The Alien Debt by F.M. Busby

Author:F.M. Busby [Busby, F.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction
Published: 2021-03-09T00:00:00+00:00

XIV

Ivan

Inconnu Deux slowed, and "stopped", and headed back toward Shaarbant. Over a drink in captain's quarters, Anders and Alina visiting Ivan and Dacia, Anders Kobolak asked, "Did everybody get the word, how many light-years we are, out from Shaarbant?"

Ivan had guessed, but at the figure Anders gave, he whistled. Translating distance into travel time, he whistled again. "Something more?" Dacia asked; he shook his head. But – without the Hoyfarul Drive, the Deux had real trouble. Its food supply was based on FTL travel times. Some folks might have to go back into freeze ...

Without stirring up alarm, Ivan checked on the matter. After all, if the captain wanted an inventory, he got one. He was relieved to find that things weren't urgent yet – but he made a point of getting Peleter's reports as soon as possible. If he had to hand his people a bombshell, he wanted to pick his own time for it.

Crowfoot knew Hoyfarul's theories, the math part, and Peleter knew the hardware. Their expertise didn't quite meet, let alone overlap. But working together, as the Deux built speed toward C, they began to understand each other better. Sitting in as they talked, lounging in captain's quarters, Ivan could tell that they were nearing a conclusion. He thought he knew what it would be; he hoped he was wrong.

But nothing stinks as bad as dead hopes. Tregare had said that once, and now Ivan knew how right his brother-in-law had been. "Our parabolic, acoherent drive field," said Crowfoot, "is solid as a rock, for sub-light speeds. But locking it into coherence, closing the field into ellipsoidal form for FTL –" He clicked his tongue. "The thing's not stable enough. And given what we have aboard to work with, I don't think it's going to be."

Accepting, Ivan nodded. "You'll both keep trying, of course?"

"Sure," said Peleter. "But, skipper – don't expect too much."

Ivan's sigh came from tension, not relief; he hoped he kept it quiet. Turning to Dacia beside him, he said, "We need a meeting. Everybody. Drive and Control can attend over the intercom."

She asked no questions; she called and set things up, putting Ellalee on the comm and Peleter on driveroom duty. After he heard several people come in, Ivan said, "Is everyone here, that should be?"

"Just a minute." Then, "Yes, Ivan."

"All right." He ranged his stare, that meant nothing now, around the room. One thing he'd learned – even though he couldn't see, pointing his eyes at people had an effect on them. So use it.

No one spoke. Ivan cleared his throat. "I'll make this quick. What we have is slower-than-light drive and faster-than-light food supplies. That means, some have to go back into freeze and sleep their way to Shaarbant." He paused. "Comments?"

"I have some." An unfamiliar voice. "Why did we have to wait until now, to hear this?" A woman, and an angry one.

"Because until now I didn't know for sure. Who are you?"

"Melaine Holmbach, Drive-tech First. Nobody asked me to get frozen, or thawed out later, and now you don't ask, either.

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