Free Book Online

flowing glyphs appeared next to the question mark. She stared with curious interest at the scrolling script only for it to blink off and be replaced by – C12 Uncategorised event!
    Cummings stomach tingled as she stared at the screen. Despite her self assurances that she could do this job as well as any other person, and the occasional wine fuelled boasting of how only the talented were allowed in the operations position, her real capability lay with the mundane everyday procedures - the repetitive scanning for and analysing of known and familiar events. A long list of which she could quote from memory. Despite the pretences, she had no real talent for supposing the unknown and ably gave the impression of greater aptitude by delivering technically reworded versions of what the computer displayed on the screen. And relied on her 170 words per minute to quickly locate what she required from the extensive EDP and Koll data catalogues, to provide the snap to it answers that command had come to expect of her.
    Answers anyone could supply if given access to the same libraries. Libraries that on this ship she alone issued access rights for. Rights she avoided issuing with any umbrage quashed by the use of implied favour with the senior command staff. She could not risk some other being able to manipulate the data quicker than her, which could undermine her comfortable position as they gained support with the upper echelons. This is why her abdomen twinged as it did. Prices had to be paid.
    The flashing prompt on the display was new to her and she had no plausible idea on how to continue. Cummings felt a pang of nervous uncertainty and glanced at Canthouse who stood with his back to her, his finger moving about the navigator’s display as they discussed refinements to the search path. Then to Denz who sat motionless in the command chair, with his eyes fixed on the main screen and his chin on his right hand like The Thinker.
    Her abdomen gave another uncomfortable twinge and she shifted in her seat to relieve the discomfort. Would it be a sign of inability if Solve it Cummings couldn’t resolve the mystery without the aid of a senior officer? Would Denz reconsider their private position if issues of doubt were raised and he were forced to re-evaluate the bridge crew structure?
    Such considerations vanished when the energy signature next to the targeting reticule went from an intermittent flickering of the bottom bar to off the scale in the blink of an eye. Cummings almost jumped from her seat at the abruptness of the two tone alert that accompanied the sudden energy increase.
    With the bridge crew’s attention on the ops station and the penetrating gaze of Denz on her alone, she became a hive of activity to prove to herself that she could deal with the problem.
    “What is it, Cummings?” asked Canthouse.
    “The computer has located an uncategorised energy event on the limit of the active sensor field.”
    “Is it natural or artificial?”
    “Unknown at this time as interrogation data has yet to arrive. But whatever it is, its energy output is off the scale.” Canthouse sidled over to the operations station and stared at the screen as Cummings made her explanation.
    Another two tone twitter came from the ops console.
    “Interrogation data coming in now commander, it’s ...” Cummings stalled in her consideration of the data as Canthouse leaned close to her to view the screen.
    “It’s what operations officer,” Denz said in a questioning tone.
    “The computer’s showing it as both natural and artificial,” Canthouse said. “And now it’s just saying uncategorised. This is very odd!” He shook his head in wonder as he stared.
    “Could it be what caused the unusual gate signature?” asked Denz. He gazed at Cummings who remained evasive, refusing to meet his stare with her apparent concentration on the display.
    Canthouse sensed her discomfort at his proximity and backed away to ease the pressure. It worked.