Free Paying the Price (Book 5 of The Empire of Bones Saga) by Terry Mixon Page B

incorrectly applied an artificial limitation. Only an actual test of the communications potential can prove or disprove that assertion, however.”
    Angela tried to get her head around what the computer was saying. Unlimited communication range? Absurd.
    “We’ll leave that aside for the moment. Tell me about the rest of the hammer.”
    Hopefully, she wouldn’t find any other glitches in his presentation. This wasn’t looking good at all.
     
    * * * * *
     
    Jared felt like he was floating beside Talbot. He was using the vid feed from one of the other marines to have a conversation with him from his flag bridge, but it was just as though he was there.
    “How the hell could he just disappear?”
    “Damned if I know, sir. I turned my back for a minute and he was gone. I thought he’d floated around the curve of the station, but he didn’t turn up when we spread out. Invincible scanned the entire area looking for him. Nothing. He has to be inside that thing.”
    “I thought you didn’t find any airlocks.”
    The former non-com growled. “We didn’t. There isn’t a single entrance to this thing. Not one seam we can find. Nothing.”
    “Then we’ll need to open the thing up. Try a plasma rifle.”
    “No dice. As far as I can tell, it had no effect whatsoever. It didn’t even discolor the skin. We need bigger guns.”
    “ Invincible ’s beams are too heavy. Try the plasma weapons on one of the pinnaces. Call me back once you’re in.”
    He turned to Doctor Leonard. “What do you think happened?”
    The older man shrugged. “He went over to get scanner readings of the hull on that station. There’s no way he would wander off. I suppose it’s possible that he had a suit failure, but that doesn’t explain why no one can locate him. I think your belief that he’s inside that station is an accurate one.”
    “Then how did he get in and how to we get him out?”
    “I haven’t the slightest idea. What’s more troubling is that he should’ve called us. Perhaps we might not be in range to hear a cry for help, but Major Talbot is. I should go over there and take readings for myself.”
    Jared shook his head. “Not until we know more about what happened. One of the marines can take a reading after they breach the hull on that thing.”
    “Incoming communication from Major Talbot,” Marcus said.
    This time the marine had his helmet off, obviously inside the pinnace.
    “Are you ready to fire?”
    Talbot shrugged. “We already did. No effect that we can see. The damned thing is immune to damage from us.”
    “Hold on,” Jared said. “Are you telling me that our weapons are just bouncing?”
    “Literally. I hit it with flechettes, too. Not a scratch on it. You’re going to have to use the ship’s weapons.”
    “Not the missiles. That’s overkill. Maybe a low-powered beam. Marcus?”
    “If the Major and his people will pull back, I can move into range and focus the beam on the hull. At the lowest power settings, it still has the potential to do a lot of damage.”
    Jared nodded. “Aim somewhere other than the spot Carl disappeared.”
    It took about ten minutes to get everything set up. Jared monitored the shot when Marcus took it at the lowest power setting.
    It had no more effect than the hand-held plasma weapons.
    “Well,” Marcus said. “This is unexpected. And unwelcome. Shall I increase power, Admiral?”
    “Take it up slowly. When it fails, it might go suddenly.”
    Invincible fired ever increasingly powerful shots at the station. None had any effect whatsoever. Once they reached full power, they started adding in additional beams. All to no effect. The dammed thing might as well be immune to energy weapons.
    “Shall we stand off and try a missile, Admiral?” Marcus asked.
    Jared rubbed his face. “Not yet. An explosion or high-speed impact might be completely different from a beam attack. I’d rather not rupture the thing completely.”
    He turned to Doctor Leonard. “Suit up, Doctor.