Free Human Chronicles Part 2 Book 2: The Apex Predator by T. R. Harris Page B

added senses the device provided and knowing eventually he’d have to find a way of screening the incoming data down to a more manageable level. After all, it didn’t make sense to turn off the device in a time of crisis, not when it was needed the most.
    However, as he scanned the data on his screen, it didn’t take a super high-tech device to tell him what the problem was: the gravity-well was taking in too much material … yet according to the charts, this shouldn’t be happening. The Pegasus was currently transiting a region of space near the star Adenion, and it should have been clear of any superfluous matter. At least that’s what the charts showed.
    “We’re in some kind of dense debris field,” Sherri called out from her station. “It’s not on the charts … and damn, it seems to cover almost the entire system!”
    “I see that,” Adam said. “This place has been shredded.”
    “What about the well; how bad is it?”
    Adam watched his screen as red lights began flashing on every sensor. “At this rate of absorption we could be in real trouble. We’re fast approaching critical mass.”
    Sherri had never piloted a spacecraft before – content to let the guys do all the driving – so she was not even aware that a well could overload.
    “What does that mean? Won’t it just dissolve if it takes in too much matter?”
    “Not necessarily. We have a microscopic blackhole sitting about four hundred yards from us. When regular blackholes take in too much stuff, they expel the extra material in the form of a gamma ray burst.”
    “That doesn’t sound good.”
    “It’s not. Gamma ray bursts can fry us where we sit,” Adam said. “We were warned about this when the ship was designed. The array focuses such a concentrated amount of energy in a small space that we’re able to establish really deep wells very close to the ship. This allows us to move through star systems a lot faster than any other type of ship. But having all that energy so close does have its risks.”
    “I know how the drive works, Adam,” Sherri said, sounding perturbed. “So just shut it down.”
    “I can’t do that,” Adam declared, as he turned back to his screen. “The well’s been clearing the debris field ahead of us, and if I dissolve it now, we’d still be carrying so much momentum that even the smallest particles outside would pulverize us.” The frown lines on his forehead were becoming canyons.
    “But if we can’t do that ….” Sherri let her sentence trail off, at a loss as to what else to say.
    “Yeah … it’ll continue to suck in matter until it reaches the point of no return, and then boom, we’re toast – literally.”
    “How long do we have?”
    Adam had been watching the energy levels spike on his screen; they were already well past the red danger mark. “Could be any time.” Adam’s voice was trembling, and even though he wanted to maintain the strong, macho front for Sherri, he knew she was smart enough to know the truth.
    “So where did all this crap come from?” Sherri asked.
    “I don’t know. Something huge passed through this system and threw the entire gravity balance out of whack. It even looks like some of the smaller moons may have collided and added to the debris.” And then as Adam watched the cloud of space junk on his screen, he thought he saw something, a pattern of some sort to the movement of the debris. It seemed to be flowing in somewhat the same direction.
    “So you’re saying a ship on deep-well shot through here—”
    “Wait one!” Adam said holding up his hand. Even through the tension in the room, Sherri shot him an angry look at being interrupted.
    “Excuse me!” she shot back.
    “Please, Sherri, I think I’ve got an idea. Is it just my imagination … or is the debris cloud moving in the same direction?”
    Sherri’s navigation computer provided more advanced monitoring of the objects in the general vicinity of the ship. She tapped a few controls,