Tachyon Web by Christopher Pike Read Free Book Online Page B

computers.
    “Any new developments?” Eric asked.
    Sammy looked up cheerfully. The crisis hadn’t dented his equanimity. Although the cabin temperature had returned to normal, he had yet to put his shirt back on. “I’ve been searching for planets,” he said.
    “To hide behind? Wouldn’t we just overheat trying to stop?”
    “Yes, we would. I was simply curious to see if there were any. So far, I’ve located three gaseous giants and one Earth-size world. There may be more.”
    Eric felt a chill up his spine. Images of vast oceans turning to mountains of stream, of green forests being swept up in hurricanes of ash came unbidden, bringing with them an unreasonable sense of loss. “Could there have been life on any of them?” he asked.
    “Unlikely. A star that goes nova is fine one day and then ready to explode the next. For at least the last hundred years, the conditions on the Earth-size world must have been too severe to support life.”
    “I suppose you’re right.” Eric strode to the closed windows. “Are we far enough out to have another look at it?”
    “I think so. We’re out about the same distance that Uranus is from our sun.” Sammy pressed a switch. The shields protested for a moment with loud scrapes – partially jammed due to the excessive heat – before sliding free. Without the pressure of being blinded and scalded to death, Eric forgot their predicament.
    It was a jeweler’s masterpiece. A blazing sapphire set in rings of amethysts, emeralds, and topazes; the nova in the center, encircled by shells of plasma and gas glowing with different portions of the spectrum: violets, greens, yellows – the cooler bands situated the furthest from the ferocious sun. The Earth’s sun, viewed from the same distance, would have been a bright star. If Sammy were to lift the filters, they wouldn’t even be able to look out the window.
    “It’s beautiful,” Eric whispered finally.
    “It’s a shame we’re the only ones who can see it like this,” Sammy agreed.
    “I’ve been thinking, maybe we’re not. There are no civilian pilots out here. What about The Patrol?”
    “They could have brought astronomers into this region,” Sammy said thoughtfully. “But tachyon transmissions are totally drowned out here. That is, of course, the reason Lien knew the web would be inoperative in this sector.” He paused. “Do we even want to try to contact The Patrol?”
    “If it’s a choice between dying.”
    “They might be able to find us, if they were looking for us, but I doubt we could find them.”
    “We could broadcast an SOS on regular electromagnetic frequencies.”
    “They would have to be close, real close, to pick it up in the reasonable future.”
    “I think we should try it,” Eric said.
    “I’d have to discuss it with Strem first.”
    “I think he’ll go for it when he starts to get hungry.” Eric turned his back to the nova and leaned against the window. “What went wrong, Sammy?”
    “First, Strem’s uncle did not replace the seal on the Preeze Cap like he said he did. Then the energy that allowed us to pierce the web distorted out hyper plot. We were lucky we didn’t come out of the jump inside the nova.”
    “I guess we should be thankful for small favours.”
    Sammy looked unhappy. “I told Strem to let you in on the scheme. He was afraid you wouldn’t come, that you would miss all the fun.” He glanced at the drive temperature indicator. “But the way things have turned out, I guess that wouldn’t have been such a bad thing.”
    Eric smiled and lied. “Knowing what I do now, I probably still would have come.”
    They enjoyed the nova a while longer and then Eric left to work on the filter. He was in for a surprise. Once he outlined the simple design to the others – the linings of the opant jackets were to be sewn together in groups of four and suspended by interlaced cords, hammock fashion, above one of the ships bathtubs – they no longer needed him. The girls