Read Online John Maddox Roberts - Space Angel by John Maddox Roberts - Free Book Online Page B

a minute that we're going to accomplish this without risk," Finn complained. "If we're going to be exploring about unknown places, I'd feel better doing it in a battlewagon instead of in the dear old Angel." The others conceded his point.
    "I think we could use a Viver." Torwald's suggestion was greeted with astonishment.
    The skipper regarded him with suspicion for a moment. The Vivers were the most notorious smugglers in known space. "You've had dealings with Vivers?"
    "I worked a few smugglers when berths were hard to come by. I know the code to open negotiations with one of their clan ships. If Sphere will let us stop at New Andorra or one of the other smuggling bases, I can find their location. We could pick up some heavy armament, too."
    What are Vivers?
    "A subspecies of our race developed before genetic engineering of humans was outlawed in the last century," explained the skipper. "They're adapted to survive under extreme conditions and our own chances of survival would be greatly increased if we had one or more of them among the crew. If you will let us pick up the Viver and some special equipment, we'll willingly help you all we can."
    Very well. The time element is insignificant, but our motion must continue to be toward the Core.
    "We're agreed, then." The skipper turned to Ham. "Mate, set course for New Andorra, and as soon as we're far enough out, cut in the Whoopee Drive."
    That will not be necessary. Indicate the location of this planet on your instruments and I will transfer you there.
    "Gertie?" Perplexed, Ham turned to the skipper.
    "Do what he says, Ham." Ham left for the bridge, put in course data for New Andorra, and, when nothing further happened, returned to the mess. As he entered, the customary gentle hum of the real-space engines stopped. Achmed jumped up and ran for the engine room with Lafayette in close pursuit.
    "Have we stopped?" the skipper asked, looking at Sphere.
    No, we are now traveling much more rapidly than the speed your drive is capable of producing. When 1 have absorbed your computer information, I shall give you equivalent speeds comprehensible to you.
    Achmed returned sheepishly and sat down, bewilderment gleaming in his dark eyes. "Go have a look," lie said. "Craziest thing I've ever seen." They all filed down to the engine room. Through the hatch they could see that the room was glowing, as if the air inside had taken on color and light. Streaks of red und yellow chased one another in convoluted patterns around the room, and points of bright green flitted about like tiny insects. There was no sound at all.
    "Very pretty," Ham said, trying without much success to sound unperturbed.
    When they returned to the mess, Michelle remembered that they hadn't had breakfast yet. Michelle, Kelly, and Torwald got busy, while the others sat silently, bemused expressions on their faces. They were finishing their coffee when the Sphere spoke up again.
    We have reached your destination.
    By this time, the crew had stopped doubting. The skipper went forward to the bridge to check. Sure enough, Sphere had set them neatly in a parking orbit around New Andorra.
    Truro, sole urban center of New Andorra, was a sprawling collection of buildings large and small, many of them warehouses, surrounding a spaceport. Most of the population was transient, mainly smugglers, their customers, and middlemen who did business with both. There were no government and no law, but violence was not all-pervasive. The population saw itself as consisting of peaceful business people. The sole organized body was the Port Authority, which saw to the running and upkeep of the spaceport.
    Truro was the largest transshipment point for smugglers in known space. If a buyer wanted drugs, luxury goods, arms—anything that might be illegal, highly taxed, or government-controlled where he came from—Truro was the place to find it. The inhabitants of New Andorra would sell the merchandise there or deliver it for a fee. New Andorra was