Viking Love Beyond Time (Time Travel Romance) by Kathryn Anderson Read Free Book Online

to her quarters and, after having a quick shower, and trimming her nails, decided to change into her dress uniform.  Her hair was a problem, it would not dry properly and she was tempted to cut it but she had to admit that it looked so beautiful that she was loath to do so, compromising, she fastened it out of the way in a not very secure bun.  Then, after climbing into her tight emerald green dress uniform with the leather E & MTC motif belt around her waist, she took a last look at herself in the mirror.  To her surprise she looked wonderful,  her skin glowed and her eyes sparkled.  She was secretly thrilled with what she saw, she could not remember the last time she had felt or looked so good.  She licked her lips nervously.
                  “Why, Vice President Loxley” she said to her reflection “whatever made you think that a captain of my calibre could lose a star ship and valuable cargo?  Of course I can negotiate black holes - child’s play!” Laughing out loud she set off to the bridge.
                  Owen was already there, also in dress uniform, hair neatly pulled back in a pony tail.  As she entered the bridge he glanced up, his eyes widened at the sight of her and he swallowed, visibly.
                  “I’m going to the obs room, to take us out of sub-light” she said “I’ll contact Earth the minute we pass Mars so they can get the red carpet brushed”
                  Owen nodded in reply and pulled a clipboard down onto his lap in an attempt to hide his body’s all to obvious reaction on seeing her.  As he watched her retreating figure he wondered if she would complain to the authorities if he forced her?  Undoubtedly - would it be worth it though?  He’d never seen anything like her in his life.  She had been beautiful enough to make you cry before but now, with all that long golden hair floating about.......!  He glanced down, Jesus the thing would be ripping the material of his uniform soon!  He got unsteadily to his feet and walking over to the lift ordered it to take him to the galley - what he needed right now was a stiff scotch but he would have to settle for a cup of strong black coffee.
                  Up in the obs room, Austen was having problems.  She hit the communicator button once again “Los Angeles Control, come in please” the hiss of static greeted her “that’s peculiar” she thought aloud, surely from this distance LA could pick her up and anyway EMDAR (Sol system’s defence net) would have spotted them the minute they hit the solar system “Maybe Los Angeles control’s gone down or something” she said to herself and pressed a few more buttons “Come in Sydney Control, E & MTC deep space hauler Star City Colossus calling Sydney....”  again nothing but the hiss of static.  Puzzled and starting to get a little anxious, she ran a full diagnostic on the communications system. Everything seemed in order.  She looked up “Mindbank” she said slowly, “I know we’ve just passed Mars and I know I can see Earth coming into view but is this an alternative universe or something and it just looks like home?”
                  “No Captain” responded the computer “this is the same universe, we are in Sol system and yes, that is Earth”
                  Austen scratched her head “So why don’t they answer?”
                  After a few seconds the computer came back to her “No communication is possible, Captain, as sub-space carrier waves were not utilised by humans on Earth in 876 AD”
                  Austen felt her stomach begin to churn “You are joking” she whispered.
                  “I am not at present in humour mode, Captain” replied the computer “Due to the time warp conditions in the black hole, Star City Colossus has been ‘catapulted’, as it were, back in time to Earth year 876