Read Online Star Traders (Corporate Marines Book 3) by Tom Germann - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tom Germann
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minutes’ notice to launch. All personnel are to maintain full duty watch until…. Brzzatte!”
THE TRAP SHUTS
W ith a snap, the system goes down and then lights across the ship go out, only to be replaced a second later with emergency red backup lighting. A canned message starts playing. “Reactor number three is offline. Reactor number two is offline. Reactor number two is overloading and will overload shielding within ten minutes. Reactor number two will overload and irradiate the ship. All personnel, emergency evacuate this ship to the nearest habitat and await further direction from Corporate. All personnel, emergency evacuate this ship. Fifteen minutes to full overload.”
Two and Eight look at each other in the red light of their room and both go for their light armor and weapons. Both are already wearing ship suits that will keep them alive in case of decompression. In seconds they have the personal armor on and keep the helmets racked on their off-hip, with carry bags on their backs. They move out into the passage and listen. The ship sounds are still continuing around them but there are no further announcements from the ship-wide system. Eight covers with his laser pistol while Two tries to use the ship suit comms.
Two looks at Eight and shakes her head no. Eight gestures at their personal comms, but Two again shakes her head no. Eight frowns and then Two points at her ear and then upward. Eight nodded confirmation that someone could be eavesdropping.
Two gestures down the passage toward the security centre and Eight nods agreement. The Marines head off, covering front and back arcs while moving quickly and quietly forward.
Two almost cuts the small figures that pop out of a side passage in half with her pistol, but stops when she recognizes Derek and Snyrl. The boys look panicked and shaken up. Eight covers the back while Two gestures the boys closer and quietly grills them. “What’s going on?”
Derek answers quietly. “We were walking along and found one of the security teams cut down with lasers. Their weapons were gone and they had been shot in the back. They were two passages over and had been heading toward Engineering. We came looking for the other security team or for you, whichever we found first. What should we do next?”
Two looked at the boys and at Eight. Eight nodded at her to take lead on this. “You two are going to the security centre and use whatever secret system you have to let your dad know that there are bad guys on board. The enemy has laser weapons and is not us. We are going to go to Engineering and make sure that the mates are shutting down the reactors and have that under control – otherwise, we are all glowing in the dark in less than half an hour. Then we need to get security together and remove the rest of the enemy forces before the pirates hit.”
Derek and Snyrl stare at Two like she is insane. Snyrl speaks too loud and then brings the volume down when Derek pokes him in the side with an elbow. “Pirates?! This is an accident, and someone snapped!”
Two looks at Snyrl and Derek and speaks decisively. “This is a pirate attack. Somehow aliens got to some of the new crew or some of the new personnel going out to the colony. There is no other reason for this to be happening now, unless you think humans can live through massive irradiation. Remember there are two shuttles loaded with personnel now that are no longer available to help, as they have been sealed on board with the loss of power, right? That is a good portion of the crew that could help in the defence of the ship, correct?”
Both boys nod mutely.
Two gestures at them. “Get to Security and get the security chief to authorize release of our armor. We can expect boarding soon by a crew that will be heavily armed. Everyone on the satellite is dead; this was all a trap.”
Two and Eight don’t wait for the boys to start moving but instead take off at a careful shuffle toward Engineering.
Derek and
THE TRAP SHUTS
W ith a snap, the system goes down and then lights across the ship go out, only to be replaced a second later with emergency red backup lighting. A canned message starts playing. “Reactor number three is offline. Reactor number two is offline. Reactor number two is overloading and will overload shielding within ten minutes. Reactor number two will overload and irradiate the ship. All personnel, emergency evacuate this ship to the nearest habitat and await further direction from Corporate. All personnel, emergency evacuate this ship. Fifteen minutes to full overload.”
Two and Eight look at each other in the red light of their room and both go for their light armor and weapons. Both are already wearing ship suits that will keep them alive in case of decompression. In seconds they have the personal armor on and keep the helmets racked on their off-hip, with carry bags on their backs. They move out into the passage and listen. The ship sounds are still continuing around them but there are no further announcements from the ship-wide system. Eight covers with his laser pistol while Two tries to use the ship suit comms.
Two looks at Eight and shakes her head no. Eight gestures at their personal comms, but Two again shakes her head no. Eight frowns and then Two points at her ear and then upward. Eight nodded confirmation that someone could be eavesdropping.
Two gestures down the passage toward the security centre and Eight nods agreement. The Marines head off, covering front and back arcs while moving quickly and quietly forward.
Two almost cuts the small figures that pop out of a side passage in half with her pistol, but stops when she recognizes Derek and Snyrl. The boys look panicked and shaken up. Eight covers the back while Two gestures the boys closer and quietly grills them. “What’s going on?”
Derek answers quietly. “We were walking along and found one of the security teams cut down with lasers. Their weapons were gone and they had been shot in the back. They were two passages over and had been heading toward Engineering. We came looking for the other security team or for you, whichever we found first. What should we do next?”
Two looked at the boys and at Eight. Eight nodded at her to take lead on this. “You two are going to the security centre and use whatever secret system you have to let your dad know that there are bad guys on board. The enemy has laser weapons and is not us. We are going to go to Engineering and make sure that the mates are shutting down the reactors and have that under control – otherwise, we are all glowing in the dark in less than half an hour. Then we need to get security together and remove the rest of the enemy forces before the pirates hit.”
Derek and Snyrl stare at Two like she is insane. Snyrl speaks too loud and then brings the volume down when Derek pokes him in the side with an elbow. “Pirates?! This is an accident, and someone snapped!”
Two looks at Snyrl and Derek and speaks decisively. “This is a pirate attack. Somehow aliens got to some of the new crew or some of the new personnel going out to the colony. There is no other reason for this to be happening now, unless you think humans can live through massive irradiation. Remember there are two shuttles loaded with personnel now that are no longer available to help, as they have been sealed on board with the loss of power, right? That is a good portion of the crew that could help in the defence of the ship, correct?”
Both boys nod mutely.
Two gestures at them. “Get to Security and get the security chief to authorize release of our armor. We can expect boarding soon by a crew that will be heavily armed. Everyone on the satellite is dead; this was all a trap.”
Two and Eight don’t wait for the boys to start moving but instead take off at a careful shuffle toward Engineering.
Derek and
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