Free Left Behind (Ghosts Of War Book 4) by Angelo Benuzzi Page A

digits.»
    «That’s good. Our observations will be our legacy to the fleet.»
    Mikhail’s expression was even darker than before. Two of the habitats had a significant heat signature, the others leaked high-level radiations. On a secondary screen the basic design of a Q-type habitat was rotating, showing its internal organization. Only one habitat of this kind was recovered intact after the conflict and the American navy had it dismantled as soon as possible.
    «Habitat orbits are regular and we can get hints of activity. Dmitry, it’s possible that we have more than one thousand people out there.»
    «Well, that let us with one more option to try. What about a communication test? We’re picking up low-level noise on the usual frequency sets.»
    «Have you already tried out the known Chinese sets?»
    «Yes, no activity at all. So, have I to try to place a call?»
    «No. We have to complete the first optical sweep. Then we will transmit whatever we get and finally we will set up that call.»
    Two hours later Mikhail was recording a preliminary report. He and Dmitry had a fast lunch and got a fresh set of uniforms before arranging a presentation for the Academy. In a matter of ten minutes the Russian commander gave a description of the data sent and posed an hypothesis about the outcome of the mission.
    «If our radio contact get any kind of response, we may find ourselves on the brink of war again, with what’s left of Chinese second revolution in the outer edge of the Solar system. As a precaution, I will call for a general yellow alert for the Russian Space fleet until further notice. If you don’t get another video report in the next twelve hours, then assume that our ship is lost. Babushkin from RSS “Zel’dovich”, over.»
    Anuchin checked the registration, then hit the “send” button.
    «You know, that was quite dramatic. If all this stuff turn out to be about some empty tin can…»
    «It is not.»
    Babushkin was looking at the main screen. A flock of little red dots were moving out the low orbit around Charon, a yellow message was pulsing in the lower right corner “unknown vehicles”.
    «It looks like that tin cans of yours are sending us a welcome committee. Red alert Dmitry! Go get your suit!»   
     

III
    Mikhail and Dmitry scrambled from their seats, the former after hitting the alert button on his console. They donned their exosuits, leaving up visors and gloves disconnected. On full auto, the “Zel’dovich” was altering course, resuming full power to all engines. It was a slow maneuver at best, the ship wasn’t build for speed. The two-tone siren of red alert was the constant background of the first five frantic minutes of activity.
    «All right, crew habitat rotation will stop in ten seconds. Secure the desks!»
    «Mikhail, we have a first evaluation. Twelve objects incoming, it looks like they used a full orbit rotation around Charon to gain speed before heading in our direction.»
    «Got it. Do you remember the security protocol, don’t you?»
    «Of course. I just… you know, I just would like to try everything else before that. I want to fight them.»
    «Me too. But this isn’t a war ship. Our only defense could be to rotate irregularly on our main axis when they will try to connect with our ship. I think that you remember the simulations in the Academy. They will spread around us like a net, then two or more will try to make contact with the hull. In a matter of an hour all of them will be all over our ship. And then… then they will come in.»
    «I don’t want to become a cyborg. Nor one of their slaves.»
    The young engineer picked up a red-painted security key from his desk, his jaw set square in a meaningful expression.
    «Let’s do it. We will show’em how Russian die.»
    «Well said, son.»
    The commander got his own key and shook hands with his aide.
    «C’mon, we have a nuclear reactor to blast. Those tiny yellow hard-wired bastards will burn with us. Our fellow