Ghost Ship by Sharon;Miller Lee

Author:Sharon;Miller Lee
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Baen Books
Published: 2011-05-04T23:03:32+00:00

One thousand cash for information leading to the taking up of any person or persons known to engage in acts of sabotage or mischief against building projects and/or personnel. Info to Michael Golden, Boss Nova’s office, Blair.

* * *

Theo Waitley had kept her promise and reviewed the bonding procedures before retiring, which Bechimo learned from the file access log. She was asleep now, deeply, which he learned from a scan of life support. Since neither process had required specific attention upon her quarters, Bechimo did not feel that he was in violation of orders.

Though, if she were not, after all, his Captain, but only a talented pilot, had she any right to issue orders, or Bechimo under any requirement to obey?

Restlessly, Bechimo scanned Arin’s Toss, pulling systems reports and scrutinizing them with a care he had not expended when the ship had been mere cargo. If this vessel was to bear Theo Waitley out into the dangerous spaces, then it would be up to spec and fully capable.

How she had fought, Theo Waitley! Battered and dismayed as she had, yet it had been first in her thought, to protect Bechimo and to warn him of the dangers of ceding to pirates.

Truly, could a Captain do more?

And was it not a pleasure, to serve crew? To listen and hear something other than the sound of his own thoughts? To scan the bridge, and find the cup she had, in her weariness, left behind; to deploy the remote to gather it up, disinfect it, and return it to its place—mundane tasks, yet precious, for they demonstrated that he was no longer alone.

A ping from the subroutine he had assigned to monitor the mere-ship’s self-checks. An anomaly had been identified.

The area of concern was a landing light. Bechimo initiated a deeper scan; located a device which was not part of the lighting assembly. He ran a match program. Had he been able to do so, he might have sighed.

A tracking device.

He recalled slipping into the berth among the dying Old Ones, resigned to dying with them.

But, Bechimo realized, he no longer wanted to die.

Theo Waitley slept quietly in her quarters; her heartbeat and her breath perfectly discernible to ship systems.

If she were sent forth in Arin’s Toss, pirates would find her, for who but pirates would set and conceal such a thing?

The Builders had promised a Captain, but they had also promised crew. And in the Captain’s absence could not Bechimo make provision for—could Bechimo not protect crew?

Crew or Captain; Theo Waitley was accepted of the key, which made her acceptable by the Rules and Standards established by the Builders.

She was his, and he would keep her safe.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.