officers, and neither was likely to offer an alternative to what was being proposed.
"Sir," Lieutenant Sassi said meekly. "I've run the numbers in my head based on what the computer is telling me about the Bluefin's mass. If those numbers are correct we have about thirty seconds to make a decision if we are going to hit the slingshot window."
"Then let's stop wasting time," Running Stream said to Sassi after a brief pause. "Work with the Commander; save this ship." He toggled ship-wide comm ,“ Everyone aboard, brace for imminent maneuvers . ”
Cat acknowledged the Captain's command with a nod. She knew very well the thoughts that must be going through his head (or heads, as the case may be).
"Sassi give me a vector and a countdown."
"Aye, Commodore, I mean, Commander," Sassi's low frequency antenna twitched in agitation as he fed Cat's navigation boards the required vector information.
"Relax, Lieutenant," Cat said in a calm voice. "We are not exactly in well-charted waters here."
"Coming up on main thruster ignition in three, two, one... FIRE!"
Cat pressed the ignition button. The gravity compensators masked the acceleration but the forward viewscreen showed the unknown planet's swirling atmosphere begin to enlarge as the Bluefin raced towards it.
"The thermal load on the forward shields are at 89 percent rated capacity and rising; 92 percent, 97 percent ,… Captain! The shields are at 103 percent and holding, but God only knows for how long!" Ensign Kaskad yelled.
The bridge was shaking wildly as the gravity compensators attempted to reduce the effects of the atmospheric turbulence.
"Max Q in three seconds!" Sassi yelled above the background noise. Cat gritted her teeth and held onto the shaking console with both hands. The others did the same.
"Now falling off maximum dynamic pressure and pulling away from the planet."
Cat leaned back in her chair and took a deep breath. Another few seconds and she was sure all they would have been were so many grease spots on some rock no one would ever visit.
"Status!" Running Stream shouted.
"Engineering is reporting the Jump drive is offline," Commander Skif reported from his weapon's board. "Shields are a mess and it looks like our primary reactor is going to need some work too. Right now we are on auxiliary power."
Cat checked her board and looked up at the Captain with unmistakable concern in her eyes. "Sir, the mains are bled dry. We have no more chemical thrusters. Our attitude thrusters have 30 percent left in the tanks and that is it."
"Ok, that's the bad news," the Modos Captain said. "What's the good news?"
"Sir," Ensign Kaskad said meekly. "That is the good news."
***
The Bluefin conference room just off the bridge was luxurious. Running Stream had explained that such rooms were often used for negotiations during their previous tour. Now, however, the room was a shambles. The day's battles had taken their toll. The Bluefin had survived the attacks but she was now barely space worthy and only marginally under power.
Around the center table sat Ensign Kaskad, Commander Nicked Fin, the chief engineer, Sassi, Cat, and Captain Running Stream. The medical officer, a Lieutenant Commander Lacidem had been linked in on video from the surgical bay.
The doctor and her staff were busy treating the numerous injuries that had been sustained during the series of attacks. Including the three lost on the bridge, the Bluefin crew was forced to say goodbye to eleven personnel. Cat knew the pain Running Stream was so careful to repress as he directed repair and recover operations like a seasoned symphony conductor. Cat knew the pain because she was feeling it herself. The loss of Ricky Valen weighed heavily on her soul and she dare not even acknowledge the pain or his sacrifice might be for naught.
"So," Captain Running Stream continued. "We are no longer leaking air. Power
"Sir," Lieutenant Sassi said meekly. "I've run the numbers in my head based on what the computer is telling me about the Bluefin's mass. If those numbers are correct we have about thirty seconds to make a decision if we are going to hit the slingshot window."
"Then let's stop wasting time," Running Stream said to Sassi after a brief pause. "Work with the Commander; save this ship." He toggled ship-wide comm ,“ Everyone aboard, brace for imminent maneuvers . ”
Cat acknowledged the Captain's command with a nod. She knew very well the thoughts that must be going through his head (or heads, as the case may be).
"Sassi give me a vector and a countdown."
"Aye, Commodore, I mean, Commander," Sassi's low frequency antenna twitched in agitation as he fed Cat's navigation boards the required vector information.
"Relax, Lieutenant," Cat said in a calm voice. "We are not exactly in well-charted waters here."
"Coming up on main thruster ignition in three, two, one... FIRE!"
Cat pressed the ignition button. The gravity compensators masked the acceleration but the forward viewscreen showed the unknown planet's swirling atmosphere begin to enlarge as the Bluefin raced towards it.
"The thermal load on the forward shields are at 89 percent rated capacity and rising; 92 percent, 97 percent ,… Captain! The shields are at 103 percent and holding, but God only knows for how long!" Ensign Kaskad yelled.
The bridge was shaking wildly as the gravity compensators attempted to reduce the effects of the atmospheric turbulence.
"Max Q in three seconds!" Sassi yelled above the background noise. Cat gritted her teeth and held onto the shaking console with both hands. The others did the same.
"Now falling off maximum dynamic pressure and pulling away from the planet."
Cat leaned back in her chair and took a deep breath. Another few seconds and she was sure all they would have been were so many grease spots on some rock no one would ever visit.
"Status!" Running Stream shouted.
"Engineering is reporting the Jump drive is offline," Commander Skif reported from his weapon's board. "Shields are a mess and it looks like our primary reactor is going to need some work too. Right now we are on auxiliary power."
Cat checked her board and looked up at the Captain with unmistakable concern in her eyes. "Sir, the mains are bled dry. We have no more chemical thrusters. Our attitude thrusters have 30 percent left in the tanks and that is it."
"Ok, that's the bad news," the Modos Captain said. "What's the good news?"
"Sir," Ensign Kaskad said meekly. "That is the good news."
***
The Bluefin conference room just off the bridge was luxurious. Running Stream had explained that such rooms were often used for negotiations during their previous tour. Now, however, the room was a shambles. The day's battles had taken their toll. The Bluefin had survived the attacks but she was now barely space worthy and only marginally under power.
Around the center table sat Ensign Kaskad, Commander Nicked Fin, the chief engineer, Sassi, Cat, and Captain Running Stream. The medical officer, a Lieutenant Commander Lacidem had been linked in on video from the surgical bay.
The doctor and her staff were busy treating the numerous injuries that had been sustained during the series of attacks. Including the three lost on the bridge, the Bluefin crew was forced to say goodbye to eleven personnel. Cat knew the pain Running Stream was so careful to repress as he directed repair and recover operations like a seasoned symphony conductor. Cat knew the pain because she was feeling it herself. The loss of Ricky Valen weighed heavily on her soul and she dare not even acknowledge the pain or his sacrifice might be for naught.
"So," Captain Running Stream continued. "We are no longer leaking air. Power
Similar Books
