Forward Hunt (Galaxy Bridge Book 2) by Daniel Gibbs & Steve Rzasa

Author:Daniel Gibbs & Steve Rzasa [Gibbs, Daniel & Rzasa, Steve]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-03-25T00:00:00+00:00

13

There was a plotting table at the back of the CIC, to the left of the elevators as Mateo exited them. Major Simsek and Major Sherman were both there, mimicking each other’s postures and expressions—leaning forward, arms folded, mouths locked in frowns.

A technician sat on either side of the table, their faces illuminated blue by the pale glow of the hologram floating in the middle. It was as perfect a representation of the Arch’s core as any Mateo had seen. Each deck had been sliced out like layers of a cake separated and sans icing. At the moment, Deck Twelve was outlined in red.

“There they go—heading up to Deck Eleven.” The redheaded Second Lieutenant Harper’s fingers bounced across her controls even as she kept her gaze locked on the shifting display.

“Sitrep, gentlemen,” Mateo said.

Sherman blew out a deep breath that reminded Mateo of a huge land mammal instead of his chief engineering officer.

“Tell you what, Colonel, these boys can move. We’re clocking their speed inside the ducts at twenty kph or better.”

“Where are they headed in a hurry?”

“A whole lot of nowhere. They’ve been up and down the ducts on five decks. Problem is, we’ve got gaps in between.”

“Gaps?”

Simsek nodded. “The drones have managed to pick up their motion, and whatever they’re using to interfere with both scanners and vid recordings isn’t making it any easier to get a precise fix—which is why we haven’t been able to maintain one.”

“I see. What about their comings and goings? Can we discern a pattern?”

“Oh, there’s a pattern, all right.” Simsek reached his hands into the holo. “Harper, unlock this for me.”

“Yes, sir.”

Simsek pulled Deck Ten out of the mix. He twisted the slice until a bewildering mass of sharp lines appeared. “This is where we’ve tracked them through the ducts on Deck Ten during the last hour, as an example.”

Deck Ten. The Matrinid enclave encompassed several sections on Decks Nine through Thirteen.

Mateo stared at the lines until he could see the pattern—or rather, where the pattern repeatedly hit dead ends. “They’re circling the neighborhood.”

“Right. Those sudden stops? Those are vent covers, all of which have been reinforced.”

“Welded tighter than a mag-locked hatch,” Sherman muttered. “I don’t care how many claws these critters have. They won’t bust through until they learn how to run a plasma torch.”

“No doubts about your people’s workmanship, Major.” Mateo folded his arms a few seconds before he realized he, too, was mimicking their posture. “All right. The creatures are on the move, but they’re contained. Is that a fair summary?”

“Fair enough. We’re waiting for your approval to bag and tag, sir.”

Mateo glanced at Simsek. “Your appraisal, Major?”

“We won’t know what these things are and how they got aboard the station until we get a sample,” Simsek said. “The drones are equipped with high-voltage stun prods—and if those fail, pulse projectors.”

Capture or kill. Mateo held at bay the small part of his brain fascinated by what sort of creatures these could be. He smothered his piqued curiosity with the

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