Read Online Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lois McMaster Bujold
Tags: Fiction, Science-Fiction
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indignation, but the volume was just as loud.
They'll hear him all the way up in the pilot's compartment! Tony hissed in anguish. Do something!
I'm trying , Claire hissed back. Her hands shook. She tried to push Andy's head toward her breast, standard comfort, but he turned his head away and screamed louder. Fortunately, the sound of the atmosphere rushing over the shuttle's skin had risen to a deafening thunder. By the time the noise peaked and faded, Andy's cries had become whimpering hiccups. He rubbed his face, slimy with tears and mucous, mournfully against Claire's T-shirt. His weight on Claire's stomach and diaphragm half stopped her breath, but she dared not lay him down.
Another set of clunks reverberated through the shuttle. The engines' vibrations changed their pitch, and Claire was plucked this way and that by changing acceleration vectors, none as strong as the one emanating from the floor. She spared two hands from comforting Andy to brace herself against the plastic crates. Tony lay beside them, biting his lips in helpless anxiety. We must be coming down to land on the surface.
Claire nodded. At one of the shuttleports. There'll be people there—downsiders—maybe we can tell them we got trapped aboard this shuttle by accident. Maybe, she added hopefully, they'll send us right back up home.
Tony's right upper hand clenched. No! We can't give up now! We'd never get another chance!
But what else can we do?
We'll sneak offthis ship and hide, until we can 1 get on another one, one that's going to the Transfer Station. His voice turned earnest with urgent pleading as a puff of dismay escaped Claire's parted lips,j We did it once, we can do it again.
She shook her head doubtfully. Further argument I was interrupted by a startling series of thumps that I shook the whole ship and then blended into a lowcontinuous rumble. The light falling through the window shifted its beam around the cargo bay as theshuttle landed, taxied, and turned. Then it winked out, the cargo bay dimmed, and the engines whined to an equally startling silence.
Claire cautiously unbraced herself. Of all the acceleration vectors, only one remained. Isolated, it became overwhelming.
Gravity.Silent, implacable, it pressed against herback—she struggled with a nasty illusion that it might suddenly cease, and the thrust it imparted slam herinto the ceiling above, smashing Andy between.In an accompanying optical illusion, the whole cargobay seemed to be chugging in a slow circle aroundher. She closed her eyes in self-defense.
Page 31
Tony's hand tightened warningly on her left lowerwrist. She looked up and froze as the outsidec argo bay door at the forward end of the compartment slid open.
A pair of downsiders wearing company maintenance coveralls entered. The access door in the center of the shuttle's fuselage dilated, and Ti the shuttle co-pilot stuck his head through.
Hi, guys. What's the big rush-rush?
We're supposed to have this bird turned around and reloaded in an hour, that's what,replied the maintenance man. Youhave just time to pee and eat lunch.
What's the cargo? I haven't seen this much hopping around since the last medical emergency.
Equipment and supplies for some sort of show they're supposed to be putting on up at your Habitat for the Vice President of Operations.
That's not till next week.
The maintenance man snickered. That's what everybody thought. The VP just flew in a week early on her private courier, with a whole commando squad of accountants. Seems she likes surprise inspections.
Management, naturally, is overjoyed.
Don't laugh too soon, Ti warned. Management has ways of sharing their joy with the rest of us.
Don't I know it, the maintenance man groaned. C'mon,c'mon, you're blocking the door... The three of them clattered forward.
Now,whispered Tony, with a nod at the open cargo bay door.
Claire rolled to her side and laid Andy gently on the deck. His face crumpled, working up to a cry.
Claire quickly
They'll hear him all the way up in the pilot's compartment! Tony hissed in anguish. Do something!
I'm trying , Claire hissed back. Her hands shook. She tried to push Andy's head toward her breast, standard comfort, but he turned his head away and screamed louder. Fortunately, the sound of the atmosphere rushing over the shuttle's skin had risen to a deafening thunder. By the time the noise peaked and faded, Andy's cries had become whimpering hiccups. He rubbed his face, slimy with tears and mucous, mournfully against Claire's T-shirt. His weight on Claire's stomach and diaphragm half stopped her breath, but she dared not lay him down.
Another set of clunks reverberated through the shuttle. The engines' vibrations changed their pitch, and Claire was plucked this way and that by changing acceleration vectors, none as strong as the one emanating from the floor. She spared two hands from comforting Andy to brace herself against the plastic crates. Tony lay beside them, biting his lips in helpless anxiety. We must be coming down to land on the surface.
Claire nodded. At one of the shuttleports. There'll be people there—downsiders—maybe we can tell them we got trapped aboard this shuttle by accident. Maybe, she added hopefully, they'll send us right back up home.
Tony's right upper hand clenched. No! We can't give up now! We'd never get another chance!
But what else can we do?
We'll sneak offthis ship and hide, until we can 1 get on another one, one that's going to the Transfer Station. His voice turned earnest with urgent pleading as a puff of dismay escaped Claire's parted lips,j We did it once, we can do it again.
She shook her head doubtfully. Further argument I was interrupted by a startling series of thumps that I shook the whole ship and then blended into a lowcontinuous rumble. The light falling through the window shifted its beam around the cargo bay as theshuttle landed, taxied, and turned. Then it winked out, the cargo bay dimmed, and the engines whined to an equally startling silence.
Claire cautiously unbraced herself. Of all the acceleration vectors, only one remained. Isolated, it became overwhelming.
Gravity.Silent, implacable, it pressed against herback—she struggled with a nasty illusion that it might suddenly cease, and the thrust it imparted slam herinto the ceiling above, smashing Andy between.In an accompanying optical illusion, the whole cargobay seemed to be chugging in a slow circle aroundher. She closed her eyes in self-defense.
Page 31
Tony's hand tightened warningly on her left lowerwrist. She looked up and froze as the outsidec argo bay door at the forward end of the compartment slid open.
A pair of downsiders wearing company maintenance coveralls entered. The access door in the center of the shuttle's fuselage dilated, and Ti the shuttle co-pilot stuck his head through.
Hi, guys. What's the big rush-rush?
We're supposed to have this bird turned around and reloaded in an hour, that's what,replied the maintenance man. Youhave just time to pee and eat lunch.
What's the cargo? I haven't seen this much hopping around since the last medical emergency.
Equipment and supplies for some sort of show they're supposed to be putting on up at your Habitat for the Vice President of Operations.
That's not till next week.
The maintenance man snickered. That's what everybody thought. The VP just flew in a week early on her private courier, with a whole commando squad of accountants. Seems she likes surprise inspections.
Management, naturally, is overjoyed.
Don't laugh too soon, Ti warned. Management has ways of sharing their joy with the rest of us.
Don't I know it, the maintenance man groaned. C'mon,c'mon, you're blocking the door... The three of them clattered forward.
Now,whispered Tony, with a nod at the open cargo bay door.
Claire rolled to her side and laid Andy gently on the deck. His face crumpled, working up to a cry.
Claire quickly
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