String Theory_ Cohesion (Book 1) - Jeffrey Lang [2]
“It can take it,” Maza said. “And if the captain’s plan works, we’ll have plenty of time later to repair any damage we take. Consider what we were up against before, Commander.”
Mateo knew the engineer was right. Until a few hours earlier, their prospects for survival (let alone a successful mission) had been poor. Now, with the help of these strange beings, they might not only reach their destination, but do it in a fraction of the time they had budgeted. He had been trying to suppress the thought, but now Mateo gave a little rein to the idea that he might actually see home again someday, see his wife…“All right,” he said. “Call me if anything doesn’t feel right.”
“Acknowledged.”
Over the next several minutes, the surges became increasingly severe. As bad as the jostles were for him at the craft’s bow, Mateo could only imagine what it must be like for the passengers in the sternmost sections. Struggling to focus past his nausea, Mateo tried to read the sensors, but the scanners were scrambled. After one particularly harsh bounce, he saw Cho tighten the harness over her chest, then watched as the rest of the bridge crew followed suit. “Another one like that,” Cho said, “and I’m getting off and going home. “The joke got more laughter than Mateo thought it strictly warranted, but he was pleased to hear that everyone was still game.
The intercom buzzed and Mateo tried to answer, though it took him a couple of stabs before he could hit the button. “Bridge,” the anonymous caller asked. “Are we almost through with this yet? Passengers are worried. People are getting motion sick.”
“Tell the passengers that this is a transitional phase. The aliens told us to expect it and we’ll be done soon. Now clear this channel for essential…” But the channel was already closed down.
Without warning, the blue glow that had enveloped the ship disappeared. Blinking at the sudden change, Mateo stared around the bridge. The surges and jumps had ceased. His first thought was It can’t have been that easy…. Clearing his throat, he said, “Cho, contact the captain. Ask if we’ve arrived.”
Cho was working her console, flicking switches and adjusting dials with her long, sensitive fingers. “I’m trying, sir. Something must be wrong….” Suddenly, Cho jerked back her head so sharply that Mateo heard the hardware in her harness snap against the bolts. “Commander! Alarms! From all over the ship!” Before she could finish he sentence, every light, every device on the bridge died. Mateo waited for the count of three heartbeats for the emergency power to kick in, but nothing happened. The only light came from the stars through the portholes.
Speaking very softly, struggling to be calm, Mateo asked, “What is happening?”
Cho spoke. “External sensors were sending alarms, sir. A possible hull breach…” These were the last words she ever spoke, the last Mateo ever heard. Her voice was lost in a strange crackling noise that seemed to be coming from the prow and was rushing toward them like an icy wave crashing into a frozen shore. The sound drowned out all other noise, even the frantic thrashing of the bridge crew struggling to undo their harnesses and reach the lockers where the environmental suits were stored. Mateo saw one of his hara reach a locker, but when he yanked open the door, there was nothing inside the locker except stars. All around them, the bulkheads were shattering, splintering into slivers that broke apart, then broke apart again until Mateo was staring out into the black of the void.
Remembering his training, Mateo forced the air out of his lungs and shut his eyes, but then opened them again when he felt his hara inside his head calling to him. Someone touched his shoulder, a reassuring grip, but then the pressure disappeared. In the last millisecond before the darkness took him, Mateo stared at his hands and was distantly,