“Im still just happy that they seemed so eager to help out a bunch of stranded strangers, Paul said. Had the Horizonbeen forced down in more hostile surroundings, the outcome of their just-concluded adventure might have turned out far less happily.
“Dont forget that they expected to be paid for the stuff we needed, said Rianna, her gaze locked on her younger sons. “I think their cultural leanings saved our asses at least as much as their sense of altruism. Were just damned lucky they were willing to accept some of the stuff we were carrying in the hold. What exactly did you give them, anyway?
Paul chuckled quietly. “A few of the vintage amusement items from Earth that I was hoping would pay most of the bills during that stopover we have coming up at Denobula Triaxa.
Riannas eyes narrowed. “Which vintage amusement items are you talking about? she asked in a voice that seemed to lower the ambient temperature by at least a good two degrees Celsius. Paul could only hope that he hadnt accidentally traded away any of Moms favorite nifties in his haste to acquire the materials the crew needed to get the Horizonback under way.
He concentrated for a moment, staring off at a bulkhead as he assembled a brief mental inventory. “Analog music recordings pressed on vinyl disks, he said sheepishly. “Along with a couple of old hand-cranked players. Some flatvid movies recorded on celluloid, and a projector. A mechanical arcade game I think they used to call a pinball machine. Oh, and a couple of boxes of books.
Her eyes narrowed further still. “ Whichbooks? she said, her tone evoking childhood memories of the moments immediately preceding the occasional “time outs hed had to spend alone in one of the empty cargo holds.
Wait a minute now,he told himself. Since Dad died, shesmy chief engineer. Which makes meher captain.It was damned difficult to remember that at times like this.
Paul felt nothing but gratitude for Noras spanner when it chose that moment to come free, its gripping surfaces apparently shattering in the process.
“Told you, Juan said, shaking his head.
“Oh, be quiet, Nora muttered as she knelt to pick up the little bits of hydrospanner that now lay scattered about the deck.
“Never mind us, Juan said, addressing Paul. “In spite of appearances, I think were actually ready to shove off whenever you give the word.
Couldnt have timed it better myself,Paul thought as he turned toward the man who sat fidgeting impatiently behind the helm, awaiting the order to break orbit.
“Set us on a course for Gamma Hydra, Charlie. Warp two. Take us out when youre ready. And try not to shake our fillings loose this time.
Charlie grinned. “Aye, aye, Capn, he said, then immediately began updating the navcomputer with his left hand while entering velocity data with his right.
Rianna began moving toward the open archway at the aft part of the bridge. “If were heading out now, Id better keep an eye on my babies down in the engine room.
“Find something to hang on to, Paul said to her departing back.
“Just remember, she said over her shoulder. “If I find out you gave away my big book about old-time Chicago, Im gonna make you walk the plank. And with that she disappeared into the access corridor behind the bridge.
“The Chicago book, Nora said, now apparently done clearing away the mess shed made and discreetly disposing of the wreckage. “Wasnt that the big old white hardcover that the village elder fell in love with?
Oh, crap.Paul swallowed hard. He wasnt sure, but that bookwhich told the story of a crucial time in the history of Moms hometownjust mighthave gone out with the trade goods that circumstances had forced him to sacrifice. He hoped that Travis still had hiscopy of the book with him in his billet aboard Enterprise.
And that he would be willing to rush it over to the Horizonon short notice to save his little brothers life.
“Hang on to your butts, Charlie said. A moment later he pushed the throttle forward.
Paul grabbed the back of the big chair in the center of the busy little control area as the Horizonlurched into motion. The freighters forward surge launched squadrons of butterflies deep in his guts, but they flew only for the split second it took for the inertial damping system to catch up to the warp drives sudden burst of superluminal acceleration. The blue-and-white world on the viewer immediately shrank to a small pinpoint of light before losing itself amid the myriads of other celestial fires scattered throughout the boundless interstellar deeps like so many grains of sand on a beach.
The ship roared and rattled, but held together. Charlie grinned up at him from the helm. “Warp one point six. One point seven. One point eight. One point nine.
“Warp two.
The rattling and shaking gradually evened out, and after a seeming eternity Paul realized that he had been holding his breath. He released it in a great relieved rush.
“Youre gonna get it, Nora said, shaking her head gently at Paul.
“Come again? he said.
“Your moms book, remember? Since we didnt get vaporized in a warp core breach just now, youre going to have to deal with that.
He nodded glumly before pushing that problem off to one side. “Well just have to find a way to divert that particular asteroid before it hits us.
Nora grinned mischievously. “We? Us?
He sighed. “All right. Its myproblem. Yours is transmitting my first contact report to ECS Central.
“Im all over it, Skipper, she said, turning toward the port communications console.
“Please dont call me that, he muttered under his breath, sighing as he sent the log files from his chair console to Noras station.
“Message transmitted to ECS Central, Nora reported a few moments later.
“No, it isnt, Juan said.
“What are you talking about? Nora said, scowling. “My console shows the message as sent.
Paul walked over to Noras station and confirmed that fact with a glance.
“True enough, said Juan, who was staring at the com interface from the opposite side. “But look at the frequency bands the transmitter used.
“Hell, Nora said. “I didnt tell the damned thing to use the snail channel.
“Looks like the transmitters subspace capabilities must have gone down, Juan said with a cool, appraising nod, his hitch aboard the Horizonevidently having inoculated him against finding any sort of technological glitch surprising. He turned toward Paul. “The computer must have automatically enabled the regular EM radio antenna as a backup. So ECS Central isnt going to receive thattransmission for over a century, Jefe.
“You know, I think I like Jefe even less than I like Skipper, Paul said.
“Sorry, boss, Juan said as he returned to scrutinizing the com console. Paul wasnt sure whether he was talking about the title or the balky transmitter.
Regardless, he knew there was no point in chewing anyone out over this little setback. After all, virtually instantaneous interstellar communication via the subspace bands was still a relatively recent innovation, at least for humans, and therefore wasnt yet completely trouble-free even under ideal circumstances. And that micrometeoroid swarm that had forced the Horizons most recent unscheduled layover couldnt exactly be described as an ideal circumstance; the crew might continue to encounter yet-undiscovered meteoroid damage for weeks to come.