Dying Light by Sean Williams & Shane Dix

Author:Sean Williams & Shane Dix [Williams, Sean & Dix, Shane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction
ISBN: 9781617564598
Google: JXny3ppQ8PEC
Publisher: Ace
Published: 2012-05-21T04:00:00+00:00

* * *

Roche waited in the airlock as Haid completed the final checks and brought the courier into the optimum position. Her suit was sealed and ready to go: armored, powered, and equipped with enough thrust to repel the moon’s low gravity for several hours in total. The courier would drop her high above and at some distance from the target crater. Using gravity and the thrusters when necessary, she would approach with all due caution under cover of the ion bridge.

She carried a number of weapons at the ready, plus several concealed in the thigh and underarm compartments of the suit. If she encountered trouble, she would be as prepared as she could be.

“Drop in two,” said Haid. “No activity. Arc due any time now.”

“When you’re clear, assume a geosynch orbit and wait for instructions. I’ll switch on my beacon once you’re out of the area.” During preparations for the jaunt, she’d reconsidered her decision to go in completely unannounced. Broadcasting a navigational pulse would let anyone in the area know she was coming without giving too much away. If the worst she was facing was a bunch of outriggers, the suit would be able to take care of her; if not, not even the courier would be much use. “Maintain radio silence once I’m off-ship.”

“Understood. One minute to drop.”

She inclined her head so Haid’s view through the airlock camera’s included her face. “And don’t do anything rash while I’m away, okay?”

A slight laugh filled her helmet. “Trust me, Morgan,” he said. Then: “The bridge is arcing now. Thirty seconds. Hold tight.”

Roche braced herself against the frame of the airlock, more out of habit than necessity, since the chamber had already been evacuated. A chronometer inside the helmet of her suit counted down the seconds. When it hit five, a series of dull clunks traveled from the bulkhead, along the rigid structure of the suit, and to her ears, then died as she let go and allowed herself to drift.

The outer door slid aside as the chronometer hit zero, and she kicked the thrusters to life and shot out of the airlock. A minute later, she switched on her beacon.

Her attention was focused on eyes-up navigation displays in her visor and artificial sight as she accelerated away from the courier; she barely glimpsed the red-tinged, craggy surface of the small moon rolling beneath her. The courier’s engines fired the instant she was at a safe distance, propelling it precipitously away from her. For a brief, disorienting moment, she had no idea where she was.

Then the moon swung into view, and she rolled herself about so that her legs were pointing in a rough approximation of “down.” She let herself fall, following the navigation prompt rather than trusting her own instincts. Orbital mechanics was difficult enough to calculate without the view she was diving into acting as a distraction.

Mok... the ion-bridge flashing... Kukumat and Murukan looming impossibly large nearby... and no stars to be seen, apart from one hanging blood-red in the distance.

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