Read Online Star Traders (Corporate Marines Book 3) by Tom Germann - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Tom Germann
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prefer to not have pirates operating out here, and in all honesty, there has not been a pirate strike in years. My job, though, is to guarantee the safety of this ship, crew, personnel and cargo against anything. I think you are probably right, but we all have to follow orders until we have something solid to go on. Before you ask, I can’t release your armor unless the captain says so or we have something solid to go on. But I will keep my eyes open.”
Eight looks at Patroe and asks, “We know how well your crew can react if it is a pirate attack. How will the captain react, though? Will he hesitate?”
Patroe looks at them both and nods. “I obey all lawful orders. If pirates attack, I protect the Corporation and all its property and personnel. If the captain is unable to accept that, then my orders override his, and I fight. I hope it won’t come to that.”
Two and Eight both nod together while Two responds, “We hope it doesn’t come to that, either.”
Patroe leaves them and heads back to the security centre.
Both Two and Eight pull out their personal weapons and equipment and go over them.
Preparations are well underway with the rescue party loaded onto the shuttle, while the Pig keeps up an active sensor scan of the area toward where the damaged station was, hoping for more information or that the survivors, if are were any, will be able to push out a directional signal if possible. The more information available, the better, and everyone is doing everything they can to get every bit of information.
In deep space, when things go wrong, if all the redundant systems go down, there are rarely survivors as there tends to be nothing left.
In this case, there is something left, and the initial queries that had been sent out by the Mama Pig have caused a change in the information being broadcast back. While still an automated reply, this indicates that there are likely survivors who have been able to modify that signal.
Behind them, slowly creeping closer, comes a hostile ship that is like a darker patch of space to the passive sensors that are searching. The crewman watching the sensors is paying more attention to the information coming in from the sensors tracking the space station than trying to coax more information out of passive sensors that are looking for something that everyone knows is not there.
That crewman knows better than to not give his best, but it would not have made any difference if he didn’t as the darker blotch of space was not going to be detected by any current sensors at this range.
There are bigger problems coming that will cause more confusion and render the sensors irrelevant anyway.
The announcement system comes alive with a click. “All rescue personnel, please conduct final checks and load to shuttle. All other personnel stand by and ensure that all positions are manned. Medical will stand by and damage control as well. Second shuttle will finalize backup preparations and be on standby. Again, all personnel stand by and ensure that all shipboard positions are manned. An unknown number of injured may require assistance. Second shuttle will finalize preparations and stand by with shuttle and emergency crew.”
The click of the announcement system cutting off is final.
Most of the passages are empty of personnel as everyone is helping load the shuttle or standing by at their shipboard stations.
None of those personnel can do anything to speed up the shuttles’ departure or transit, but drills are drills.
The two Marines stand in their quarters preparing personal gear. Two teams of two security guards patrol the halls, the captain is on the bridge, the security chief is in the security centre behind a sealed and locked door, engineering personnel are monitoring all systems, and a computer program counts down the time.
The announcement system comes back on. “ Shuttle is fully loaded and ready to launch; sealing shuttle doors now. Backup shuttle is ready and on ten
Eight looks at Patroe and asks, “We know how well your crew can react if it is a pirate attack. How will the captain react, though? Will he hesitate?”
Patroe looks at them both and nods. “I obey all lawful orders. If pirates attack, I protect the Corporation and all its property and personnel. If the captain is unable to accept that, then my orders override his, and I fight. I hope it won’t come to that.”
Two and Eight both nod together while Two responds, “We hope it doesn’t come to that, either.”
Patroe leaves them and heads back to the security centre.
Both Two and Eight pull out their personal weapons and equipment and go over them.
Preparations are well underway with the rescue party loaded onto the shuttle, while the Pig keeps up an active sensor scan of the area toward where the damaged station was, hoping for more information or that the survivors, if are were any, will be able to push out a directional signal if possible. The more information available, the better, and everyone is doing everything they can to get every bit of information.
In deep space, when things go wrong, if all the redundant systems go down, there are rarely survivors as there tends to be nothing left.
In this case, there is something left, and the initial queries that had been sent out by the Mama Pig have caused a change in the information being broadcast back. While still an automated reply, this indicates that there are likely survivors who have been able to modify that signal.
Behind them, slowly creeping closer, comes a hostile ship that is like a darker patch of space to the passive sensors that are searching. The crewman watching the sensors is paying more attention to the information coming in from the sensors tracking the space station than trying to coax more information out of passive sensors that are looking for something that everyone knows is not there.
That crewman knows better than to not give his best, but it would not have made any difference if he didn’t as the darker blotch of space was not going to be detected by any current sensors at this range.
There are bigger problems coming that will cause more confusion and render the sensors irrelevant anyway.
The announcement system comes alive with a click. “All rescue personnel, please conduct final checks and load to shuttle. All other personnel stand by and ensure that all positions are manned. Medical will stand by and damage control as well. Second shuttle will finalize backup preparations and be on standby. Again, all personnel stand by and ensure that all shipboard positions are manned. An unknown number of injured may require assistance. Second shuttle will finalize preparations and stand by with shuttle and emergency crew.”
The click of the announcement system cutting off is final.
Most of the passages are empty of personnel as everyone is helping load the shuttle or standing by at their shipboard stations.
None of those personnel can do anything to speed up the shuttles’ departure or transit, but drills are drills.
The two Marines stand in their quarters preparing personal gear. Two teams of two security guards patrol the halls, the captain is on the bridge, the security chief is in the security centre behind a sealed and locked door, engineering personnel are monitoring all systems, and a computer program counts down the time.
The announcement system comes back on. “ Shuttle is fully loaded and ready to launch; sealing shuttle doors now. Backup shuttle is ready and on ten
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