Battlecruiser Alamo: Malware Blues by Tongue Richard

Author:Tongue, Richard [Tongue, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2016-01-01T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

 Orlova sat back, looking out at the tumbling fragments of the planet spinning around each other, admiring the panoramic view from the observation deck. There was no-one else up here, the rest of the crew frantically working to get the ship ready for action, to face off against Wyvern in the inevitable second battle. Reaching down to her datapad, she played Salazar’s message again.

 “I have twenty-seven people, including seven wounded, in need of immediate evacuation from the planetoid. We can’t hold out for long, and suspect that the creatures are waiting for us up on the surface. Our supplies of ammunition are limited, and I have reason to believe that more of them will be attacking us soon.”

 “Hold on, Pavel,” her recorded voice replied. “Your message is received, and understood. We’ll do everything we can for you. Pass on details of your location, and we’ll start working out an evacuation plan. Orlova out.”

 She clicked the playback off, looking out of the viewport once again. To get in, they’d have to send the shuttles past Wyvern. An unknown quantity at the moment. That would be easy compared to what they would face on the surface, and while plasma weapons would certainly make short work of them, it still meant more casualties.

 Then there was the escape. This time Wyvern would be waiting for them, and Alamo would have to go in again, facing those particle beams, the weapons that had come close to destroying the ship last time. It was risking more than a hundred lives to save less than thirty. Every instinct told her to go in, to launch the operation, but at the back of her mind was a voice screaming at her that it was a mistake, that she was only going to get more of her people killed, that they should leave the system and escape.

 The longer she thought about it, the more powerful that voice became, and she knew that it was only going to get worse. Salazar had called twenty minutes ago, and she had to make a decision. If the group on the planet had to be abandoned, Salazar would understand. In a way, that was the worst part of all.

 The door behind her opened, and someone stepped through, standing over her shoulder and looking out at the spectacular view beyond. She glanced back, and saw Powell standing there, a frown on his face, his eyes bright as he savored the display. He looked down at her and smiled.

 “Do you mind having some company?”

 “Not at all,” she said. “I should be on the bridge anyway.”

 “They can manage without you for a moment. Nelyubov and Grant are scurrying around issuing orders, everyone snapping to. Just like old times.” He paused, then said, “Everyone wants to know what you are going to do about Salazar.”

 “So do I.”

 “The general consensus is that we should go and rescue them. That we shouldn’t leave anyone behind, especially not to a fate such as that. I confess I am not so sure.

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