Free Starhawk by Jack McDevitt

the
Gremlin
’s status?”
    â€œIt went down.”
    â€œHow much air do you have left?”
    â€œWe need you here within seven hours.”
    â€œHold on.”
It was a long pause. Then:
“We’ll have to try another jump.”
    She looked at Jake. He nodded. “Do it,” she said.
    Transdimensional jumps were notoriously inaccurate. They usually put you within approximately a million kilometers of your target. That was good if you were going to Canopus, and nobody was in a hurry. But it wasn’t very helpful if you were already in relatively close. Another jump would take time and might gain nothing. Or even
lose
ground.
    Â * * * 
    THE BETTER PART of an hour passed before they heard from the
Thompson
again.
“We’re not much closer,”
Drake said.
“A few hours less. But not enough. We can try another jump.”
    â€œNegative,” said Jake. “How’s your fuel?”
    â€œAbout half a tank.”
    â€œHold on. Benny, do we have the
Thompson
’s new position?”
    â€œI’m getting it now.”
    â€œWhat’s the best rendezvous time?”
    â€œThere are fuel limitations. And the sustained acceleration would almost certainly cause injuries. But taking all that into consideration, we can meet in just under five hours.”
    â€œThank God,” said Priscilla. “That’s tight, but it works.”
    Jake heard movement behind him and turned to see Josh.
    â€œAll right,” said Jake. “Priscilla, let’s get moving.”
    â€œNo,” said Josh. “The high-acceleration rendezvous is not a good idea.”
    â€œWe don’t have a choice.”
    â€œJake, the pressures generated by all the accelerating and braking will increase everyone’s oxygen intake by a substantial margin. I can’t be positive, but I’d be surprised if we didn’t lose life support during the process.”
    â€œWe can manage a meeting without excessive acceleration in seven hours,” Benny said. “Perhaps a bit less. But we have to get started.”
    â€œWe don’t have a seven-hour air supply,” said Jake.
    â€œDo it, damn it,” said Josh. “Let’s get moving.”
    Â * * * 
    PRISCILLA’S JOURNAL
    . . . Darkest moment of my life . . .
    â€”November 18, 2195

Chapter 9
    â€œTHIS IS NOT going to work,” said Jake. “We’ll lose the lander at about 0800.”
    Joshua shook his head. “We have a fifteen-hour supply of oxygen in the air tanks.”
    â€œThat doesn’t add up to seven hours for three people.”
    â€œBut it’s enough for
two
.”
    â€œI’m not sure what you’re suggesting,” said Priscilla, “but I think we should try another jump. Maybe we’d get lucky.”
    â€œNo.” Joshua shook his head. “At this range, the jumps are just wasting time.” His eyes narrowed. “It would mean putting everybody at risk. We can’t do that.”
    â€œSo what
do
we do?” she said.
    â€œI have an idea,” said Josh.
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œGive me ten minutes. Then come down to the lander.”
    â€œWhat are you going to do?” asked Jake.
    â€œI’m not sure yet. Just let me take a look at our options.”
    Priscilla thought she saw something pass between the two captains, an understanding. But then the girls were grouped around the hatch asking
What’s happening?
    When are they going to be here?
    Is everything okay?
    And Joshua was gone.
    â€œWe’ll be fine,” said Shahlah in both languages.
    â€œWhat’s he going to do?” Priscilla asked.
    â€œI don’t know,” said Jake.
    She knew Jake pretty well by then. And he seemed rattled. But she let it go.
    Â * * * 
    JAKE SAT STARING at nothing in particular.
    â€œWe have to get going,” said Priscilla. “We’re wasting