“I can get two of you out easily,” Lorraine informed John. “The third will have to wait to see what effect the crystals have on the systems.”
“Take Gillespie and Kowalski.”
“No,” Gillespie cut in. “Take the commander. I’ll stay.”
“Take Gillespie and Kowalski,” John repeated firmly. “That’s an order,” he added. glaring Gillespie into silence.
As they disappeared, John pulled out a crystal and sat down.
“All this for a couple of rocks,” his breath escaped. He put the crystal away, drew his knees up and wrapped his arms around them. It was quiet. The darkness closed in on him. He concentrated on his breathing, trying to remain calm while he waited.
No sooner had they materialised on the ship than Gillespie switched his light off and charged at the transporter console. “Get him up,” he ordered.
“I can’t, sir,” Lorraine answered. “The crystals drained the power. We’ll have to wait for it to recharge.”
“Sam?” Gillespie wanted a second opinion.
“Sounds right.” Kowalski had to agree with Lorraine.
Gillespie reached across the console. “Re-route power from somewhere else.”
“You’ll overload the circuits.”
“I don’t care how many circuits you blow. Just get him out!”
Lorraine looked at the console. The power was reading five percent.
“Ease up a bit,” Kowalski frowned, unbuckling his helmet and lifting it off his head. The light was still on – as was Gillespie’s – and he switched it off.
“I’ll do it myself.” Gillespie knew the systems, knew where to draw power from. As the circuits began to blow, he bypassed them.
“Take these to engineering.” Kowalski gave his collection bag to Lorraine and unbuckled his belt, letting it fall to the floor. “I’ll sort this.”
She stepped clear of the console, but remained inside the doorway. He took her place, patching up the holes Gillespie was making.
John heard the elevator again. It was coming up, getting closer. He turned off his light; it was completely black. He saw the light from the elevator shaft. Nothing but a faint haze at first, rapidly brightening and thickening as the elevator rose. He froze as it stopped on his level.
“We’re pulling you out.” Gillespie’s voice was a welcome relief.
“I’m not alone.”
John was on his feet. As he began to dematerialise, he saw the Centauri’s step off the elevator. He heaved a sigh of relief as he stepped – stumbled and almost fell – off the transporter pad.
Gillespie caught his eyes, a worried look on his face.
“Thank you,” John acknowledged. “Centauri’s are down there. I saw them as you were bringing me up, so I assume they saw me.”
“They wouldn’t know you though,” Gillespie hoped.
“No, but they’ll be on the lookout for an Earth ship. We need to get away from here.”
“No go, sir,” Kowalski informed them. “Gillespie just blew half the remaining circuits pulling you out.”
If Gillespie should have felt guilty, it didn’t show. Not in the slightest.
Lorraine glared at him.
John unclipped the bag from his belt. “Then you better get these crystals down to engineering and let me know what you do have left.”
“Yes, sir,” Kowalski answered.
John took off his helmet and belt – the ropes were lost to the mine shaft – and began to put his gear away.
“Sam.” Gillespie unclipped his bag and unbuckled his belt.
“What?” Kowalski snapped.
John frowned, his attention shifting between the two men before spying Lorraine’s anger.
Gillespie tossed his bag. Kowalski caught it, his glare full of unspoken words before he headed out the door with Lorraine.
“Lorraine.” Gillespie dumped his helmet on the console and raced after her.
She didn’t answer, didn’t even stop.
“I’m sorry I yelled at you.” His voice was soft.
“Are you?” she ground out, stopping momentarily.
“Yes. I don’t take out my frustrations on women.”
“Is that what you call it?” She turned to face him, but she wasn’t forgiving.
Kowalski stopped halfway down the corridor. He leaned against the wall, arms folded across his chest. Far enough away to give them a moment, but close enough to intercede if necessary.
Gillespie was acutely aware of the young engineer’s intent as he kept his eyes on Lorraine’s. “In a manner of speaking.”
“How about the truth?”
The truth was not public knowledge and he intended keeping it that way. “How about you get back to engineering and give the boys a hand.”
She brooded for a minute, but he wasn’t budging.
* * *
Gillespie’s handiwork in the transporter room had caused more problems than it solved. There was barely enough power to refine the crystals and keep the ship running. It would be a slow process to refine them one at a time.
The most immediate problem was getting away from Tricon. The Centauri ship had been detected early and Giacomo had done a good job to keep Bismarck hidden from it. With a bit of luck, they could remain hidden and sneak away. Luck appeared to be with them.
Engineering was full of problems. A day later they were no better off. They had one new crystal in working condition and in place. The increase in power it generated showed them some systems, previously switched off to conserve power, were not operational. Shield damage was major – a lot worse than had been first thought.
Kowalski wanted to repair them first. As John had drummed into him so often, without shields they were defenceless.
John refused. They’d get to Copernicus and get it done properly.
A second crystal refined and the increase in power and speed had the hull shuddering and threatening to breach. They patched up what they could from the inside but it was like putting a sticking plaster on a torn artery. It was never going to last. It was either crawl along as they had been, increase speed and risk a breach or stop and fix it.
John gave permission for external repairs. Half the engineering crew would be outside the ship. Bubble suits tended to muffle communicators, but there was no other way to keep track of them. John worried. He always worried when the ship wasn’t moving. And Kowalski tended to have way too much fun for John’s liking.
“You’re not out there to play games, Mister Kowalski.”
“Cool it, sir. When was the last time you were out here?”
John noted McReidy’s muffled giggle.
“Just fix my ship.”
There was no answer.
“Mister Kowalski?”
No answer. No static; nothing but dead air.
John flicked the intercom off and on. “Sam?”
“We’ve lost contact with all of them,” Tan informed him.
John quickly tried the others, but there was no response. “Bricks… O’Grady… Wright…”
“Someone’s locked a tractor beam on them… I just lost them from my screen,” Gillespie added.
“What do you mean, you lost them?” Giacomo turned slowly to Gillespie, his eyes dark, his tone sending a chill through the bridge.
“I mean, they’re not there.”
“How did anyone get this close?” John asked.
“If sensors were working, they wouldn’t have,” Gillespie explained.
“You blew them!” Giacomo was on his feet, fists clenched by his sides, ready to tear Gillespie apart. McReidy put a hand on his arm to guide him back to his seat but he flicked her off.
“All right, I blew them! It’s my fault!” Gillespie glared back at Giacomo, warning not to push it.
“Settle down!” John’s voice rose above theirs. “Laying blame is not going to get them back. You,” he pointed to Giacomo, “sit down. And you,” he turned to Gillespie, unsure of what he was going to say. “You do what you can.”<
br />
“Commander –” McReidy began.
“What?” John snapped, cutting her off. He immediately regretted his abruptness. “What is it?” His voice was quieter.
“It’s the Centauri ship from Tricon.”
“It would be,” he groaned, wiping his hand down his face.
He moved to the console between McReidy and Giacomo, confronting the pilot who was still on his feet.
Giacomo’s attention shifted to John, who inclined his head the slightest. Giacomo fumed, rocking forward a fraction as he glared at Gillespie again. He gave up, dropping to his seat and facing forward.
“Let’s have a look at them.”
The ship came up on the main screen. A commercial frigate.
“Call them, Mister Tan. Let’s find out what they want.”
“They’re already calling us, sir,” Tan answered.
“Wait.”
Tan hesitated, his finger a centimetre above the button and watched John out of the corner of his eyes.
“Get me something I can use,” John told McReidy.
“Like what?”
“Anything. Put it on, Mister Tan.”
“Greetings, Captain… I’m sorry… Commander,” the Centauri spoke.
John’s mood soured at the deliberate insult. “Where’s my crew?”
“They are unharmed. I believe you have something that doesn’t belong to you.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t play games with me. I recognise you, as you do me.”
John couldn’t deny that. He’d seen the man down in the mine.
He briefly glanced down at McReidy’s console. She was working cautiously, trying not to attract attention. She needed more time. When he looked back at the screen, his left hand rose to Giacomo’s shoulder. He could feel the tension in the pilot.
“How did you find us? We could have been anywhere by now.”
“I traced you by your engine signature.”
Easy enough to do, John nodded. “I want my crew back.”
“And I want my crystals.” The Centauri stared back, unblinking.
“If I didn’t need them, I wouldn’t have taken them. You can see for yourself, we’ve suffered major damage in our encounters with the Andromedans. Half our systems are down. You probably know that from scanning us… We didn’t even know you were there.”
The Centauri thought for a minute. “Perhaps we can trade.”
John was immediately wary. He knew he had nothing of value. “What do you suggest?”
The view on the screen widened to include the engineers. John threw Gillespie a sideways glance. Personally, he didn’t know how many there should have been. He firmly pushed Giacomo back in his seat as soon as he felt him move. Gillespie nodded slowly. They were all accounted for.
“A fair trade,” the Centauri continued. “One for each crystal.”
Giacomo was on the move again. A rough shove kept him in place.
“No deal. I don’t trade my crew for anything.” John was having enough trouble keeping his own temper, let alone restraining Giacomo’s.
The Centauri was parading in front of the engineers. “However, I am not an unreasonable man.” He stopped beside Lorraine and pulled her away from the others, one hand running down the side of her face. “This one is payment enough.”
Giacomo was on his feet before John could stop him; the screen went black. If the Centauri had been on the ship and not just the screen, Giacomo would have been over the console and physically attacking him. John wrapped both arms around him in a bear hug. Although he managed to restrain him from leaping the console, there was no way he could get the pilot back into his seat.
“No, Giacomo, no. Take it easy.”
“I won’t take it easy.” Giacomo was trembling.
“Don’t let him know he’s got you. I’ll get her back. I promise.”
Giacomo relaxed a little, though John felt that had more to do with the screen being off than his words. The pilot’s eyes hid nothing. If anyone had ever doubted what he felt for Lorraine, it was perfectly clear now.
“Trust me.” John needed Giacomo back in control. “If he’s willing to give the guys back first, we’ll get them. Then we’ll get Lorraine.”
Giacomo sat down slowly and John loosened his grip. He nodded to Tan, who put the transmission back on. He was beginning to feel hot; Giacomo was already sweating. It must have been the tension.
“I apologise for the interruption. Our communications are not at their best.” It was the truth, although not in that particular instance. “You were saying I could have my crew back…”
“I said you could have most of them back.” The Centauri refused to be led. “You may make arrangements to transport two of them to your ship.”
“In return for?” John’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“As a sign of good faith. We are allies in this war.”
John considered. He didn’t trust the Centauri, but he wasn’t going to give up the opportunity to get two of his crew back. “Bridge to transporter room.”
“Umm, sir, transporter’s not working,” Gillespie reluctantly told him.
He looked across to Gillespie. His eyes closed momentarily and he muttered something incomprehensible before returning to the screen with a look of exaggerated exasperation. “It seems our transporter is not working. Would you mind…?”
“Certainly.” The Centauri was convinced he had the upper hand and the arrogance of his race oozed from him.
McReidy lightly touched John’s hand on the console beside her. He couldn’t afford to glance away from the screen, until it suddenly went blank. At least Tan was still awake.
“Yes?” John asked quietly.
“It’s not much,” McReidy confessed. “At full strength, their shields can’t withstand our weapons.”
“We’re not at full strength,” Giacomo growled.
“Do they know that?” John asked. “Weaponwise, I mean?”
“Probably not,” Gillespie answered. “They would have scanned us, so they’ll where we’re damaged, but not the extent.”
“Kowalski here, sir. Boy, am I glad to get back.”
“Who’s with you?”
“Red.”
“Get the transporter working. How many crystals can we afford to give up?”
“None. We only took –”
“I know what we took.”
Crystals or crew – it wasn’t a choice. If they had to crawl to Copernicus, he’d take that any day over the loss of one crewmember.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Is it hot in here or is it me? Looks like I’m going to have to be unreasonable.”
“What’s different about that?” McReidy muttered to herself.
“Put it back on, Mister Tan.”
As the screen came back on, John was glancing at his crew.
“Are they back yet?” he asked, faking ignorance.
“I think so,” Gillespie covered.
“Two of your crew are back,” the Centauri confirmed.
John turned suddenly to the screen, as though he was unaware that it was back on. “Oh… thank you.”
McReidy hid a smile. Bluffing was something they were becoming good at.
“Now,” John continued. “As a sign of good faith, I will give you back one crystal… in return for all the others.”
The Centauri laughed loudly.
John didn’t mind. He was trying to buy time for Kowalski.
“For one crystal,” the Centauri managed to compose himself, although he was still amused at John’s suggestion, “you may have another one back.”
It was hard bargaining, but John finally managed to concede three crystals for everyone except Lorraine. Two were refined and installed. Short of ripping them out of the engine core, he only had one remaining to bargain with.
He was sweating. His jacket clung to him and the air was stifling. Gillespie had undone his jacket. Giacomo’s sleeves were soak
ed where he had been wiping himself. McReidy was overheated and flushed with colour. John felt the sweat begin to run down his face and wiped it with his sleeve.
“How’s Sam doing?” he quickly whispered out of the corner of his mouth.
“Not so good,” McReidy whispered back. She kept her eyes on the console, searching for any other weakness the Centauri ship might have. Her ears were alert to the conversations going on.
The lights suddenly dimmed and the consoles went off. The screen remained on, the image of the Centauri captain pixelating for several seconds before clearing up.
John looked around as the bridge crew worked madly to try to get their consoles back online. The emergency generators kicked in and power was restored.
“We just blew a crystal.” Gillespie confirmed what they all suspected.
John was out of time. He hoped it was Kowalski who caused the power surge because that was where he wanted the reserves to be.
“All right. That’s it. No more discussions. I’m keeping the remaining crystals and I want my engineer back. Now!”
“Commander, you are hardly in any position –”
“Now you listen to me.” John’s eyes were hard and he raised one hand and pointed to the Centauri for emphasis. His voice was cold, emotionless to anyone who didn’t know him. “I want my engineer back, and I want her back right now! If you do not return her within five minutes, I will quite happily destroy your ship!”
He anticipated Giacomo’s response and his fingers dug sharply into the pilot’s tendons, keeping him in place.
This time, McReidy was responsible for cutting off the transmission. She turned on John. “Do the words ‘without incident’ mean anything to you?” she hissed at him. “You can’t fire on them. They’re on our side.”
He couldn’t escape her glare, but he avoided an answer. “Mister Kowalski, I want that transporter working in four and a half minutes. Power up some weapons. If they don’t give her back, I want to be able to punch a hole in their shields big enough to pull her out.”
“If they run, we can’t chase them.” Giacomo’s voice shook slightly.
“Then we make sure they can’t run.”
The screen came back on. The Centauri looked worried. He didn’t know if John was bluffing. “You can’t fire on us. When your government finds out –”
When the Dust Settled Page 46
