Baldwin, Bill - Helmsman 07 - The Defiance by Baldwin Bill

Author:Baldwin, Bill
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Published: 2004-01-31T01:15:08+00:00

Chapter 6

First Convoy

16-17 Octad, 52014

Under Way aboard Yellow Bird,

Interdominion Space, En Route to Atalanta

Yellow Bird's flight bridge was smaller than I'd remembered from my first visit. Probably that was because there was a full flight crew inside now; that and one of my eyes was still swollen nearly shut, too. I was in a jump seat they'd rigged between the two helms, Barbousse standing beside me, urging still another glass of fruit juice on my full stomach—giving no quarter, as he did from time to time when it became necessary to keep me alive in spite of my half-witted resistance. Winking thanks, I found room for the nourishing liquid. Hadn't been that long ago I'd despaired of drinking anything again.

Delacroix lounged in the left seat, idly watching the flight instruments; the right seat was occupied by a tiny, dark-skinned woman, who was presently flying the huge starship with the light touch of a lifelong veteran—in spite of the gravity storm outside that was causing rough passages for everything in this sector of the galaxy. Through the Hyperscreens, I watched our four-Starfury escort making heavy weather in what I judged (from the apparent motion of the spaceman's tunnel) would be power settings of at least "fast cruise." Yellow Bird was one speedy transport!

And quiet! I've spent most of my life in military starships or, in my earliest years, worn-out space barges. None of them was designed for quiet operation inside. At least, not this quiet.

I could hardly hear the rumble of the ship's eight big Hyperlight Drives, buried deep in her narrow hull.

"You certain you won't let the Medical Mate bring you something for those bruises, Admiral?"

Delacroix interrupted, staring at me as if I were a little crazy.

Shook my head—painfully. But then, I couldn't find anywhere on my body that didn't hurt.

"Thanks, Skipper," I said appreciatively. "But with all the excitement about LaSalle's raid on the Toronder supply fleet, I'll need to use what's left of my alleged brain soon as we make landfall.

Can't take a chance on being sleepy," From early reports, LaSalle had been wildly successful, with more than half the enemy convoy destroyed and the remainder in full flight home.

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