Read Online Syn-En: Plague World: The Founders War Begins by Linda Andrews - Free Book Online Page B

registered interference.”
    “Any pattern to the interference?” Bei’s avatar crushed the static into a gray pin-sized dot. Pixelated hands stretched it until he could reach through to the network of wires controlling his ship.
    “Negative.” With one hand, Queens gripped the manual throttles. “We registered low energy levels on the surface but nothing to indicate a weapon or a weapon’s discharge.”
    Grabbing hold of the simulated wires, Bei squeezed them until they formed the emergency ‘oh, shit’ button. “Manual controls coming on line in three...two...one...”
    The helm lit up, spitting loose the wheel and popping up the pedals. The needles on the gauges flickered to life.
    Brooklyn cranked the wheel in the direction of the spin. “Con responding to manual steering. Engines off-line.”
    The bridge darkened as Bei slipped into the control systems to run a quick and dirty diagnostic.
    Queens flicked the toggle switch near the throttle. “Activating solid fuel burners.”
    The shuttle trembled as the engines kicked in.
    Queens manipulated the levers and pedals until the ship stabilized. “Now, we just have to look for a place to land.”
    Brooklyn snorted and raked his hand through dark, curly hair. “We’ll be six feet in the ground before this shit clears.” He gestured to the white fog pressing against the portholes.
    “Use the sonar to find a solid surface and set us down.” Bei tapped into the information relays, looking for evidence of an attack. No residual energy, no surge imprint, no evidence of system infiltration. It was as if someone threw a switch and turned everything off. What was going on? Systems don’t just fail. Someone had stuck their fingers in his pie and fubared everything up.
    “Sonar.” Queens shook his head. “What century is this again?”
    “The one where archaic tech saves our asses.” Brooklyn slid back a door revealing a compartment in the helm. He flicked a few switches. The gumdrop lights on the helm turned from red to green. Rapid beeping filled the air. Swearing, he pulled back on the wheel, and the shuttle nosed upward. “Your three minutes was a little too generous.”
    Bei ordered the systems to reset. Nothing responded. There was definitely an intelligence behind this attack.
    Queens shot Brooklyn a dirty look. “Find a LZ to set this hunk of tin down, doofus. We’re almost out of fuel.”
    “Shut up, dorkwad. I need to concentrate.” Brooklyn leaned over the radar and sonar readings. “Ten klicks out is a flat surface. I’m gonna set her down there.”
    Doofus and dorkwad. Those two had obviously been spending their downtime watching ancient video clips. Bei ordered the reset one last time. Nothing. Damn. Recalling his avatar, he exited the system and sealed his nail shut. He’d have to reroute the power the old-fashioned way. He pulled the access panel of the avionics components.
    “You better not land on a body of water.” Queens adjusted the fuel feed as the shuttle banked. “Ol’ featherhead can’t swim.”
    “You don’t know that.” Brooklyn straightened out the shuttle. “Elvis swims all the time in the tub.”
    Queens peered into the fog. “Yeah, well, Paladin Apollie’s attitude is so big it’ll serve as an anchor. We gotta be fifty meters above ground, yet, I still see nothing.”
    Unsnapping the power line from the main trunk, Bei shunted a small charge through the cable. The helm burped then fell dark. He reached for the main line. His arm tingled. The hair on his head stood on end, and his internal systems flashed yellow. He grasped the emergency ground and everything subsided. He didn’t like this. Not one bit. As soon as the Combat Information Center came online, he’d search for a matching weapon signature.
    He’d bet his upgrades, the Scraptors had set this trap as a test of the Syn-Ens’ abilities.
    The engines hummed then whistled.
    Brooklyn spun the shuttle in a small circle. “Venting atmosphere to see if I can