Ringship Discretion by Sean League Read Free Book Online Page B

they accelerated and then there was a second set of flashes from further back on the ship. 
    The captain came on. "Got the bastard! Get to the ship! I'm going to take care of those assholes once and for all! Give them a little taste of their own medicine!" 
    Amelia let up off the thrusters, and then she realized how fast she was going, and hit reverse to slow them.  As Amelia and Ben approached the ship, Ben's head started to clear and he said "Thanks! I owe you one.  Damn that was close!" Amelia turned her head to respond just as all the dark areas of the Discretion and the superstructure lit up.  They both turned to look back at the BB ship.  The power was back up.  "Captain? Is that you?" 
    He replied "Yes."  Then an intense white light appeared in the direction of Orion, and that's when Amelia saw traces of a beam coming from the rear of the black hulk they had just left. There were several flashes as the detached bridge of the black ship disintegrated under the intense heat of Atticus's laser fire. Then the blackness of the sky returned to normal as the Sun-like glow faded. 
    Amelia asked "Attie?" There was no response.  Amelia and Ben floated into the airlock and shut the outer door.  They could hear the whoosh of air filling the airlock. 
    Helen banged on the inner door and her face appeared in view-port. "You guys OK?!".  Ben gave a thumbs up. 
    Helen said "I set the inner pressure to only 40 kPa, so you guys can come in as soon as the lock equalizes."
    Amelia said "Thanks Helen!" Then the lock lights turned green and they opened the inner door. 
    Ben detached his helmet and let it float free. "Damn it's good to be out of that thing!  Jesus, I'm hungry! And he grabbed one of the chocolate bars from his pocket. 
    Amelia took off her helmet and tried to contact Attie again. "Attie, you there? You OK?" 
    Attie's response was "Yes, we are on our way to you.  Get those modules installed.  We don't want to leave AJ too long". 
    Helen's face was horror stricken and she looked at Ben and Amelia for answers. 
    Amelia said to her "He is OK. He's in a pressurized shuttle.  He cut his suit and arm, but your husband says he'll be fine in a few days" 
    Ben started to take off his suit and Amelia stopped him. "No, we still have to install these modules" as she pointed to her pocket.  "And remember there's no atmosphere in the engine room."  His face sank and he took a deep breath and blew it out. "OK, let's get this shit done". He shoved the rest of the chocolate into his mouth and put his helmet back on.  He tested the integrity of the seal by upping the pressure of the suit by 5 kPa, but it quickly dropped again. "Damn, I really must have a hole somewhere"  He looked at the spare tank he had been using. It read 10%. "Whoa! I was almost out of air again!" 
    Amelia started looking around his suit.  "Oh my god! You've been hit!" 
    Ben's face turned to surprise. "What?! Where?"
    Amelia chuckled. "It looks like your ass!" 
    Ben was trying to twist his body to see, but it was no use. 
    Amelia radioed "Captain, Ben's been shot.  We have to get him out of his suit". 
    He replied "We are at the outer hatch now.  See you in a second". 
    Ben took his helmet back off and they began removing his suit.  As they slid the suit past his waist he jerked. "Damn! Felt that! I think the adrenaline is wearing off."
    As the captain opened the inner hatch, he found Amelia floating behind Ben holding his pants down, while Ben was squirming to see. The captain asked "What the hell is going here?  What kind of kinky shit you pullin' Ben?!"
    Ben and Amelia suddenly realized how stupid they must have looked and lost it!  The captain couldn't help but laugh as well.
    Doc squeezed through. "Let me take a look".
    Ben replied "Sure, why not! Everyone gather round and stare at my ass!". As a committee formed behind him, Ben reached for another Chocolate bar. 
    Doc pulled the regenerator out of his pouch. "It's just a graze.