Bright Horizons Read Online Free PDF Page B

sorting through an equipment bin.
“Williams, I need you and Ranke to run a Phase II diagnostic on the internal
hatch system. Hollis, I need you to assist me on the repatch, and Dolsen, get
on the bot and give me an external look at our docking position.”
    The
Marines responded immediately to Lieutenant Richards orders.
    “Cowboy,
what the hell is going on up there? I almost crapped myself when that siren
went off.” Lieutenant Donovan was livid. He and Lieutenant Morton were the
“drivers” of the torpedo, which meant that they were the engineers who hit the
button that launched the torpedo along its preplanned route. They were also two
of only a handful of engineers who could even start to contemplate how to fix
the Torpedo if things went wrong. While they could leave under their own power,
and sometimes did for maintenance, they did not want two shuttles in one year
to be lost on one of their missions.
    “Everything
is under control, Lieutenant. We had a small breach in a seal in the inner
hatch.  We have the tools and manpower to get it fixed,” Cowboy said into his
com unit.
    “Ok, just
remember, we can only take six more passengers in the Torpedo, so don’t screw
up the Fletcher too bad.”
    “That’s a
Roger, we will make sure we are ready to go at the scheduled time. I’ll keep
you updated every ten minutes,” Cowboy replied.
    “Roger
Commander, we will just keep the jump engine warm down here.”
    Kyle
looked at Cowboy and raised his eyebrows.
    “Colonel,
take your assigned team and let’s get this job done. I will keep you updated on
our progress.” Cowboy gave him a quick nod and headed back to the cockpit.
    Kyle
looked back to the hatch and stepped towards it.
    “Mister
Carter, let’s go. Mister Ambassador, you and your team will follow. Marines,
bring up the rear.”
    Kyle
stepped forward and opened the outer hatch. A slight hiss made him wince and
the hot air of the alien vessel washing over him made him cringe. It smelled
faintly of ammonia and he was hoping the Hedali had not mistaken the
atmospheric needs of the human team.
    Two more
steps took him to another hatch, which was opening as he approached. On the
other side was an Hedali. About five foot eight, maybe one hundred and forty
pounds if he was a human. Bipedal, slightly squarish face, what looked to be
scales on portions of his head. He stepped backwards three steps to the center
of the room.
    “Welcome
friends.” The slightly quivering voice of the alien reminded Kyle of the old
actor Jimmy Stewart.
    “Thank
you, friend. We bring peace,” Kyle responded as he stepped over the threshold
of the hatch doorway. Ambassador Thomas was very precise on what he should say
and when.
    Kyle
immediately stepped to the left as he entered, with Carter stepping to the
right.  Miss Stuart entered behind him and moved to the left to stand by Kyle.
He was confused by this, but realized that with Cowboy bowing out, Ambassador
Thomas had changed the order. He coming in fourth must have meant something
that Kyle didn’t quite understand.
    Ambassador
Thomas entered and took one step straight ahead to the Hedali who had opened
the door and greeted them.
    “Thank
you, friend.  We are here to bring peace in your house,” Ambassador Thomas
slowly said. Both he and their Hedali friend bowed deeply with arms held to the
side.
    The
Hedali looked at all four of the humans and then stepped forward.
    “Greetings
to our house, may the peace you bring be added to what we have. I am Lon, an
officer of this vessel, and I was chosen for this honor because I learned to
speak your language quickly. Ambassador Thomas, I will be your translator for
our meeting.”
    Lon
turned and motioned with his hand and a doorway opened. Kyle smirked a little
when he noticed that Lon was palming a small silver device in his other hand. A
little magic for the primitives, he thought.
    Ambassador
Thomas took the lead and followed Lon through the doorway; Carter was close
behind