Read Online Devon Blake and the Starship Crash by Douglas Warren - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Douglas Warren
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databases?"
Kepler shook his head. "No, sir. I have checked and cross-referenced all Space Safety
Board reports and have not found anything that resembles this atmospheric condition...Sir."
The final word was added with a little too much emphasis. Kepler frowned nervously as
soon as he realized his mistake. He wanted so much to make a good impression on his new
commander.
"Good, Mr. Kepler. Have you checked the science databases as well?"
"I have the computer running a high granularity search right now. An answer to the
search query should be available within thirty minutes."
Anger flashed in the captains eyes for a moment. "Mr. Kepler I need those results
sooner. Those children may not be able to afford thirty minutes."
"Aye, Aye, Captain. I'll see if I can adjust the parameters of the search. It would help if I
could task more of the computer core to the search."
The captain nodded. "I'll send orders to Chief Baker to retask the core." He keyed his
WristVid. The sharp face of Chief Baker appeared.
"Aye, Cap, what'cha need?"
The captain would not have tolerated such familiarity from any other crew member, but
the Chief's years of service to the commercial fleet had earned him leeway.
"I need you to retask as much of the computer core for Ensign Kepler as you can."
"Aye, I can do that. I'll just..." The captain politely interrupted Chief Baker.
"I don't need the details. Just take care of it."
"Aye Cap." Chief Baker's face disappeared from the captain's WristVid.
Ensign Kepler activated the new bandwidth with a few keystrokes. After only a moment
he nodded.
"Captain, using the new core resources the estimated completion time for the search is six
minutes."
"Very good, Ensign."
Even this delay concerned the captain. Every minute that passed could mean danger for
the children aboard the drop ship. Until the crew could figure out what had happened to the
atmosphere, their hands were tied. The drop ship had been equipped with plenty of supplies, so
if they landed normally than they would be fine until this could all be sorted out. On the other
hand, if the change in the ionosphere had damaged the drop ship, any rescue ship would probably
be damaged as well. The key was figuring out what had caused this and how to fix it.
The captain said a silent prayer that the children would be safe until his crew could
discover the answer. He had never been good at waiting, so he decided to do what he could until
they could send a rescue party.
“Commander Saberhagen!” The captain bellowed for his second in command. A
whippet thin man wearing an earnest expression hurried forward.
“Yes, sir”
“Mr. Saberhagen, I want you to personally oversee the preparation of a rescue mission for
the missing drop ship. I would suggest you use the time until we know more to prepare a ship
for any eventuality.”
Saberhagen executed a crisp salute. “Aye, aye, Captain. Right away.” Without another
word he turned on his heels and walked briskly out of the room.
The captain trusted his second in command with the task. He knew that Commander
Saberhagen had four children of his own, and knew that right now he was imagining how he
would feel if it were his children in danger.
He wished he trusted the crew of the drop ship as much. As a part of the commercial
fleet, the Boadicea was under command of the merchant arm of the Galactic Navy. This
included the command crew and all of the key engineering and security positions on the ship.
The rest of the crew was not part of the navy. The drop ship was not part of the commercial
fleet, but the rescue ship would be. Often a delicate balance had to be maintained between the
naval and civilian parts of the crew. However, in emergency situations, naval authority was
unquestioned.
The captain had no children of
Kepler shook his head. "No, sir. I have checked and cross-referenced all Space Safety
Board reports and have not found anything that resembles this atmospheric condition...Sir."
The final word was added with a little too much emphasis. Kepler frowned nervously as
soon as he realized his mistake. He wanted so much to make a good impression on his new
commander.
"Good, Mr. Kepler. Have you checked the science databases as well?"
"I have the computer running a high granularity search right now. An answer to the
search query should be available within thirty minutes."
Anger flashed in the captains eyes for a moment. "Mr. Kepler I need those results
sooner. Those children may not be able to afford thirty minutes."
"Aye, Aye, Captain. I'll see if I can adjust the parameters of the search. It would help if I
could task more of the computer core to the search."
The captain nodded. "I'll send orders to Chief Baker to retask the core." He keyed his
WristVid. The sharp face of Chief Baker appeared.
"Aye, Cap, what'cha need?"
The captain would not have tolerated such familiarity from any other crew member, but
the Chief's years of service to the commercial fleet had earned him leeway.
"I need you to retask as much of the computer core for Ensign Kepler as you can."
"Aye, I can do that. I'll just..." The captain politely interrupted Chief Baker.
"I don't need the details. Just take care of it."
"Aye Cap." Chief Baker's face disappeared from the captain's WristVid.
Ensign Kepler activated the new bandwidth with a few keystrokes. After only a moment
he nodded.
"Captain, using the new core resources the estimated completion time for the search is six
minutes."
"Very good, Ensign."
Even this delay concerned the captain. Every minute that passed could mean danger for
the children aboard the drop ship. Until the crew could figure out what had happened to the
atmosphere, their hands were tied. The drop ship had been equipped with plenty of supplies, so
if they landed normally than they would be fine until this could all be sorted out. On the other
hand, if the change in the ionosphere had damaged the drop ship, any rescue ship would probably
be damaged as well. The key was figuring out what had caused this and how to fix it.
The captain said a silent prayer that the children would be safe until his crew could
discover the answer. He had never been good at waiting, so he decided to do what he could until
they could send a rescue party.
“Commander Saberhagen!” The captain bellowed for his second in command. A
whippet thin man wearing an earnest expression hurried forward.
“Yes, sir”
“Mr. Saberhagen, I want you to personally oversee the preparation of a rescue mission for
the missing drop ship. I would suggest you use the time until we know more to prepare a ship
for any eventuality.”
Saberhagen executed a crisp salute. “Aye, aye, Captain. Right away.” Without another
word he turned on his heels and walked briskly out of the room.
The captain trusted his second in command with the task. He knew that Commander
Saberhagen had four children of his own, and knew that right now he was imagining how he
would feel if it were his children in danger.
He wished he trusted the crew of the drop ship as much. As a part of the commercial
fleet, the Boadicea was under command of the merchant arm of the Galactic Navy. This
included the command crew and all of the key engineering and security positions on the ship.
The rest of the crew was not part of the navy. The drop ship was not part of the commercial
fleet, but the rescue ship would be. Often a delicate balance had to be maintained between the
naval and civilian parts of the crew. However, in emergency situations, naval authority was
unquestioned.
The captain had no children of
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