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module; he didn't want to open the rear airlocks because he couldn't see from
where he was what might be behind them. He handed out hand weapons which Steve
and his crewmates had brought from the armory.
"Melinda, you're in charge," he said to a tall, blonde woman of middle
age. "You've had combat experience. The rest of you listen to her. Melinda,
see that shuttle on the second runway over, the one with the jets still
smoking?"
"You mean the one with all the bodies by it?"
"That's the one. There are three women who will be coming out of that
shuttle shortly. Get over there and bring them back. Quickly. I don't know how
or what's going on any more but I'm going to report to our mother ship and see
if we can get out of here just as soon as you bring back those women."
"Where are we going?"
"You'll be told when we're ready, just like everyone else. Trust me."
The woman nodded, gazing at the rest of the group with her eyes,
pausing briefly over Steve, concerned about his young face, then decided it
was better to get moving than debate about whether a young man was old enough
for combat or not. The airlock opened and they exited the ship by fours, all
the airlock would hold at one time.
As soon as they were gone, Donald turned back to the computer and
voiced several test commands. They were carried out promptly, but then the
computer blinked a question.
_Were the responses satisfactory?_
"Um, uh, yes, they were. Thank you." _Destiny's chip!_ Donald Tremaine
thought. _We've got a jamming sentient computer on our hands! Will it take us
into orbit? Or kill us like it did those poor fools out there?_ The last
thought came with the sudden realization that it was the computer that must
have directed the shuttle's actions. And it was directing the rescue of
Steve's sister. At least it was on their side, for the time being, at least,
but no one could predict what a sentient computer might do, not even the
computer itself. And another thing..._how do I keep it from taking over the
mother ship's computer when I call Dad? And I have to call him soon. We've got
to get out of here!_ And that thought reminded him that they couldn't go
anywhere until they had a takeoff path.
"Computer, can you ask the shuttle blocking our runway to move?"
_I will take control and move it._
Donald stared as if mesmerized as the jets on the shuttle blocking them
flared and it moved away, giving them a clear path now.
* * * *
Steve felt his pulse in his chest and temples, thudding like drumbeats. His
hand was sweaty where he gripped his weapon. He switched the gun to his other
hand; wiped it on the jumpsuit he was still wearing and held it again in his
right hand. He followed the tall blond who was so curt with her orders that it
made him afraid to question her, even if he wanted to.
It was fortunate that they made it to the rough ground between runways
before being spotted; it gave them some cover to return fire. Steve got off
two beams but the opposing figures were so far away and moving so fast he
didn't know if he hit anyone or not. He did see one or two fall as if caught
by their volley, though. The question was, what did they do now? He was almost
unbearably anxious to get to Janie and see her elfin face and brown curls and
liquid brown eyes again. The memory of her face hovered in his mind like a
vividly remembered dream upon awakening. Then, when he rose up slightly to
fire again, he caught a glimpse of the airlock of Janie's shuttle opening.
Fortunately for Janie and Sheila, the Plemmons Corpolice didn't notice
until they were already down and off the exit ladder, out of sight of the
attackers. Tracey wasn't that lucky. She was still climbing down when a laser
beam caught her squarely in the center of her spine. She screamed and fell
backward off the short row of steps and sprawled spread-eagled on the tarmac.
Janie was closest. Ducking low, she ran to her friend, but there was
little she could do.
"Ignaz ... love..." Tracey got out those two words, barely loud enough
for Janie to hear and she was gone. Janie stared at the bloodless face for a
moment, leaned down and kissed her then scrambled on all fours back to where
Sheila was crouching with weapon drawn but not knowing where to point it, nor
having any idea of a strategy to go with the weapon. She only knew that
Hercules had advised them to make for Steve's shuttle while they had a chance.
But ... surely he hadn't intended for them to get killed on the way?
Hercules hadn't; it was simply that he had no eyes and had to have the
ground situation relayed to him either by Wiggins in ground control or Donald
in the shuttle, which left gaps such as the one which had left Tracey
vulnerable and Janie and Sheila almost so.
Steve had seen one of the women fall from the ladder, but even from the
distance he had seen that her hair was jet black, not the light brown of
Janie. He breathed a sigh of relief, then was punched rudely on the shoulder
by Melinda, his leader. She pointed out a direction. "That way. Stay close to [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] - zanotowane.pl
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