The Dying Light by Sean Williams, Shane Dix Read Free Book Online
Authors: Sean Williams, Shane Dix
on that?”
“None that would not offend.”
The rare joke from the Box elicited a chuckle from Haid, but one that was short-lived. The Box’s sense of humor—usually at the expense of carbon-based life forms or epsense science—only reinforced its uniqueness. Roche also detected a faint hint of annoyance, as though it was peeved that the reave had taken the wind out of its sails, ruining the effect of its big announcement.
Maii emerged from her trance as the ship jumped in accordance with the Box’s wishes. she said, her mental voice clearly audible through the groaning of metal. The slow-jump was easily the most uncomfortable so far.
“That’s something.” Haid folded his arms. “But I’d still feel happier knowing what we were heading for.”
“A black hole doesn’t have to bear us any ill will to be dangerous,” agreed Kajic.
“It is not a black hole,” asserted the Box.
“Famous last words,” muttered the ex-mercenary.
“I agree with Kajic,” said Cane. “Just because it’s a natural phenomenon doesn’t mean it can’t still be deadly.”
“At least we could go in with weapons armed,” added Haid.
“Do it, then.” Roche concurred with the ex-mercenary’s unspoken message: sitting around waiting was only making them more tense. “Cane, work with him.”
“Done.” The two men crossed the bridge to take positions at the weapons station.
“Anything else to report, Box?”
“Some inconclusive findings,” it said.
“Such as?” she persisted, silently cursing the AI’s reticence.
“The steep flexure gradient in this region is suggestive of significant, and recent, spatial trauma.”
Roche’s eyebrows knitted. “That means nothing to me.”
“Space-time has been warped on a massive scale,” the Box translated. “The traumatized region occupies a disc-shaped area roughly seventeen billion kilometers across and two billion kilometers thick. The radiant point-source lies at the heart of this region, although I have been unable as yet to determine whether it is the cause of the flexure or simply another effect. It is conceivable, perhaps even likely, that the point-source and the anomaly are different facets of the same phenomenon. However, more research is required before I can be certain of that.”
“How much more?”
“That depends on the result of this slow-jump,” the Box replied. “We will be jumping to the very edge of what should be Palasian System, not far from the anchor point that was our original destination. It is my conjecture that the degree of flexure will increase sharply at this point.”
“Proving...?”
“Again, I hesitate to speculate until we have concrete data.”
Roche grunted. “How long, then?”
“I estimate fifteen minutes before we arrive at our destination.”
“So soon?”
“As a result of the flexure gradient, our relative velocity is greatly increased. In a sense, the anomaly has been drawing us toward the point-source.”
“It sounds even more like a black hole, now,” said Haid over his shoulder.
“The effect is only relative to real space,” continued the Box. “In hyperspace, we are actually fighting an uphill battle: although our movement in hyperspace corresponds to greater than normal movement in the real universe, it is becoming increasingly difficult to move in hyperspace at all. I have consulted Kajic and arrived at a maximum output rating for the slow-jump drive—a rating which we will not exceed.”
Roche nodded in satisfaction. Even though she didn’t understand how progress could be easier in real-space but more difficult in hyperspace, at least Kajic and the Box were cooperating.
said Maii into the break in conversation.
Roche glanced across the bridge. The Surin was frowning once more. “Where?”
“None that would not offend.”
The rare joke from the Box elicited a chuckle from Haid, but one that was short-lived. The Box’s sense of humor—usually at the expense of carbon-based life forms or epsense science—only reinforced its uniqueness. Roche also detected a faint hint of annoyance, as though it was peeved that the reave had taken the wind out of its sails, ruining the effect of its big announcement.
Maii emerged from her trance as the ship jumped in accordance with the Box’s wishes. she said, her mental voice clearly audible through the groaning of metal. The slow-jump was easily the most uncomfortable so far.
“That’s something.” Haid folded his arms. “But I’d still feel happier knowing what we were heading for.”
“A black hole doesn’t have to bear us any ill will to be dangerous,” agreed Kajic.
“It is not a black hole,” asserted the Box.
“Famous last words,” muttered the ex-mercenary.
“I agree with Kajic,” said Cane. “Just because it’s a natural phenomenon doesn’t mean it can’t still be deadly.”
“At least we could go in with weapons armed,” added Haid.
“Do it, then.” Roche concurred with the ex-mercenary’s unspoken message: sitting around waiting was only making them more tense. “Cane, work with him.”
“Done.” The two men crossed the bridge to take positions at the weapons station.
“Anything else to report, Box?”
“Some inconclusive findings,” it said.
“Such as?” she persisted, silently cursing the AI’s reticence.
“The steep flexure gradient in this region is suggestive of significant, and recent, spatial trauma.”
Roche’s eyebrows knitted. “That means nothing to me.”
“Space-time has been warped on a massive scale,” the Box translated. “The traumatized region occupies a disc-shaped area roughly seventeen billion kilometers across and two billion kilometers thick. The radiant point-source lies at the heart of this region, although I have been unable as yet to determine whether it is the cause of the flexure or simply another effect. It is conceivable, perhaps even likely, that the point-source and the anomaly are different facets of the same phenomenon. However, more research is required before I can be certain of that.”
“How much more?”
“That depends on the result of this slow-jump,” the Box replied. “We will be jumping to the very edge of what should be Palasian System, not far from the anchor point that was our original destination. It is my conjecture that the degree of flexure will increase sharply at this point.”
“Proving...?”
“Again, I hesitate to speculate until we have concrete data.”
Roche grunted. “How long, then?”
“I estimate fifteen minutes before we arrive at our destination.”
“So soon?”
“As a result of the flexure gradient, our relative velocity is greatly increased. In a sense, the anomaly has been drawing us toward the point-source.”
“It sounds even more like a black hole, now,” said Haid over his shoulder.
“The effect is only relative to real space,” continued the Box. “In hyperspace, we are actually fighting an uphill battle: although our movement in hyperspace corresponds to greater than normal movement in the real universe, it is becoming increasingly difficult to move in hyperspace at all. I have consulted Kajic and arrived at a maximum output rating for the slow-jump drive—a rating which we will not exceed.”
Roche nodded in satisfaction. Even though she didn’t understand how progress could be easier in real-space but more difficult in hyperspace, at least Kajic and the Box were cooperating.
Roche glanced across the bridge. The Surin was frowning once more. “Where?”
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