Free Blood and Fire by David Gerrold Page A

Now!”
    â€œOur suits are holding—” Korie started to reassure them.
    â€œBut for how long?” Williger’s gravelly voice cut in.
    As if in answer to her question, Berryman shouted, “Oh, God—!” Korie whirled to look at him. He couldn’t tell if it was a scream of fear or astonishment—but Berryman was glowing suddenly brighter! Shibano too! Korie looked to his own hands—the rest of his starsuit—he was gleaming as bright as the others!
    He looked to them and saw—the sparkling motes were seeping into their suits! His own as well!
    It wasn’t painful—it was interesting . It tingled ... the feeling was almost sexual. But underneath it was another thought. Is this my third mistake? The final one?
    â€œHey!” laughed Shibano. “That tickles!” He looked to Berryman and Korie. “Doesn’t it?”
    Berryman looked uncomfortable—not because it hurt, but because he was already wondering about the medical implications. He looked to Korie.
    Korie nodded an acknowledgment. “It’s an odd sensation,” he admitted. “Like needing to sneeze all over your body at the same time—” The sparkling wash of light was diminishing now. The twinkles were vanishing into them.
    Korie pointed to Berryman’s scanner. “Take a reading.”
    Berryman lifted up the device, switching it on. He pointed it at Shibano first.
    â€œOww— that doesn’t tickle.”
    Korie waggled his fingers in an “over here” gesture and Berryman pointed the scanner toward him. The tickling sensation turned painful then—like a series of low-level electric shocks. Korie held up his hand in an “Okay, you can stop now” gesture, and Berryman switched the scanner off.
    â€œDid you feel it too?” Korie asked.
    Berryman nodded grimly.
    â€œWell, whatever it is—we’ve got it.”
    â€œI can’t identify it, sir. The Star Wolf will have to sort this one out.”
    â€œThere might be something in the records. HARLIE has probably already started searching the files. There’s a thousand years of history to go through. It might take some time.”

Closure

    On the Bridge of the Star Wolf , Parsons’ face was ashen. She looked first to Williger, then to Brik.
    Brik didn’t look up from his workstation, but somehow he knew of her concern. “Already working on it, Captain,” he said. His voice had an angry note to it. Was he angry at Korie? Or her? Or just the universe in general? Korie had warned her of Brik’s manner. Not important, Parsons told herself. Not important now . “Thank you, Mr. Brik,” she said noncommittally.
    She turned to Williger. “The other half of the team?”
    â€œThey’re keeping their scanners on,” the doctor growled.
    â€œWill that protect them?”
    Williger shrugged. An unsatisfactory answer.
    Parsons rubbed her earlobe, frowning in thought. “All right. Tell them to proceed. As long as they’re over there—let’s get the log and find out what the hell those things are.”
    â€œAye, aye.”
    On the Norway , Hodel received Brik’s orders with a tight expression. They were seeing more of the wavicles up on “Broadway” too. Hodel didn’t want to speculate aloud, but it looked as if the whole ship was infected. He moved forward, following Easton and Bach through a corridor that was both familiar and alien at the same time.
    The Norway was functionally identical to the Star Wolf . Both were liberty ships, both built to the same blueprint; perhaps they had even come off the same assembly line. But the Norway had been outfitted for a different set of priorities, and her internal fittings were different enough to make the experience something like deja vu mixed with culture shock and a vaguely disquieting sense of disorientation.
    â€œLieutenant Hodel?” That was Bach. They had come