Crucible of Time by Jeffrey A. Carver

Author:Jeffrey A. Carver [Carver, Jeffrey A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Carver, novels, science fiction, space opera, hard science fiction
Publisher: Book View Cafe
Published: 2019-08-21T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

Diving into Junk-Space

TALKING THE KARELLIAN proposal over with Jeaves only left Bandicut with even more questions: If sending a destructive temporal shock pulse down the starstream might stop (or kill) the Mindaru, who else might it stop (or kill)? The chances might be slight, but did they know enough to justify the risk? What about innocent ships in the stream? What about Dakota and her ship? What about the quarx? Charli could still be alive out there in the starstream.

He gloomily ripped off another hunk of his cheddar-ish and something on something-like-pumpernickel sandwich. “We have a little time yet before they’ll even be ready. What about that tachyon signal? Any progress deciphering it?” He shoved the oversized hunk into his mouth.

“It is difficult,” said Jeaves, speaking from the bridge via holo.

He answered around a full mouth. “So you’ve said.”

“But I’m pretty sure it is a modulated signal.”

“For us?”

“Pretty sure. It is no doubt compressed. I have several decoding methods.”

Bandicut swallowed, lifted a mug of coffee to wash it down. “And?”

“By all but one, we get a pretty hashed up signal.”

“So what about the one?”

“By that one, we get a phrase that includes something close to the name Amaduse.”

Bandicut frowned, taking a moment to absorb that.

“And . . . something that could be rendered as danger.”

“Jesu,” Bandicut whispered. Had that Logothian found a way to send a message across those thousands of light-years? How? And more importantly, why? A warning? About what? Bandicut spoke slowly. “If it is Amaduse, then he must have something pretty important to tell us. We should make damn sure we know what it is.”

“Agreed,” Jeaves said. “I am continuing to work on it.”

“Every available resource?”

“Of course. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about right now? Because I’d like to give it my full attention.”

Bandicut shook his head, and the holo of the robot blinked out.

He rubbed his eyes. He was very tired, and if he didn’t get some rest, he was going to start making stupid mistakes. It would be smart to rest before he was needed again.

***

He was buzzed awake from a fitful nap by Jeaves summoning him to the bridge. When he arrived, massaging a stiff neck, he was greeted by Copernicus with:

“The two new incoming? It’s three now, and they seem to have gone solid—ready for action.”

Bandicut swore. He looked around to see if the Uduon were paying attention, but they had left the bridge. Just as well.

“And something’s happening to the one here,” Copernicus continued. “The one Ruall went into. It seems to be coming apart.”

Now he was wide awake. “Let me see!”

“I don’t have a good image—the visuals are degrading to hash, as if they’re being jammed somehow—but the multi-radar echoes are coming back as if the target is literally in pieces.”

“That’s good, right?”

“Depends on Ruall and Bria’s status, doesn’t it?”

Bandicut found it hard to take a breath. “If the Mindaru is coming apart, wouldn’t that mean they’re free?”

Copernicus seemed to ponder the question. “One can hope. It depends on the manner in which it broke up, I think.

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.