Read Online Regan's Reach 2: Orbital Envy by Mark G Brewer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mark G Brewer
Tags: thriller, Computer, SciFi, Alien, battle, space alien, space adventure galaxy spaceship, artificial inteligence
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of general interest and noticed a day ago they have problems with the shuttle. It seems to have developed faults with its thrusters, problems which put it into an irregular spin and have it currently sailing out happily toward Mars, but not really in a happy way. They didn't ask for help so we haven't mentioned we noticed. We quietly redirected a Sherpa to hold position off surface in case things deteriorated further. They did. Finally a call came through today for assistance. The Sherpa has already picked up the ground party and they're crammed in like sardines on the way back to Hillary as we speak. We're headed to intercept the shuttle. Nothing has been heard from them for thirty six hours and although the spin has stabilized, they're weightless, and I'm guessing you'd gag on the air in there. If whatever happened hasn't killed them I guess they could have drowned in vomit. That about sums it up . . . any questions?"
"So, what's the plan?" Rod asked.
"We catch the shuttle, somehow stabilize the spin and hopefully make contact with the spinnees. Failing that we stabilize them, and establish connection with their airlock. I'll go in and see what we're dealing with. If there are injured we bring them back on board and, this is where you come in Rod. I understand from your files you are fully qualified in emergency meds as part of your core training. You can stabilize the injured while we hightail it home, easy!"
"Yeah Rod," Leah looked at him darkly, "you can stabilize them with your 'emergency med' training, it'll be easy!"
Regan turned slowly to look across at them both. "I take it my cunning plan has a fatal flaw?"
Rod looked sheepish. "What can I say . . . I cheated, that unit had nothing to do with flying, and how was I to know I'd end up here rescuing Russki's?"
Leah reached across and thumped him. "Well it was made a lot more likely by you including it in your CV! She turned back to Regan, "Don't worry, I've got this one, at least I got my fifty yard swimming certificate! I've done enough to look after this, with Ham's help anyway. What do you say Ham?"
"That you are clearly a woman of discernment . . . Regan, she's right. We've got this."
Rod and Leah sat amazed and mostly silent as they took in the moon sliding by them. The view was crystal clear, almost wall to wall and revealed incredible detail. Their speed only became apparent as they passed. A trip that had for decades taken days was passing in time measured in hours and minutes. Coffee in hand it was a shock when they were joined by an ADF, conspicuously on the edge of the screen but holding point there.
"Who's piloting that beauty?" Rod asked enviously.
"It's Ham." Regan replied smugly.
"So you multi task Ham? That's a useful trait in a guy." Leah couldn't hide her delight.
"Ahh . . . many Ham's make light work." Ham gushed. "Look directly ahead and you will make out the shuttle coming into vision as it spins. You can occasionally pick up the suns reflection off its wings."
Sure enough, regular flashes of brightness marked its position and at a steady rate they drew ever closer. Only thirty seven minutes later by Rod's watch they were clearly slowing, the shuttle now looming large in their viewer.
"Ok Ham, what's the plan?"
"As you said earlier, first we need to stabilize that spin."
"The ADF?"
"It's a risk," Ham replied. "It might be damaged, or damage the shuttle." [Regan, We could always just pop them on board with the IVD?]
[No way, I don't want them knowing about that technology just yet]
Rod and Leah were looking at her. "Any ideas?" she asked.
Rod spoke first. "Sitting here experiencing Ham's control, I get the feeling he can manage anything, right? What about sliding the ADF in there and matching the spin. Are the thrusts regular?"
"I can see where you're going." Ham replied. Calculate the time of the shuttle bursts and match it with a burst from the ADF."
"You'll need to start slow and build up, slow down the spin then bring
"So, what's the plan?" Rod asked.
"We catch the shuttle, somehow stabilize the spin and hopefully make contact with the spinnees. Failing that we stabilize them, and establish connection with their airlock. I'll go in and see what we're dealing with. If there are injured we bring them back on board and, this is where you come in Rod. I understand from your files you are fully qualified in emergency meds as part of your core training. You can stabilize the injured while we hightail it home, easy!"
"Yeah Rod," Leah looked at him darkly, "you can stabilize them with your 'emergency med' training, it'll be easy!"
Regan turned slowly to look across at them both. "I take it my cunning plan has a fatal flaw?"
Rod looked sheepish. "What can I say . . . I cheated, that unit had nothing to do with flying, and how was I to know I'd end up here rescuing Russki's?"
Leah reached across and thumped him. "Well it was made a lot more likely by you including it in your CV! She turned back to Regan, "Don't worry, I've got this one, at least I got my fifty yard swimming certificate! I've done enough to look after this, with Ham's help anyway. What do you say Ham?"
"That you are clearly a woman of discernment . . . Regan, she's right. We've got this."
Rod and Leah sat amazed and mostly silent as they took in the moon sliding by them. The view was crystal clear, almost wall to wall and revealed incredible detail. Their speed only became apparent as they passed. A trip that had for decades taken days was passing in time measured in hours and minutes. Coffee in hand it was a shock when they were joined by an ADF, conspicuously on the edge of the screen but holding point there.
"Who's piloting that beauty?" Rod asked enviously.
"It's Ham." Regan replied smugly.
"So you multi task Ham? That's a useful trait in a guy." Leah couldn't hide her delight.
"Ahh . . . many Ham's make light work." Ham gushed. "Look directly ahead and you will make out the shuttle coming into vision as it spins. You can occasionally pick up the suns reflection off its wings."
Sure enough, regular flashes of brightness marked its position and at a steady rate they drew ever closer. Only thirty seven minutes later by Rod's watch they were clearly slowing, the shuttle now looming large in their viewer.
"Ok Ham, what's the plan?"
"As you said earlier, first we need to stabilize that spin."
"The ADF?"
"It's a risk," Ham replied. "It might be damaged, or damage the shuttle." [Regan, We could always just pop them on board with the IVD?]
[No way, I don't want them knowing about that technology just yet]
Rod and Leah were looking at her. "Any ideas?" she asked.
Rod spoke first. "Sitting here experiencing Ham's control, I get the feeling he can manage anything, right? What about sliding the ADF in there and matching the spin. Are the thrusts regular?"
"I can see where you're going." Ham replied. Calculate the time of the shuttle bursts and match it with a burst from the ADF."
"You'll need to start slow and build up, slow down the spin then bring
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