Operation Chimera Read Online Free PDF Page B

The Captain stood back next to his second in command and reached up to one of the handholds rigged across the ceiling. Robin Teague had already done the same.
    “Helm has control,” Frank announced.
    “Any way we can shut that goddamn thing off?” Driscoll whispered to her.
    “I don’t think so, Sir,” Commander Teague said. “He’s part and parcel.”
    Driscoll loosed an irritated sigh.
    The
Manhattan
eased away from the side of Horizon Station. Hardy fired the maneuvering jets along her port side, allowing her to drift to starboard and gain distance.
    The Lieutenant activated the thrusters, using only eight percent thrust to break away from Horizon Station’s negligible gravity. Once a safe distance from the huge superstructure, he increased their thrust to one quarter.
    Lieutenant Hardy turned around, awaiting his next orders.
    “Ahead, one half speed,” Driscoll ordered.
    “Aye.”
    A steady pulse of vibration rippled through the deck as the
Manhattan
came to life, emanating from the heart of the vessel. Power surged from the mighty engines at the aft of the loaf-shaped behemoth like blood flowing toward ready muscles. Driscoll had always thought of starships in organic terms.
    The engineering section contained the heart and other essential organs. The bridge was the brain. The computer network had to be the nervous system. Her guns were her fists; missiles the spit she threw in the faces of her enemies. And her engines? They were her legs, strong and far-reaching so that she might run with grace upon the spider webs of stars.
    “One half,” Hardy declared.
    “All systemsss optimal,” Lieutenant-Commander S’lestra said.
    “Thank you. Bring us up to three quarters,” Driscoll ordered. He let go of the handhold now, certain there wasn’t anything about to send him falling on his ass. “Keep pushing her until she’s at full speed. Tenth increments.”
    “Aye.”
    Subtle creaks and groans murmured through the carrier’s hull from the increased stress from the engines.
    She’s having a good stretch is all,
Driscoll thought to himself.
Working the knots out.
    Some small amount of give in the hull was expected―indeed, necessary. Especially when a starship happened to be as big as the
Manhattan
, and carried what she carried.
    “We are now at full speed,” Lieutenant Hardy announced.
    “Congratulations, Captain,” Commander Teague said with a smile.
    Driscoll politely dismissed the comment. “Okay. Frank, what is the reactor output?”
    The reply was instantaneous. “Currently eighty-percent.”
    “Take it to one hundred, and redirect the additional output to the engines.”
    “Yes, Captain.”
    Although against guidelines, the manifolds were intended to take a maximum of one hundred and fifty percent output for a duration of eighteen hours before they would start to degrade due to heat. Frank would be aware of that. Could there be anything the
Manhattan
’s sentient AI
wasn’t
aware of?
    “Reactor now at one hundred percent.”
    The
Manhattan
rumbled around them for a moment or two, then settled back into a steady rhythm. Horizon Station would no longer be a mere speck, were they to look back. It would be indecipherable from the rest of the darkness. A smudge against the cosmos.
    “Increase to one hundred and thirty percent,” Driscoll ordered the ship’s AI.
    “Please repeat.”
    “Frank, increase output to one-thirty,” Driscoll said. “That’s an order.”
    “Yes, Captain. Increasing. “
    The level of vibration increased, yet Driscoll appeared unfazed by it. “Commander, please report our status to Fleet Command. Tell them the ship has performed as expected, there are no major issues. We are now proceeding with the mission.”
    “Yes, sir,” Teague said. She went to the communications station and instructed Ensign Blair on what to do.
    Captain Nicholas Driscoll folded his arms, stood legs apart at the middle of the bridge. “You have the co-ordinates?”
    The
Manhattan
’s