Pirates of the Thunder Read Online Free PDF

nice and comfy,” the Crow responded. “Sorta like hangin’ around the mausoleum.”
     
    When they finally succeeded in removing the bulky plate, they revealed a round cavity large enough for a human in a pressure suit to enter. Hawks and Raven were again the first inside, the latter pushing the three modules from their crippled interplanetary craft.
    The tube angled down for perhaps twenty meters, then opened into a large bubblelike chamber. Around the wall in a band were drawerlike module compartments, all filled, and in the center was a raised squared-off pedestal with four rectangular cavities laid out in a cross. All were vacant.
    “Well, we have the right place, but which goes where?” Hawks asked China through the suit intercom. “All four look exactly the same, and there aren’t exactly instruction sheets printed on them. Also, we have four holes and only three modules.”
    “That won’t matter much, I don’t think,” China assured him. “The core had a unique set of contacts. Those contacts should match only one of the sockets. Are the sizes right?”
    “Look right,” Raven told her. “We’ll see when we try. There’s a million of these tiny nipples in this gold leaf, though. Hard to tell which is which by just looking at them. Maybe you could see a difference but I sure as hell can’t.”
    “I wish I could see it,” the Chinese girl responded. “Well, there is only one core socket; the others are data modules. The data modules aren’t socket specific, only the core, or brain. If there is no other way, then place the two support modules in any two sockets and then attempt to load the core in one of the remaining sockets. Be careful not to damage or scrape any part of it. If it fits, fine, but don’t force it. If it doesn’t fit, try the other. Then switch.”
    “Be easier if we just tried the core first,” Hawks noted.
    “No! The core is its brain but the storage modules are its basic memories. If it connects with this ship but does not immediately have access to its memory modules it will not know where it is or who we are or what this is all about. The core is still the basic Master System core; it is the modules that were altered to allow it freedom. Activating the core without the modules will simply deliver us into the hands of a slave of Master System.”
    “Uh, yeah. Uh huh.” They turned and carefully selected one of the storage modules, then studied the cavities.
    “I’d say let’s put these in the right and left cavities as seen from the hatch and try the core with the vertical,” Hawks suggested. Raven shrugged.
    The first one slid easily and seemed to be firmly seated. “So far so good,’ Raven noted, sweating. They inserted the other, which went in just as easily. “Best guess is that one of the two remaining is in fact the brains.”
    “I had only a partial schematic,” China told them. “I’m not certain what the fourth one would be. Possibly additional memory to help manage a ship this size, or possibly a subsidiary brain, one handling the ship and the other the cargo life support. It is possible it might fit both places. Try it and see. We have no choice.”
    “Top one,” Hawks guessed. “Seems silly, but it’s closest to the actual bridge above.”
    “Yeah, by about a meter and a half,” Raven responded, but they carefully maneuvered the core and then fitted it into the cavity. Nothing happened. “Seems to be sitting just a little higher than the others. Want to try the bottom one?”
    “We couldn’t get it all right first time,” Hawks said. “All right—use the small magnets and pull.”
    They lifted the module out, then maneuvered it slowly to the lower cavity, checked its position, and lowered it into place. Again, it didn’t seem to go in quite all the way. “We’re either wrong on the others or we’re gonna have to risk pushing on the thing,” Raven noted.
    “Careful!” China warned them. “They are tough but not too tough. It is why