"John G. Hemry - Do No Harm" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hemry John G)

тАЬSandra, repairs are underway,тАЭ the captain repeated in a frustrated tone.
тАЬTake no action.тАЭ
Kevlin felt something, and glanced back to see that the hatch leading onto the
bridge had opened. No one was there waiting to enter, though.
One of the crew noticed, too. тАЬSandra, reseal the hatch to the bridge.тАЭ
тАЬCommand understood. Complying,тАЭ Sandra replied, her voice its usual dead
calm again.
The hatch didnтАЩt close. тАЬSandra, reseal the hatch to the bridge,тАЭ the captain
ordered this time.
тАЬCommand understood. Complying.тАЭ
тАЬCaptain?тАЭ Another engineer was staring at something on his display. тАЬSheтАЩs
doing instant resets again after acknowledging our orders. Every interior hatch and
door on the ship is open.тАЭ
The captain stared at him, then spoke in a powerful voice. тАЬSandra. Close all
doors. Command override Sigma Sigma Sigma.тАЭ
тАЬCommand understood. Complying.тАЭ
тАЬItтАЩs not closing,тАЭ Yasmina observed.
тАЬDamn!тАЭ one of the crew exclaimed. тАЬWe had to give Sandra a reset
capability so she could function autonomously, but sheтАЩs started using that to get
around our commands.тАЭ
тАЬSheтАЩs not using it,тАЭ Yasmina objected. тАЬThereтАЩs no conscious thought
involved. IтАЩm sure it must be a defensive response operating below the level of
consciousness. Her subsystems are telling her something has to be done so sheтАЩs
working around obstacles to action.тАЭ
тАЬCaptain! Airlock doors are opening! Interior and exterior!тАЭ
The captain hesitated the barest fraction of a second before yelling and
springing into action. тАЬInto suits! Everyone into your suits and seal them! Chen!
Ragosa! Seal your suits!тАЭ
The emergency suits were stored next to the seats, fortunately. KevlinтАЩs hands
were shaking as he pulled on the suit, fumbling with fittings that should have been
second nature after countless emergency drills on the station. A growing breeze was
tugging at him as he struggled to get the chest seal in place.
тАЬStrap in!тАЭ the captain was shouting. тАЬAs soon as you get the suit on, strap in
and then get your helmet sealed!тАЭ
Kevlin dropped into his seat and pulled the harness across, clicking it into
place just as the breeze grew to a gale of wind trying to suck him out through the
hatch and ultimately out through the airlock. Wondering if he was really gasping for
air already, Kevlin got the helmet down, trying not to panic as the suit automatically
pressurized. Cool air flowed from the recirc unit and Kevlin slowly got his trembling
under control. Shocked by a sudden realization, he looked over and saw Yasmina
also strapped in, her own suit just finishing pressurizing. Ashamed that he had
forgotten about her, forgotten about anything but his own fears, Kevlin looked away
again.
тАЬItтАЩs okay,тАЭ he heard Yasmina over the suitтАЩs circuit. тАЬPerfectly natural
reaction.тАЭ
Kevlin mumbled a reply, wishing she hadnтАЩt been able to understand his
embarrassment.
Other voices came over the circuit, the captainтАЩs finally overriding them all. тАЬI
need an estimate as to why that happened. Anybody? Any ideas?тАЭ
It suddenly seemed so obvious. тАЬSandra is trying to get rid of us,тАЭ Kevlin