Read Online Koban by Stephen W Bennett - Free Book Online Page B

would have been in
contact with Jake and the Captain via her personal com unit. She was already
busy at her console.
    Dillon still couldn't see anything on the large view screens
other than the normal galactic sky. On a small display at the Captain's console,
and now Noreen's, there was a tracery indicating what was taking place. There
was a cluster of red symbols moving in from the top of the display, with two
well ahead, moving visibly towards a single green dot near the bottom. There
were a number of constantly changing characters near each of the symbols, which
were too small for Dillon to make out from his couch.
    “Nan says she has the shunt installed, Captain.” Noreen
informed him. “We have power for fifty eight g's of kick in our secondary when
you need it, but Jake can't yet account for fourteen passengers. They never
made it to a cabin or a couch and are probably on the deck. Three others appear
to be unconscious on their couches. Internal gravity will hit at least twelve
g's, this time,” she warned.”
    Mirikami looked grim. “There were at least thirty or so on
the deck when I overrode Jake on the first push. I hated to do it, but I had to
at try to buy some time. Now I'm trying to buy their lives, and it may kill
some of them even if the missiles don't get us. Sound the acceleration
warning.”

 
7. Captured
     
    “Here we
go,” said Mirikami. “Watch the screen. If we do get them we might be able to see
the explosions.” He clenched his fists as four bright designator lines suddenly
lanced out from the ship's green symbol, two red, two blue, one of each color converging
on the two nearest red symbols. The lines were only a computer representation, since
in space the lasers and particle beams were invisible to the human eye.
    Dillon finally had something on which to focus his attention.
The lasers closed the gap at the speed of light of course, the particle beams arriving
only a tiny split second later. The two points of convergence began to shift visibly
on the screen. The targets were trying to evade.
    Jake's voice was as calm as ever. “All beams are off focus and
off track. Both targets executing rapid lateral movements combined with complex
nonlinear acceleration changes. Backscatter from the laser strikes indicate an increase
in target surface reflectivity, suggesting a mirrored skin has been activated. No
ablation vapors are observed, and continued active missile steering indicates there
was no structural damage from the initial hits. I am attempting to re-establish
a firing track on both targets.”
    Mirikami
spoke rapidly into the intercom, “Ms. Willfem we need to Jump now! Can we
do it?”
    “Negative, Sir. But we just picked up another low-level tac in
the secondary. It will add a little power for that big kick you wanted.”
    “Here it
comes, now or never.” Mirikami warned.
    With fantastic speed, the two lead missiles were closing the
gap. The program to try to avoid a direct hit was ready. Mirikami hit the activate
key savagely, feeding the authorization to Jake. Dillon experience vertigo as the
ship rapidly rolled ninety degrees. A savage acceleration of almost fifteen gravities
slammed into their bodies.
    The terrible crushing pressure lasted only seconds when it was
unexpectedly cut, and the lights and screens went out. Dillon uttered a grunt through
clenched teeth as he was thrown painfully against restraints. He heard another gasp
from Noreen's direction, though he couldn't see anything in the dark. This was followed
by a stomach churning sense of free fall, frightening in the blackness, which ended
in seconds as the lights returned. Quickly after that, gravity returned at what
felt like three quarters standard to Dillon's confused senses. An ear piercing claxon
began shrieking.
    Dillon felt an odd flash of relief at hearing the claxon. When
the lights failed as the thrust quit, he had though his next experience would be
hellfire and vacuum.
    Mirikami, cursing loudly, slapped