Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
segment of theQui-Qui Revue. Qui-Qui was a little past her prime, but she was still the sexiest female on<br />
holovid.<br />
06:55:07 GMT TU6SDHY 21 JUNE2050<br />
"The cheela must have fixed the herder rocket," said Amalita from her tank, her voice altered by the<br />
breathing mask. "There is still no rocket exhaust, but the gravity tides are getting weaker."<br />
Pierre shifted his glance from Amalita's image in the upper left of his split screen to the view seen by the<br />
one remaining outside camera.<br />
"I noticed some activity at the rear of the rocket just a second ago and now there is a brightly glowing<br />
framework where the engine used to be," said Pierre.<br />
Amalita activated the miniaturized engineering control panel in her tank and zoomed the camera in to<br />
focus on the rear of the herder rocket. Five times a second the star field in back of the rocket wavered.<br />
Slowly, the wandering compensator mass was moved back to its correct position and once again began<br />
to coordinate its motion with that of the others, the invisible warping of one of its herder rockets<br />
contrasting with the brilliant rocket blasts from the rest.<br />
Soon the humans in the tanks could no longer feel the residual tidal tugs and their ears stopped sensing<br />
the ultrasonic beams that had protected them from the pulls at their extremities.<br />
"I guess it's safe to come out," Pierre said looking at the five faces in the split screen display inside his<br />
tank.<br />
"What about Seiko?" Jean asked.<br />
Pierre looked at the screen next to the one that held Jean's image. Seiko still had her eyes closed and<br />
was breathing very slowly.<br />
"I recommend we let her sleep," said Doc Wong's image from the screen below. "I'll keep a watch on<br />
her in case she has trouble with her breathing mask."<br />
"Last one out of the water is a wrinkled prune!" Abdul was already starting the purge of his tank.<br />
"Wait!" said Amalita. "Let me go out and check first for problems. The interior pressure monitor is<br />
holding steady, but there may be leaks or weak spots." From her console she canceled Abdul's purge<br />
command and started her tank draining instead.<br />
"Put on your space suit before you go wandering around the ship banging on walls," Pierre reminded her.<br />
"Of course." Amalita opened the hatch and listened carefully. Hearing nothing unusual, she pulled herself<br />
out of the emptying tank and into the main deck area and ottered up the passageway to the suit storage<br />
locker.
Change language