The Hard Way Up by A. Bertram Chandler

Author:A. Bertram Chandler [A. Bertram Chandler]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2014-03-26T16:00:00+00:00

THE WANDERING BUOY

It shouldn't have been there.

Nothing at all should have been there, save for the sparse drift of hydrogen atoms that did nothing at all to mitigate the hard vacuum of interstellar space, and save for the CourierAdder , proceeding on her lawful occasions.

It shouldn't have been there, but it was, and Grimes and his officers were pleased rather than otherwise that something had happened to break the monotony of the long voyage.

"A definite contact, Captain," said von Tannenbaum, peering into the spherical screen of the mass proximity indicator.

"Mphm..." grunted Grimes. Then, to the Electronic Communications Officer, "You're quite sure that there's no traffic around, Sparks?"

"Quite sure, Captain," replied Slovotny. "Nothing within a thousand light years."

"Then get Spooky on the intercom, and ask him ifhe's been in touch with anybody--or anything."

"Very good, Captain," said Slovotny rather sulkily. There was always rivalry, sometimes far from friendly, between electronic and psionic communications officers.

Grimes looked over the Navigator's shoulder into the velvety blackness of the screen, at the tiny, blue-green spark that lay a little to one side of the glowing filament that was the ship's extrapolated trajectory. Von Tannenbaum had set up the range and bearing markers, was quietly reading aloud the figures. He said, "At our present velocity we shall up to it in just over three hours."

"Spooky says that there's no psionic transmission at all from it, whatever it is," reported Slovotny.

"So if it's a ship, it's probably a derelict," murmured Grimes.

"Salvage..." muttered Beadle, looking almost happy.

"You've a low, commercial mind, Number One," Grimes told him.As I have myself , he thought. The captain's share of a fat salvage award would make a very nice addition to his far from generous pay.

"Oh, well, since you've raised the point you can check towing gear, spacesuits and all the rest of it. And you, Sparks, can raise Lindisfarne Base on the Carlotti. I'll have the preliminary report ready in a couple of seconds..." He added, speaking as much to himself as to the others, "I suppose I'd better ask permission to deviate, although the Galaxy won't grind to a halt if a dozen bags of mail are delayed in transit..." He took the message pad that Slovotny handed him and wrote swiftly,To Officer Commanding Couriers. Sighted unidentified object coordinates Al 763.5 x ZU97.75 x J222.0 approx. Request authority investigate. Grimes .

By the time that the reply came Grimes was on the point of shutting down his Mannschenn Drive and initiating the maneuvers that wouldmatch trajectory and speed with the drifting object.

It read,authority granted, but please try to keep your nose clean for a change. Damien .

"Well, Captain, we cantry ," said Beadle, not too hopefully.

With the Mannschenn Drive shut down radar, which gave far more accurate readings than the mass proximity indicator, was operable. Von Tannenbaum was able to determine the elements of the object's trajectory relative to that of the ship, and after this had been done the task of closing it was easy.

At first it was no more than

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