My Other Car is a Spaceship Read Online Free PDF Page B

would be the first to notice his absence. He and Hal tended to talk several times a week. Soon, Bernie or someone else would grow suspicious and report Hal missing. Then he’d have a problem explaining his absence when he returned, months later.
    He sat up. “Excuse me, Nude, I need to contact some friends back home so they don’t worry about me. There are also some financial matters.”
    “ You can speak with Kalen when you are done here, but I would not worry. He is quite good at tying up loose ends of that sort. For now, just lie back and try not to think so much. If you clear your mind and are receptive, the implant can finish its job that much more quickly and you can be on your way.
    “Easy for you to say, doc. You’re not the one wondering whether he’ll have a mind left after he clears it .”
    Nude’s mouth formed what Hal guessed was a smile. He glanced at the sensor readings on his handheld. “Have no fear on that account. The implant is already integrating with your mind. If you stop talking for a moment and relax your attention, you should be able to feel something by now.”
    Hal ’s eyebrows shot up. I don’t feel anything at all. I guess these alien doctors don’t know everyth— H e felt something , deep inside his skull, like the beginning of an itch. It wasn’t quite to the point of discomfort—more like the memory of an itch. It was such a fascinating phenomenon that Hal focused his concentration on it for several minutes. Soon, he noticed other places where the sensation made itself known. Dozens of such “itch points” appeared inside his head, grew in intensity until he wanted to scratch like mad, and then gradually diminished until none were left.
    “ Hal, the process is complete.”
    Hal opened his eyes to the face of a giant blue horse leaning over him. He almost jumped, before remembering where he was and why.
    “What happened? I was concentrating on the sensations. Did I fall asleep?”
    “You have been in a state of deep unconsciousness for more than an hour. The implant has completed its task. You are now ready for duty. How do you feel?”
    Hal shrugged. “Same as usual. Aren’t I supposed to be able to feel/see/hear—or whatever—the ship’s functions?”
    Nude nodded. “You will, once the neural connection is activated. Kalen will instruct you. He should be here shortly.”
    The captain picked that moment to arrive.
    “Perfect timing ,” Nude acknowledged with a nod. “I was just telling our patient that he is all yours.”
    “Excellent work as always, doctor. Hal, please follow me.” Kalen’s voice was not cheerful. “It’s time we attend to that pirate.”
    Kalen Jeffries turned and exited through the doorway that formed a head of him. Hal followed him out into the corridor and moments later through the doorway to the bridge. They were greeted by bedlam. People scurried to and fro, looking worried. Various images, charts and diagrams appeared and shifted on workstation viewscreens. The main viewscreen, however, continued to show a single image—some sort of spacecraft.
    Captain Jeffries walked to his command chair and sat. “That ship you see up there,” he gestured to the giant central viewscreen, “is the pirate. He’ll be within firing range in…” he consulted the viewscreen built into the armrest of his chair, “just over eleven minutes.”
    “You can stop him, can’t you?”
    “Ordinarily, with a pilot plugged into the system, yes. It’s only a small ship, with little shielding and moderate weaponry. Still, without a pilot I’m forced to operate the ship manually. That’s a big disadvantage already in terms of reaction time. Worse, I’ve had no experience flying manually in actual battle conditions. Unfortunately, he arrived before we could get you trained.”
    “I’ve got the implant in me now. There must be something I can do to help. If I can’t fly this thing, maybe I can fire a weapon.”
    Kalen shook his head , no. “Without