Craggy 2: Another Last Flight for Craggy Read Online Free PDF Page B

down.'
    'Are you sure it's a plasma engine, not something we haven't even thought of yet?'
    'It's a plasma, sure enough. Just much more advanced.'
    Cragg said, 'And faster. If the Varlindrans decide to take another pop at us, we need to be just as fast. Remind me how our engines work.'
    'Right. We use helium three as our gas. None in any quantity here, but tons of the stuff on Moon's surface. The one thing we left behind was the working helium extraction plant. Fortunately a little goes a long way. Big Bird was turned into a helium storage vessel, for bringing the stuff back here to run our ships.'
    'My pal Gassy Miller was running that extraction plant when we were living there.'
    'Gassy trained the team that goes and gets it off the moon. Anyway, the helium is injected into the engine. The flow is controlled and the amount of helium injected in, governs the speed of the ship.'
    Cragg nodded. 'I remember. So. This ship can pump more helium than ours, I take it?'
    'That's one factor. This thruster is four times larger than ours.'
    'Hmm. I knew it. Size does matter. Then what happens?'
    'Well, the gas goes through the helicon antenna to be ionised.'
    Cragg said, 'Which makes the plasma?'
    'Correct. Then magnetic coils confines that plasma. A Faraday shield heats the plasma to millions of degrees, and the exhaust gas propels the ship.'
    Cragg put on his best, I knew that expression. 'I couldn't have put it better myself. Pretty simple, in theory. Basically, one long continuous fart.'
    'If you say so.'
    'And this big lump here is...?'
    'The main injector. Rocky scored a bulls-eye when he hit this.'
    'And one of ours won't fit, I take it?'
    'Nope. And I can't repair this mess.'
    'Only one thing to do, then. Make a new one.'
    'No shit. Thanks, Craggy.'
    'You're welcome. Glad to be of help. Right. I'm off for the big meeting. Good luck with that.'

Chapter 16
    O ne other good thing about being able to breathe without helmets was that mass meetings could be held outside. Potts tapped the microphone and called the meeting to order.
    'Okay. I'll come right to the point. Stella Wayward, our computer expert, has been hard at work on the Varlindran ship. She has been able to access the hard-drive. Much of the data seems to have been wiped, either by Korlyn Num Sedindra, or by his killers. What little we found gives us some concerns. It seems this wasn't the only planet visited by the Varlindrans. We know that Varlindra was dying from gamma radiation from their sun.'
    'Being highly advanced, they simply packed their bags and took over other planets. If they wanted a planet that was already occupied, they wiped out the locals. But it seems there was at least one race with the capability to fight back and we have seen a tiny recording of ships like the Varlindran one we have, being hammered by another advanced species.' Potts paused to let the information sink in, choosing his next words carefully. 'We have to face facts. There is a possibility, in my opinion, a very remote one, that the Varlindrans could return here. Or for that matter, the other lot.'
    There was a collective hum from the crowd.
    'And what do we do if they do come here?' called out a man.
    Potts said, 'Fight back. We have Security Commander Dillow's ship, The Eye. That has laser cannon. We are also repairing the alien ship to be fully operational. Commander Forbes is with our engineers and their priority will be to make more laser cannons to be either used in adapted freighters or from the ground. Probably both. Now, I must stress. All these measures are merely precautionary but it only makes sense to be as prepared as humanly possible. If any of you are asked to contribute time and expertise, that becomes your priority. Commander Forbes and I also welcome constructive ideas to help us in our endeavours. That's it for now. Please go about your business. Further information will be released, as and when we have it. Thank you.'
    The people walked solemnly away, and Potts