Quite Possibly Heroes (Freeman Universe Book 3) by Patrick O'Sullivan

Author:Patrick O'Sullivan [O'Sullivan, Patrick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781625600240
Publisher: Dunkerron Press
Published: 2022-05-29T16:00:00+00:00

47

Macer Gant had ridden every jet-powered play toy a rich country politician’s only child could acquire on Trinity Surface. When those had ceased to amuse, he’d designed and built his own, and he’d learned that speed might lead, but torque delivered.

He was utterly unprepared for the fly-on-a-windshield neck snap and the crushing weight on his spine. There was a constant technological race between drive engineering and the inertial-damper boffins. At flank speed Four-Squared’s huge main drives were regulated to maximum available damped thrust. On emergency override, the only limit was how much the human body could endure.

The thrust continued to build. He tried to move his head to see if Ruthie’s finger was still holding the emergency override down or if something had fallen on it, and they’d keep accelerating until they were paste on the aft bulkhead.

He must have passed out for an instant, because the next thing he heard was the sound of a coin hitting a swear jar.

“—ing never do that again,” Jimio said. “I am serious.”

“Report,” Violent said.

They counted off, by the book. “Gant. Able for duty, Captain.”

“Noted.” Violent said. “Lizzie?”

Ruthie was on the comms, counting off the nonbridge crew.

“Lizzie?”

Macer pulled his gaze away from the engineering display and glanced behind him.

Lizzie Teal floated in the full-immersion tank, her fingers clutching the fully detached sensor lead she’d somehow managed to tangle around her neck.

Macer stood.

“Later,” the captain said. “Sit and do your job.”

“She might be—”

“She isn’t. Park it, Gant, and compile.”

“Sir.” He shuffled through the diagnostic displays, barely seeing them. He wanted to think about Lizzie Teal now, but if he did that, he might get someone else killed.

“Gant? Status.”

“Internal sensor-net nexus is down. All other systems nominal, Captain.”

“You thinking someone broke it on purpose again?”

“It was a hack job to get it working before they hauled me off. Parts were on order. I can get audio running. I think it’s just something shook loose.”

“Hearing’s better than nothing.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Ruthie?”

“All our people report no injuries. Shawl, the nic Cartaí navigator. She’s got a broken arm, simple fracture only, and headed for the autodoc. The rest report bumps and scrapes, some loss of consciousness. The Carlsbad says it will check on the crew personally. People sometimes lie.”

“Merchant Captain? How are you feeling?”

“Like a rag doll. I—”

“Yes?”

“I think I’m going to be sick. And later—”

“Can we do it again?” Ruthie and Jimio said as one.

“You a fan of Prince Rigel, Miss Merchant Princess?”

“Who isn’t?”

“Maybe you’d like to come to Jimio’s cabin, for a private viewing. I have all ten seasons.”

“Maybe I would like that, Load Master. But sadly, we will never know.”

“Jimio.”

“We can snatch the little one easy, Captain. The big one will take work. Depending on the timing, we might snatch some incoming fire with it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“He said we require a tug. That means both of them.”

“No it doesn’t. It means all the people on the one ship require a tug.”

“I think he means both ships,” Ruthie said. “Let me ask him.”

“Don’t do that,” the captain said.

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