Tethered Worlds: Unwelcome Star by Gregory Faccone

Author:Gregory Faccone [Faccone, Gregory]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Science Fiction, Adventure, Space Opera
ISBN: 9781481114363
Google: knSWkQEACAAJ
Amazon: B00AD9YDUG
Publisher: Gregory Faccone
Published: 2012-11-24T05:00:00+00:00

It was getting darker. Why? Jordahk's shoulder blades smarted from impacting the back of his suit, which in turn had slammed into something solid. His head was foggy, but it was definitely getting darker. And he heard voices.

"Jordahk. Jordahk!"

"Pops?" Jordahk said groggily.

"Thank the Ajurian Realm. Is your suit compromised?"

"No. But, it's getting dark." Jordahk untangled from a sprawl. The light source was the corridor nexus, from which hung broken bits of smoking sentry. The hatch to it was closing. He moved sluggishly toward it. "The hatch is closing."

"Do not try to hold it open," Aristahl said. "Do not trust any safeties."

Jordahk was in time to put a hand in the closing gap, but Aristahl's words rang true. Something was wrong here. He kept his hands to himself and saw Aristahl coming into view as the hatch sealed shut.

"Pops, can you get this one open?"

No response.

"Pops? Max, what's going on?"

"This place is dangerous," the crusty AI said. "Wave transmissions are being nulled."

Resonance transmissions were a lot harder to block, especially at close ranges. Jordahk palmed the hatch.

"Pops?"

"Ah, you remembered," Aristahl transmitted. "Listen, Jordahk, we have access to the interior. It is operating on the original security paradigm, with which I am familiar."

"But not this hatch?"

"That is correct. And without our once helpful maintenance bot, this hatch cannot be readily breached. We are exposed in this nexus. Glick and I are going to move into the heart of the facility and square things away. Do not touch anything."

"This place is familiar," Jordahk said. The sound of his voice in the dark increased the feeling of isolation.

"Understandable. I will explain in a few minutes. Be careful. If any bots come your way, shoot first. We will sort it out later."

"Veritas. See you in a few."

Jordahk was in total darkness. Half air was better than no air.

"Let's try the lumie, Max."

The AI brought it to the top of the bag, and Jordahk held it out. The little sphere glowed tentatively and rose on mini fans. Its light brightened as it strained higher. The new corridor was like the one from which they entered minus the hangar view.

"I think this one leads back to the surface," Max said. "Probably an emergency exit or hidden docking port."

A dark region down on the left was an open hatchway leading farther into the heart of the rock.

"A security double hatch," the AI said.

"So why's it open?"

Peering down it, Jordahk detected faint white light. Curiosity burned within him. He'd been here before, and the only thing that fit was his mystic link implantation trip with Aristahl. This must be where he saw the girl in the tank, asleep or something. The implantation procedure left it all undefined. Now he could get hard data.

"Let's go," Jordahk said, indicating Max should send the lumie ahead.

"I don't like it."

"I know, it doesn't add up. We won't touch anything, like Pops said. Keep an eye out for anything that looks even remotely dangerous."

"This entire place is dangerous."

"It's not street fighting on Utica Cyr."

"We knew who we were facing back then.

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