Prologue
This is Barwolf Research Centre calling Harrier R-1. Barwolf calling HR-1. Are you on line, Major Rowell...? Major...? Come on, Alison, answer!
Alison attempted to blow a lock of hair out of her eyes, but the sweat plastered it to her brow. “I’m on, Toni, but I’m busy.”
“I gather. All sorts of alarms going off back at base, here. You in trouble?”
“Let’s just say I have no time to chat. We got hit by space debris, and I’m holding a broken contact together with my left hand while I’m trying to rewire the system so that I can reprogram propulsion to work without the damaged part. I’ve got a mid-level diplomat, probably in terminal shock, quivering in the cabin. Other than a temporary lack of propulsion three days from base, no trouble.”
“Do you want Nzinga to take a look?”
“First intelligent thing I’ve heard in an hour. Can she do that?”
“Sure. Take an image of the offending contact with your augment, then have your ship’s ArIn send it to me on this channel. It’ll be basic analysis, but she can check things over.”
“Okay, here it comes.”
Image: calico-furred cheek rubbing hers.
“Hey, how did you do that?”
“How did who do what?”
“Nzinga just sent me a cheek-rub.”
Toni chuckled. “She’s never done that before. Probably bounced it back on the image you just sent. Give us a moment...”
The pause went on and on, while sweat rolled down her cheek.
“Okay, Alison, you’ve got a problem.”
“I already knew that.”
“Worse than that. Whatever you do, don’t let go of that contact.”
“Hadn’t planned on it. Why not?”
“Not completely sure, but Nzinga says if that circuit goes dead it may not be repairable. Something to do with overloads somewhere else. You have to go into the main control panel above the cockpit on the port side and change a few leads. It’s not that hard to do.”
Image: circuit with emergency cut-out connected.
“Except that I’m not down in the cockpit. I’m up in the nose, which looks like a piece of Swiss cheese patched with Brie, holding onto a contact that you say I can’t let go of.”
“So, get your passenger to hold it. Or he can switch the circuits, if you trust him.”
“Did I mention he’s rather shook up? I barely got him into his suit in time. We weren’t really expecting a patch of micro-asteroids out here moving counterspin at that velocity. The forward deflectors are toast.”
“I’m afraid it’s that or risk a major shutdown, and you’re a week from rescue.”
Alison gave a grim smile. “He’s rather young and handsome for a mid-level diplomat. It might not be too bad.”
Toni sent a raspberry. “Just get it fixed. That guy is needed where he was going, and you’re needed...well, you’re just needed. Don’t take any risks you don’t have to.”
“Yes, boss. I’ll get right on it.”
“Boss? You’re the major, last time I noticed.”
“And we’re playing by Outback Rule Number One. Experience leads.”
“Fair enough. And Queen Nzinga has made her decree. Get that diplomat down there and dirty up his hands. It’ll be good for him. Anything else?”
“No, other than the shielding, we’re in operating condition.”
“Good enough. Have a nice ride. Barwolves out.”
“Thanks, Toni. See you in a week or so. HR-1 out.”
She reached into her augment and accessed the ship’s com. “Umm...Dr. Jamison, how are you doing back there...?”
