Honor - Kevin Killiany [27]
With the exterior shielding removed, the laser beam had struck the fragile interior of the satellite. The exposed sensor arrays, data storage cores, and isolinear networks had exploded in an expanding cloud of gas, shrapnel, and droplets of molten polymer. An armor panel, propelled by the expanding cloud, slammed into Corsi before she could react. Its speed had not been great, but its mass was sufficient to swat her out of orbit like a fly.
“Pattie!”
“Here, Commander,” Pattie answered promptly over the comlink. “Waldo Egg lost two and I think half arms, but pod is tight. Louisa evidently anticipated explosions.”
Corsi nodded inside her helmet. Zhatyra II rose and fell as she tumbled. It wasn’t getting appreciably larger, but she knew she was falling. She applied thrusters minimally, conserving fuel as she oriented herself for atmospheric entry.
“What’s your status?”
“It appears the blast gave me a retrograde boost. Waldo’s thrusters aren’t up to regaining orbit, so it looks like I’m taking a long spiral to Zhatyra II. You?”
“Taking a direct route,” Corsi said.
She was glad neither would be drifting alone in space. Intellectually she knew it was no more dangerous, perhaps even less dangerous, than waiting for rescue on the planet’s surface, but the idea of hanging alone in the emptiness in nothing but an EVA suit…
Bringing her left forearm up, she tapped the shuttle interface. Time to send an emergency signal.
Nothing.
“Pattie,” she said, retapping the command sequence, “I can’t get a response from the Shirley.”
“The stern bay was wide open and facing the satellite,” Pattie pointed out. “It’s possible the internal systems were damaged.”
Corsi cursed. “Nailed all four targets with one shot. What are the odds on that?”
“I don’t believe it was a weapon. I was scanning when it struck the satellite. I believe it was an interplanetary communications laser.”
“With our geosynchronous satellite directly over its target?”
“Apparently. Close, at any rate. Projecting along its path, I’d say the intended destination was somewhere near that ring of volcanoes.”
Corsi squinted at the globe below. Nothing but mottled grays and greens.
“You’ve got better visuals than I do.”
“Sending you coordinates.”
“Got ’em.”
The numbers were very close to where Corsi’s fall was taking her. She fired her thrusters, bringing her trajectory more in line.
“You going to make a complete orbit coming down?” Corsi asked.
“Two at least. Though I have enough thrust to slow for atmospheric insertion, I may go a bit farther. Hard to say. Louisa never mentioned how Waldo was coming down on a planet.”
“I’m going to try for that ring of volcanoes,” Corsi said. “If you can get close, maybe we can meet up. Otherwise, just button down and hang on till the cavalry gets here.”
“Will do.” Pattie’s voice began to break up as her pod arced over the horizon. “Good luck.”
Chapter
13
“Are you okay?” Corsi asked for the dozenth time.
The three K’k’tict had been completely blinded by the planetary communications laser striking its dish a hundred meters in front of them. Each was now tightly clutching the one ahead with a lower hand as Corsi led them through the underbrush. With their upper hands pressed over their damaged eyes, they were nowhere near as silent as they’d been. Corsi exaggerated the arc of their path, putting as much distance as possible between her charges and the wood chopping party while still keeping their objective in sight.
When they reached the others, the waiting K’k’tict teamed up in pairs, one on each side of a stricken comrade, and rushed them through the ferns toward home.
Corsi kept pace for a few dozen meters, but her injuries and common sense made her slow to a walk. She waved on the few K’k’tict who’d stayed with her, assuring them she would catch up.
“Corsi to Blue,” she said as soon as she was alone. “Come in, Pattie.”
She had not been alone since recovering her combadge and had kept the verbal transmitter