Derelict: Halcyone Space, Book 1 by Lj Cohen

Author:Lj Cohen [Cohen, Lj]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Colonization, Galactic Empire, Teen & Young Adult, Lgbt, AI, Space Opera, Fiction, Adventure, Computers, Science Fiction
Amazon: B00KNFS8OW
Publisher: Interrobang Books
Published: 2014-05-29T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

Barre wasn't sure what he expected when he handed Ro the drone, but her disinterested grunt as she set it aside wasn't it. Her long hair shading her face, she barely looked up from tapping on her micro with one hand and tweaking something on the first drone with her other. He watched her coordinate her two hands in different rhythms for a few minutes. She'd have made a hell of a drummer.

The door slid open and Micah stepped onto the bridge, mimicking his father's confident stride. This was the most time Barre had spent with him since he showed up on Daedalus. He wondered how else Micah was like the infamous senator.

"We have functioning heads. As far as the reclamation, it should work." Micah shrugged. "But these types of systems were notoriously inefficient, and the ship is close to forty years old."

Ro didn't respond, didn't even move when Micah walked up to her.

"So, what other busy work do you have for us?" he asked, his voice light, but his gaze locked on her with a laser's focus.

She glanced up at the two of them as if surprised to see them there. "You." She pointed at Barre. "Don't go anywhere."

He glanced down at his sleeping brother. "Yeah. No problem." Jem's color still wasn't great, but at least there was no fresh blood on the bandages. That had to be a good sign.

Ro reached for the second drone.

"Care to let us mere mortals know what you're doing?" Micah asked.

She blinked up at him, not seeming to register the sarcasm. "I need your micros. All of them. Even Jem's."

All Barre's music lived on the small device. Everything he'd collected across planets and systems and cultures and all the pieces he'd composed. "Why?"

Slapping the cover back on the second drone she sighed. "Setting up an ad hoc."

"Um, what?"

Ro pushed the hair back from her face. At this point, Jem would have been rolling his eyes.

"I'm using all the transmitting power in the drones and the micros to link up directly with the ship's comm array. With a strong enough signal, we can trigger the antenna's repeater function."

"That's assuming someone's listening for us," Barre said. A pang of unfamiliar guilt hit him. Their parents would be insane with worry and they would probably blame him. He curled his hands into fists.

She fixed him with a steely look. "A ship abandoned for forty years breaks free of a space station with four kids on board. You don't think they'll be listening for us?"

"And what if the wrong people hear us?" Micah asked, his gaze fixed on Ro.

"What choice do we have?" she answered.

Barre glanced from Ro to Micah, frowning. What were they talking about?

Micah handed over his micro and Jem's. Barre dragged his out of a deep pocket. Ro had no idea what she was asking. Barre gripped the small machine tightly. She held out her hand.

"Fine," he said. "Do you need me to unlock it?"

She blinked up at him. "Oh, sure, that'd be easier.

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.