Read Online The Krone Experiment by J. Craig Wheeler - Free Book Online
Authors: J. Craig Wheeler
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Ethiopia.
Wahlquist had tried to keep the mirror shaft
pointed at the Cosmos out over the wing of the shuttle as they
ascended. This was difficult at first. Since they were upside down,
the Cosmos was apparently “below” them where the boom did not
extend easily. The heat resistant re-entry tiles might have offered
some protection from the laser, but this was still a high
vulnerability maneuver. As they rose, the necessary adjustments
became minor. Their aspect changed little since, from their
circular orbit, the Cosmos always appeared to be off their right
wing. Nevertheless, Jupp could feel the tension rising in his
copilot as time passed and still there was no activity from the
Cosmos.
Once more, Jupp played lightly on the control
thrusters until the nose of the shuttle pointed nearly at the
Cosmos. The rocket thrust would now rotate their orbit until it
aligned with that of Cosmos. The maneuver was a dead give-away,
however, and Jupp strained against the static of his earphones to
hear the warning he knew must be only instants away. He hit a
button to engage an automatic sequence. The rockets surged, and
then were quiet. He used the thrusters again to align them
perpendicular to their new orbit. The Cosmos was now at eleven
o’clock out his window as they hung upside down in the dark.
Wahlquist adjusted the boom.
The computer signaled readiness for the next
firing sequence. Jupp was reaching his finger toward the button
when the voice came up over the scrambled radio channel, the
standard conversational tone heightened with tension.
“Shuttle, this is control. We’ve got action
here. Standby.”
Jupp twisted in his seat to exchange a look
with Wahlquist standing at the rear of the flight deck. He glanced
at Colonel Newman who remained impassive.
“Cosmos has done a rotation and yaw.
Alignment on shuttle suspected.”
Wahlquist did not have to be told. He threw a
toggle switch and pushed a button, and the mirror unfolded, a
dainty weapon against the ravishing power of the laser on board the
Cosmos. The shuttle could provide a shirt-sleeve environment, but
they wore their suits for double protection. Now they closed and
fastened the faceplates on their helmets, switching to the oxygen
supply of the suits.
In their present orientation the mirror
completely obscured their view out the front. Jupp felt a twinge of
nerves. With the computer, he did not need to see where he was
flying, but his fighter pilot instincts rebelled. For all his
training with instrument flying and targeting, he still did not
like to have his vision needlessly blocked.
They sat in silence for ten minutes. Finally
mission control broke in.
“No further action, proceed with orbital
sequence.”
Wahlquist spoke without removing his hands
from the boom controls.
“They’ve got a bead on us.”
“I reckon they do.” Jupp replied. “Maybe
we’re out of range. They know if they’ve guessed right we’re only
going to close on them. Maybe they’re waiting to see the whites of
our eyes. We’ve also given away our defensive strategy by popping
the umbrella. They’re probably working up their own tactics
now.”
Jupp reprogrammed the computers for the delay
and fired the rockets. Wahlquist rotated the boom during the
firing. Cosmos was now at ten o’clock out Jupp’s window, and the
boom and mirror shaft extended at almost right angles to the axis
of the shuttle. They were particularly vulnerable because the
mirror could protect the cabin or the tail, but it was not big
enough to shield both when they presented their side to Cosmos as
they now did. By previous decision, Wahlquist adjusted the boom
forward so the crew was shielded. Jupp rushed through another
programming sequence.
Too late!
No human could time the beam of energy that
leaped from a portal in the Cosmos. No need to lead the target with
this cannon, just point and shoot. Nor was there a mote of dust in
space to mark its passage to any eye not in the line of
Ethiopia.
Wahlquist had tried to keep the mirror shaft
pointed at the Cosmos out over the wing of the shuttle as they
ascended. This was difficult at first. Since they were upside down,
the Cosmos was apparently “below” them where the boom did not
extend easily. The heat resistant re-entry tiles might have offered
some protection from the laser, but this was still a high
vulnerability maneuver. As they rose, the necessary adjustments
became minor. Their aspect changed little since, from their
circular orbit, the Cosmos always appeared to be off their right
wing. Nevertheless, Jupp could feel the tension rising in his
copilot as time passed and still there was no activity from the
Cosmos.
Once more, Jupp played lightly on the control
thrusters until the nose of the shuttle pointed nearly at the
Cosmos. The rocket thrust would now rotate their orbit until it
aligned with that of Cosmos. The maneuver was a dead give-away,
however, and Jupp strained against the static of his earphones to
hear the warning he knew must be only instants away. He hit a
button to engage an automatic sequence. The rockets surged, and
then were quiet. He used the thrusters again to align them
perpendicular to their new orbit. The Cosmos was now at eleven
o’clock out his window as they hung upside down in the dark.
Wahlquist adjusted the boom.
The computer signaled readiness for the next
firing sequence. Jupp was reaching his finger toward the button
when the voice came up over the scrambled radio channel, the
standard conversational tone heightened with tension.
“Shuttle, this is control. We’ve got action
here. Standby.”
Jupp twisted in his seat to exchange a look
with Wahlquist standing at the rear of the flight deck. He glanced
at Colonel Newman who remained impassive.
“Cosmos has done a rotation and yaw.
Alignment on shuttle suspected.”
Wahlquist did not have to be told. He threw a
toggle switch and pushed a button, and the mirror unfolded, a
dainty weapon against the ravishing power of the laser on board the
Cosmos. The shuttle could provide a shirt-sleeve environment, but
they wore their suits for double protection. Now they closed and
fastened the faceplates on their helmets, switching to the oxygen
supply of the suits.
In their present orientation the mirror
completely obscured their view out the front. Jupp felt a twinge of
nerves. With the computer, he did not need to see where he was
flying, but his fighter pilot instincts rebelled. For all his
training with instrument flying and targeting, he still did not
like to have his vision needlessly blocked.
They sat in silence for ten minutes. Finally
mission control broke in.
“No further action, proceed with orbital
sequence.”
Wahlquist spoke without removing his hands
from the boom controls.
“They’ve got a bead on us.”
“I reckon they do.” Jupp replied. “Maybe
we’re out of range. They know if they’ve guessed right we’re only
going to close on them. Maybe they’re waiting to see the whites of
our eyes. We’ve also given away our defensive strategy by popping
the umbrella. They’re probably working up their own tactics
now.”
Jupp reprogrammed the computers for the delay
and fired the rockets. Wahlquist rotated the boom during the
firing. Cosmos was now at ten o’clock out Jupp’s window, and the
boom and mirror shaft extended at almost right angles to the axis
of the shuttle. They were particularly vulnerable because the
mirror could protect the cabin or the tail, but it was not big
enough to shield both when they presented their side to Cosmos as
they now did. By previous decision, Wahlquist adjusted the boom
forward so the crew was shielded. Jupp rushed through another
programming sequence.
Too late!
No human could time the beam of energy that
leaped from a portal in the Cosmos. No need to lead the target with
this cannon, just point and shoot. Nor was there a mote of dust in
space to mark its passage to any eye not in the line of
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