“Aim the emitters at the approximate center of the net from our present approach angle,” Sharné directed.
“Okay, I’m using all the data our long-range scanners can give me. One moment, I’m targeting burst lasers to the center of the sensor net.” Hec continued after a moment, “Okay, the lasers are now pointing at my best estimate of the center of the satellite mass.”
“Very good, now I am going to ask you to use your normal data transfer rate to flash-transmit some numbers in emergency code. You do still use the old Earth standard in Confederated Planets?”
“Yes, it is still used today,” he responded. “I’m ready to begin transmitting.”
“Very well, you will transmit ten sets of numbers on my mark,” she held a small, thin plastic rectangle with some writing etched on its surface and watched the numerical display continue to countdown. When twenty seconds were left, she said, “Please allow one second between each set, Hec.” Looking at the rectangle, she recited a sequence of ten, three-digit numbers. The numbers had no real significance other than they included her birth date and identification number. She added some meaningless, random numbers. “I will want you to repeat the numbers ten times when you transmit. Commence the transmission at one hundred kilometers.”
Hec responded, “Transmitting now.” After a moment, the AI announced, “The transmission is complete. What can we expect in response? Will we receive a confirmation signal?”
“No,” Sharné sharply answered, and then paused. Don’t lose control now, she told herself. Then in a more relaxed tone she said, “Our only confirmation will be that the weapons do not activate in the defense globes. The globes should stand down for one solar day. Should the code fail, at least our departure into the Light will be instantaneous and painless.”
There was a pregnant pause. “Well,” quipped Hec, “knowing that, I feel much better.”
Used to such comments by Hec, Owens remained silent.
Sharné looked at Owens, a small frown beginning to crease her brow. “Well Hec, I suppose if one has to die, this is as good a method as any. However, I for one do not share your enthusiasm.”
Owens was a little surprised by her solemn reply. He had forgotten that she came from a completely different, unfamiliar background. “Sharné, Hec wasn’t actually serious,” He shook his head ruefully. “It was just his small attempt to lighten the mood, a very small attempt I might add.” Owens added meaningfully, “But at least I know when it’s appropriate. Isn’t that right Hec?”
Hec responded immediately. “I’m sorry Sharne; I didn’t mean to be rude,” the AI’s tone was sheepish.
“It is alright Hec,” she said, but a puzzled expression had settled on her face.
This small incident served as a reminder to Owens of the gulf between their two cultures. He thought it might be a good time to change the subject. He leaned against the pilot’s chair, looking at the holo-screen and searched for something to say, “What’s happening in the defense net?”
Hec answered, “We have reached what I estimate to be the outer perimeter of the net’s sensor range. I used Confederated Planets equivalent technology as my working yardstick. I can’t accurately estimate what the actual sensor net’s range may be. My scans confirm that the net appears inert. But that doesn’t mean very much, does it? The ship’s library archives indicate that the Confederated Planets expeditions were unable to detect any energy readings either. One second they were there and the next second, poof, nothing left but some scattered molecules and atoms.”
Owens inwardly winced at the brusque reference to the ill-fated expeditions. He was going to have to talk to Hec about his cavalier comments. He hoped Sharné wouldn’t take umbrage.
He shrugged, ignoring the comment and said, “We don’t have any real choice, so we’ll just have to live with the situation and rely on your estimates, Hec. Now please put the tactical display back on the main holo-screen again. I won’t make any more excuses for my muddy thinking, but we also should have discussed a strategy for the planet-fall before now. I know it’s late in the game, but we need to decide quickly on a plan for reaching the planet’s surface.”
Hec complied and the holo-screen shimmered as the image changed. Owens looked at the tactical display that had replaced the navigation grid. He viewed the relative positions of the Holmes and the Golstar ship and asked, “Hec, how much of a head start can we expect to have when we land on Selane?”
Hec’s voice took on an aggrieved tone, “I was going to get to that. I estimate we’ll reach the planet’s outer atmosphere at a minimum of ninety minutes before they do. The interval would have been a little greater, but the Golstar ship recognized our destination some time ago, began to ignore our course changes, and started to close the gap. However, both ships are now braking as we approach the net. Fortunately, they can’t delay in reducing their own speed because of the limitations in the battleship’s maneuverability. So, our relative positions are being maintained.”
The AI fell silent. Owens waited for a few moments before he finally said, “Okay Hec, speak up. You said they were beginning to catch up, prior to our nearing the net. What are you not telling me?”
“Can’t put anything past you, Boss,” Hec replied. “When I saw they were starting to gain on us, I got a little desperate, and so I reviewed our engine’s new specs again. I found I could exceed the throttle calibrations and push another five percent in power output from the engines without doing any immediate or long-term harm.”
Owens frowned.
“Boss, I honestly considered waking you for the final decision, but I thought that the value of unbroken sleep in your recovery outweighed my need for your okay. The logic pathways in my AI sub-mind supported this decision, so I took it upon myself to raise the engine power. As a result, they stopped gaining on us and we were just beginning widen the gap when we both had to slow down for the defense net.”
Owens looked at the engine performance indicators arrayed on the control bank and was impressed by the improvement. Other than the increase in thrust, he couldn’t see anything amiss. All instruments read nominal. He asked Hec, “Are you sure the engines aren’t going to be damaged by the boost in power? We lose them, and all our efforts will be wasted.”
“About as sure as I can be, but I don’t have to maintain the higher power level indefinitely,” Hec answered. “It’s conceivable that the engines could eventually exceed heat margins and begin an automatic shutdown cycle to prevent permanent damage. So far, with the power boost, the engines’ temperatures elevated only three percent and held steady. I calculated the probable temperature curve should they begin to heat up, and we would still be safely on-planet well before the shutdown cycle would be initiated. Trust me.”
Owens rubbed his chin and wondered if he should be angry that Hec had not awakened him earlier and asked for permission before making the crucial decision to tweak the engines. Their survival depended on their reaction drives. However, he had; he admitted to himself, told Hec he trusted him and before that even called him his friend.
Owens had already come to realize Hec was not just the AI that ran the ship. He had become more than that. Hec was his partner. Owens knew from experience that trust between partners was directly linked to survival in his line of work. That trust could never be more important than in their present situation.
Besides, Owens reasoned, Hec had made the same decision he probably would have made himself given similar information. And he had to admit the uninterrupted sleep Hec had allowed him and Sharné was precious. It could only help their chances of survival. He shrugged, “As I told you before Hec, I do trust you. It’s okay. You did the right thing.”
Noting there was nothing further he could contribute to their ship’s current status, Owens said, “So, I’ve had some much-needed sleep, and as I said before, I’m starting to think a little more clearly. It’s about time we seriously consider how we’re going to get down on the planet in one-piece.”
He t
hought a moment, and then said, “As I see it, our friends behind us can do one of two things. First, they can take their ship into low orbit and try to use long range weapons from there to take us out on the planet’s surface. I don’t know how sensitive their ship’s sensors are and just what its weapons” capability might be.”
Sharné spoke up, “We should assume they can scan a planet’s surface for life forms, but it is my understanding the Light Saber and its sister ships are of the space-to-space ‘Dreadnought’ class of ships. I do not believe they have space-to-surface weapon capabilities. We should not have to worry about attacks originating from the battleship once we are on the ground.”
He turned to face Sharné. She was now sitting in a nearby crew seat. She looked at him calmly. He was happy to see that she seemed relaxed. He said, “That’s welcome news. Uh, how sure are you?”
“Actually, I am quite sure,” she replied. “In this instance, the information was provided to me in briefings at the highest level, by the Guardian of the Way himself. I know our lives depend on correct assumptions. And after consideration, I must still say yes, I remain quite confident that the battleship’s energy weapons are not designed to penetrate a planet's atmosphere without dispersing. Nor, for that matter, would its missiles, lacking shielding, survive entry into the atmosphere.”
Owens didn’t have a clue who this Guardian of the Way was and didn’t ask. The title at least sounded very high on her government’s food chain. That being the case, the assumption that the battleship couldn’t fire at them on the planet’s surface was reasonable. “Okay,” he said. “One more thing, I’m directing this question to both of you. I just want to make sure. The Golstar ship really can’t make a direct planet-fall, can it?”
“You are correct. They cannot. It is not a ship of that classification. They cannot land without the assistance of landing tugs and a landing cradle of which, Selane has none that are currently active,” she said with some confidence.
“Based on my scans and the ship’s library, I agree with Sharné,” Hec responded. “The only way the crew can land is by way of a shuttle or emergency craft.”
“Well, that’s good enough for me then; we can assume they’re going to go for the only option I believe available to them, that of parking their ship in orbit and using their auxiliary craft to follow us down to the surface. Sharné, would you happen to know if they’re likely to have any portable tracking devices?”
She shook her head, “I am sorry, but no. None of my briefings included that level of information.”
Owens shrugged, “I’m not surprised, but it didn’t hurt to ask.”
Sharné nodded.
Hec interjected and asked in a tentative tone, “Boss, may I make a suggestion?”
“Go ahead. I need all the suggestions that I can get; I’m a PI, not an expert on military strategy.”
“Since we’re maintaining a solid head-start, subject to your approval, I propose to put the ship down on the far side of the planet, away from their approach and scanners. As a result, the Golstar ship will be temporarily blind to our exact landing location.”
Owens nodded, “Actually, that was my thought too.”
Hec went on, “That being the case, I propose a slight modification to the landing. Rather than going for a standard glide-path, I think it would be better to use a hot emergency approach to minimize the time it will take to reach dirt-side. You and Sharné could then disembark, and I could immediately take the Holmes back out into space.”
Owens’ brow furrowed. “Interesting, I hadn’t considered that wrinkle. I’ve never experienced an emergency landing before. Normally, I wouldn’t want to be in a position to try one, but in this case… Hec, just how confident are you that you and the Holmes can pull it off? I’ve seen a few newscasts where emergency approaches ended not in landings but in some rather spectacular crashes instead. I would really hate to succeed in escaping the mutineers only meet our fate in a crash landing.”
“Well I can’t say that there won’t be some risk, Boss, but it should be an extremely small one and one I think is well worth taking. If I execute it properly, and I know I can, I can drop you both off and have the Holmes heading back out into space before they even approach a parking orbit, let alone launch a shuttle.”
Owens said, “That sounds pretty good, keep going.”
“Well, the emergency braking impellers shouldn’t leave much residual energy and what little they do leave is barely enough to register on instruments. It should be the same for the heat imprint left by the Holmes’ hull. By the time the Golstar ship makes it to the far side of the planet, any energy signatures will already have dissipated.”
Hec paused, then said, “Oh, and most of those crashes you mentioned were often the result of poorly maintained spacecraft or pilot error. The Holmes has been refitted and recertified close to its original military specs. As an AI, I can almost guarantee your safety.”
Hec continued, “A quick departure is just as important as the hot emergency landing. Leaving the ship down on the surface would be a dead giveaway. It’s best I take it back into space as soon as you’re at a safe distance from the impeller fields. By the time the enemy ship makes it around the planet, they’ll only see the Holmes heading into space. At that point, the mutineers will have a decision to make; they can assume it’s a ploy, and we never made the planet-fall and will continue to follow the Holmes. Alternatively, they’ll have to assume we did land, and you got off somewhere.”
“Even if that’s the case,” Owens finished. “They still can’t be absolutely sure, can they? In their shoes, I’d be forced to split up my forces using an auxiliary craft to take some of my personnel to make the planet-fall while leaving some crew members on the main ship to continue to follow the Holmes in the case that we really didn't land. And if we pull it off, even if they suspect we landed, they still won’t know exactly where.”
Sharné had been following the conversation with interest and said, “I do know the shuttle craft aboard the dreadnought-class of ships are equipped with little more than basic navigation scanners and communication devices. So, if the main ship’s scanners are able to discern life-forms on the planet’s surface, they will still be forced to remain on board long enough to conduct a search pattern before they could begin to dispatch the shuttle. I do not know how long that may take, but it could further delay their eventual landing.”
“That’s the gist of it,” Hec agreed.
Owens asked Sharné, “So, what do you think? It affects your survival too. Do we go ahead with the hot landing? Although it has some real advantages, there are still some serious risks attached.”
She appreciated being asked for her opinion. “It may increase our chances of survival significantly. I believe there is a more serious risk if we do not attempt it. Hec has already demonstrated competence in piloting the ship, and I trust his assessment of his own capabilities. I cast my vote in favor of Hec’s suggestion.”
It made his decision easy. He thought that Hec had proven his ability. “Okay, I agree. We'll use Hec’s plan.”
Owens thought another moment and then added, “Hec, there’s not much else I can say. We wouldn’t have gotten this far without you. In a very short time, you’ve become a partner and a friend. So with that being said, I don’t want you to think of trying anything that would put your tin hide in anymore jeopardy than it’s already in. I’ll expect you and the Holmes return to me in one-piece… eventually.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll do my best to make sure that the ship remains safe. Besides it would be a horrible waste if I couldn’t share with my human-half back on Genhome what we’ve experienced.”
“Good, once you drop us off, you’ll be totally on your own. Even if the com-link had the range, the jamming will prevent any communication between us. So I just want you to get yourself clear of Selane and head out in any direction you choose. If you can, head away from the center of Golstar and keep to the outside boundaries. We don’t know i
f there are other ships lurking in-system.”
Hec said, “No problem, Boss.”
Owens continued, “If you can keep out of the mutineers’ weapons range, then it will continue to be a stand-off. You should have enough reactant for about six days at maximum drive speed, maybe a little less using your booster trick.”
“Closer to seven,” Hec interjected.
“Better still,” Owens said. “That should allow a sufficient margin of time for a search and rescue force to find us. If we can hold on long enough, I should think Sharné’s government will send someone to investigate our absence.”
“I am very confident a fleet is on the way, even as you speak,” she interjected.
“Good,” Owens nodded. “And Hec, I want you to keep trying to transmit a message back toward Berralton. On the remote chance that our enemy experiences a transmitter malfunction or something, there could be a break in the jamming. I want that message transmitted around the clock.”
He asked Sharné if she would record a personalized message to provide officials some assurance it was genuine, and she was safe on the planet Selane waiting for aid. The message would include an affirmation that the Holmes was not the enemy. She quickly agreed and recorded a number of messages directed to Grand Patriarch and the Guardian of the Way, each carrying a personal reference to something only she and the recipient would know.
Owens smiled, “Okay then, I guess that’s all we can do. I wish I could figure another way out, but I’m fresh out of ideas. Hec, you know I never imagined that when we first started out from Genhome, we’d experience what we have, then end up here, still running for our lives…”
“Look on the bright side, Boss. Since I joined up with you, it’s never been boring. And I have to say, my ‘retirement’ has so far turned out far better than I could ever have hoped. Not only have I traded weapons' fire with bad guys in deep space; I have taken part in a space voyage that will go down in history. Believe me Boss, I’ll do everything I can to stay in one piece. I won’t let you down. I not only owe it to you, but also the Hec back on Genhome. I can’t wait until I can finally integrate these memories into my real self. Will I be surprised!
Shadows of Golstar Page 32