Greylorn

by Keith Laumer

tremendous wallop because it's set up a rotation. I've called outDamage Control."

  "Good work, Taylor," I said. I keyed for Stores; the object must havehit about there. "This is the Captain," I said. "Any damage there?"

  I got a hum of background noise, then a too-close transmission. "Uh,Cap'n, we got a hole in the aft bulkhead here. I slapped a seat pad overit. Man, that coulda killed somebody."

  * * * * *

  I flipped off the intercom and started aft at a run. My visitors hadevaporated. In the passage men stood, milled, called questions. I keyedmy mike as I ran. "Taylor, order all hands to emergency stations."

  It was difficult running, since the floors had assumed an apparent tilt.Loose gear was rolling and sliding along underfoot, propelled forward bycentrifugal force. Aft of Stores, I heard the whistle of escaping airand high pressure gasses from ruptured lines. Vapor clouds fogged theair. I called for floodlights for the whole sector.

  Clay appeared out of the fog with his damage control crew. "Sir," hesaid, "it's punctured inner and outer shells in two places, andfragments have riddled the whole sector. There are at least three mendead, and two hurt."

  "Taylor," I called, "let's have another damage control crew back here onthe triple. Get the medics back here, too." Clay and his men put onmasks and moved off. I borrowed one from a man standing by and followed.The large exit puncture was in the forward cargo lock. The room wassealed off, limiting the air loss.

  "Clay," I said, "pass this up for the moment and get that entry puncturesealed. I'll put the extra crew in suits to handle this."

  * * * * *

  I moved back into clear air and called for reports from all sections.The worst of the damage was in the auxiliary power control room, wherecommunication and power lines were slashed and the panel cut up. Thedanger of serious damage to essential equipment had been very close, butwe had been lucky. This was the first instance I had heard ofencountering an object at hyper light speed.

  It was astonishing how this threat to our safety cleared the air. Themen went about their duties more cheerfully than they had for months,and Kramer was conspicuous by his subdued air. The emergency hadreestablished at least for the time the normal discipline; the men stillrelied on the Captain in trouble.

  Damage control crews worked steadily for the next seventy-two hours,replacing wiring, welding, and testing. Power Section jockeyedendlessly, correcting air motions. Meanwhile, I checked almost hourlywith Survey Section, hoping for good news to consolidate the improvedmorale situation.

  It was on Sunday morning, just after dawn relief that Lt. Taylor came upto the bridge looking sick.

  "Sir," he said, "we took more damage than we knew with that meteorstrike." He stopped and swallowed hard.

  "What have you got, Lieutenant?" I said.

  "We missed a piece. It must have gone off on a tangent through storesinto the cooler. Clipped the coolant line, and let warm air in. All thefresh frozen stuff is contaminated and rotten." He gagged. "I got awhiff of it, sir. Excuse me." He rushed away.

  This was calamity.

  We didn't carry much in the way of fresh natural food; but what we hadwas vital. It was a bulky, delicate cargo to handle, but the chemistshadn't yet come up with synthetics to fill all the dietary needs of man.We could get by fine for a long time on vitamin tablets andconcentrates; but there were nutritional elements that you couldn't getthat way. Hydroponics didn't help; we had to have a few ounces of freshmeat and vegetables grown in sunlight every week, or start to die withinmonths.

  * * * * *

  I knew that Kramer wouldn't let this chance pass. As Medical Officer hewould be well within his rights in calling to my attention the fact thatour health would soon begin to suffer. I felt sure he would do so asloudly and publicly as possible at the first opportunity.

  My best move was to beat him to the punch by making a generalannouncement, giving the facts in the best possible light. That mighttake some of the sting out of anything Kramer said later.

  I gave it to them, short and to the point. "Men, we've just suffered aserious loss. All the fresh frozen stores are gone. That doesn't meanwe'll be going on short rations; there are plenty of concentrates andvitamins aboard. But it does mean we're going to be suffering fromdeficiencies in our diet.

  "We didn't come out here on a pleasure cruise; we're on a mission thatleaves no room for failure. This is just one more fact for us to face.Now let's get on with the job."

  I walked into the wardroom, drew a cup of near-coffee, and sat down. Thescreen showed a beach with booming surf. The sound track picked up thecrash and hiss of the breakers. Considering the red plague that nowcovered the scene, I thought it was a poor choice. I dialed for a highview of rolling farmland.

  Mannion sat at a table across the room with Kirschenbaum. They werehunched over their cups, not talking. I wondered where they stood.Mannion, Communications Officer, was neurotic, but an old Armed Forceman. Discipline meant a lot to him. Kirschenbaum, Power Chief, was ajoker, with cold eyes, and smarter than he seemed. The question waswhether he was smart enough to idealize the stupidity of retreat now.

  Kramer walked in, not wasting any time. He saw me and came over. Hestopped a few feet from the table, and said loudly, "Captain, I'd liketo know your plans, now that the possibility of continuing is out."

  I sipped my near-coffee and looked at the rolling farmland. I didn'tanswer him. If I could get him mad, I could take him at his game.

  Kramer turned red. He didn't like being ignored. The two at the othertable were watching.

  "Captain," Kramer said loudly. "As Medical Officer I have to know whatmeasures you're taking to protect the health of the men."

  This was a little better. He was on the defensive now; explaining why hehad a right to question his Commander. I wanted him a little hotterthough.

  I looked up at him. "Kramer," I said in a clear, not too loud voice,"you're on watch. I don't want to find you hanging around the wardroommaking light chit-chat until you're properly relieved from duty." I wentback to my near-coffee and the farmland. A river was in view now, andbeyond it distant mountains.

  Kramer was furious. "Joyce has relieved me, Captain," he said,controlling his voice with an effort. "I felt I'd better take thismatter up with you as soon as possible, since it affects the health ofevery man aboard." He was trying to keep cool, in command of himself.

  "I haven't authorized any changes in the duty roster, Major," I saidmildly. "Report to your post." I was riding the habit of discipline now,as far as it would carry me. I hoped that disobedience to a directorder, solidly based on regulations, was a little too big a jump forKramer at the moment. Tomorrow it might be different. But it wasessential that I break up the scene he was staging.

  He wilted. "I'll see you at 1700 in the chart room, Kramer," I said ashe turned away. Mannion and Kirschenbaum looked at each other, thenfinished their near-coffee hurriedly and left. I hoped their version ofthe incident would help deflate Kramer's standing among the malcontents.

  I left the wardroom and took the lift up to the bridge and checked withClay and his survey team.

  "I think I've spotted a slight perturbation in Delta 3, Captain," Claysaid. "I'm not sure, we're still pretty far out."

  "All right, Clay," I said. "Stay with it."

  Clay was one of my more dependable men, dedicated to his work.Unfortunately, he was no man of action. He would have little influencein a show-down.

  * * * * *

  I was at the Schmidt when I heard the lift open. I turned; Kramer, Fine,Taylor, and a half a dozen enlisted crew chiefs crowded out, bunchedtogether. They were all wearing needlers. At least they'd learned thatmuch, I thought.

  Kramer moved forward. "We feel that the question of the men's welfarehas to be dealt with right away, Captain," he said smoothly.

  I looked at him coldly, glanced at the rest of his crew. I said nothing.

&nbs
p; "What we're faced with is pretty grim, even if we turn back now. I can'tbe responsible for the results if there's any delay," Kramer said. Hespoke in an arrogant tone. I looked them over, let the silence build.

  "You're in charge of this menagerie?" I said, looking at Kramer. "If so,you've got thirty seconds to send them back to their kennels. We'll gointo the matter of unauthorized personnel on the bridge later. As foryou, Major, you can consider yourself under arrest in quarters. Now_Move_."

  Kramer was ready to stare me down, but Fine gave me a break by tuggingat his sleeve. Kramer shook him loose, snarling. At that the crew chiefsfaded back into the lift.