Read Online Test of Mettle (A Captain's Crucible Book 2) by Isaac Hooke - Free Book Online Page B

things actually return to alert the enemy,” Rail finished.
    “Then they’ll know something is wrong, and race through at maximum speed. Either way, we’re basically sitting ducks for the thirty enemy ships if we stay here. And we’d also open ourselves up to a potential flank attack if any more ships decided to show up from the inner planets.”
    “We’d have ample warning before such a flanking attack,” Rail said. “It’s at least two days to the closet planet.”
    “Even so, my previous arguments still stand.”
    “I don’t like it,” Rail said. “We should keep at least one ship back to buy the others time.”
    “I’m not interested in sacrificing ships needlessly,” Jonathan said. “Especially when any time that could be bought from such a sacrifice is negligible.”
    “We could mine the Slipstream, using the last nuke aboard the Aurelia ,” Rail said.
    “We saw how well that worked in front of 2-Vega. You’re forgetting about their advance probes.”
    Rail scowled. “Fine. You want to run. I understand. Captain Rail out.” She terminated the connection.
    Jonathan shot Robert an expression that read: see what I have to put up with?
    The commander shrugged. “Guess she’s never heard the proverb: discretion is the better part of valor.”
    “Ensign, tell me about the nearest planet,” Jonathan said.
    “It’s a small, near-Earth equivalent,” Lewis said. “It should be a frozen ball of ice at this range from the suns, but the fluorocarbons in the atmosphere appear to have caused a greenhouse effect, placing temperatures at a balmy minus eighty five degrees. While not currently capable of supporting life, it might be a suitable terraforming target, especially if it’s producing any significant geothermal heat.”
    Jonathan frowned. “Too bad we don’t have any terraforming equipment.”
    “Should be good for a slingshot speed boost at the very least,” Robert said.
    “Anything else of interest sunward?” Jonathan asked.
    Lewis pursed her lips. “There appears to be another Slipstream in orbit between the first and second planets. But other than that, well, we have a few gas giants; a couple of inner terrestrials with size and temperature profiles similar to Mercury; some moons that might be worth exploring. And this is moderately interesting: there are two distinct sets of asteroid belts. The tidal forces of the binary suns vying against the forces of the gas giants prevented the asteroids from ever forming planets.”
    Jonathan took a moment to consider the fleet’s next course of action.
    Finally: “Nav, plot a course to the nearest planet. Slingshot maneuver.”
    “Course plotted for slingshot maneuver,” the nav specialist said a moment later. “Helm is clear to engage.”
    “Miko,” Jonathan said. “What’s the maximum possible speed the Callaway can attain without leaving anybody behind?”
    “Our slowest ships are the Grimm and the Marley ,” Miko said. “If you don’t want to lose them, I’d recommend no more than seventy percent thrust.”
    Jonathan nodded. “Well, at least that speed will keep Stanley happy.” He thrummed his fingers on the armrest a moment. “All right. Helm, push our nose into position and increase speed to seventy percent.” He glanced at Lazur. “Comm, instruct the task group to match our course and speed.”
    “Should we stand down from general quarters?” Robert asked.
    “I just realized something,” Miko said. “If the enemy can edit Slipstream endpoints like the two of you have been saying, then what would stop them from pointing another Slipstream to this one from a different system? One where they had reinforcements ready to send through? We might have far less than five days before enemy units arrive.”
    Jonathan once more eyed the innocuous-seeming void behind the Callaway on his aReal. Doomed indeed. “Maintain general quarters for the moment.”
    Jonathan studied the planetary objects on the aReal’s tactical