"Lee Edgar - Return to Andromeda" - читать интересную книгу автора (Edgar Lee)

The shipтАЩs First Officer nodded gravely. тАШIt certainly looks like it.тАЩ
тАШCritical Mass in three minutes.тАЩ
тАШDown five,тАЩ said Steve quietly.
тАШConfirmed down five,тАЩ said Cassi as she tapped keys.
The radio spoke again. тАШThis is your last chance, Wayfarer. We have strict instructions from General
Phillips if your do not surrender your ship.тАЩ
тАШCritical Mass in two minutes,тАЩ said Lyn.
The Commander surveyed all the information available to him and then spoke to his wife. тАШPrepare to
activate Proton Drive.тАЩ
Lyn nodded. тАШActivating on your command.тАЩ
Cassi looked up from her screen. тАШIris has identified a secondary object leaving the shuttle.тАЩ
тАШIdentify,тАЩ said Mike as he watched the vision monitor.
тАШDIABLOS >тАЩ stated Iris.
Mike swallowed. тАШSteve, theyтАЩve fired an photon emission-seeking missile.тАЩ
тАШCritical mass in one minute,тАЩ said Lyn.
Steve Carter made up his mind. тАШFull left retro.тАЩ
Cassi obeyed, tapping keys on the computer. тАШConfirmed.тАЩ
тАШEstimated time to impact?тАЩ
Cassi consulted the readout. тАШNinety seconds.тАЩ
тАШWeтАЩll have the Proton Drive active before the missile hits us,тАЩ said Mike Hardy with a smile. тАШSo we should
pull clear by a reasonable margin. No missile can follow us at light speed, not even Diablos.тАЩ
тАШCritical mass in thirty seconds,тАЩ said Lyn.
тАШTime to impact sixty seconds,тАЩ added Cassi.
тАШRight ten.тАЩ
тАШConfirmed right ten.тАЩ
тАШCritical mass achieved,тАЩ said Lyn with relief. тАШProton Drive ready.тАЩ
тАШHold Proton Drive,тАЩ said the Commander.
Startled, Lyn spun round in her seat. тАШWhat?тАЩ
тАШI said hold Proton Drive.тАЩ
Cassi watched the figures. тАШTime to impact twenty seconds.тАЩ
тАШSteve, are you crazy?,тАЩ called Mike. тАШThatтАЩs a two-megaton nuclear warhead almost up our blast tubes.тАЩ
He smiled a little. тАШTrust me, Mike.тАЩ
тАШTime to impact ten seconds,тАЩ said Cassi calmly.
тАШProton Drive half ahead,тАЩ instructed Steve eventually and Lyn stabbed at a key. The ship immediately
surged forward.
тАШTime to impact five seconds. ItтАЩs still gaining on us.тАЩ
тАШIncrease to cruise speed.тАЩ
тАШConfirmed,тАЩ said Lyn.
тАШTime to impact still five seconds,тАЩ said Cassi. тАШData confirms missile locked into homing status. Electron
emission release indicates warhead active.тАЩ
тАШMaintain present speed and trajectory, girls. Take us right around Terra.тАЩ
At ninety kilometres per second, Wayfarer One encircled the globe at a height of five thousand kilometres
with a nuclear missile right behind it. The sun rose from behind Luna as the ship ran ahead of its deadly
pursuer. Tension built inside Wayfarer One. One tiny mistake now would be fatal and there would be no
pieces to be recovered. Gone would be not only the ship and crew but also the hopes of a doomed race. Ten
minutes later, they were turning over the Democratic Republic of China.
тАШShuttle Magnum on forward vision monitor,тАЩ said Mike.
Cassi ran her fingers nimbly over the keys. тАШWe will be traversing its line of trajectory in three minutes and
eighteen seconds.тАЩ
тАШCassi,тАЩ said the Commander thoughtfully. тАШAdjust our course to take us tight in behind the shuttle.тАЩ