Shadow of Empire (2015) by Jay Allan

Author:Jay Allan [Allan, Jay]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Space Opera
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2015-11-01T11:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

“HOW DOES IT LOOK, SAM?” BLACKHAWK WAS STANDING BEHIND his engineer, watching her examine the spy ship’s hyperdrive core.

“It looks like some kind of damned alien artifact, Captain. This thing is the most advanced piece of machinery I’ve ever seen.” There was frustration in her voice, but excitement as well. Blackhawk did his best not to get impatient with her. He knew there was nothing Sam Sparks loved more than analyzing a sophisticated spaceship system, and if she had her way, she’d sit there all day, puzzling over the sophisticated imperial tech. As far as he could tell, that’s exactly what she was doing. She’d removed the access plate and set up two battery-powered lanterns so she could see what she was doing, but since then she’d just been looking at it and poking around at the fiber optic connections surrounding it.

Blackhawk put his hand on her shoulder. “Sam, I know this is a tough job, but we’ve got a time limit here. We’ve got to get this thing loaded and out of here before half the revolutionaries in New Vostok show up and blow us away. I can tell it’s a complex device, but you’re just going to have to go with your gut. We should have been on our way back to the Claw by now.”

“I understand, Ark.” She looked at the toolkit sitting on the floor next to her, retrieving a small power flow scanner. She glanced behind her toward Blackhawk. “I could really use some quiet.” She looked at him knowingly.

He held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, Sam—you’re the boss.” He turned and looked at the others. “Everyone out. Now.” They shuffled quickly out of the room, leaving Blackhawk alone with his engineer. He walked to the door himself, pausing and giving her a quick wink as he stood there. “Just do the best you can, Sam. There’s no one I trust more than you.” He turned and walked through the door, sliding it closed behind him.

He walked down the dimly lit corridor and into the wardroom. Sarge was sitting up on a table with Doc working on his wounded arm. From the haggard look on the noncom’s face, Blackhawk guessed it had been an unpleasant experience.

“There.” Doc’s voice was thick with satisfaction. He pulled out a pair of small forceps and dropped the projectile in his palm. “The damned thing dug its way into the bone. It was a bitch to get out.”

“It damned sure was.” Sarge’s voice was a little thin, which gave Blackhawk an idea just how painful Doc’s probing had been. He’d seen Sarge coolly ignore pain that would have reduced most people to sobbing hysterics.

“You’re lucky you’re going to keep that arm, my friend,” Doc said. “You can thank me for that, and not that pathetic dressing you managed yourself.” He paused, expecting a comeback, but Sarge was just too spent. Doc picked up the projectile with two fingers and held it up to the portable light he’d placed next to Sarge.

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